Aarushi Agni (Stand Up – Madison)
Aarushi Agni is a writer, musician and stand-up comic based in Madison, WI. You can see her performing at the Comedy Club on State, local showcases, and at Yoni Ki Baat, a yearly event celebrating intersectional stories from women of color. She is the lead singer of the folk-rock band, Tin Can Diamonds and cries daily into her imaginary cat, because she’s just like you.
Ada Cheng (Storyteller – Chicago)
Ada Cheng is a renegade academic and a professor turned storyteller, improviser, and comedian. She has performed at different venues in Chicago. She is a recent Moth Slam winner, Bughouse Square Debate runner up, and presenter at The National Storytelling Network Conference.
Alex Seligsohn (Stand Up – Chicago)
Florida-born, Chicago-based comedian. She has performed stand-up all over the country, and participates in festivals such as the Chicago Nerd Comedy Festival, Boca Raton Comedy Festival, and the Arch City Comedy Festival. Alex is a writer and producer for Secrets, Lies & Alibis, a monthly variety show that has been recommended by several Chicago publications. Alex is also a shiba inu owner AND a notary public.
Alexandra Tsarpalas (Stand Up – Chicago)
Alexandra is a Chicago-based stand-up comic, storyteller and sketch performer. She is cast member of “the kates” and a co-producer of “Mom Genes” where she wears some very high-waisted pants and a very big wig. Her comedic style is quirky, observational and heavily influenced by her love of TV. Alexandra will dazzle you with her keen observations and porcelain hands. That’s right, porcelain hands.
Aliya Kanani (Stand Up – Toronto)
Aliya’s bag of tricks includes standup, sketch and improv…she’s obsessed with all things funny! She’s done shows all over Toronto and surrounding cities, and a couple in Chicago (which she casually brings up in conversation as often as possible). She’s also the co-creator and co-star of the wacky sketch-based web series, “Juicy”. When she is not busy laughing at her own jokes, she can usually be found somewhere eating her feelings.
Allie Lindsay (Stand Up – Madison)
Allie is part country mouse, part city mouse, finally livin’ her dream in the land of cheese. She grew up in the cornfields of IL, where she studied acting at WIU, focusing on voice and character work. In the early-mid 2000’s, she lived in Chicago, and performed in various theater and sketch comedy productions. Since living in Madison, Allie has been in a handful of inde movies, music & promotional videos, and a TV pilot, but didn’t make her stand-up comedy debut until spring of 2015. When the cat doesn’t have her tongue, you might spot her scavenging through dumpsters behind an Open Mic or Comedy Showcase about town.
Amanda Cohen (Stand Up – Chicago)
Amanda started doing comedy when she was 17 and after just 12 years she quit standup to pursue improv at the Second City Conservatory in Chicago. In that past life, Amanda played clubs and colleges across the upper midwest, including many great comedy clubs that don’t exist anymore. After an epiphany in 2015, she remembered she was a comedian. She has since showcased at Zanies and Laugh Factory in Chicago, Flappers Burbank, Chicago Women’s Funny Festival, and the Milwaukee Comedy Festival. Her influences include George Carlin, Paula Poundstone, and Dana Gould.
Amanda Xeller (Sketch – New York City)
Amanda Ariel “Peggy” Xeller is a writer, improviser, and clown residing in New York City. Her solo work has been featured in the Sketch Republic, was a part of the L.A. Scripted Comedy Festival, Ladyfest, NYC Sketchfest, Philly Sketchfest, and was named a “stand out” and “audience favorite” at Montreal Sketchfest ’15 by Mobtreal. She sits in with Dim Wit on Thursdays at the Annoyance Theater. She co-heads the annual Lady Sketch Lab and co-produces Ringers at the Magnet Theater. Amanda has studied comedy at the Annoyance BK, Magnet Theater, Upright Citizen’s Brigade, Movement Theater, Barrow Group, and with Complicité in London, England. She’s an alumna of the National Theater Institute. Amanda also holds a BA in Theatre from Fairfield University where she received The Award for Outstanding Service to the Theater Arts Program for her achievements and pursuits in improv. Amanda grew up across the street from an alligator filled bayou in Houston, Texas. She wishes she could sing like Justin Hawkins.
