Ladies of Laughter coming to Orcas Center

||| FROM COLLEEN SMITH SUMMERS for ORCAS CENTER  |||

Ladies of Laughter® is an organization and national competition dedicated to providing a platform for female comedians to showcase their unique humor, jumpstart their careers, and promote women in the comedy industry. Often referred to as a “career builder for women in comedy;” it was originally created as a tribute to comedian Mary Jo Wobker.

Since 2012, its national Funny and Fabulous Tour has visited legendary theaters across America with the finest talent from the national competition. Past contestants include Amy Schumer, Tammy Pescatelli, Melissa Rauch (“Big Bang Theory”) and countless others. The initiative has expanded to include specialized categories, such as the "Newcomer" award, and has adapted to include virtual competitions and global open mics.

The Ladies of Laughter® tour is coming for a special performance at Orcas Center on Sunday, March 22 at 7 p.m. with two comics: Kelly MacFarland and Leighann Lord.

In addition to being the 2016 Ladies of Laughter Professional winner at Turning Stone Resort Casino, MacFarland has an extensive and well-rounded resume including comedy clubs, theaters, colleges and several television appearances. MacFarland delivers a performance with best-friend energy, leaving you with the urge to invite her to dinner. The comedy is bold, hilarious, and unexpectedly heartfelt. Kelly brings deeply relatable stories about love, loss, and everything in between. Perfect for audiences who love comedy with brains, edge, and heart. She has appeared on Comedy Central, NBC’s Last Comic Standing, Today Show, AXS Gotham Comedy LIVE, Up Early Tonight on Hulu, Dry Bar Comedy, Don’t Tell Comedy and Denis Leary’s Comics Come Home at the Boston TD Garden. Check out MacFarland’s comedy special, Wit Happens, streaming now on Prime Video. She has several comedy albums available on iTunes and can be heard on SiriusXM and Spotify.

Smart, sexy, savvy, and funny, Lord’s “heads up humor” is stand-up comedy at its finest. Inspired by the brilliance of George Carlin, the smooth jazz style of Franklyn Ajaye, and the elegance of Rita Rudner, Leighann has crafted her own unique brand of Thinking Cap Comedy. It’s no wonder she received the NYC Black Comedy Award for “The Most Thought Provoking Black Female Comic.” And for two consecutive years, Lord was Harlem Week’s official comedian. (The only other comedian in Harlem Week’s history to earn that distinction was Richard Pryor.) She has performed around the world. In London, she appeared at The Comedy Store, and on the BBC show Blouse and Skirt (think Politically Incorrect meets BET). In The Netherlands, Lord was a guest on the popular late night talk show Raymann is Late! and The Comedy Factory. A festival favorite, she has been featured in the Trinidad, Montreal, Winnipeg, Halifax, Boston, Detroit and NYC Underground Comedy Festivals. She also entertained U.S. troops stationed in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia during Operation Enduring Freedom, as well as troops helping the Haitian earthquake relief effort.

For more information, visit www.OrcasCenter.org. Tiered ticket prices are $70, $40, or $25 ($10 student tickets available).