EvCC’s Beth Peterson manages expanded SketchFest Seattle

Published 1:30 am Friday, September 16, 2016

SEATTLE — Everett Community College theater instructor Beth Peterson likes to get her students laughing.

After previously involving EvCC folks in SketchFest Seattle, Peterson is now managing director of the 18th annual comedy festival.

SketchFest, which culminates with the main shows Sept. 23 and 24 at the Annex Theatre on Capitol Hill, brings dozens of sketch comedy groups to Seattle, including many locals who will perform Sept. 16, 17, 18 and 22 at The Pocket Theater in Greenwood.

Ticket information and more about SketchFest Seattle 2016 is at www.sketchfest.org.

This year’s event includes a special showing of acts from Canada. Audiences can look forward to the wit of Ladies &Gentleman, recently seen on Just for Laughs Festival in Montreal and at the Montreal Fringe Fest, as well as Winnipeg’s H.U.N.K.S., who have been garnering lots of acclaim on the fringe circuit. Also on tap are a group from Edmonton and folks from Los Angeles, Peterson said.

Founded in 1999, SketchFest Seattle touts itself as the world’s first sketch comedy festival. The fest even has a trademark on the name.

Peterson, who loves this performance genre, is one of the few regional community college instructors who teach a sketch comedy class. Sketch comedy — which arguably got its start with TV shows such as Carol Burnett, Monty Python and the early “Saturday Night Live” — is in a revival period now with the help of comedians such as Amy Schumer and Key &Peele.

“We’re seeing more and more interest in sketch comedy on the college level,” Peterson said. “And we want to give everyone a chance to show off how hilarious they are.”

Peterson is encouraging her students to attend SketchFest, especially with the festival’s student ticket discount.

“We’re talking it up on campus next week as fall quarter begins,” she said.