Amy Sumpter (Stand Up – Chicago)
Amy Sumpter has done stand up for over 9 years. She is a Cast member of the kates! Can be seen all over Chicago at various showcases and has traveled out of state to do shows….FANCY! She also was one of the top 100 comics for Last Comic Standing season 9. She is also in an all female Beastie Boy Tribute band called She’s Crafty.
Anne Gottschalk Scott (Storyteller – Chicago)
Anne was born and raised in Longmont, Colorado. She moved to Chicago in 2007 to pursue acting, and has since studied and performed with The Second City, I.O. Chicago, Halcyon Theatre Company, The Drama Group, and has made herself a regular at storytelling open mics throughout the city. In 2015, Anne obtained her Master’s Degree in Digital Media and Storytelling from Loyola University Chicago. She currently makes documentary films, usually focusing on the criminal justice system. Anne is married to the best guy, Ken, and together they have the worst dog, Moose.
Audrey Jonas (Stand Up – Chicago)
Comedian Audrey Jonas hails from the northwest side of Chicago. She combines her Mexican-American upbringing, absurd childhood experiences, and awkward interactions to bring relevant, refreshing and relatable comedy to showcases all over Chicago and the Midwest.
Austin Blaylock (He’s Not A Lady Showcase – Stand Up – San Francisco Bay Area)
Austin Blaylock is a comedian, writer, podcast host, and cat owner from the San Francisco Bay Area.
Becca Lundberg (Stand Up – Washington DC)
I started stand-up in July 2015 because I thought it would be slightly healthier to get self-validation from a live crowd than the people who liked my Facebook statuses. I’m old-fashioned like that. I recently opened for nationally touring comedians Liz Miele and Yannis Pappas. I’ve logged stage time at New York comedy clubs including The Stand and Broadway Comedy Club. I’ve also performed at D.C. area hot spots including Wonderland Ballroom, Bier Baron, RFD and Hyatt Regency Bethesda. I have a regular hosting gig at a popular open mic in D.C. I’ve performed in New York City, Portland, Baltimore and all over Virginia as well.
Brittani Ferguson (Stand Up – Chicago)
Brittani Ferguson is a transplant to Chicago via Italy and South Korea. As a graduate of Second City’s Conservatory and The Annoyance Training Center, she has performed improvisation, sketch comedy, and stand-up regularly since 2012. She likes cats and retro X-Files episodes.
Brooke Heinichen (Stand Up – San Francisco)
Brooke is a Bay Area techie who hates herself already, so you don’t have to. Having spent several years in the exciting world of federal contracting, her stand-up has been described as “CSPAN-inspired”. Originally from Ohio, she ranks as the #1 comedian of her 7 siblings. Her last name is pronounced like the beer. Yes, really.
Carly Ballerini (Stand Up – Chicago)
Carly is a quickly rising Chicago comic. She produces two popular and unique shows in Chicago: Ladylike and SPACE and has performed all over the Midwest and Seattle. After life with a bi-polar mom who went to clown college, adorably racist Italian grandparents and too many relationships to count, her wry take on a world gone mad will leave you unsettled in the most delightful way.
Carly Malison (Stand Up – Milwaukee)
Carly Malison is a Milwaukee based comedian where she tackles the tough issues like her mother and dating in the drunkest city in the world. With almost two years into stand up Carly has already earned quite a few credits for herself. Along with featuring and emceeing shows all over Wisconsin and Illinois she is the current champion Cast of Killers’ Snark Madness Comedy Competitions, has opened for Emily Galati and had recently performed at the Gilda Radnor’s Laughfest in Grand Rapid, Michigan and the Milwaukee Comedy Festival.
Carson Leet (Stand Up – Milwaukee)
An absurdist with a microphone in the constant existential crisis that is being a confused 23 year old living in America. Carson has been doing standup for 2 years and this is her first comedy festival.
Catlyne Lasser (Stand Up – Chicago)
Catlyne is a comic from Chicago, IL. Her observational humor explores the absurdities of life with a feminist bent. She also did one non-union commercial for Value City. 15 years ago. Have you seen it? Her mom says she was really good.
