By Sheri McWhirter
TRAVERSE CITY -- It's going to be a funny February.
Roseanne Barr will headline the inaugural Traverse City Comedy Arts Festival from Feb. 19-21, an event that will attract a number of comedians and cult filmmaker John Waters to northern Michigan during the chilly winter season.
"(Barr) is so happy to come and do this," said Michael Moore, co-founder of the Traverse City Film Festival, and Oscar-winning director who developed the comedy festival as a film festival project with Emmy-winning comedian Jeff Garlin.
"She's one of the top American comedians of all time. She's a cultural icon coming here," Moore said.
Barr jumped at the chance to bring some cheer to northern Michigan, he said, where the national recession is reflected in a sour economy and sky-high unemployment rates.
Comedy festival events will be scheduled at the State Theatre, City Opera House, Old Town Playhouse and Horizon Books, and ticket prices will range from free to about $30. Tickets are scheduled to go on sale Jan. 31, said Deb Lake, film festival executive director.
"I think the people in Michigan could use a good laugh right now and our local economy could also use a boost," Moore said.
Barr is the big-ticket star in the showcase. Her sitcom "Roseanne," was broadcast on ABC for nine seasons from 1988-97, and cemented her role as a blue-collar, domestic goddess in contemporary American pop culture.
Barr also won an Emmy in 1993 for her starring role on the show.
Cult classic filmmaker John Waters is booked to perform a one-man show called "This Filthy World."
"He's one of the great humorists and satirists of our time," Moore said.
Waters rose to fame in the 1970s making independent films like "Pink Flamingoes," following up with "Hairspray" in 1988 and "Cry-Baby" in 1990, among his many other projects.
Waters is notorious for casting unusual suspects in his films, such as drag persona Divine and former porn star Traci Lords, as well as more familiar names like Ricki Lake, Johnny Depp, Christina Ricci and Tracey Ullman.
Garlin, comedy festival co-founder, is set to perform a stand-up comedy show, along with late-night improvisational events to feature surprise guests. Garlin is best known for his acting and executive producer role on HBO's "Curb Your Enthusiasm," as well as appearances on "Arrested Development" and "Everybody Loves Raymond."
"People in Traverse City have seen smidgens of his comedy introducing films at the film festival," Moore said.
The playbill also features J.B. Smoove, best known as under-dressed layabout Leon Black on "Curb Your Enthusiasm."
Moore said the comedy arts festival also booked up-and-coming talents like Mike Birbiglia and Whitney Cummings. Birbiglia is known for his contributions to Public Radio International's "This American Life," while Cummings is known for her "Live! Nude! Comedy!" stand-up program on Showtime.
Confirmed acts also include long-form improv experts T.J. and Dave, also known as T.J. Jagodowski and David Pasquesi, of Chicago.
"It's all improv and basically they will do the whole show with what they literally make up with audience participation," Moore said.
Jagodowski and Pasquesi have one of the most popular improvisational comedy shows running in both Chicago and New York.
Finally, Teenager of the Year is a sketch comedy group scheduled to perform that includes comedians Joe Avella and Tim Racine. The pair played the San Francisco Sketch Comedy Festival, the Los Angeles Comedy Festival and the Chicago Sketch Comedy Festival.
The weekend comedy festival also will feature events for children and a couple of film premieres, including an outdoor showing in a downtown parking lot.
"I think it's going to be fantastic. Roseanne Barr? John Waters? Come on," Lake said.
More comedy acts and performers will be announced next week, Moore said.
Visit www.comedyartsfest.org for more information or to sign up for news alerts.
