In its inaugural year, Cream City Comedy Festival brought 11 stand-up, improv, and variety shows to venues in four Milwaukee neighborhoods over the course of four days. Better yet, all the shows were free. Best yet, any donations collected were given to a mental health charity. After that successful first run, producers Liz Ziner, Sammy Arechar, and Phil Davidson—all of whom now live in Chicago—and new co-producers Addie Blanchard and Nate Seek have brought CCCF back in 2017.
This time around, more than 70 comics from Milwaukee, Madison, Chicago, and New York will perform a whopping 14 shows 10 venues scattered throughout Bay View, Walker’s Point, Riverwest, and the East Side from May 18-21. Once again, all shows will be free, but any donations raised will be donated to the ACLU.
The second annual Cream City Comedy Festival will start with a Kick-Off Show headlined by New York comedian Ben Kronberg (Comedy Central Presents, Late Night With Seth Meyers, @midnight), and will run through Sunday’s finale headlined by Milwaukee favorite Chastity Washington (BET, HBO). It’s free, fun, and for a great cause. Still not sold? Check out the entire lineup.
Thursday, May 18
Opening Ceremony with Ben Kronberg @ Club Garibaldi (7 p.m.)
Liz Ziner (host)
Bill Gevirtz
Erin Grotheer
Christopher Schmidt
Ben Kronberg
Friday, May 19
Wet Cash @ Angelo’s Piano Lounge (7 p.m.)
Dan Muller (host)
Jacob Lowrey
Noah Rocklin
Peter Kemme
John Egan
Jason Melton
Zahid Dewji
Marlénas McMahon-Purk
Anthony Siraguse
One-414-All Comedy Showcase @ Up & Under Pub (8 p.m.)
Josh Ballew (host)
Chris Damen
Max Friedman
Billy Dean
Ryan Kahl
Michael Meyers
David Rader
Nathan Ehrmann
Mallory Bradford
Cream Of The Crop Comedy Showcase @ Up & Under Pub (9:30 p.m.)
Tyler Menz (host)
Jerry Tran
John Eide
Benjamin Kasl
Bill Bullock
David Freeburg
Dave Losso
Josh Ejnes
Michael Meyers
Dana Ehrmann
Comedy Showcase @ Vino 100 (10 p.m.)
Matt Werner (host)
Geoffrey Asmus
Tom Wisdom
James Doyle
Mary Zee
Blake Burkhart
Reggie Parker
Kyle Gagnon
Kristin Lytie
Jason Melton
Saturday, May 20
Sorry Not Sorry @ Riverwest Public House (1 p.m.)
Addie Blanchard (host)
Adam Gilbert
Josh Ejnes
Chris Higgins
Jeff Albright
David Sitrick
Matthew Kohr
Chris Damen
Mary Zee
John Egan
Coast-To-Coast Comedy Showcase @ Urban Harvest Brewing Company (4 p.m.)
David Louis (host)
Aaron Nadell
Nathan Ehrmann
Garri Madera
Bill Bullock
Tom Wisdom
Marlénas McMahon-Purk
Dante Powell
Reggie Parker
Strip Joker @ Var Art Gallery (6 p.m.)
Brittany Meyer
Whitney Wasson
Molly Kearney
David Rader
Anthony Siraguse
Ian Erickson
Ryan Kahl
Zahid Dewji
Erin Grotheer
Cream City Presents: Anthony Devito @ Puddler’s Hall (8 p.m.)
Phil Davidson (host)
Rebecca Loeser
Ton Johnson
Nick Hart
Anthony Devito
Cactus Club Comedy & Music + 4th Annual Zucchini Party @ Cactus Club (9:30 p.m.)
Ryan Holman (host)
Dave Losso
Kristin Lytie
A.J. Grill
Nick Hart
David Freeburg
Cameron Gillette
Mallory Bradford
Rebecca Loeser
Sunday, May 21
We Still Like You @ Landmark Lanes (1 p.m.)
Dan Sheehan
Shannon Noll
Tyler Snodgrass
Danii Gallegos
J. Michael Osborne
Jeff Albright
David Sitrick
Matthew Kohr
Ilana Gordon
Hair Of The Dog Comedy Showcase @ Landmark Lanes (3 p.m.)
Matty Field (host)
Mike Berg
Aaron Nadell
Cameron Gillette
Garri Madera
Adam Gilbert
Carly Ballerini
Max Friedman
Billy Dean
Cool & Tight @ Var Art Gallery (5 p.m.)
Sammy Arechar (host)
Terence Hartnett
John Eide
Bill Gevirtz
Marisa Lange
Jerry Tran
Chris Higgins
James Doyle
Ian Erickson
Closing Ceremony with Chastity Washington @ Club Garibaldi (7 p.m.)
Nate Seek (host)
Dante Powell
Blake Burkhart
Molly Kearney
Chastity Washington