Charlotte Hamilton (Storytelling – Chicago)
Charlotte Hamilton lives in Chicago with her two cats, Pickles and Eva. By day, Charlotte is a social worker. By night, she is a writer, storyteller, and stand-up comic.
Christine Hecht (Stand Up – Madison)
Christine has been performing stand-up since the Fall of 2008. Her comedy centers around her transgender transformation and experiences therefrom.
Chris Hauri (Stand Up – Chicago)
Chris Hauri is about the same age as Hillary Clinton. AND is from a Chicago suburb. She loves Wisconsin bars, lakes and Frank Lloyd Wright. And cheese curds — the squeakier, the better. She performs with The Kates in Chicago and produces shows in Oak Park.
Colleen Brennan (Stand Up – Chicago)
Colleen graduated from Second City’s Conservatory Program then put her stage career on hold to earn a living and embrace motherhood. Later while numbing regret for abandoning the stage with a bottle of wine, Colleen had an epiphany – stand-up comedy! A graduate of Feminine Comique, this polished performer is an expert at zeroing in on the hilarious details of personal stories and cracking up audiences all over the Chicago area. You may have seen her recently at Snubfest 2016 (Winner – Audience Favorite), Zanies, The Kates and in her car driving children all over Chicago.
Dance, Monkey! (Sketch – Chicago)
Lindsay Gonzales has been performing comedy, theatre and improv in front of audiences all over the world for over a decade. A stand-up comic, improviser and raconteuse, she performed for years at theatres and clubs all over Boston and New England and has also performed improv and stand-up in several countries including England, Canada, Chile, France and Puerto Rico. Lindsay has performed in festivals such as Impro Mundial Chile, The Women In Comedy Festival, Geek Week and The Boston Improv Festival. She also brought her first one woman show “M.P.H.: A Comedy Compendium” to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in August 2013.
Dina Nina Martinez (Stand Up – Madison)
Martinez, who was called “…very funny.” by the Late Late Show’s James Corden, is a transgender standup comedian and actor from LA who currently resides in Wisconsin. She is the Creator of Lady Laughs Comedy Festival and her signature blend of disarming sass and charm has been featured in comedy festivals and multiple world-class comedy venues including LA Pride, The Chicago Women’s Funny Festival, LA’s The Comedy Store and Chicago’s Zanies Comedy Club. She is a Huff Post blogger and creator and star of the forthcoming The Misadventures of Delilah James. She was named one of the “40 Hot Queer Women In Comedy” by AfterEllen.com and won Madison’s favorite Local Comedian as voted by the readers of the Isthmus. Though LA was cute and she’s certainly got fabulousness to spare, Martinez’s long term goals are to settle down and be a soccer mom.
Elizabeth Gomez (Stand Up – Chicago)
Elizabeth Gomez is a comedian, storyteller, writer, and casserole Queen. She is a cast member with the Kates, an all female stand up comedy collective; founding writer at Drinkers with Writing Problems; associate producer at Story Club South Side; and founder of the Windy City Rollers roller derby league. She does a lot of stuff, you guys! She has performed at Chicago Women’s Funny Festival, Laugh Factory, Zanies, and other spots around town. Her biggest dream is to successfully find someone who can give her endless prescription drug refills.
Ellen Wesley (Stand Up – Chicago)
Ellen is an ER doctor. She does stand up with the hope of one day also being able to walk in high heels.
Elyse Nylin (Stand Up – Chicago)
Elyse Nylin is a Chicago-based comic. She is the host/producer of You Joke Like a Girl, a monthly all-women’s open-mic and showcase at Volumes Bookcafe. Overall, her sets are pretty dynamic with a humorous trip through some personal and very relatable stories. She likes to poke fun at some of her experiences as she has found her authentic self as well as pose some questions about everyday random things. Her sets contain material that is often women-focused and LGBTQ-friendly. She has performed at The Chicago Women’s Funny Festival, Stage 773, The Annoyance Theatre, The World Famous Laugh Factory, and Zanies Comedy Club.
