SF Sketchfest returns with Lin-Manuel Miranda’s ‘Freestyle Love Supreme,’ The Monkees, Fred Armisen and more

Lin-Manuel Miranda, Freestyle Love Supreme, SF SKETCHFEST

Freestyle Love Supreme, Lin-Manuel Miranda’s original Broadway hit, will make its San Francisco debut at SF Sketchfest in January.

A Broadway production by Lin-Manuel Miranda and friends, tributes to Tony Shalhoub and The Monkees, podcast tapings galore and plenty of sketch and stand-up comics lead the lineup of the 19th annual SF Sketchfest, producers unveiled Friday.

The city’s independent comedy and arts festival will run from Jan. 9 to 26 at venues throughout the city. Tickets go on sale Sunday at 10 a.m.

SF Sketchfest will again host both well known and up-and-coming acts in sketch and stand-up comedy, music, improv and film. Performances will include tributes, podcast recordings, workshops and more.

At the top of the lineup is the Bay Area debut of “Freestyle Love Supreme,” Lin-Manuel Miranda’s first Broadway production, which he co-created with Thomas Kail and Anthony Veneziale. The show, currently a hot ticket on Broadway in New York, features an improvised performance by MCs, musicians and beatboxers who swing the show based on audience suggestions.



Shalhoub (“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” “Monk”) will sit down with “Maisel” co-star Kevin Pollak for a conversation and a screening of “Galaxy Quest.” The Monkees, meanwhile, will be celebrated with an onstage conversation with Michael Nesmith and Micky Dolenz.

Elsewhere, actor, filmmaker and author Crispin Hellion Glover (“River’s Edge,” “Back to the Future”) will perform his Big Slide Show, Part 1 and present a 15th anniversary screening of his film, “What is it?”

Other tribute shows will star Sandra Bernhard, a pioneer of the one-woman show; and stand-up comedians George Wallace and Eugene Mirman will chat with their famous friends. There will again be numerous film screenings, including “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” with actors Barry Bostwick, Nell Campbell, Patricia Quinn and host Peaches Christ; “Airplane!” with actor Robert Hays and filmmakers Jim Abrahams, David Zucker and Jerry Zucker; and “Clue” with actors Lesley Ann Warren, Colleen Camp and filmmaker Jonathan Lynn.

Macaulay Culkin (“Home Alone,” all his on-brand parodies of “Home Alone”) will host his Bunny Ears Podcast with guest Thomas Lennon after a 30th anniversary screening of “Uncle Buck.”

There will also be a celebration of Nickelodeon hit “Spongebob Squarepants” with Tom Kenny, Bill Fagerbakke, Carolyn Lawrence and Rodger Bumpass; Adult Swim’s “Your Pretty Face is Going to Hell” with Chris Kelly, Eddie Pepitone, Craig Rowin, Matthew Servito, Dana Snyder, Dave Willis and Henry Zebrowski; “Pinky and the Brain” with Maurice LaMarche and Rob Paulsen; and many more.



Musical highlights include a special comedy and guitar-focused residency at The Chapel with Fred Armisen and guests including Brad Paisley, Bill Frisell and guitarist Wendy Melvoin of Prince and the Revolution. Other music shows include Wheels Off with Rhett Miller and local ensemble The Red Room Orchestra, playing the music of “Boogie Nights” and David Lynch’s “Wild at Heart” and “Twin Peaks.”

Returning festival favorites include the Upright Citizens Brigade ASSSSCAT, The Thrilling Adventure Hour, the Benson Movie Interruption, Celebrity Autobiography, Fake TED Talks with Jonathan Coulton, Jean Grae, Paul & Storm and Adam Savage.

The new promotional partner of SF Sketchfest is iHeartRadio, which takes over for Audible, which has sponsored the festival in recent years.

A selected lineup is listed below. Visit sfsketchfest.com for the complete lineup.

SPECIAL EVENTS & TRIBUTES
  • Freestyle Love Supreme — Created by Thomas Kail, Lin-Manuel Miranda, and Anthony Veneziale
  • Tony Shalhoub, in conversation with Kevin Pollak + “Galaxy Quest” 20th Anniversary
  • The Monkees: A Conversation with Michael Nesmith & Micky Dolenz
  • Sandra Bernhard, in conversation + “The King of Comedy” screening
  • George Wallace, in conversation and whatnot with Patton Oswalt
  • Eugene Mirman, in conversation + “It Started as a Joke” Bay Area Premiere, with Michael Ian Black, Jon Glaser, Bobcat Goldthwait, Kristen Schaal, Sarah Vowell, and co-director Julie Smith Clem
  • Crispin Hellion Glover: In Person Performing his Big Slide Show part 1 + “What is it?” 15th Anniversary + In Conversation
  • “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” 45th Anniversary with Barry Bostwick, Nell Campbell and Patricia Quinn, hosted by Peaches Christ
  • “Airplane!” 40th Anniversary with Robert Hays, Jim Abrahams, David Zucker and Jerry Zucker
  • “Clue” 35th Anniversary with Lesley Ann Warren, Colleen Camp and director/co-writer Jonathan Lynn
  • “SpongeBob Squarepants” 20th Anniversary, with Tom Kenny, Bill Fagerbakke, Carolyn Lawrence and Rodger Bumpass
  • Fred Armisen Residency: Comedy for Guitar Players but Everyone is Welcome with Brad Paisley, Bill Frisell and Wendy Melvoin
  • Bunny Ears Podcast with Macaulay Culkin, with special guest Thomas Lennon + “Uncle Buck” 30th Anniversary
  • Netflix Original Series “Medical Police” World Premiere with Rob Huebel, Erinn Hayes, Sarayu Blue, David Wain, Jonathan Stern, Krister Johnson and more
  • “Metropolitan” 30th Anniversary + “Barcelona” 25th Anniversary with Whit Stillman, Tushka Bergen, Chris Eigeman, Carolyn Farina and Taylor Nichols


