Backstage at the Women in Comedy Festival 3/26

This year’s Women in Comedy Festival was an unmitigated success. There were interesting acts in stand-up, sketch, improv, and storytelling, mostly full and sold out audiences, and a feeling that something creative and unusual was going on. I caught up with WIC co-founder Michelle Barbera, who also performed at the Festival, about how WIC had changed in its second year.

I also got a little history from Edie McClurg, whom you might remember from Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, A Bug’s Life, Planes, Trains, and Automobiles, and countless other movies and films. She was performing in an improv group called the All Girl Revue with several other talented improv comics, including Jane Morris. I also spoke with Morris, co-founder of Second City’s ETC stage, the second stage of the legendary Chicago improv and sketch house.

More to come this week as I process the videos.

Michelle Barbera:


Edie McClurg:


Jane Morris:

Edie McClurg talks to Fox about the Women in Comedy Festival

Edie McClurg is an unforgettable actress. All you have to say is, "They think he's a righteous dude" and people light up -- "Oh, that's her!" She's been a popular character actress for decades, from "The Richard Pryor Show" up through "Ferris Bueller's Day Off," "Planes, Trains, and Automobiles," and her voice work on "A Bug's Life." She's a trained improv actress, as well, with L.A.'s The Groundlings, and she'll be performing improv tonight at ImprovBoston as part of the All Girl Revue on the Women In Comedy Festival.

Here's a clip of her being interviewed on Boston's Fox 25.

Video: Maria Ciampa on the Women in Comedy Festival

The Women In Comedy Festival 2010 kicks off Wednesday at ImprovBoston, bigger an better than last year's first edition. Directors Maria Ciampa, Michele Barbera, and Elyse Schuerman have assembled a packed schedule full of local and national talent in every comedic genre -- stand-up, sketch, video, improv, and storytelling -- playing March 24-28.

Maria Bamford and Jackie Kashian are headlining with a show Saturday (Bamford will also host the free afternoon open mic on Saturday). The All Girl Revue, with Edie McClurg (remember the secretary from Ferris Bueller?) and Jane Morris (founder of SEcond City's ETC stage), plays the Festival Friday and Saturday. Bonnie McFarlane is on the storytelling show Saturday with Sara Benincasa and Robin Gelfenbien.

And that's before you count locally-bred talent like Giulia Rozzi, Kelly MacFarland, Jessica Sutich, Jenny Z (as Liz Fang), Somebody's In the Doghouse, Naughy Nanas (an over-50 improv troupe), Michele and Micah, and Josh Gondelman (the Festival's lone male stand-up). For a full schedule, click here.

I caught up with Ciampa last week at ImprovBoston to talk about the WIC Festival 2010. Here it is, with a minor edit.