Erin Conlon (Stand Up- Chicago)
Erin Conlon is constantly delighted that people will listen to her tell jokes. Erin has studied writing and improv at Second City, iO, and the Annoyance theaters. Currently you an see Erin performing stand up around the city of Chicago. When she’s not performing, writing, or obsessing about comedy, Erin can be found hanging out with her cats or swimming.
Erin Quinn (Sketch – Chicago)
Erin Quinn is a solo sketch performer living in Chicago. Erin recently won Stage 773’s (host of Chicago Sketch Fest) Summer Laugh Battle championship as a solo performer in the sketch division and completed a successful two-week run of her first solo show, Woman at Work, at Second City’s de Maat Theatre. As a fried cheese curd enthusiast, she’s very excited for the opportunity to perform in Wisconsin for the first time.
Gracie Canaan (Stand Up – New York)
Born and raised in Thousand Oaks, California, Gracie studied Industrial Design at Rhode Island School of Design in 2009. After moving to Philly, her love of writing and theater lead her to start stand up comedy. Gracie currently resides in New York, NY, and has performed regularly at clubs all over the city (New York Comedy Club, Comic Strip Live, Broadway Comedy Club), where she has appeared on shows with established comedians including Gary Gulman (Netflix), Jay Pharoah (SNL), and more.
Gretchen Young (Stand Up – Tulsa)
Let’s just say accidentally bringing a vodka water bottle to spin class has happened more than once.
Helen Reicher (Stand Up – Wichita)
Wichita, KS comedian whose comedy can only be described with one word – realness. Semi-Finalist in the 2016 Wichita’s Funniest Person Contest.
Helen Schweitz (Stand Up – Chicago)
Helen Schweitz is a comedian, writer, and attorney living in Chicago. She spends her time playing with her dog, knitting socks, screenwriting, providing legal advice, and making people laugh. Helen Schweitz makes fun of herself so you don’t have to. But she’s happy to make fun of you, too. Pull up a blow-up chair and join the crowd for some intelligent, often-awkward, ever-revealing, genuine nonfictional comedy. [NOTE: My set can be either G-rated or R-rated, depending on time of day and crowd; my default is G-rated] [My site: https://laughsbyhelenschweitz.com]
Ilana Gordon (Stand Up – Chicago)
Ilana Gordon originally hails from Connecticut, but currently lives in a state of continuous panic. Ilana uses her comedy to talk about everything from getting married to her half-Canadian heritage, all with the emotional maturity of someone much, much younger. You can read Ilana’s written work on The Huffington Post, McSweeney’s Internet Tendency, Reductress, Mashable, The Second City Network, RedEye Chicago, Dose.com and on toilet stall doors across America. Consider following her on Twitter at @IlanaAbby.
Janice Rodriguez (Stand Up – Chicago)
Janice Rodriguez (first name rhymes with Denise because she likes to be difficult) is a Chicago based comic who uses her experience as being the whitest Latina she knows and an at best average marriage partner to tell her side of the story. She’s a workaholic and has some anger issues too (but she is really trying to work on them).
Jason Hillman (He’s Not A Lady Showcase – Stand Up – Milwaukee)
Jen Rubin (Storytelling – Madison)
Jen Rubin is a former New Yorker, living in Madison. An obsessive maker of mixed tapes and possibly the best challah baker in town, she has worked for social change throughout her career. Jen is a co-producer of the Madison Moth StorySlam, has told stories at Moth Slams, GrandSlams and Mainstages and offers storytelling workshops around Madison. Jen has been published in the Listen To Your Mother anthology and an excerpt of a book she is finishing was featured in an American Experience documentary.
