Moontower Just for Laughs Austin Goes Big
Comedy fest adds arena shows from Andrew Schulz, Shane Gillis
By Richard Whittaker, 12:00PM, Thu. Nov. 30, 2023
When Austin’s Moontower Comedy Festival merged with Montreal's Just for Laughs, it made the biggest comedy festival in America. Now it gets even bigger with not one but two arena shows and a gigantic reunion for the next Moontower Just for Laughs Austin (April 10-21).
Yup, the fest goes big with its two biggest shows to date, as Shane Gillis takes the laughs a little out of town for the opening weekend with a headlining show at the H-E-B Center in Cedar Park. Then Andrew Schulz (who recorded his last comedy special, Infamous, at the Paramount Theatre) headlines the Moody Center on April 19.
Not that Moontower is ignoring its long time home at the Paramount. Fest regular Marc Maron is back after a killer set at Moontower 2022, just one of 20 headliners who will be rocking the walls at the Congress Avenue institution, including Amy Sedaris, Kathy Griffin, and Roy Wood Jr.
But no headliner is bigger (in terms of members and importance) than a reunion of legendary sketch troupe the State. The stars of the MTV classic celebrate 30 years of their anarchic legacy by reassembling its incredible cast including (deep breath) Michael Ian Black, Reno 911! stars Thomas Lennon and Michael Patrick Jann, Kevin Allison, Kerri Kenney-Silver, Brooklyn 99’s Joe Lo Truglio, Wet Hot American Summer creator David Wain, and Ken Marino (Party Down).
Film fans also get a special treat, with a screening Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, followed by a Q&A with none other than long-suffering Cameron Frye himself, Succession star Alan Ruck. Plus, if you like your laughs on the small screen, head over to ACL Live where The Office stars Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey will be deep-diving into the show for their podcast Office Ladies.
But comedy has and always will live and thrive in clubs, and so audiences will have a chance to get intimate with sets from Tina Friml, Todd Barry, Jenny Zigrino, Carmen Christopher, Django Gold, Leslie Liao, Opey Olagbaju, Poly Diaz, Shane Torres, and the Sklar Brothers, with more to be announced.
Moontower Just for Laughs Austin runs April 10-21, 2024. Tickets, passes, and info at austintheatre.org/moontower-comedy.
Moontower 2024 Headliners
Amy Sedaris
Andrew Schulz
Ari Shaffir
Brad Williams
Cat Cohen
Celebrity Memoir Book Club
Darcy & Jer
Desi Banks
Ferris Bueller’s Day Off Screening with Alan Ruck
Frankie Quiñones
ISMO
Joe Pera
Kathy Griffin
Ken Flores
Marc Maron
Margaret Cho
Mike Birbiglia
Mo Heart
Nicole Byer
Office Ladies Podcast
Roy Wood Jr.
Shane Gillis
State Reunion
Sugar Sammy
Also Performing
Amos Gill
Blair Socci
Brandi Denise
Caitlin Peluffo
Carmen Christopher
Colum Tyrrell
Django Gold
Goddamn Comedy Jam
Isiah Kelly
Jenny Zigrino
Josh Adam Meyers
Leslie Liao
Liza Treyger
Maddie Wiener
Malik Elassal
Opey Olagbaju
Poly Diaz
Saul Trujillo
Shane Torres
The Sklar Brothers
Tina Friml
Todd Barry
Two Dykes & A Mic
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Moontower, Moontower Just For Laughs Austin, Moontower 2024, The State, Ferri Bueller's Day Off, The Office, Jenna Fisher, Marc Maron, Roy Wood Jr., Amy Sedaris, Kathy Griffin, Shane Gillis, Andrew Schulz
