A Quick(ish) Guide to Austin Sketch Fest
By now you’ve probably heard of Austin Sketch Fest. Wait, you haven’t? Fuck. I know there’s a million festivals in this town, but I’m a producer of this one, so I love it the most. Austin Sketch Fest is 6 nights of live sketch comedy, stand-up, and more. There’s not a bad show in the bunch. Here’s my quick-as-I-can-make-it guide to the fest. Tickets for everything can be found here. Show’s that I’m in are highlighted in blue.
NIGHT 1: Tuesday May 20th. ColdTowne Theater.
8:30pm – Bad Example, Magician vs. Clown, Wink Planet
2 up-and-coming sketch groups, and veterans Magician vs. Clown – where a Magician and a Clown perform with and against each other.
10pm – “I Didn’t See You There” – The Show of One Person Shows
10 of ColdTowne Theater’s finest performing complete one-person shows. Each has to begin with the phrase “Oh Hello. I Didn’t See You There.” This is gonna be nuts. PLUS I’M HOSTING THIS BITCH.
NIGHT 2: Wednesday May 21st. ColdTowne Theater.
8:30pm
‘I Don’t Know Words’ with Vanessa Gonzalez, the Tastemakers, Vanilla Presley
Vanessa Gonzalez does a whole bunch of hilarious characters in I Don’t Know Words. The Tastemakers are strange AND great. Vanilla Presely is a comey rap group that is very funny. “Really, Mac?” Yes, very funny.
10pm
Hot Property, AC Lerok, Chris Tellez
You like your comedy packed full with mayhem, vulgarity, and dudes getting buckwild? This is your show. AC Lerok is a rarely fully-clothed sketch duo, Chris Tellez is a funny as hell stand-up, and Hot Property is a weirdo, very often filthy sketch group THAT I AM ALSO IN.
NIGHT 3: Thursday, May 22nd. Spider House Ballroom.
8:30pm ‘Why We Broke Up’, Your Terrific Neighbors, Duncan Carson
“Why We Broke Up” is a sketch play about a break-up, out of NYC’s UCB theater. It manages to be super funny and affecting at the same time. HOW DID THEY DO THAT? Stand-up Duncan Carson was just a finalist in the Funniest Person in Austin contest, and Your Terrific Neighbors are the Austin Sketch Gold Standard. This show scratches all the itches.
10pm Girls With Brown Hair presents ‘WOMANTOWN’, STAG Comedy, Bryan Cook
Girls – great NYC sketch. STAG – great ATX sketch. Bryan Cook – great LA stand-up. If you don’t know, STAG Comedy is the sketch group I regularly write and perform for. Read about our new show here.
NIGHT 4: Friday, May 23rd. Spider House Ballroom
8:30pm My Mans, ‘Who Are You People and Why Are You Watching Me?’ with Brandon Gulya.
My Mans (featuring SNL’s Tim Robinson) are going to melt your face off. Brandon Gulya’s one-person show is so hilarious and great. KILLER SHOW.
10pm Competitive Erotic Fan Fiction
Bryan Cook hosts 10 comedians reading erotic fan fiction stories based on their own whims and suggestions from the audience. Recently named one of the 20 best comedy podcasts by Rolling Stone.
NIGHT 5: Saturday, May 24th. Spider House Ballroom
7pm ‘Ithamar Has Nothing To Say’ with Ithamar Enriquez, The Hustle Show
Key and Peele just signed on to produce a web-series based on THIS live show from Ithamar. A one-person, wordless show, where Ithamar plays all the characters. It takes a master to pull it off and Ithamar is one. The Hustle Show is a massively underrated sketch super group featuring members of Your Terrific Neighbors, Bad Example, and STAG.
8:30pm My Mans, Stone Cold Fox, Maggie Maye
Your second chance to catch My Mans. This time with UCB supergroup Stone Cold Fox. One of Austin’s best stand-ups Maggie Maye opens.
10pm Skinny Bitch Jesus Meeting, Rabbit Rabbit, Katie Pengra
Another contender for best show of the fest. Chicago’s Rabbit Rabbit are so fast, funny, and inventive, it’s scary. Skinny Bitch Jesus Meeting is legendary NYC sketch duo. They put on one of the funniest and best shows I’ve ever seen so I’m stoked to see what they do this year. And Katie Pengra? Stand-up GOLD.
NIGHT 6: Closing night! Sunday, May 25th. Spider House Ballroom.
8:30pm – Everyone’s Favorite Game Show
A super funny live comedy game show from NYC’s UCB Theater
10pm – Master Pancake Theater, Brian Gaar
Austin’s premier movie mockers make fun of an episode of Law & Order: SVU (with me! I’m also in this show). Plus, the twitter juggernaut Brian Gaar opens with some stand-up.
That’s it! That wasn’t very quick but I tried! There’s so many shows and there all killer, no filler. Go see one, eh?