Jody Oliver (Stand Up – NYC)
Stand up Comedy:Caroline’s, Gotham, Broadway, Greenwich Village Comedy Culs and more… Toyota Comedy Festival-Comedy Improv, Comic Relief – warm up show….American Diabetes Foundation – Stand up….Muskular Distropfy -Stand up will Jerry Lewis…Women’s Health Day…Stand up for Cancer. and much more… Film: The Delivery Boys- Starred as Angelina opposite Mario Van Peebles a Break Dance Comedy. Basket Case 2 Principle role of Brainiac… The Wanderers- Principal role of Jody Cheerleader and Wanderers girlfriend…Annie the Movie -Annie’s Double – Evie – Reporter. Director John Huston. All That Jazz – Featured Dancer – Director Bob Fosse…Saturday Night Fever – Featured Dancer and Promotional Tour…Recent, Adjustment Buearu with Matt Damon ,Also over 50 other films. Television: Saturday Night Live 6 Showa Vaious Sketch Comedies Featured with John Goodman and Cheri Oteri. Law and Order 5 shows Vaious Roles…Guding Light..gnnf$f$
Kelly McInerney (Stand Up – Los Angeles)
Kelly is a stand up comedian born in New Jersey now living in Los Angeles. Since moving to LA she has been in several television appearances, worked in a sketch show, is apart of several improv teams, and performs stand up throughout the Los Angeles area. Currently she performs stand up on a regular basis throughout the Los Angeles area. She also co-hosted and produced a bi-weekly show in Los Angeles called Permission Slip for over a year. She performed stand up at the Black Box Comedy Festival, Big Fire Comedy Festival, and at the Blue Whale Comedy Festival.
Kristin Ryan (Stand Up – Chicago)
Kristin Ryan has performed stand up comedy in basements, laundromats, and dive bars all across the country. Originally from Northeastern Wisconsin, Kristin’s comedy is fueled by a love of all things Midwestern, mostly classic rock and cheap beer. She is multidimensional, a feminist that loves Van Halen. An eternal optimist, she has worked in progressive politics for the past ten years as a community and labor organizer. Kristin has performed in the Floodwater Comedy Festival, the Champaign Urbana Comedy Festival, Chicago Women’s Funny Festival, and produces three shows in Chicago: Solid(Hil)arity Forever, Mom Genes, and Appetite for Rock n’ Roll. She is currently funneling her love of horror movies into a podcast called Bloody Mary. Bloody Mary discusses horror movies through the lens of sexuality and feminism.
Kyna Lenhof (Stand Up – Chicago)
Kyna Lenhof is a stand-up comedian, storyteller, and all around great gal. She lives in Chicago and is the co-host and creator of the monthly variety show, This One Woman.
Ladies & Gentlemen (He’s Not A Lady Showcase – Sketch – Montreal)
Ladies & Gentlemen – Chris Sandiford & Daniel Carin. They have performed in Just For Laughs, won the Best Local Troupe Award & the JFL Award at the Montreal Sketchfest and performed in Toronto, Vancouver & Seattle Sketchfests. They’re fools through and through, and they want everyone to enjoy their show.
Lin Hardick (Stand Up – London ON)
Lin is new to the Standup world. She has performed twice at McCurdy’s Comedy Theatre in Sarasota, FL and has continued to perform at Open Mic shows there, at Coconuts Comedy Club in St Pete’s Beach, FL, at Yuk Yuks Comedy club in London, Ontario and at other local venues. Her motto:”If you don’t have a sense of humour, it just isn’t funny.”
Margaret Leaf (Stand Up – Madison)
Performed with The Bricks Theatre “That’s What She Said” and stand up at The Comedy Club, Madison, WI
Marla Depew (Stand Up – Chicago)
Marla Depew taps into her sketch comedy background to create rich, wacky characters plucked from both real life and her own head, blending them with sharp observations that challenge conventional thinking. Because of this, her stand-up sets take on a storytelling, theatrical feel complete with physicality and expressive facial movements, whether she’s detailing notes she writes to herself or waxing philosophical about being the B in GLBT. She is a graduate of the Second City Training Center’s writing program, has studied at iO and The Annoyance in Chicago, and has performed at venues and festivals throughout the Midwest, Los Angeles, and New York including Zanies, Laugh Factory, Second City’s Donny’s Skybox and deMaat Theatre, The Lincoln Lodge, Tao Comedy Studio, Broadway Comedy Club, The PIT Loft, Chicago Women’s Funny Festival, Chicago Sketch Comedy Festival, and Gilda’s Laughfest. She is a co-producer of Just Dickin’ Around, a women- and queer-friendly comedy collective based in Chicago’s Boystown neighborhood, the producer of the monthly standup showcase Laughs In The Lounge in Rogers Park, as well as a member of the Rainbow Connection Comedy Tour, a GLTBQ collective that whisks intentionally diverse comedy shows around the Midwest. She is the creator, writer, and performer of the solo show Marla Depew: Recovering Christian, which was named one of 7 Shows to See at SketchFest by Time Out Chicago. She is also a founding member of Cell Camp, a sketch troupe that’s performed at various comedy festivals throughout the country, including Chicago Sketch Comedy Festival, L.A. Comedy Fest, and Milwaukee Comedy Festival.
