Boston Comedy Arts Festival Announces 5th Anniversary Line-Up

Now in its fifth year, the Boston Comedy Arts Festival continues to kick-off the Fall with an explosion of comedy. This year, the festival runs from Tuesday September 3-Sunday September 8. It will include shows at ImprovBoston and at the Brattle Theatre. The festival begins with two performances from the famEd Cambridge Footlights, and will also include shows with Kevin McDonald from Kids in the Hall and Jimmy Tingle. The festival will also see the return of improv from Junior Varsity and the Magnet Theater Tour Co. Stand-up highlights along with Jimmy Tingle include NYC comicsBoris Khyakin and Justin Williams, Boston comics Lamont Price and Matt D., and Matt White the winner of the 2013 Carolina's Funniest Comic. Tickets cost $18 for every show and student rush tickets are available for $14 at the door. ImprovBoston is located at 40 Prospect Street. The Brattle Theatre is located at 40 Brattle Street. Tickets to the festival are available online at www.bostoncomedyarts.com.

The festival kicks off Tuesday, September 3 with two performances from the world famous Cambridge Footlights. At 7:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m., the Footlights will present Canada, their sharpest and most ambitious sketch show yet. With 129 years of experience, the Footlights have launched the careers of a long list of internationally-renowned comedic talents, including household names like John Cleese (Monty Python), Hugh Laurie (House) and Emma Thompson (Love Actually) while continuing to nurture exciting new performers like Mitchell and Webb (Peep Show) and Sacha Baron Cohen (Borat).

Then the festival continues to be star-studded through the weekend. Kevin McDonald from Kids in the Hall returns to Boston for the festival. On Friday, September 6, McDonald is teaching an all-day sketch workshop. Later that night, his students will perform at ImprovBoston. Then, Saturday, September 7, McDonald will perform a set of stand-up and songs at the Brattle Theatre at 8 p.m. He is on a bill with the improvised hip-hOpera North Coast and New York Comedian and Boston native Josh Gondelman (co-creator of the @ModernSeinfeld Twitter feed).

New England comedy legend Jimmy Tingle takes the stage at the Brattle Theatre on 8 p.m. on Friday, September 6. Tingle is regarded as one of the top social and political humorists in America. He has worked as a stand-up comic, producer, writer, actor, filmmaker and commentator in several mediums from the early 1980's to the present day. His set is followed by a loaded 10 p.m. block with NYC based comedian Boris Khyakin (who has over one million hits on his Google Glass video on YouTube) and the stellar improv from NYC based Junior Varsity and the Magnet Theater Tour Co.

The festival is welcoming some of the top up and coming touring comics from up and down the East Coast. Saturday, September 7 at 10:30 p.m., ImprovBoston hosts a block with NYC based comic Justin Williams, Boston comics Lamont Price and Matt D., and Matt White the winner of the 2013 Carolina's Funniest Comic.

This annual event, formerly the Boston Improv Festival, has renamed itself the Boston Comedy Arts Festival, since its scope now includes improv, sketch, and stand-up comedy and it aims to showcase all comedic arts. Last year's festival included over 90 improv, sketch, and stand-up acts from all over North America. It hosted 3500 attendees at all the shows. This year's festival will feature outstanding comedy acts from around the world and will be held in conjunction with the 30th Anniversary of ImprovBoston.

"Boston is a nationally-respected comedy city. We are proud to host some of the best known comedic talent Boston has to offer alongside celebrated and "undiscovered" acts in improv, sketch and stand-up from around the continent," said Michael Descoteaux, ImprovBoston's Artistic Director. "BCAF is a one-stop shop for any comedy fan who wants to see some of the most exciting, boundry-pushing comedians working today."

ImprovBoston is New England's home for comedy. Since 1982, ImprovBoston has used a fresh, funny approach to comedy, showcasing today's best performers and training tomorrow's stars. The premiere place for comedy in New England, ImprovBoston boasts a full calendar of the funniest shows in Boston and nationally-known education and corporate training programs. ImprovBoston is more than just a great Comedy Club-it's a recognized center for the evolving art of comedy. ImprovBoston is a registered 501(c)(3) and has been the New England region's leading theater and school dedicated to teaching and performing all forms of comedy for 30 years.It was voted "Best of Boston" by The Phoenix for 2009-2010, The Improper Bostonian, and The Weekly Dig. ImprovBoston presents a regular selection of the best improv, sketch, and stand-up for all audiences. Through their acclaimed comedy training program, the theater continues to develop the next generation of comedic talent to ensure that the next generation will keep on laughing.