Back in 2006, Matt Kemple decided that Milwaukee’s comedy scene was sparse and could benefit from expansion - thus the Milwaukee Comedy Festival was born.
Eight years later, the festival has grown to be the largest of its kind in Wisconsin and it now attracts acts from as far away as LA, New York and Vancouver. It continues to feature a broad range of comedic styles - from stand up to sketch to improv.
It all gets underway tonight, August 1, at Next Act Theatre in the 5th Ward, and runs through the weekend. During each night of the festival, fans will get to see acts that are, in Kemple’s words, “completely different," representing a wide range of genres.
One way to measure the success of the festival is by how interested the performers are in being part of it. This year, Kemple and his team received an overwhelming number of quality submissions from "every corner of the United States."
Kemple is proud to say that Milwaukee audiences are embracing comedy and expanding due to the diversity offered by the comedy festival.
