2011 Green Mountain Comedy Fest Brings Laughs
3rd Annual Fest Expands to Six Shows Over Memorial Day Weekend
As the Vermont comedy scene continues to grow, so does the annual Green Mountain Comedy Festival. Now in its third year, the festival will take place from Wednesday, May 25 to Sunday May 29, 2011, offer six shows over five days, and feature over 30 Vermont comedians.
“It started out as a single show,” says comedian and producer Kathleen Kanz, who founded the festival in 2009. “Since then it has been exciting to see the rapid growth of comedy in Vermont. Now that there’s a bigger demand for it, it made sense to expand the festival this year.”
Nathan Hartswick is founder of the Vermont Comedy Club, an
or
ganization that promotes and produces standup comedy in Vermont. Hartswick is co-producing the festival with Kanz this year. “Four years ago there were very few opportunities for comics to perform in Vermont,” Hartswick claims. “But it has snowballed since then – many new comics have emerged, audiences have grown, and more venues have been amenable to trying it. We really feel this year’s festival will be the best one yet.”
Venues for the 2011 Green Mountain Comedy Festival include the Monkey House in Winooski, Burlington’s The Cellar (at Drink Bar), Ye Olde England Inne in Stowe, Waitsfield’s Big Picture Theater and Café, and the Vergennes Opera House. Performers include some of Vermont’s most accomplished comedians, including Martha Tormey, Jason P. Lorber, Tracie Spencer, Mike Robideau, Josie Leavitt, Colin Ryan and many more.
For more information on the Green Mountain Comedy Festival, including a complete list of shows, visit www.vermontcomedyclub.com/gmcf or contact Kathleen Kanz at (802) 585-0025 or Nathan Hartswick at (802) 373-4703.
2011 GREEN MOUNTAIN COMEDY FESTIVAL
May 25 – May 28, 2011
Summary of Performances
WEDNESDAY & THURSDAY, May 25 & 26 (TWO NIGHTS!)
The Monkey House
30 Main Street
Winooski, VT
Ages: 18 and up
Admission: $5 at the door
Doors: 7:00 PM
Show: 8:00 PM
The festival kicks off with a double dose of comedy at the Monkey House on Wednesday and Thursday night. Both shows will be hosted by Kathleen Kanz. On Wednesday, wrestler and comedian Pierre “The Beast” Vachon headlines, and Thursday features UVM grad and Higher Ground Comedy Battle winner Mike Robideau. Other comedians include Ryan Kriger, Dustin Bruley, Natalie Miller, Antenna Wilde, B.O.B. & Jaquelyn, and others. Tickets are $5 at the door.
FRIDAY, May 27
Ye Olde England Inne
Bluff House Hall
433 Mountain Road
Stowe, VT
Ages: 21 and up
Admission: $10 advance (802.253.7558), $12 door
Doors: 7:30 PM
Show: 8:00 PM
On Friday night, comedy comes to Stowe with a performance in the beautiful “Great Hall” at Ye Olde Englande Inne. The show will be hosted by 2011 Higher Ground Comedy Battle winner Nathan Hartswick, and feature headliner Tracie Spencer, who was selected to perform at this year’s “Women in Comedy Festival” in Boston, and is the newest addition to the Vermont Comedy Divas.
Other comics include Pat Lynch, Carole Vasta Folley, Jason P. Lorber and more. Tickets are $10 in advance and $12 at the door.
SATURDAY, May 28 (TWO SHOWS!)
Big Picture Theater and Café
Red Room
48 Carroll Road (off Route 100)
Waitsfield, VT
Ages: 18 and up
Admission: $12 advance (802.496.8994), $15 day of show
Doors: 7:00 PM
Show: 7:30 PM
One of two shows on Saturday night, the Big Picture in Waitsfield will offer cabaret-style seating in its beautiful Red Room, and make for a relaxing night that’s full of laughs.
The show will be hosted by Kathleen Kanz, and the headliner – in her only performance of the festival – will be Martha Tormey, one of the biggest names in Vermont comedy. Other performers include John Lyons, Tracie Spencer, Colin Ryan and more. Come early and have a delicious meal before the show! Tickets go on sale May 1 and are $12 in advance and $15 the day of the show.
Vergennes Opera House
120 Main Street
Vergennes, VT
Ages: 18 and up
Admission: $10 advance (802.877.6737), $12 at the door
Doors: 7:30 PM
Show: 8:00 PM
Also on Saturday night, some of Vermont’s best comedians will perform at the historic, recently renovated Vergennes Opera House. Built in 1897, the venue is large, with high cathedral ceilings, yet still manages to feel intimate, with its original painted mainstage curtain and cabaret-style seating.
Hosted by Nathan Hartswick, the show will feature Ryan Kriger, Kyle Gagnon, Tony Bates, Jason P. Lorber, and the founding member of the Vermont Comedy Divas, Josie Leavitt. Tickets are $10 in advance and $12 at the door.
SUNDAY, May 29
The Cellar
Below Drink Bar
135 St. Paul Street (at Main Street)
Burlington, VT
Ages: 21+
Admission: $10 at the door
Doors: 7:30 PM
Show: 8:00 PM
The festival comes to the Queen City of Burlington to close out with a bang on Sunday night. The Cellar is an upscale speakeasy located underneath Drink Bar on lower Main Street. You’ll want to get there early, because seating is limited and tickets are only available at the door. You won’t want to miss heavy hitters like Colin Ryan, Mike Thomas, and headliner Chad Smith. The show will be hosted by Nathan Hartswick, and admission is $10 at the door.
