Magazine

Boston plays host to Women in Comedy Festival 2012

Big love to our Funny Women contemporaries over in Boston, MA, USA.

The Women in Comedy Festival (WICF) returns to Boston from 21^st to 25^th March and we’re with them in spirit if not in person.

An impressive cast of headline acts include Carol Leifer (writer, executive producer for Seinfeld, and nominated for a Writers Guild Award for Modern Family) and Wendy Liebman (Showtime 1-Hour Special Taller on TV, and Late Show with David Letterman regular).

The five-day festival features 27 shows from over 200 of the hottest female (and male!) stand-up, improv, storytelling, sketch and musical comedy acts from around the world – including LA, Chicago, New York, Austin, Canada, and of course, Boston. The UK's finest is represented by the brilliant Janey Godley who Funny Women recognised at the Edinburgh Festival in 2008 with a special Fringe Award.

“We’ve lined up an awe-inspiring mix of award winning sitcom writers, stand-ups with specials currently airing on HBO, Showtime and Comedy Central, and comedic actors from hit shows like Portlandia, 30 Rock, and Saturday Night Live – along with dozens of promising newcomers,” festival co-producer Maria Ciampa said.

“We don’t care about the ‘are women funny’ argument – we know they are,” added co-producer Michelle Barbera. “We want to celebrate the talent and innovation of these performers by showcasing them to our wonderful Boston crowds, as well as providing opportunities for them to been seen by industry professionals from networks like VH1 and shows like Chelsea Lately.”

WICF will also host several workshops on comedy writing, improv, and more including a free panel hosted by Emmy award-winning arts and entertainment critic Joyce Kulhawik. The panel is open to the public and will feature the festival headliners, who will share personal stories about their careers in show business and much more! The panel will take place on Saturday, March 24th at 3pm at the YWCA on 7 Temple St. in Cambridge.

Shows take place at multiple venues throughout the city including ImprovBoston, The Comedy Studio, Grandma’s Basement, Middlesex Lounge, The Edward M. Pickman Concert Hall at the Longy School of Music, and Great Scott.

The Women in Comedy Festival is produced by Elyse Schuerman, Michelle Barbera, Maria Ciampa, and Hillary Buckholtz in partnership with ImprovBoston, as well as Anderson Comedy, The Comedy Studio, and Grandma's Basement. Now in its fourth year, WICF has hosted hundreds of comedic artists including Rachel Dratch, Edie McClurg, Kristen Schaal, Maria Bamford, Morgan Murphy, Jackie Kashian and Jen Kirkman.

Pictured left to right: Wendy Liebman, Carol Leifer, Erin Jackson, Kelly MacFarland, Erin Judge.

See the trailer for the festival here: