03 Mar National Comedy Center Adds Second Sebastian Maniscalco Show Following Unprecedented Headliner Sellout
Ticket Pre-Sale for New Maniscalco Show Starts Wednesday, March 6 for National Comedy Center Members; Public On-Sale Begins Friday, March 8
Jamestown, New York – March 4, 2019 – The National Comedy Center, the country’s first cultural institution and museum dedicated to comedy, announced today that it has added a second show for headliner Sebastian Maniscalco after both his and John Mulaney’s shows sold out in the first day on sale to the public for the 2019 Lucille Ball Comedy Festival.
The additional Sebastian Maniscalco show will take place Saturday, August 10 at 5:00 pm. Tickets for this performance will go on pre-sale for National Comedy Center members only starting Wednesday, March 6 at noon ET and on sale to the public on Friday, March 8 at noon ET at www.ComedyCenter.org.
Some additional festival events are also currently on sale, while many more have yet to be announced, in a lineup that will celebrate comedy’s contemporary stars, rising voices, and historic legacies.
Sebastian Maniscalco will now be performing two shows on Saturday, August 10th: the added show at 5:00 pm and the previously announced sold-out show at 8:00 pm. Both shows will take place in Jamestown’s Northwest Arena, adjacent to the $50 million, 37,000-square-feet National Comedy Center museum complex.
“We’re thrilled to add a second Maniscalco show to accommodate the incredible demand for these festival headliners, and with a new national attraction now open all day throughout the festival, it makes for a fantastic time to visit Jamestown,” said Journey Gunderson, National Comedy Center Executive Director.
“This year’s Lucille Ball Comedy Festival is shaping up to be our biggest ever. From our big arena shows with Sebastian Maniscalco and John Mulaney, to showcases featuring rising comedians, on-stage panels on comedy legends, and kids’ comedy shows — there truly is something for everyone, with more to be announced soon,” said Malachi Livermore, National Comedy Center Director of Programming and Guest Experience. “We encourage comedy fans from around the world to come visit and explore everything that the festival and the National Comedy Center has to offer.”
To become a National Comedy Center member in order to gain first access to available seats during the pre-sale ticket window, visit ComedyCenter.org or call the National Comedy Center at 716.484.2222. Memberships start at $50 and provide benefits including a full year “season pass” for visiting the acclaimed National Comedy Center in Jamestown, New York.
Comedian, actor and best-selling author Sebastian Maniscalco has been called “one of the funniest comedians working stand-up today,” by Esquire Magazine, “one of the hottest comics,” by Newsday and “the comedian’s comedian” by People Magazine.
Maniscalco broke records last month with four sold-out shows at Madison Square Garden, selling the most tickets in a weekend for any comedy engagement in the history of the Garden. In 2018, Maniscalco broke similar comedy box-office records for Radio City Music Hall.
Maniscalco can currently be seen with Viggo Mortensen in the film “Green Book,” which won three Academy Awards including Best Picture.
Last November, Maniscalco won Billboard’s inaugural Comedian of the Year award. In 2019, Maniscalco will be starring in Martin Scorsese’s new film “The Irishman,” with Robert De Niro, Al Pacino and Joe Pesci.
In addition to Sebastian Maniscalco, Emmy-winning comedian and writer John Mulaney headlines the festival with a sold-out show on Friday, August 9th. Mulaney, who just hosted Saturday Night Live this past Saturday, has been called “one of the best stand-up comics alive” by Entertainment Weekly. He began writing for “Saturday Night Live” in 2008, where he also appeared as a “Weekend Update“ correspondent and co-created memorable characters such as “Stefon” with Bill Hader. He has spent the past year touring the United States with his most recent show, “Kid Gorgeous,” which was released as a Netflix original special last year and won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing in a Variety Special.
Additional Lucille Ball Comedy Festival events, including more than five comedy showcases, Late Night Comedy events, National Comedy Center Dialogues, and Lucy legacy events will also be announced at www.ComedyCenter.org in the coming months.
The Lucille Ball Comedy Festival is presented by the National Comedy Center and embodies Lucille Ball’s vision for her hometown — Jamestown, New York, to be a destination for the celebration of the comedic arts and to showcase new comedic talent from around the country. The festival attracts between 10,000 and 15,000 attendees annually from nearly every state in the country, who come together to share laughter while honoring the craft and contributors on stage at dozens of venues throughout Jamestown, including the National Comedy Center and the Lucille Ball Desi Arnaz Museum.
Over the past 27 years the festival has featured comedy’s greatest stars and rising young comedians, including Jerry Seinfeld, Ellen DeGeneres, Trevor Noah, Lily Tomlin, Jay Leno, Amy Schumer, Brian Regan, Lewis Black, W. Kamau Bell, Jim Gaffigan, Paula Poundstone, Dan Aykroyd, Joan Rivers, Bob Newhart, the Smothers Brothers and more than one hundred other comedic artists.
About the National Comedy Center
The National Comedy Center is America’s cultural institution and only museum of its kind that celebrates the art form of comedy. Opened in August 2018 in Jamestown, New York, the state-of-the-art museum complex is dedicated to presenting the vital story of comedy in America, and preserving its heritage for future generations.
The National Comedy Center was recently voted #2 “Best New Attraction” in the country, out of 20 new attractions, by USA Today readers, and chosen as the #1 museum and #1 ticketed attraction in this USA Today poll. Condé Nast Traveler called the National Comedy Center “One of the best museums in the country,” while comedy website The Interrobang named the design team second on its list of “Innovators Who Changed Comedy” in 2018. Visitors from all 50 states and nine countries have given the Center a rare 5/5 rating on TripAdvisor, ranking among the highest in the attraction and tourism industry.
Based on the vision of Jamestown native Lucille Ball for her hometown to become a destination for comedy, the National Comedy Center showcases comedy’s great minds and unique voices in ways that engage, inspire, educate and entertain. As a non-profit institution, the National Comedy Center was created with a $50 million investment, funded by a mix of federal, state and private philanthropic support, including partnerships with I LOVE NEW YORK ™, Governor Andrew Cuomo and New York State’s Empire State Development.
Featuring exclusive collections, world-class exhibits and leading-edge technology, the National Comedy Center presents an unprecedented, behind-the-scenes look at the time-honed creative processes that have elevated comedy entertainment to an art form. Over 50 innovative exhibits within the 37,000-square-feet facility enable visitors to take an interactive journey through comedy history, from early vaudeville to the latest viral memes. Throughout their personalized experience, visitors gain a profound appreciation for comedy icons and innovators, as well as for the tremendous influence of humor on how we think, live and laugh.
Design for the National Comedy Center was led by the most prominent cultural and interactive design firms in the world, whose portfolios collectively include the award-winning 9/11 Memorial Museum, The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, The College Football Hall of Fame, SNL: The Experience, and more.
The National Comedy Center also operates the Lucille Ball Desi Arnaz Museum, which explores the lives, careers and legacy of the “First Couple of Comedy,” and the incredible impact they had on the world. For over 25 years, the organization has also produced the Lucille Ball Comedy Festival, with performers including Jerry Seinfeld, Amy Schumer, Jay Leno, Lewis Black, Trevor Noah, Joan Rivers, Ellen DeGeneres, Jim Gaffigan, Paula Poundstone, Ray Romano, Bob Newhart, The Smothers Brothers. The 28th annual Lucille Ball Comedy Festival this August will be headlined by Sebastian Maniscalco and John Mulaney.