Women in Comedy Festival and ImprovBoston Present JELLY: The Untelevised Comedy Variety Show

While men have been in the national comedy scene spotlight for decades, the folks at the Women in Comedy Festival (WICF) and ImprovBoston stay committed to showcasing the extraordinary contributions of women right here in Boston. Featuring women across all comedic platforms - from improvisation to sketch, standup, film, and an annual comedy festival - two of New England's biggest comedy institutions team up for a monthly variety show called Jelly: The Untelevised Comedy Variety Show.

One of the few famous female Boston standup comics of the 80s, Janeane Garofalo spoke of outright sexism when trying to book gigs. Sexism in comedy is still a problem nearly 40 years later. Here's how:

• Movies. Just two years ago, The Huffington Post reported studio executives were beside themselves when Bridesmaids, with an all-female comedic lead cast, brought in serious money at the box office. Then Tina Fey spoke out last year against the pay disparity between male and female comedy stars, saying men can get away with making inferior moves for more pay according to Newsweek.

• Late night. Chelsea Handler and Samantha Bee have been the only women to break into the late night boys' club (but only on cable stations rather than major networks).

• Standup. Ozy.com reported the top ten highest paid comedians raked in $173 million in 2013. No surprise: all men.

The Women in Comedy Festival says enough is enough. They've flipped the male-to-female ratio every year since 2009 with their annual five-day comedy festival that's brought in such headliners as Jane Lynch and Lily Tomlin. Thousands flock to Boston every April to see 200 veteran and up-and-coming performers - 80% women - bring in-your-face laughs through improv, musical comedy, sketch, stand up, storytelling, and now film. Professional comedians, writers, and industry experts also host workshops and panels, previously featuring such names as Rachel Dratch and Edie McClurg. This year, WICF pumps up the estrogen in Boston April 19th-April 23rd.

ImprovBoston also joins the comic uprising by addressing the gender gap. This year, the male-to-female ratio is either balanced or features more women in the majority of the theater's professional-level casts, producing teams, directors, and active comedy school faculty. ImprovBoston Artistic Director Mike Descoteaux makes a point to look at diversity in leadership at the Cambridge comedy theater.

"The more perspectives we can reflect on stage, the more our comedy resonates with our diverse audiences and, frankly, the funnier our shows are," explains Descoteaux. "We're thrilled to partner with our long-time friends at the WICF to foster more inclusive comedy."

"ImprovBoston has always been ahead of the curve in promoting gender parity in comedy," says Michelle Barbera, co-producer and co-founder of WICF and a veteran of ImprovBoston's Mainstage. "Many of the casts have been at least 50 percent women since the early 2000s, when I started in comedy. ImprovBoston has embraced and supported WICF as well as showcased groundbreaking shows that give their audiences unexpected, exciting experiences with comedy."

Jelly: The Untelevised Comedy Variety Show runs monthly, next on February 23rd at 9:30PM at ImprovBoston. Tickets are available at ImprovBoston.com/jelly.