Laugh Up at the 5th Annual Chicago Women's Funny Festival

With 400 artists from more than 95 groups performing 83 shows, the Chicago Women's Funny Festival packs the best in female comedy into four funny-filled days, June 16-19 at Stage 773.
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Stage 773 Director of Operations Jill Valentine and co-producer Liz McArthur are thrilled to announce the highly anticipated lineup. The Chicago Women's Funny Festival, the largest of its kind in the nation, features all forms of comedy- from 'highbrow musical improv' to 'relatable stand-up' to 'character driven sketch,' as comediennes gather together from across the globe.
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"We are extremely excited to be celebrating the fifth year of the festival and to host some of the best in female comedy in the nation," said Valentine. "Having women from all different comedic art forms come together and celebrate under one roof in Chicago is something that is very special to us and the community."
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With over 83 shows packed into four days, Stage 773 has made it easier than ever to discover new groups to love, allowing patrons to filter through art forms, a rating and keywords to find their own taste in comedy. The full schedule and calendar for the 5th Annual Chicago Women's Funny Festival can be viewed here. �

Combining both fresh and familiar faces, highlights for 2016 include the return of "SNL" writer Katie Rich with former SC Mainstage/Consultant for Onion News Network, Holly Laurent, in their sketch duo Joan and Ro; Chicago Sketchfest veteran groups Off Off Broadzway and The Cupid Players (developing all new works for the festival); Improv veterans Susan Messing and Rachel Mason in The Boys; Comedic dance troupe Matter Dance; Transgender comic and writer Dina Martinez; stand-up comedienne from Detroit, Simply Shanell; Improv group from Kansas City, 5'10", and much more.

Chicago Women's Funny Festival was founded in 2012 when producers Jill Valentine and Liz McArthur wanted to build a comedy festival where women could come together and celebrate all art forms of comedy under one roof. The first festival boasted 66 shows and 400 performers in five days. Women's Fest also hosted events throughout the week where women from across the country could network with each other and more importantly, celebrate one another's work.�The response from comediennes and audience members was overwhelmingly positive -- which is why the festival is coming back for a fifth year.
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Jill Valentine is a Chicago Southside native who has been the Executive Director of the Chicago Sketch Comedy Festival (also the largest of its kind in the nation) since the festival's inception in 2000. She is also Stage 773's Director of Operations and a founding principal of the building. Valentine performs in several popular and critically acclaimed groups in Chicago, including The Cupid Players, Off Off Broadzway and Feminine Gentleman, who have performed all over the country.
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Liz McArthur hails from St. Louis and has worked with The Chicago Sketch Comedy Festival since 2005. McArthur can be seen with groups such as Off Off Broadzway, OneTwoThree Comedy, and Feminine Gentlemen. McArthur is also part of the hit zombie comedy "Musical of the Living Dead."

All performances will take place at Chicago's home for the city's most innovative, creative and passionate off-Loop performing artists, Stage 773, a non-profit Chicago company that produces The Cupid Players, Bri-Ko, The Chicago Sketch Comedy Festival, education and program opportunities, as well as offering subsidized theater rental space to the hundreds of Chicago's itinerant off-Loop companies and performers.

Performances are Thursday, June 16 at 8-10 p.m., Friday, June 17 at 8-11 p.m., Saturday, June 18 at 4:30-11 p.m., and Sunday, June 19 at 2-8 p.m. Individual ticket prices are $15, and festival passes are available for $37.50 (Thursday), $47.50 (Friday), $57.50 (Sunday) or $100 for an all festival pass.�New this year is a Sunday three show flex pass for $33.�
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The 5th Annual Chicago Women's Funny Festival, takes place June 16-19 at Stage 773, 1225 W. Belmont in Chicago. For tickets or information, call 773-327-5252 or visit www.Stage773.com.