SXSW‘s 2021 online edition is next week (March 16-20) and they’ve just announced the Comedy Festival lineup. With things being virtual due to the pandemic, they’re using this as an opportunity to celebrate comedy clubs from all over the country (most of which have been closed this past year) and all showcases will be out of clubs in various U.S. cities, including Los Angeles’ Dynasty Typewriter and Hollywood Improv, NYC’s The Stand and Gotham Comedy Club, and Chicago’s Zanies. The clubs each made efforts to “safely assemble a small audience” for these shows and comedians include Reggie Watts, Sam Jay, Dan Soder, Joel Kim Booster, Ophira Eisenberg, Donnell Rawlings, Katie Hughes, Calvin Evans and more.
Additionally there is a SXSW Comedy special called “Bringing Back Laughs” which features performances from the outdoor comedy shows in Long Island City that were put on last summer by Michael Che and The Creek & The Cave’s Rebecca Trent, including sets from Carmen Lynch, Janeane Garofalo, Lucas Brothers, Myq Kaplan, Nore Davis, Rojo Perez, Roy Wood Jr., Tone Bell, and Victor Varnado.
There are also virtual editions of Doug Benson‘s Doug Loves Movies (with Arden Myrin, Jerry Trainor, and Rob Benedict), and Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre (UCB) cofounder, Matt Besser, will be doing a jumbo-sized edition of his improv4humans podcast.
To participate in SXSW 2021 you do need to buy an online pass which grants you access to all areas of the festival (Music, Film, Tech, keynote speakers, and more). You can watch and participate via the web, mobile and SXSW Online Connected TV app for Apple TV, Roku, Fire TV and more.
The SXSW Online Music Festival includes an official BrooklynVegan & M for Montreal showcase on March 18 at 8 PM EDT featuring No Joy, Choses Sauvages, Paupiere and Teke::Teke performing virtually at Mohawk.
SXSW COMEDY FESTIVAL PRESENTERS
Acme Comedy Co. (Minneapolis)
Comedians: Chloe Radcliffe, Greg Coleman, Mike Earley, Shannan Paul, Tommy Ryman
Dynasty Typewriter (Los Angeles)
Comedians: Beth Stelling, Billy Wayne Davis, Daniel Webb, Joel Kim Booster, Kimberly Clark, Reggie Watts
Gotham Comedy Club (New York City)
Comedians: Erin Jackson, Matthew Broussard, Monroe Martin, Nathan Macintosh, Ophira Eisenberg
Hollywood Improv (Los Angeles)
Comedians: Chris Porter, Donnell Rawlings, J.F. Harris, Lara Beitz, Pete Lee, Orlando Leyba
Laughing Skull Lounge (Atlanta)
Comedians: Clayton English, Ian Aber, Katie Hughes, Lace Larrabee, Shaunak Godkhindi
The Stand NYC
Comedians: Dan Soder, Derek Gaines, Emma Willmann, Ian Lara, Rosebud Baker, Sam Jay, Shane Gillis
Zanies Comedy Club (Chicago)
Comedians: Calvin Evans, Correy Bell, Em Brown, Matty Ryan, Sarah Perry