Bo Burnham: Make Happy
Bo Burnham may have launched his career posting suggestive songs on YouTube as a teenager but, in his 20s, he’s developed into one of the most adventurous and creative comedic talents in the country. His last special, what., is free to watch online, and demonstrates his willingness to experiment with the forms of standup and musical comedy. In his elaborate shows, he uses theatrical elements to weave in poetry and dancing, while maintaining a healthy dose of filthy jokes and pointed satire.
Starts at Keswick Theatre, Philadelphia, on 29 September; runs to 12 December
Dave Chappelle
Dave Chappelle has a mystique that sets him apart from all other working comedians. His Comedy Central series, The Dave Chappelle Show, ended in shatters and he subsequently retreated from public life; his return to standup in the past couple years has been hailed as almost a resurrection, with each new controversy breathlessly followed, and each run of shows selling out almost instantly. The reviews for his newer material have been mixed, but his mere presence on the stage is an event in itself.
Starts at Capitol Theatre, Salt Lake City, on 14 September; runs to 26 September
Oddball Comedy and Curiosity festival
Now in its third year, this Funny or Die-sponsored tour attracts an impressive, eclectic mix of comedians for its two-month jaunt around the country. Held at large outdoor venues, each performance includes a main stage and a smaller “festival stage”, which will be hosted by Big Jay Oakerson and feature local comedians. The lineup varies by date; this year’s big-name headliners are Trainwreck’s Amy Schumer and Parks and Recreation’s Aziz Ansari. Other comedians include John Mulaney, Jeff Ross, Michael Che, Nick Kroll, Nikki Glaser, Tim Minchin, TJ Miller, and Todd Barry.
Various venues, runs to 18 October
Margaret Cho: The Psycho Tour
While she dabbled in mainstream fame in the 1990s, Margaret Cho has always been a resolutely individualistic performer, talking about sexuality, race and LGBT issues from a perspective not often found in standup. With her new tour – subtitled “The There’s No I in Team But There’s a Cho in Psycho” – she’s addressing the world’s problems, from police brutality to violence against women. Announcing her tour, she wrote that her new hour “is about insanity, and about the anger I feel about everything happening in the world right now”.
Starts 1 October at Andiamo, Warren, MI; runs to 14 November
Last Comic Standing tour
The comedy community has a love-hate relationship with NBC’s standup reality show, Last Comic Standing, which has been on and off the TV schedule since 2003. Talent shows like this are the only place for standup on primetime network television, but the heavily edited, drama-seeking format isn’t an ideal showcase for interesting comedy. A better platform is the annual post-season tour, which brings the finalists from the TV show to theaters around the country, and serves as a great way to see a variety of promising up-and-comers on one stage.
Starts 11 September at Martin Woldson Theater at The Fox, Spokane, WA; runs to 11 December
John Hodgman: Vacationland
Recognizable from his occasional appearances as a deranged millionaire on The Daily Show, John Hodgman is a, broadly speaking, humorist who enjoys nonsense. In New York, his regular “Secret Society” shows are a blend of in-progress material and spontaneous silliness – attendees are sworn to secrecy about the specifics of each show. His last special, Ragnarok, is a one-man show about the apocalypse; in his podcast, Judge John Hodgman, he adjudicates pressing concerns of his listeners. Now, he and his ukulele tour the country with some thoughts on vacations.
Starts 12 September at the Wilbur Theater, Boston; runs to 7 November
John Cleese and Eric Idle: Together Again At Last … For The Very First Time
It was only last summer that the five remaining Monty Python members were capitalizing on their enduring legacy with string of sold-out show at the O2 Arena in London, and now John Cleese and Eric Idle are bringing a bit of their Pythonesque charm to the south-eastern US. Billed as “sit-down comedy”, the show also promises storytelling, music and aquatic juggling (as well as the dreaded audience Q&A) and the guarantee that “no two shows will be quite the same”.
Starts 1 October at Van Wezel Performing Arts Tall, Sarasota, Florida; runs to 31 October
Kevin Hart: What Now tour
For years, Kevin Hart was a very profitable standup without a mainstream following; in the last couple years, as his jam-packed résumé proves, he’s crossed over into full-fledged stardom. His last special, 2013’s Let Me Explain, was released in movie theaters and made more than $32m at the box office. It’s all due to his undeniable charisma – on stage, his boundless enthusiasm is enticing and endlessly watchable, while his material maintains a self-deprecating vulnerability. He’s also using his massive stages – he plays mostly arenas – to experiment, projecting images that work in harmony with his material.
Various venues; runs to 11 October
