Colin Quinn
The Hudson Valley abounds in festivals, on topics as widespread as film, writers, vocal music, guitar music, folk music, luthiers, sheep and wool, arts and crafts, short plays, Shakespeare, balloons, chalk, and garlic. What makes the Woodstock Comedy Festival unusual, aside from the high-level talent it assembles, is that the proceeds go directly to two charitable organizations: Family of Woodstock programs for addressing domestic violence and the Polaris Project for prevention of human trafficking.
The second annual Woodstock Comedy Festival will be held September 19-21 and will feature Colin Quinn, who has hosted Saturday Night Live’s “Weekend Update,” created and produced a Comedy Central series, and starred in a Broadway show under the direction of Jerry Seinfeld. The weekend will include presentations by Upright Citizens Brigade and Comedy Nation, documentary films, panel discussions on comedy writing, and top-notch local comedians.
The first festival, which packed audiences into venues around Woodstock, netted over $5000 to be divided between Family and Polaris. “Last year’s overwhelming success truly shocked me,” said executive director Chris Collins, the former Woodstock town board member who came up with the idea for a benefit comedy festival. “That we pulled together a class production and made enough net profits to donate to our charities was wonderful. But this year, I am truly awed that even more professionals in comedy, production, advertising, comedy writing, film, media, and art are involved in ‘the little festival that could.’”
Director, comedian, actor, and homegrown Woodstocker Josh Ruben said the charity aspect makes his role as one of the festival’s recruiters easier. “It’s a huge draw for how we get our talent,” said Ruben, son of former Onteora High School principal Barbara Ruben. “It’s not so hard to call someone you’ve worked with professionally or know personally and ask them to show us what you got in name of kids and victims of domestic abuse.”
Ruben, now based in New York City, has mined his connections in the alternative comedy world to shape a show that’s youthful and edgy, balancing out the mature, polished style of headliner Quinn. “We want to keep all the demographics happy,” said Ruben.
On Friday, September 19, the festival will open at the Woodstock Playhouse at 7 p.m. with Comedy Nation, hosted by political comedian and commentator John Fugelsang. “They have a political topic, and it’s run like a panel with bunch of comedians,” explained Ruben. “Each one does standup, riffing on the topic. It’s like Bill Maher meets at @midnight,” the Comedy Central show where comics give individual takes on Internet topics. Ted Alexandro, Lee Camp, Carmen Lynch, Rick Overton, and special guests will deliver their views. A VIP party follows at Cucina Restaurant.
Saturday afternoon, starting at 1 p.m., panels will be offered at the Kleinert Gallery, including How to Write for Laughs, moderated by Rick Overton, with writers for Letterman, Late Night with Seth Meyers, Inside Amy Schumer, and Funny or Die. Panel member Emily Altman, who writes for the new Tina Fey show Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, said her job is “everything you’d hope it would be. Tina’s a pro, and she creates a fun environment.”