64 Comedians to Compete in 2014 CAROLINES COMEDY MADNESS Stand-up Tournament, 3/4-4/1

Taking a page from the NCAA College Basketball Tournament's "March Madness," famed New York City comedy venue Carolines on Broadway will present its fifth annual "Carolines Comedy Madness," a five-round comedy competition in which 64 comedians will go head to head with a panel of industry judges deciding who advances to the next rounds and who will be crowned the tournament champion. "Carolines Comedy Madness" events will take place on March 4, 11, 18, 25 and on April 1. Tip-off for all events is at 7:00 p.m., at 1626 Broadway, between 49th and 50th Streets, in New York City.

Tickets for all of the "Carolines Comedy Madness" shows are $15.00 per person, plus a two-beverage minimum. Tickets can be purchased online by visiting the Carolines website, at www.carolines.com. Reservations can be made by calling the Carolines Box Office at 212.757.4100.

Sixty-four of New York's best young comedians will be randomly pitted against one another in a series of one-on-one competitions. The first round of "Carolines Comedy Madness" will take place on March 4 when all of the 64 competitors will each perform one minute of stand-up. Thirty-two comedians will advance to the second round on March 11 where each will perform two minutes of stand-up. The third round, taking place on March 18, will feature the "Sweet Sixteen," and fourth round on March 25 will feature the "Elite Eight," who will each perform three minutes of stand-up, with the "Final Four" advancing into the fifth and final round. "The Final Four" comedians will square off on April 1, with each performing seven minutes of stand-up. The last two advancing comedians will then square off with each perform ten minutes of stand-up, with the eventual winner being crowned.

"We're thrilled to bring back this exciting event for a fifth consecutive year, and are confident that it will once again generate the same kind of thrills and cheers on the comedy stage as the men's college basketball tournament does on the basketball court," said Louis Faranda, talent producer for Carolines on Broadway and the New York Comedy Festival and the creator of "Carolines Final Four." "We're happy to see that the 'Carolines Comedy Madness' has grown into one of the city's premier annual comedy events."

The champion will receive a cash prize and will also get to perform with a headlining comedian on a weekend at Carolines on Broadway and also perform in the 2014 New York Comedy Festival.

About Carolines on Broadway: Founded in 1982 by Caroline Hirsch, Carolines on Broadway is firmly established as one of the country's most renowned and popular comedy venues and one of New York City's leading destinations for live entertainment. Ideally located at 1626 Broadway between 49th and 50th Streets, Carolines on Broadway first opened as a small cabaret in New York's Chelsea neighborhood before expanding when the club moved its location to the South Street Seaport and became the home of the A&E Network's award-winning series "Carolines Comedy Hour." Now a cornerstone of the city's vibrant Times Square district, Carolines on Broadway is a firmly established leading brand in comedy, presenting comedy's biggest stars on the industry's most hallowed stage, seven days a week, 365 days a year. Carolines on Broadway also founded and produces the annual New York Comedy Festival (NYCF), the weeklong laugh fest that celebrates its tenth anniversary in November 2013.

For more information on Carolines on Broadway, visit the club's official website, www.carolines.com, or call the Box Office at 212.757.4100. Follow Carolines on Twitter at www.twitter.com/carolinesonbway, and like the Carolines Official Facebook Page, www.facebook.com/carolinesonbroadway. For more information on the New York Comedy Festival, please visit the NYCF website, www.nycomedyfestival.com. Follow the NYCF on Twitter at www.twitter.com/nycomedyfest, and like the NYCF Official Facebook Page, www.facebook.com/nycomedyfestival.