Hamptons Comedy Festival Comes To Bay Street in 2023

Bay Street Theater & Sag Harbor Center for the Arts has announced three nights of the Hamptons Comedy Festival, presented by Long Island Comedy Festival, bringing top comedians from across New York to the East End this spring and fall 2023. The first evening of stand-up is held Saturday, April 15, at 8 p.m. at Bay Street Theater, showcasing the comic talents of Kendra Cunningham, Bryan McKenna, Chris Roach, and Rich Walker. Additional evenings will be held Friday, September 29, and Saturday, October 21, at 8 p.m.

The Hamptons Comedy Festival is produced by Paul Anthony and the Long Island Comedy Festival in partnership with Bay Street Theater with the goal of bringing top comic talent to audiences across the East End. Comedy Festival shows are presented in a Comedy Showcase format, featuring a larger line-up of comedians, each performing shorter sets, with several headliners all in one show. You will never see this much comic talent on one stage at any comedy club venue in the US.

Tickets are $35 and are available through the Box Office by calling 631 725 9500, open Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sundays on show days, or 24/7 at baystreet.org.

Boston bred and Brooklyn based, Kendra Cunningham has been named as a comic to watch by Time Out New York and has been compared to Groucho Marx and Mae West by the UK's Chortle. A regular on the New York and Boston comedy scene, she has previously been in the Montreal Just for Laughs Festival, The Glasgow Comedy Festival, and was a finalist in the Boston Comedy Festival for two years in a row. She has twice appeared on NBC's Last Comic Standing gaining two spots in the top 100 jokes of the season. Her solo show This Could be You had a seven-show sold out run at Don't Tell Mama in New York. Her debut album, Blonde Logic, was released in 2016 by Rooftop Comedy and in 2017, Blonde Logic a book of comedic essays was released on Kindle. Her first comedy special On My Best Behavior was released by DryBar comedy in 2018. Her second album Less Bitter, More Glitter was released in October 2019.

Bryan McKenna is a stand-up comedian from New York. Bryan has been featured in the LaughYourAshvilleOFF Comedy Festival, a finalist in the Carolines on Broadway March Madness Competition, as well as a finalist at The Boston Comedy Festival in 2021. He has been seen touring nationally opening for Jim Breuer and in March 2020 Bryan's first album, Jim Breuer Presents Bryan McKenna: The Fight is Never Over under the label Virtual Comedy Network debuted at #1 on iTunes. When he isn't touring Bryan performs nightly at various NYC comedy clubs such as Broadway Comedy Club, Carolines on Broadway, and Eastville Comedy Club. The weirdest part about this bio is that Bryan wrote it, yet he still wrote it in the 3rd person.

Chris Roach is a comedian/actor born and raised on Long Island. He's brought his unique sense of humor to some of the biggest and best-known stages in the country including Gotham Comedy Club, Comic Strip Live NYC, The Borgata in Atlantic City and The Paramount in Huntington, NY. Chris has toured with comedian Kevin James as his opening act all over the northeast. Chris is best known for his major recurring role of Mott in the hit CBS sitcom Kevin Can Wait. His viral video ode to his beloved hometown, Ronkonkomo has nearly two million views. Chris is now a national headliner performing all across the country.

Rich Walker is a long-time veteran of the Long Island comedy scene, and one of the most versatile comedians performing today. Voted "1st Place WINNER" of the BEST OF L.I. 2011 & 2012 by the Long Island Press. Rich has been seen performing at some of the Country's top comedy clubs, colleges, venues & benefit events, and has shared the stage with some of show business's biggest names such as Ray Romano, Kevin James, Dom Irrera and Johnny Maestro the Brooklyn Bridge.

The Long Island Comedy Festival is now entering its' 17th year and has been the longest running Comedy Festival of its kind across Long Island. The Comedy Festival has been featured at top theater venues in Nassau and Suffolk counties, including Bay Street Theater itself during the fall of 2022.

Paul Anthony has been the official comic emcee and executive producer of the Long Island Comedy Festival since it launched in 2006. His other projects include The Berkshire Comedy Festival, The 50+ Comedy Tour, Mom's Night Out Long Island and the new Hamptons Comedy Festival. He's performed at top venues across the country and has opened for comic icons such as Louie Anderson and Robert Klein.

Bay Street Theater is a fully vaccinated company. All attendance is available via touchless ticketing. Masks are optional upon entry to the theater and when seated. For full list of COVID-19-related safety procedures and guidelines for in-person events, please visit us online at baystreet.org.

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