The email’s subject line caught my attention: “New Comedy Festival Set to Launch in Providence in March.”
The Lil Rhody Laugh Riot covers four days in late March, spread out over two major venues, the Vets and PPAC, and a couple of smaller ones, like the Hide Speakeasy downstairs at The George and Alchemy. The press release promises “expertly crafted chaos, witty one-liners, and just enough self-deprecating humor to make us all feel seen.”
The line-up of nationally known acts is impressive. Kevin Hart and Aziz Ansari at PPC. Michael Blaustein, Leslie Jones, Hannah Berner and Chris Distefano at the Vets.
The Laugh Riot has been a pet project of Dan Schwartz, the general manager at the Vets. “PFM has a history of doing comedy festivals,” said Schwartz recently. Professional Facilities Management manages both the Vets and PPAC, as well as other facilities around the country, and is essentially the producer of the event.
“Coming out of Covid, we saw how much comedy emerged from the pandemic. YouTube videos (of comedians) blew up. We were hosting lots of diverse comedians at the Vets, PPAC and the Comedy Connection. And we thought Providence was ready for something new.”
So Schwartz and company “put our pens to paper to see if we could have (a festival) come to fruition.”
They started by reaching out to agents with whom they worked regularly. “Everyone got so excited. They all said, ‘We can get behind this.’”
The Laugh Riot is happening on the same weekend that the capital city is hosting the Providence Culinary Collective, which Schwartz sees as the perfect tie-in. “Restaurants rely on the events we produce.”
Right now, Schwartz’s focus is on the comedy. Food-related events will be tied in in future announcements.
“Our local tie is huge,” says Schwartz. “We plan to allow local talent to showcase their brand on a festival bill with huge national talent.”
Schwartz has enlisted the help of Doug Key, known locally as producer of the Rogue Island Comedy Festival hosted at various locations on Aquidneck Island. “I was most excited when they asked me to coordinate some smaller indie shows to highlight some of the funniest and hardest-working comics in the area,” said Key recently. “The local comedians are the heart of the scene, and the ones who keep comedy alive year-round, so I admire that they acknowledge us as a main ingredient in making this an actual community-based comedy festival.”
Key will headline a show at Alchemy as part of the Laugh Riot. In addition, there will be two presentations of the Best of Rhode Island Showcase at Providence Comedy, billed as “an evening of stand-up comedy with some of the smallest state’s biggest talent.”
Providence’s mayor, Brett Smiley is quoted in the press release saying the pairing of the comedy festival with the culinary collective “will showcase the best of what our city has to offer—world-class entertainment, exceptional cuisine and an energy that draws people together. We’re excited to welcome visitors and locals alike to experience why Providence is quickly gaining national recognition as a top destination for people to live, work and visit.”
Schwartz sees it all as a boost for the local economy. “We hope to build it year after year, expand it, and make this the largest comedy festival in New England. We’d love to have people travel here for the weekend.”
Like the website says, “Come for the city. Stay for the punchline.”[Details are updated constantly on the festival’s website, www.lilrhodylaughriot.com.]
