The list of participants for this year’s SXSW Comedy Festival has now been announced. Now into its tenth edition, the festival continues it’s tradition of celebrating some of the industries best comics; whilst also introducing the industry to some of the brightest up-and-coming talents.
In cooperation with the Film, Interactive and Music Festivals, SXSW has drawn it’s guests from all aspects of the entertainment world, and has grown from what was initially a one day event to a week long celebration of comedy, with a diverse and eclectic roster of stars and events, including live stand-up, podcast recordings and broadcast tapings.
As Charlie Sotelo, Head of SXSW Comedy Festival notes, “Over the last ten years, our goal has been to provide a space for promising comedic performers to collaborate with luminaries shaping the comedy world, and it’s been incredible to watch SXSW’s unique gathering of talent lead to successful projects and lasting relationships.”
Counted amongst this year’s festival participants are Dan Harmon, Doug Stanhope, Scott Aukerman and Janeane Garofalo, to name but a handful, with plenty more set to be announced. There will also be Comedy Festival special programming featuring Comedy Bang! Bang!, Doug Stanhope and Friends and HarmonQuest.
The Festival will kick off on March 10th at ACL Live with a special SXSW edition of the Emmy award winning show @midnight with Chris Hardwick Live, featuring Tom Lennon, Whitney Cummings and Nick Swardson as contestants.
The 2017 festival will as mentioned see the return of Dan Harmon’s live fantasy role playing show HarmonQuest – an improvised Dungeons and Dragons that will take a cast of characters on a dragon slaying quest. Also returning will be Big Jay Oakerson’s What’s Your F@%king Deal, Lorne Michaels’ comedy showcase Above Average and ASSSSCAT, the flagship improvised show from Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre.
The SXSW Comedy Festival is open to all SXSW Badges, Music Festival and Film Festival wristband holders.
Whilst the full line-up has yet to be announced, more information and the full initial line-up can be found at the SXSW Comedy Festival website.
Header Image: “Asssscat” at Esther’s Follies at SXSW 2016. Photo by Mireya Salinas.
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