LaughFest announces more headliners

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More than 40 West Michigan venues will host local and national performers when the 10th annual Gilda’s Laughfest kicks off in March.

Joining previously announced headliner Jim Gaffigan are Maria Bamford, Adam Cayton-Holland, Russell Peters, JP Sears, Miranda Sings and Justin Willman, among others.

Event venues range from Grand Rapids to Holland and Lowell to Gun Lake Casino for the comedy extravaganza scheduled for March 5-15.

This year’s celebration of laughter also includes a Best of the Midwest All-Stars Showcase and the Clean Comedy All-Starts Showcase. The main attraction, LaughFest’s Signature Event, is scheduled for March 14 at DeVos Place. Performers will be announced in December.

The clean comedy program will open the festivities March 5-7. Scheduled to appear are Kermet Apio, Gina Brillon, Erin Jackson, John Novosad, Louis Ramey and Joe Zimmerman.

Cayton-Holland will perform his one-man show called “Happy Place,” which is based on his memoir, “Tragedy Plus Time,” on March 6 at The Listening Room at Studio Park in downtown Grand Rapids.

Sears, who in addition to being a comedian also is a healing coach, author, speaker and world traveler, is scheduled to appear March 6-7 at Pyramid Scheme.

Colleen Ballinger, an actor, comedian, trained vocalist, writer and executive producer, will perform at Fountain Street Church on March 6. She is best known for portraying her character, “Miranda Sings,” a personality that is the polar opposite of Ballinger. Miranda appears in the Netflix series “HATERS BACK OFF,” which Ballinger created and executive-produced.

Also performing at Fountain Street Church on March 7 is Willman, a magician and comedian who premiered a six-episode magic series on Netflix entitled “Magic For Humans with Justin Willman.”

Comedian and actor Peters is scheduled to perform at DeVos Performance Hall on March 8. Peters also is a Peabody and Emmy award-winning producer.

Harris, an actor who has appears in “Dreamgirls” and the ABC-TV sitcom “On Our Own,” has shows scheduled March 12 at Gun Lake Casino and March 13 at Larkin’s Other Place in Lowell.

Wealthy Theatre will host Bamford, the first female comedian to have two half-hour specials on Comedy Central Presents, on March 13.

On March 13-14, the Best of the Midwest All-Stars Showcase will feature six previous winners and fan-favorite Best of the Midwest competitors. These include Vince Carone (2019 winner), AJ Finney (2014 winner), Mike Paramore (2017 winner), Amber Preston (2011 winner), Mary Santora (2018 fan favorite) and Ali Sultan (2018 winner).

For more information, including ticket purchases, visit Gilda’s Laughfest.

Colleen Ballinger, aka Miranda Sings. Courtesy Glida’s Laughfest

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