Mary Lorenz (Stand Up – Chicago)
Mary Lorenz moved to Chicago from her hometown of New Orleans nine years ago with a suitcase and a dream. Just like Dolly Parton in a little-known gem called “Straight Talk.” She spends her days trying not to get fired from her desk job and her nights performing standup, improv, storytelling and sketch comedy. Sometimes for audiences. Her dream is to marry rich and die doing what she loves: scamming old rich men out of money. It’s good to have goals.
Matt Lewis (He’s Not A Lady Showcase – Stand Up – Los Angeles)
Matt Lewis is a standup comedian originally from Oklahoma, but based in Los Angeles. He has competed in the Eagle Rock and Cape Fear Comedy Festivals. His most recent project “Funny Fat Guy” an independent movie he produced is currently making the rounds at independent film festivals. Matt peppers his standup with colorful stories about being born in the wrong time zone and being a fish out of water in rural Oklahoma.
Molly Hamill (Stand Up – Los Angeles)
Confident chubby New York transplant who performs at the Comedy Store and indie shows in East La. Feminism and gluttony make up a fair amount of my set, draws great inspiration from Gertrude Stein and the Big Lebowski.
Monkey Business Institute Presents “Yes Ma’am!” (Sketch – Madison)
Come laugh with the ladies of the Monkey Business Institute in their very own improv comedy show, “Yes, Ma’am!”. Unpredictable and irreverent, these Madison-based comedy darlings will have you howling in no time flat. MBI doesn’t waste time with such trivialities as sets, props, scripts or line memorization, instead they create spur-of-the-moment, seat-of-the-pants improvisational comedy by mixing audience suggestions, decades of improv experience and sheer moxie.
Featuring: Sarah Rogers, Kelly Maxwell, Tara Coburn, Bree Prehn, Linda Hedenblad, Jennifer Javornik, Sheila Robertson, Vanessa Tortolano, Marian Halls
Rachel Ware (Stand Up – Omaha)
Nebraska raised, Rachel Ware, recently won Omaha’s Entertainment and Arts Award (OEAA) for Best Comedian for the year 2015. She is co-owner of The Backline, a downtown comedy theater where she teaches and performs improv and also does standup. She’s been performing comedy in the Midwest (and sometimes beyond) for almost 5 years, but shamelessly claims her start was in theater. Rachel performs comedy up to 4 nights weekly, has appeared in over 20 stage productions, and has been cast in 4 national running cartoon shows, and is the poster girl for H&H KIA in Omaha.
Robin Ryan (Stand Up – Los Angeles)
Like the bird she is named after, Robin loves to communicate by singing, has sturdy legs and weighs between 2 and 3 ounces. In addition, she tells jokes, teaches elementary school and loves her family. Originally from Napa, Ca, Robin moved to Los Angeles with goals of drinking fresh juice, living at the beach and being gluten free. She has only accomplished one of those so far (Gluten Free!). Robin’s comedy has been described as “funny” by her mom. Robin recently placed in the top 3 in The Funniest Comic in LA competition. She produces a weekly show in LA in Koreatown and a monthly show in Palm Springs. *Robin does not really weigh 3 ounces.
