Comedy and community
Skidmore's comedy groups perform at the 28th National College Comedy Festival.
The 28th annual National College Comedy Festival on Feb. 10 and 11 packed Bernhard Theater as always. Fourteen student comedy groups and four professionals offered a range of performances, often addressing current issues such as human ties to technology, the fear of death, and of course global politics.
Skidmore fielded the skit groups known as Sketchies and Skidomedy, and the improv troupes Awkward Kids Talking and the Ad-Libs. Chris Isaacson ’19 of Skidomedy says the group rehearsed for hours each night throughout the prior week, to be fully prepared for the ComFest show. He says, “It was an amazing event that brought together a lot of talented and smart people.”
Other student groups included Cornell University’s Whistling Shrimp, New York University’s Dangerbox, the Purple Crayon of Yale, Brown University’s Starla and Sons, Emerson College’s Chocolate Cake City, Loyola-Chicago’s 45 Kings, and Sarah Lawrence’s Feral Christine. The high level of skill and wit of all the student groups awed the audience, setting high standards for next year.
The student shows were followed by professionals Troy Walker and Aparna Nancherla the first night and then Nick & Gabe and the Improvised Shakespeare Company for night two. Nancherla has appeared in the Netflix series Love and has written and performed on Late Night with Seth Meyers; she is in her fourth season of Inside Amy Schumer. At ComFest, Nancherla gave her dark-humored takes on dating and catcalls, while also poignantly addressing today’s popular activism. The audience seemed to relate well to her experiences and attitudes. Opening for her was Troy Walker, a standup comedian who has been featured on CBS’s Late Late Show and Montreal’s Just for Laughs. He layered social justice issues into his comedy, commenting on everyday issues with a new and very funny perspective.
On night two, Nick & Gabe grabbed the audience’s attention with their talk of America as a divided, self-destructing country, while Improvised Shakespeare impressed the audience with their fast-paced and funny sketches that were completely offhand and unrehearsed.
Enjoying ComFest for the first time, Skidmore freshman Gina Pryciak ’20 was enamored by its unfailing humor and the positive, connected community it fostered. She says, “I was amazed by the creativity of the plot lines in some groups. The audience was very into the show and definitely had an appreciation for comedy. I also loved the school spirit and extra-loud cheering for Skidmore groups!” Other Skidmore students echoed Pryciak’s sentiments with genuine enthusiasm and appreciation for the talent that marked this signature weekend of comedy.
