Fred Willard to Join the 10th Annual CLEVELAND COMEDY FESTIVAL

Playhouse Square will again play host to 18 comedy performances during the annual CLEVELAND COMEDY FESTIVAL Nov. 29 - Dec. 3...this year celebrating the Festival's 10th anniversary. Playhouse Square's Outcalt Theatre and Kennedy's will be the sites for the events, featuring comedians from all across the U.S. Events include: a variety of performances as well as free comedy happy hour; a comedy class graduation performance; comedy contest finals and the Festival feature presentation, "An Evening with Fred Willard."

December 1 at 7 pm, Festival attendees get the chance to hear what made Shaker Heights native Fred Willard into a comedy legend. WCPN "Sound of Ideas" host/Plain Dealer writer Mike McIntyre will serve as guide for this entertaining unscripted conversation.

"We are so happy to get Fred to help mark our 10th Cleveland Comedy Festival," noted Cleveland Comedy Festival Co-director Joe Hannum. "Fred has done just about everything in comedy - movies, TV, improv and sketches. I was reading through all his credits, and I had to take a nap because I got tired."

Willard has appeared in more than 70 films. He earned an American Comedy Award nod for Funniest Supporting Actor in "Waiting for Guffman." For his performance in "Best in Show," he won the Boston Film Critics Award, the American Comedy Award, the Sierra Award and a tribute from the American Film Institute. Other films include "This is Spinal Tap," "Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy," and "A Mighty Wind." Willard was the only human in the Academy Award winning film "WALL-E" and was honored by AFI for contributing to America's cultural legacy. The New York Times named "WALL-E" the best film of the decade.

He also has appeared in more than 1,000 TV episodes - including the cult classic "Fernwood Tonight," numerous appearances on "The Tonight Show," playing Amy's dad on "Everybody Loves Raymond" and playing Phil's dad on "Modern Family."In January, Willard was honored by San Francisco Sketchfest. Christopher Guest, Laraine Newman, Martin Mull, Ty Burrell, Michael McKean, Harry Shearer and Robert Klein were part of the evening hosted by Kevin Pollak.

Tickets for "An Evening with Fred Willard" are $18 in advance and $20 at the door, on sale at www.clevelandcomedyfestival.com, www.playhousesquare.org or (216) 241-6000. For detailed information on each of the Cleveland Comedy Festival shows at Playhouse Square, visit the above websites.

Other great Cleveland Comedy Festival shows at Playhouse Square:

Comedy Contest Preliminaries: 8 pm, Nov. 29 & Nov. 30; Dec. 1 at 8 & 10 pm

Late Night Laughs: 10 pm, Nov. 29 & Nov. 30

Four Horsemen of Comedy: 8 pm, Nov. 30

An Evening with Fred Willard: 8 pm, Dec. 1

Liz Huff & Friends: 3 pm, Dec. 2

10th Anniversary Show: 7 pm,, Dec. 2

Ladies, Laughs and Wine Show 7 pm, Dec. 2

Bros and Beers Comedy Show 9:30 pm, Dec. 2

Comedy Contest Finals 9:30 pm, Dec. 2

Class Clown Graduation Show 1 pm, Dec. 3

Squeaky Clean Comedy Show 3 pm, Dec. 3

For Playhouse Square: Jeannie.Emser@playhousesquare.org

The Cleveland Comedy Festival is a 501c3 non-profit arts organization committed to promoting Cleveland's rich comedic history and securing its vibrant future. Festival sponsors include Ambiance, Playhouse Square, oWOW Cleveland, Music Box Supper Club, The Alex Theater, Harry Buffalo, Hilarities and the Funny Stop.

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