COMEDY CLUB Returns to Bay Street Theater and The Sag Harbor Center for the Arts

Bay Street Theater & Sag Harbor Center for the Arts is pleased to announce the ever-hysterical comedians Paula Poundstone, Colin Quinn, and Preacher Lawson will be live on the Bay Street stage as part of the return of Comedy Club, Bay Street's showcase of talented comedians and storytellers. During Memorial Day Weekend, on Saturday, May 28, at 8 p.m., the ever-popular Paula Poundstone returns with her patented observational humor and spontaneous wit. Then, on Saturday, June 25, at 8 p.m., the legendary Colin Quinn comes calling with his classic brand of cultural commentary. America's Got Talent finalist, Preacher Lawson, finishes the comedy season on Saturday, July 30, at 8 p.m. Tickets are available through the Box Office by calling 631 725 9500 Tuesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. or 24/7 at baystreet.org.

Paula Poundstone is known for her smart, observational humor and a spontaneous wit that has become the stuff of legend. Time magazine, in the March 2020 "Best of" issue, listed Paula's HBO special, Cats, Cops and Stuff as one of The 5 Funniest Stand-Up Specials Ever. Paula can be heard weekly as the host of the comedy podcast, Nobody Listens to Paula Poundstone and as a regular panelist on NPR's comedy news quiz, Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me! Also an author, Paula's second book, The Totally Unscientific Study Of The Search For Human Happiness (Algonquin) was one of eight semi-finalists for The Thurber Prize for American Humor, the highest recognition of the art of humor writing in the United States. The audio book was one of five finalists for the Audio Book of the Year AUDIE award.

Comedian, actor, and author Colin Quinn has become one of the most beloved voices in comedy, with a focus often on the roller coaster ride that American politics and culture has historically been. His beloved commentary on news headlines dates back to his popular 1990s run hosting "Weekend Update" on NBC's iconic Saturday Night Live and as host of Comedy Central's classic fan favorite series Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn.

Colin's HBO Max special Colin Quinn & Friends: A Parking Lot Comedy Show premiered on November 12, 2020. Part documentary and part standup showcase, Colin headlines and directs the hour, which was shot at a repurposed drive-in theater in Brooklyn on September 1st with a socially distanced audience and a lineup of NYC comedy community staples. A time capsule of standup during the first year of the Covid-19 pandemic, Colin Quinn & Friends documents what live entertainment was at that moment and how those conditions affected the art form.

In addition to his special, Colin released his new book Overstated: A Coast-to-Coast Roast of the Fifty States on St Martin's Press on September 22nd, 2020. The book was included in NPR's Favorite Books of 2020. Publishers Weekly writes "Quinn's sardonic portrait of America in decline will resonate with readers suspicious of ideological stalwarts on both the right and the left." And Booklist raved "For all 50 states Quinn pulls off the remarkable feat of being both very informative and thoroughly entertaining. This delightful read is highly recommended."

Overstated comes off the heels of his most recent one-man show, Red State Blue State, which premiered in January 2019 to rave reviews at The Minetta Lane Theatre in New York City. The New Yorker lauded the hour as "among Quinn's funniest so far" and The New York Times lovingly described Quinn as a "barstool philosopher." The show aired on CNN as the network's first comedy special in May 2019 and is currently streaming on Netflix. Red State Blue State followed the wildly successful off-Broadway run of Colin Quinn: The New York Story, directed by Jerry Seinfeld, and Colin Quinn: Long Story Short, which garnered a Drama Desk Award nomination.

Preacher Lawson was born in Portland, Oregon, but spent most of his adolescence in Memphis, Tennessee. He moved 20 times before the age of 10, but if you asked him what city he's from he'd say Orlando, Florida, because that's where he grew as a comedian. Preacher is best known for his appearance on season 12 of NBC's hit series, America's Got Talent (2017) where he made it to the final rounds. Based off his stellar performance in season 12 Preacher was invited to compete on America's Got Talent: The Champions (2019) and Britain's Got Talent: The Champions (2019) where he advanced to the final after he received the most votes from the fans. Preacher was the host of the Facebook Watch series World's Most Amazing Dogs (2019) with George Lopez and Lisa Vanderpump and has built a following on YouTube of over 500,000 subscribers. In 2019 Preacher shot his first stand-up special which premiered on BET+ and continues to perform at sold-out venues around the country. Currently, Preacher can be seen starring in the NBC series Connecting and as a judge on the new Nickelodeon competition show Unleashed.

Bay Street Theater is a fully vaccinated company. All attendance is available via touchless ticketing. All guests must show proof of vaccination and will be required to wear a mask upon entry to the theater. For full list of COVID-19-related safety procedures and guidelines for in-person events, please visit us online at baystreet.org.

Bay Street Theater is a year-round, not-for-profit professional theater and community cultural center, which endeavors to innovate, educate, and entertain a diverse community through the practice of the performing arts. It serves as a social and cultural gathering place, an educational resource, and a home for a community of artists.

Photo Credits: Courtesy of Bay Street Theatre.

Pictured: Paula Poundstone

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