AUTOGRAPH KEEPSAKES

One joke sums up Ross Bennett’s life, “I dropped out of West Point to become a comedian — probably the greatest service I will ever do for my country.” Born in Hornell, N.Y. — “a small town just on the outskirts of a Walmart” — Bennett has taken his small town sensibilities to audiences around the world.

A mother of two small boys, Bergreen does stand-up in order to get out of the house. She has been invited twice to perform at the U.S. Comedy Arts Festival in Aspen and has appeared on Comedy Central, The Oxygen Network and The Joy Behar Show. While the kids aren’t looking, their mother also is a novelist. Her 2010 comic novel “Following Polly” earned praise from The New York Times, Oprah Magazine and her mother-in-law.

Matt Donaher is a writer of jokes from Boston, Mass.  He started writing at an early age, though mostly just scribbles and his name. You can hear him perform his jokes at shows all over the East Coast or via echo if he plays near a canyon or cave. 

Named one of Rolling Stone’s five comics to watch, and with standout appearances on NBC’s “Last Comic Standing,” Comedy Central and Showtime, Hamilton’s future is bright. His immediate comic charisma and sharp writing style combined with Idaho roots melded to New York City influence consistently wow audiences and industry insiders.

John Novosad is Hippieman.  A nationally-touring headliner based out of the Comedy Works in Denver, Novasad has made two appearances on the “Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson” and was the winner of the New Faces competition at the Aspen Laff Festival earlier this year.

Brendan Lynch has established himself as a comedian to look out for in the San Francisco Bay Area. He is a regular performer at clubs all over northern California and has performed in the San Francisco SketchFest for the last two years. Lynch’s astute observational comedy will surprise audiences with its bold sarcasm, absurd twists, and hilarious punchlines. 

Carmen Lynch’s dry style of comedy can be seen in clubs and colleges all around the country. She’s appeared on Comedy Central’s “Premium Blend” and was a semi-finalist on this past season’s “Last Comic Standing” on NBC. Also half-Spanish, Carmen is writer and panelist on the “Tu Nite” show on Telemundo.

Lenny Marcus is a regular in all of the major comedy clubs in New York City. He has performed at both the prestigious Just for Laughs Comedy Festival in Montreal, Canada, and HBO’s US Comedy Arts festival, in Aspen, Colo. Lenny has performed stand-up on Comedy Central NBC, and MTV. Most recently, Lenny has worked on NBC’s “The Marriage Ref,” with Tom Papa and Jerry Seinfeld.

Originally from the Norfolk, Virginia area, Jeff Maurer made his way to Washington, D.C., where he found work as a speechwriter and also as a blogger for the Washington Post. Eventually, he started doing standup. He recently won the Funniest Fed contest, was a semi-finalist on NBC’s “Last Comic Standing,” and has performed at clubs across the U.S. and in Europe.

Moody McCarthy has been a comic for two millennia, impressive for a guy less than a century old. McCarthy combines well-crafted material with topical banter that thrives in any setting, from country clubs to pubs. Know this about Moody McCarthy: few people hate him.

Niraj Naik — just your everyday first-generation Indian American Joe — amuses audiences with his self-deprecating style and unique perspective on life as a son, husband, and father. Based out of Denver, Naik is a regular at the Comedy Works and Wit’s End Comedy Club.

Having performed in 45 states and over 25 countries, including Greenland and New Jersey, Karen Rontowski bring positive thinking to a new hysterical level. Her optimistic metaphysical humor has everyone’s spirits lifting, (including those of the ghosts she hunts). Gracie Allen is her inspiration and spirit guide.

In 2000, Rutledge abandoned his successful pizza delivery career for comedy. Since then, he has been crowned the winner of the prestigious Seattle International Comedy Competition, has become a regular on the nationally syndicated Bob and Tom show, and has appeared on “Live at Gotham” on Comedy Central.

Tom Shillue is originally from Norwood, Mass., and is a writer and comedian who has been seen in his own “Comedy Central Presents” stand-up special, on “Late Night with Conan O’Brien,” and in his own segment on “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.” He was recently named New York’s “Best Storyteller.” 

Shuford can’t really say he calls any city home except when he instructs a cab driver to take him home it means Jersey City, N.J. This has made his perspective on the American culture very broad. He was a finalist in the 2009 Boston Comedy Festival, 2009 winner of Philly’s Phunniest Competition and was a 2011 Laughing Skull in Atlanta finalist.

A two-time semi-finalist in the Boston Comedy Festival, Sean Sullivan made his national television debut in December 2009 on Comedy Central’s “Live at Gotham.” Sean was also selected by Kevin Bright, who was the executive producer of the “Friends” television series, to star in his new stand-up comedy pilot, “Die Laughing.”

Dave’s humor focuses on the hijinks of everyday life. He often documents his colorful college experience and the attempts to cling to those times despite his continuing journey into young adulthood as a husband and father living in Miami. Dave travels the country connecting with a wide variety of audiences.

Over the course of a 13-year stand-up comedy career, Witty has developed a clean, innovative, hilarious act that has been featured on “Late Night with David Letterman,” “The Bob and Tom show,” National Public Radio’s show, “A Prairie Home Companion,” and the Montreal Comedy Festival.

Chris Zito has spent the last 30 years sharing his obsession with his family with comedy fans and radio listeners all over the country. Audiences enjoy Chris Zito’s clean, funny, and upbeat approach and constantly find themselves laughing out loud while nodding in recognition at themselves

Widely hailed by critics and colleagues as a defining talent of the Austin comedy scene, Lucas Molandes has an impressive list of accomplishments that include appearances at the prestigious Montreal Just for Laughs Festival, Comedy Central’s “Live at Gotham,” and CNN”s “Not Just Another Cable News Show.”

4200 W. Norfolk Ave., Hwy. 275Norfolk, NE

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June 15th - 19th

2011

West 275 Bypass, Norfolk, NE402-371-3377 • 800-637-3370

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One Low Price, Plain & Simple…Always!

P.O. Box 164, Norfolk, NE 68702www.nctheatre.org

Established 1964

Be a season member of the Norfolk Community Theatre and see all three shows at a bargain price!

Join before June 22nd and get FREE admission to the community theatre’s Youth Show The Archer and the

Princess!  Performances June 23 – 26! For more information, contact Pam at 402-844-7347.

Enriching lives through the Arts

4200 W. Norfolk Ave., Hwy. 275Norfolk, NE

(402) 371-4520www.divotsconference.com

Auditions:  August 23 & 24Performances:  October 6-9, 13-15 

Auditions:  October 18 & 19Performances:  December 1-4, 8-10                

Auditions:  January 10 & 11Performances:  March  1-4, 8-10

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