Just as Milwaukee’s comedy community is burgeoning, the Milwaukee Comedy Festival also is expanding – which is why there is an online pledge drive to help accommodate a bigger-than-ever event and to help defray performers’ travel costs (Pump gas lately?).
“The Milwaukee Comedy Festival is a wonderful celebration of what’s great about comedy in general and the collaborative spirit of Milwaukee comedy in particular. If you like comedy in any or all forms, it’s a must-see event,” says Beth Lewinski, whose multifaceted comedy credentials include membership in the Meanwhile Improv Troupe. “Each year, the Milwaukee Comedy Festival brings together groups from all over the nation (and Canada) to perform comedy in all its forms, and every year it’s an absolute blast!”
For the female sketch comedy group, broadminded, the festival has sentimental significance.
“I think the Milwaukee Comedy Festival will always be a special event for broadminded because it was where we did our very first show in 2006,” says Anne Graff LaDisa, of broadminded. “We always have a great time performing there. It’s awesome that we have a venue like that to showcase the talent that exists in the Milwaukee comedy community.”
“I think the Milwaukee Comedy Festival will always be a special event for broadminded because it was where we did our very first show in 2006,” says Anne Graff LaDisa, of broadminded. “We always have a great time performing there. It’s awesome that we have a venue like that to showcase the talent that exists in the Milwaukee comedy community.”
Lee Rowley, also of Meanwhile Improv, calls the Milwaukee Comedy Festival “yet another reason to spend your summers in Milwaukee.”
“The comedy festival is like an awesome talent show for Milwaukee comics,” Lee says. “It’s sort of like an incubator for comedy and definitely something you look forward to each summer.”
“The comedy festival is like an awesome talent show for Milwaukee comics,” Lee says. “It’s sort of like an incubator for comedy and definitely something you look forward to each summer.”
The drive is aiming to raise $2,500 by June 1 and takes contributions as little as $1. As of this posting, $375 has been pledged.