Long Island Comedian Paul Anthony announces the return of the all NEW Hamptons Comedy Festival!
“We are very excited to be bringing the Hamptons Comedy Festival back to Bay Street Theater this fall. Our launch back in April was a big success. The Comedy Festival has been in the works for a while and the timing is right!” said Paul Anthony. He added: “We’ve got an amazing partnership with Bay Street Theater, the premier live entertainment venue in the Hamptons. Their location in Sag Harbor is ideal for the Hamptons Comedy Festival. The bottom line is, people really need to laugh more, and our goal is to bring them top quality comedy showcases through the festival. The comedians we’ll be featuring are all tops in the world of comedy. They’ve been featured on late night TV, streaming platforms, Atlantic City, Vegas and top venues around the country. The line-ups are all incredible. You would not see this level of comic talent all on one stage at other comedy shows. That’s what will distinguish the Hamptons Comedy Festival. For the past 17 summers we’ve produced the annual Long Island Comedy Festival using the same proven formula. Audiences get to see an awesome comedy show, the venues we partner with are proud to present our quality shows, and all the comedians have the opportunity to perform for great audiences at beautiful theaters. It’s a win-win-win! At the end of the day we are out to make audiences laugh, forget about their worries for a little while, and feel good about themselves! And that’s what keeps us motivated. It’s an incredible feeling to meet audience members after a performance and have them tell us how great they feel after laughing so hard. It is extremely rewarding and we are very grateful to be able to do this!”
Hamptons Comedy Festival, Saturday, September 23 features:
Eric Haft:
Born and raised in New York, Eric Haft has appeared in such classic venues as The Borgata in Atlantic City, Caroline’s on Broadway, Stand-Up New York, and is a regular touring act with the Long Island Comedy Festival.
Richie Byrne:
Richie Byrne is a national headliner and has performed at top venues around the country. For over ten years he was the warm-up comic for The Dr. Oz Show. Richie is also an accomplished actor and has appeared in Sex & the City, The Sopranos and Law & Order.
Scott Baker:
Half of the Comedy Team of Baker & Mark, “The Quickest Thinkers in Comedy”. Scott Baker is one of the top improv performers in the country and has performed at some of the top theaters, resorts and comedy clubs in the country. Venues such as The Tropicana AC, The Borgata, Mohegan Sun, Foxwoods and Caesars Resorts. Scott has actually taught an Improv Class at Bay Street Theater for the past few years.
Vinnie Mark:
Vinnie Mark, the other half of the Comedy Team Baker & Mark, has been a touring stand-up comedian performing at venues across the country as well as being a regular performer on Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise lines. His many TV appearances include Late Night with David Letterman, The Rosie O’Donnell Show and Comic Strip Live. Vinnie has performed overseas for American troops in Iraq, Saudi Arabi and Qatar.
Hamptons Comedy Festival, Saturday, October 21 features:
Art Schill:
Known as the Octogenarian Comedian, Art Schill combines the best of the Borscht Belt comedians with his own cool style. Winner of the AARP 50 Plus Comedy Search, Art has been part of the 50+ Comedy Tour since 2016. Art has been featured at top venues around the country including Mohegan Sun Casino.
Maria Walsh:
Known as “America’s Naughtiest Mommy”, Maria has been a regular at the annual Long Island Comedy Festival, Mom’s Night Out Long Island, and has headlined at top venues across the country. She was voted Vegas’ Next Big Act.
Raanan Hershberg:
Raanan Hershberg has performed his high-energy, joke-packed comedy on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, The Late, Late Show with James Corden, and Comedy Central. His latest special ‘Jokes from the Underground’ was included in the New York Times ‘Best Comedy of 2022’. Raanan performs all over the world and is a regular at The Comedy Cellar in NYC.
Rob Falcone:
Veteran Comedian Rob Falcone has performed at every venue across this country. A regular in the Catskills, Atlantic City, Vegas and top venues. Rob is also a veteran actor and has been seen on Gossip Girl, The Sopranos, Law and Order and Blue Bloods.
Both Comedy Festival Shows will also feature Surpise Guest Comedians too!
(If we told you who they were it wouldn’t be a surprise)
But wait, there’s MORE! NEW Stand-Up Comedy Class coming to Bay Street:
As part of the goal to expand the Hamptons Comedy Festival, Bay Street Theater will be offering a brand new Stand-Up Comedy Class, Think You’re Funny? The comic instructor will be comedian Paul Anthony himself. “We are very excited to be working with Bay Street Theater and offering this unique opportunity to aspiring comedians out there. The class will be a hands-on intensive where students will be taken behind the curtain to learn from the ground up about becoming a stand-up comedian and the art of stand-up comedy. The 7 week program will combine class instruction with hands-on exercises and student participation, culminating with a final performance by all students in front of a live audience. Guest Comedians will also visit the class to give students additional insight into the world of stand-up comedy. “It’s going to be educational, inspirational and the most fun you’ll ever have in a class” said Paul Anthony. He added: “The class is for anyone, any age interested in what it takes to do stand-up comedy. I think Trying Stand-Up Comedy is on the Wish Lists and Bucket Lists of more people than you’d care to believe. There’s a fascination with it, and we’re here to help people scratch that itch so to speak!” The class will have limited capacity and for more information visit baystreet.org.
About the Long Island Comedy Festival:
The Long Island Comedy Festival is now entering its’ 17th year and has been the longest running Comedy Festival of its kind all 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.
About Bay Street Theater:
Bay Street Theater & Sag Harbor Center of the Arts is a year-round, not-for-profit professional theater and community cultural center, which endeavors to innovate, educate, motivate, and entertain a diverse community through the performing arts.
About Paul Anthony:
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.
