Shakespeare & Company Hosts Comedy Fundraiser for Riotous Youth
LENOX, Mass. — Shakespeare & Company and the Berkshire Mountain Comedy Arts Festival will feature "Kevin Bartini & Friends" in an evening of comedy to be staged on Saturday, March 26, at 8 p.m. The festival's Artistic Director Kevin Bartini will be master of ceremonies and the evening will include headlining acts Rick Younger and Kerri Louise.
The event is a fundraiser for Riotous Youth, Shakespeare & Company's summer theater program for children and teenagers and one of several programs administered by the company's Education Department.
"I've been very fortunate in my life," he said. "I have met amazing people and have had amazing experiences – and I credit it a good deal of my success to Shakespeare & Company's Education Program and the life-long training I received."
Bartini, who co-founded the festival with business director and fellow Lee native David Rice, said a key aspect of all BMCAF events from now on will be giving back to Berkshire-based organizations.
"The idea is to partner with theaters and businesses in the Berkshires to produce all types of events – from shows to live podcast recordings to roast battles – with the help of our funniest friends, to not only to raise funds for local causes, but to do it in a way that brings tourists and new business to town," he said.
A comedian, actor and writer, Bartini has been seen most recently as recurring character Billy Jones in Amazon's "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel" and has appeared NBC's "Today Show," ABC's "What Would You Do," Discovery Channel's "Cash Cab," and NBC's "Saturday Night Live," among many other credits.
Younger has appeared on television in the Amazon series "Crisis in Six Scenes," HBO's "Girls," "Blue Bloods" on CBS; "Law & Order: SVU" on NBC; "The Last O.G." on TBS, and "The Other Two" on HBOMAX, as well as numerous national television commercials. His film credits include "Ordinary World" and "Morning Glory"; Younger also originated the role of Mr. Duvall in "Mean Girls the Musical" on Broadway.
Louise recently appeared on the Showtime Comedy Special "Funny Women of a Certain Age," and has appeared on "Oprah," "Dr. Oz" and "The Howard Stern Show," and was a finalist on NBC's "Last Comic Standing," among many other credits. She's also the author of the books "Mean Mommy" and "Harry the Elephant Has an Allergy."
"Kevin Bartini & Friends" will be held at the Tina Packer Playhouse on the Shakespeare & Company campus in Lenox as part of the March Mash-up that also includes performances of three contemporary readings. Tickets are $37, and weekend passes are also available for all four performances for $92, a 25 percent savings. Students may purchase passes to all four events for $57.
For more information, visit shakespeare.org or 413comedy.com.
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