Salma Zaky (Stand Up – Los Angeles)
Salma Zaky is a student by day and stand-up comedian by night. Originally from the Bay Area, she moved to Los Angeles to attend college at UCLA, where she discovered her passion for stand-up. Ever since joining Shenanigans Comedy Club, she has been lucky enough to perform on campus in line-ups featuring Maria Bamford, Ali Wong, Hampton Yount, Quincy Jones and more. Salma started a weekly podcast called “Comedians in College Getting Degrees” which can be found on Soundcloud. This podcast focuses on high school and college experiences with episodes featuring a variety of professional LA comics. Salma expresses her comedic identity through a unique combination of self-deprecating anecdotes covering topics ranging from dating to student life and material about her family background. As Salma Zaky pursues her degree in English, she continues to find her voice on stage and is working everyday towards making a career out of comedy.
Sarah Jones (Stand Up – Akron)
Sarah Jones is an emerging comedian from North East Ohio. As founder of NEO Maniacal Comedy Studio, Akron Ohio’s only independent comedy room, Sarah creates a comic centered performance laboratory for local and touring artists. Recently opened for the WellRed tour, you can see her perform all over Ohio.
Seventy-Fine Cents (Sketch – Madison)
Seventy-Fine Cents is comprised of a fabulous group of ladies that have come together over the past year whilst pursuing their love of Improv and Sketch Comedy. Comedy is certainly not the only thing they have in common, they each behold a deep love for cats and occasionally a deep hatred for their uteri. We’re delighted for this opportunity to be apart of Lady Laughs Comedy Festival and look forward to seeing you all there!
Featuring: Elizabeth Barthen, Claire Kannapell, Elayne Juten, Peggy Hurley and Bree Prehn as Director
Shawna Lutzow (Stand Up – Madison)
Shawna uses comedy to shine light on the ridiculousness of heteronormativity and uses her own experiences as a lesbian to make audiences both laugh and think.
Stacey Stark (Stand Up – Omaha)
My name is Stacey Stark. I’m 23 years old. I was born and raised in Storm Lake, Iowa. After high school, I went to college to be an art teacher. Four years and forty grand later, I decided to be a standup comedian. I moved to Omaha in March of 2016 and started doing the open mic at the Barley Street Tavern. One night I did really well and was approached by several prominent members of the Omaha Comedy Scene. Since then I have quickly been getting on real shows. Next month I will start cohosting a show at the Backline called Lady Bits. Moving to Omaha and finding a stage was the best decision I’ve ever made. I feel like I’m part of an important community that I can be proud of. I can’t imagine that there is anything I’d rather be doing than standup comedy.
Vickie Lynn (Stand Up – Beloit)
Vickie Lynn is a up & coming comedian from Beloit, WI. Her boisterous, brash, brave, & boobylicious humor has made her a fan favorite where ever she roams. Her laughter is contagious… Catch it!
Wes Stevens (He’s Not A Lady Showcase – Stand Up – Madison)
Wes Stevens is an offbeat, musical comedian from Arizona. If he could describe his entire life in a sentence it would be “I came out second and I’m still upset about it” as he has a twin. He writes whimsical, often self-deprecating songs but knows a lot of crowd pleasers. While the ukulele is his favorite, Wes also plays a number of other instruments poorly. You can find him frequenting local open mic nights in Madison regularly.
Whitney LaMora Currier (Stand Up – Chicago)
Whitney LaMora Currier is a comedian and performer in Chicago and has been performing stand up for the last year after graduating from the Feminine Comique Intro class led by the amazing Kelsie Huff! She’s performed with the GoGo Show, The Kates, The Cornservatory, Just Dickin’ Around, and various open mics throughout the city. She’s also a writer and producer with Wirehouse Co. – running quarterly performance series events with her husband throughout the city bringing together artists of all mediums.
Vanessa (Pants) Tortolano (Stand Up – Madison)
Vanessa (Pants) Tortolano has been slinging funnies since she was old enough to talk back. Involved with theatre and the stage since the age of 5, Vanessa has just begun the practice of stand-up comedy in the last few years. She has also been a regular performer with Madison’s Monkey Business Institute Improv since 2011 and Les Cougars variety troupe since 2014. Vanessa is a feisty mother of 4 teenagers and one of the Co-founding owners of NessAlla Kombucha.
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