Westchester Comedy Festival Kicks Off April 18: White Plains to Host Semi-finals
The Westchester Comedy Festival, featuring four nights of comedy, along with a Comedy Competition, includes White Plains this year as Elements Food & Spirits will host the semi-final round of the competition on April 23.
The festival will kick off April 18 in Mount Vernon at the Dole Recreation Center, located at 250 South 6th Avenue beginning at 6 p.m., followed by a show at 8 p.m. Comedic performers for the evening will be actor Freddie Ricks (Shaft and Baby Boy) and Chloe Hilliard, winner of Last Comic Standing, and surprise guest host Phyllis Yvonne Stickney. Stickney appeared in movies such as Jungle Fever, How Stella Got Her Groove Back and Women of Brewster Place with Oprah Winfrey.
The Comedy Festival continues on April 22 at the Yonkers Brewing Company, located at 92 Main Street in Yonkers. The second round of the competition will start at 6 p.m., with a show starting at 8 p.m. Headlining the show will be Rob Stapleton (Def Comedy Jam, Comic View, Comedy Central), with performances by and Sara Contreras (Latin Diva) and featured comic Kevin Magee, the 2014 Westchester Comedy Festival Winner.
On April 23, Rhina Valentin (“La Reina”) – who has performed at the Apollo Theatre, The Nuyorican Poets Café and the Los Angeles Comedy Store — will headline, with performer Rhonda Hansome, who performed on Saturday Night Live, Showtime at the Apollo and the Joan Rivers Show will appear at Elements at 161 Mamaroneck Avenue in White Plains at 8 p.m. Adam Oliensis of LoHud Comedy Festival will be the featured comic for the evening.
The final round of the Comedy Competition, hosted by Angela Cobb, will take place April 26 starting at 6 p.m. at Alvin and Friends, 14 Memorial Highway, New Rochelle. At the end of the competition, the winner will be crowned the funniest comedian/comedienne in Westchester.
WCF will be celebrating “Women in Comedy” at the 8pm show. Headlining will be actress/producer/comedienne Rain Pryor, who has appeared at comedy venues such as Caroline’s in New York City and is host of Rise and Shine on ARISE TV. This will be followed by a performance from Trena B Real. The featured artist for the evening will be Regina DeCicco, runner-up of the 2014 Westchester Comedy Festival.
Tickets are $26, with part of the proceeds benefiting local non-profit organizations. Sponsorship opportunities are available. To purchase tickets online visit www.westchestercomedyny.com; for information, call 914-338-9397.
Examiner Media – Keeping you informed with professionally-reported local news, features, and sports coverage.
