Hey everyone, thanks for picking up this issue of the City Paper! My name is Jon, and I’ll be your host and MC for this article. I’m excited to bring you the info you need for the upcoming Holy Toledo Laughfest— or at least enough to get you interested.
That’s right, Toledo is has its own comedy festival, thanks to a joint undertaking between Hensville, the Toledo Lucas County Public Library, the Valentine Theatre, the Stranahan Theater and Great Hall, the Toledo Repertoire Theater, the Toledo Museum of Art and the Toledo Opera. And it’s got everything, from stand-up and improv comedy shows to comedic opera and “Laughing Yoga”, whatever that is supposed to be. It’ll be a great opportunity to see some of your favorite touring comedians and to bask in the glory of local rising comedy stars. Let’s get to your headliners!
Your Featured Acts
Holy Toledo Laughfest will be the largest comedy festival this city’s ever seen, with events throughout the month of October, all over the city, with a number of comedians. This festival is the brainchild of a collaborative “learning session” meeting between staff members at Hensville and the Stranahan Theater. According to Michael Keedy, director of events and entertainment for the Mud Hens, “That meeting turned into a planning committee with representatives from many attractions, venues, and entertainment organizations in town.” Representatives from these venues all individually created and planned their events, then combined them all into this heavenly hash of comedic glory.
Comedic giants such as Jerry Seinfeld (Friday, Oct. 7), Bobcat Goldthwait (Saturday, Oct. 8), and Jay Leno (Friday, Oct. 28), and popular touring comedians Jackie Kashian (Friday, Oct. 7) all have headlining shows during the festival. To keep the Toledo in Holy Toledo, the headliners will have opening acts who are local, up-and-coming funny people. There will be a show on Thursday, October 20 at Hensville headlined by Brad Wenzel, a Monroe, MI comedian who can rock a flannel better than any lumberjack. Wenzel performed a set on Conan earlier this year.
But Wait…There’s More!
Stand-up comedy isn’t the only form of merriment to be displayed at the festival. Improvisational comedy, the one where audience members are actually encouraged to yell dumb things at the performers, will be the focus of a few events. There’s a show from The Improvised Shakespeare Company (Saturday, Oct. 8), a touring group that performs improv in the same voice and language as the immortal bard. Local talents will be on display at two “A Night of Improv” shows (October 14 and 15) at The Toledo Repertoire Theater, and at the Museum of Art for a night of Glass Improv (Thursday, Oct. 6) featuring local artists making glass objects from audience suggestions.
Guys, I’m not even remotely finished with the list of great events. Various theaters around the area will show classic funny flicks such as The Big Lebowski (Saturday, Oct. 8) and Young Frankenstein (Saturday, Oct. 29). The Toledo Opera will put on multiple performances of The Barber of Seville (October 7 and 9), the brilliant, 200-year-old Italian comedy classic. Local comics will be on display all month at the Ottawa Tavern’s open mic (every Tuesday night), where anyone can sign up to perform. Amazingly funny writers, such as Mark Russell (Saturday, Oct. 8), David Sedaris (Monday, Oct. 10), and James Carville (Wednesday, Oct. 26) will put on shows at the Stranahan and the Valentine theaters. Heck, even the monthly Downtown Art Loop will be dedicated to The Art of Comedy and Magic (Thursday, Oct. 20). If there’s a way to make something funny, it will be on display at this festival.
I’m glad I ended up writing this and not having to announce it onstage, because by now I’d definitely be out of breath. I’ve probably even missed a few things in this stacked line-up. For a full rundown of every event visit HolyToledoLaughFest.com for dates, tickets, and a list of event sponsors. There’s so much going on for the Holy Toledo Laughfest that anyone can find something to laugh at in Toledo this month.
Find A Local Comic To Love
If You Love
- Al Jackson
- Bobcat Goldthwait
- Chad Daniels
Look for Local Comic
- Mike Szar
- Mark Philipp
- Keith Bergman
Similarities
- Both provide a goofy edge to strange tales in their lives, plus Mike will be opening for Al at the festival.
- Each has a love of dark humor and personal stories, and Mark said “we wear the same hat sometimes.”
- These guys have a deep love for their wives and kids that is apparent in their comedy, even when saying horrible things about them.
Where To Find Them
- Sukit Hookah Comedy Night | Mondays at 10 | 1919 Monroe St.
- Grumpy Dave’s Open Mic Comedy | Tuesdays at 10 | 104 S. Main St. Bowling Green | OH
- Comedy Tuesdays at The OT | Tuesdays at 8 | 1817 Adams St.
