Big names and large crowds have become common for the Lucille Ball Comedy Festival. More of the same are expected this Thursday through Sunday when the festival again takes center stage in Jamestown. The growth of the event coincides with the growing reputation of the National Comedy Center, said Executive Director Journey Gunderson.
“I think if there’s one thing that we have had as a guiding principle it’s that the authenticity of our approach to this art form is absolutely crucial,” Gunderson said.
“And now artists are experiencing that within the museum.”
As those relationships have grown, the biggest names in comedy have performed at the Lucille Ball Comedy Festival. It’s no different this year with Jerry Seinfeld , Seth Myers and Bert Kreischer serving as headliners.
While I’m not familiar with Kreischer’s work, Gunderson insists he brings a “permission to party kind of vibe.” She also quotes a Forbes profile that called him “the greatest storyteller of his generation.”
The festival draws ticket buyers from 40 states, Gunderson says. Visitors check out the more than 50 events over the four-day transformation of Jamestown.
“The restaurants are filled. The hotels are bustling,” Gunderson says. “We close down the streets. We have block parties with live music. “
She also encourages visitors to check out what she calls the “hidden gem of the festival,” the Stand-Up Showcase, Friday night at the Reg Lenna Center for the Arts.
“It’s five comics that we bring in from the club scene, coast to coast. So, it’s these clubs that are legendary, The Comedy Store in L.A. The Improv. Or in New York, The Comedy Cellar,” Gunderson explained.
“These are tough-to-get-into venues. We have the talent from all of those club scenes descending on Jamestown for a ticket you cannot find anywhere.”
