Originating long before the city had anything resembling a sustainable comedy community, Milwaukee Comedy Festival has grown and evolved along with Milwaukee’s stand-up scene. In fact, the annual comedic undertaking has been an invaluable means of pushing local comedy to exciting, new territory. Along the way, Milwaukee Comedy Festival has also brought in noted national talent to headline some of its shows. This year’s festival—which will be taking place October 2-9—is no different, as Laurie Kilmartin was recently announced as the comic who would close out the 17th annual Milwaukee Comedy Festival.
In the weeks since that headliner announcement was made, festival organizers spent countless hours sifting through submissions and putting together the rest of the lineup. The rest of that lineup was just announced today. This year’s Milwaukee Comedy Festival will feature dozens of stand-up comics—including Kilmartin, Australian comedian Sean Conway, and former SNL cast member Luke Null—and sketch performers from all over the county performing a total of 14 shows spread over eight days at a variety of Milwaukee venues. This year also marks the return of Milwaukee Record‘s MCF-affiliated “Roast Of Milwaukee” event, which will take place at The Cooperage after two years away (more on that in September).
Go to Milwaukee Comedy Festival’s website for tickets and more information on individual shows and performers. Check out the 2022 Milwaukee Comedy Festival lineup below (acts listed from host to headliner).
Sunday, October 2
7 p.m. @ Dandy
Luise Noé (Milwaukee, WI)
Live! From La Crosse (La Crosse)
Kayla Engeman (Brooklyn, NY)
David Louis (Milwaukee, WI)
Monday, October 3
7:30 p.m. @ Var Gallery
Lineup to be announced.
Tuesday, October 4
7:30 p.m. @ Interchange Theatre
Lineup to be announced.
Wednesday, October 5
7:30 p.m. @ The Cooperage
Milwaukee Record Presents: The Roast Of Milwaukee
More info and lineup to come.
Thursday, October 6
7:30 p.m. @ TBA
Sarah Barnitt (New York, NY)
Grapefruit Bubbly (Madison, WI)
Justin Brown (Rochester, NY)
Jonny Loquasto (Orange County, CA)
Friday, October 7
7:30 p.m. @ Laughing Tap
Jon Torres – (Chicago, IL)
Abraham Tadesse (Seattle, WA)
Tucker Millett (Chicago, IL)
Darryl Charles (Baltimore, MD)
10 p.m. @ Laughing Tap
Darrell Cochran (Milwaukee, WI)
Rob Stant (Philadelphia, PA)
Ashley Leisten (Chicago, IL)
Piers Moreton (New York, NY)
Saturday, October 8
2 p.m. @ Laughing Tap
Lineup to be announced.
5 p.m. @ Laughing Tap
Carly Malison (Milwaukee, WI)
Sean Conway (Perth, AUS)
Mike Hover (Chicago, IL)
Chris Trani (Chicago, IL)
7:30 p.m. @ Laughing Tap
Lee H. Tillman (Portland, OR)
Chris Schmidt (Milwaukee, WI)
Raegan Niemela (Milwaukee, WI)
Luke Null (Los Angeles, CA)
10 p.m. @ Laughing Tap
Mark Vegas (Milwaukee, WI)
Alex Morris (Oshkosh, WI)
Elle Orlando (New York, NY)
Eitan Levine (New York, NY)
Sunday, October 9
2 p.m. @ Laughing Tap
Lineup to be announced.
4 p.m. @ Laughing Tap
Logan Rishaw (Cleveland, OH)
Jerry Tran (Chicago, IL)
Evan Hull (Chicago, IL)
Ross Childs (Chicago, IL)
7 p.m. @ Shank Hall
Olivia Carter (Chicago, IL)
Carly Malison (Milwaukee, WI)
Laurie Kilmartin (Los Angeles, CA)