Boston has long been a bastion of laughter. From thumbing our nose at King Charles during the colonial days to launching multiple late-night TV legends, the Hub of the Universe has also been the Hub of Laughter in many respects.
These days this proud tradition is being maintained and enhanced by the diverse talents who grace the many stages that make up the Boston Comedy Festival, which runs through April 5 at venues all over the Greater Boston area.
“This year’s festival is going to be absolutely incredible,” said festival producer Helen DiMarzio. “Boston has such a deep-rooted comedy scene, and I couldn’t be more excited to bring together some of the funniest comedians.”
Now in its 25th year, the Boston Comedy Fest has featured, feted and launched such legends as Bill Burr, Lenny Clarke, Barry Crimmins, Gary Gulman, Eugene Mirman, Tony V and Steven Wright and continues to shine lights on the best and brightest in Boston and beyond.
Comedian Amma Marfo performs at The Comedy Studio in Cambridge on April 1. COURTESY PHOTO
“The goal of the Boston Comedy Festival has always been to source comedians who are practicing the craft to the highest standard,” DiMarzio said. “We believe that comedy thrives when a wide range of voices and perspectives are represented…[and] actively seek out diverse, talented comedians from all corners of the industry in order to give them a platform to shine.”
The comedians for this year’s festival are diversely talented as well.
When not performing stand-up (as she will on April Fool’s Day at The Comedy Studio in Cambridge), Amma Marfo is an education professional, writer and editor who says she got into comedy thanks to her “funny family.”
“They always really appreciated comedy,” she recalled, noting that she started working in the field as a means of further diversifying her talents and interests.
“I started writing sketch in 2014 to get a sense of variety in my life beyond work,” she said, “and then in 2017 I was dared by a group of my friends to try stand-up.”
Catching the performance bug right away, Marfo has since moved further into comedy writing and producing her own shows.
While she continues to blaze new trails in terms of her material and multi-faceted approach, Marfo also looks to her comedy heroes for inspiration and support. She mentions names like Bethany van Delft, Tooky Kavanagh, Kathe Farris and Emily Ruskowski among her current favorites.
When asked how she came to the festival, Marfo explained that, while she always felt funny enough, it took another one of her talents — writing — to get her in the door.
“I covered the festival as comedy press for a few years,” she said, “and honestly felt intimidated at times by the competition aspect of it.”
As Marfo continued to “grow” in the comedy scene, so did her confidence and, after a few applications and auditions, she got the call. Now that she is in, Marfo looks forward to bringing her unique perspectives and comedic pedigree to the festival fans.
Catch comedian Demetrius “Big D” Hullum April 1 at The Rockwell Theatre in Somerville. COURTESY PHOTO
“When someone can come up afterward and say to me, ‘I’m so glad you said that, I’ve seen/felt/noticed that too,’ then I’ve done my job.”
Emily Mu also came up through the world of improvisation and is set to take the stage April 2 at The Rockwell in Somerville.
“I really enjoyed meeting comics from around the country and making people laugh,” Mu said, citing such favorites as Sheng Wang and Hasan Minhaj. “I love comedy that makes you look at the world in a different way.”
As with Marfo, Mu had to try a few times before she was accepted into the festival and sees it as a major career accomplishment.
Joining Mu at The Rockwell is Demetrius “Big D” Hullum, who got into comedy as a way of dealing with the death of his mother.
“I found myself wanting to cope with the loss in a creative way,” he explained, noting that his first public performance was on the first anniversary of his mother’s passing.
A fan of Mike Epps and Dave Chappelle, Hullum admires their “unique styles and ability to blend humor with genuine storytelling.”
A festival veteran who made it all the way to the semi-final round last year, Hullum has more experience than some of his comic comrades but is still eager to “go further” when he takes the stage this year.
“Audiences can expect a lively and relatable performance filled with observational humor and personal anecdotes that encourage laughter and reflection,” he said. “My goal is to create a comfortable environment for everyone to enjoy the moment.”
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.