MORE FILM & TELEVISION SPOTLIGHTS:
  • Adult Swim’s “Your Pretty Face is Going to Hell”  with Chris “Casper” Kelly, Eddie Pepitone, Craig Rowin, Matthew Servito, Dana Snyder, Dave Willis and Henry Zebrowski
  • “Pinky and the Brain” 25th Anniversary with Maurice LaMarche and Rob Paulsen
  • Riffer’s Delight with Nato Green and Natasha Muse: “Rambo: First Blood Part II”
LIVE MUSIC EVENTS:
  • Bill Frisell’s HARMONY featuring Petra Haden, Hank Roberts and Luke Bergman
  • Chaki & DJ Real with Chad Opitz’s Nervous Energy
  • Eliot Glazer’s Haunting Renditions
  • Jonah Ray: You Can’t Call Me Al (with Full Band)
  • Red Room Orchestra playing the music of “Boogie Nights”
PODCASTS:
  • The Art of Process with Aimee Mann & Ted Leo
  • The Bechdel Cast with Caitlin Durante and Jamie Loftus
  • Can I Pet Your Dog?
  • Endless Honeymoon Podcast with Natasha Leggero & Moshe Kasher
  • The Margaret Cho Podcast
  • The Smartest Man in the World with Greg Proops
  • Superego with Jeremy Carter, Matt Gourley, Mark McConville & Paul F. Tompkins
  • Talking Simpsons
  • The Three Questions with Andy Richter
  • Voyage to the Stars with Colton Dunn, Felicia Day, Kirsten Vangsness, Steve Berg and Janet Varney
  • Why Won’t You Date Me? Podcast with Nicole Byer
  • Will You Accept This Rose, with Arden Myrin


SKETCH COMEDY:
  • The Apple Sisters + Kids These Days
  • Atlantic City
  • The Birthday Boys
  • BriTANick & Friends
  • The Groundlings Mix Tape: Best of Sketch
  • Kasper Hauser’s 20th Anniversary Show / Charles
  • Killing My Lobster
  • The Valleyfolk + The Chris & Paul Show + Morgan Jay
IMPROV
  • Astronomy Club: Let’s Talk About Race, Baby!
  • Chicago Reunion: Improv with The Second City Alumni Scott Adsit, Rachel Dratch, Jon Glaser and Tami Sagher
  • Facebook Improv with Owen Burke, Chad Carter, Rob Huebel, Phil Jackson, Jason Mantzoukas, Jack McBrayer, Seth Morris, Rob Riggle, and Charlie Sanders
  • The Groundlings: Cookin’ with GAS
  • Improvised Shakespeare Company
  • Naked Babies with John Ross Bowie, Rob Corddry, Brian Huskey & Seth Morris
  • Trump vs. Bernie with Anthony Atamanuik and James Adomian
  • White Women: Your Token Friend
STAND-UP
  • Beth Stelling
  • Brooks Wheelan
  • Chris Redd
  • City vs. City: San Francisco vs. Los Angeles
  • Donde esta mi Comedy? with Baruch Porras Hernandez
  • Eddie Pepitone
  • Irish as Feck
  • Michael Ian Black & Bobcat Goldthwait: A Night of Stand-Up
  • Moshe Kasher: “Crowd Surfing VOL: ONE” Album Release Show
  • Nico Santos


THEATRE & STORYTELLING
  • Bruce McCulloch: Tales of Bravery and Stupidity
  • Fake TED Talks with Paul & Storm, Jonathan Coulton, Jean Grae, Adam Savage & more
  • “Plan 9 From Outer Space:” A Staged Reading with Paget Brewster, Bill Corbett, Dave Foley, Dana Gould, Kevin Murphy, Jonah Ray, Eban Schletter, Paul F. Tompkins, Janet Varney and more
EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL SPOTLIGHTS:
  • Tilda Swinton Answers an Ad on Craigslist
  • Josie Long: Tender
  • Tiff Stevenson: Mother
  • Seann Walsh: After This One I’m Going Home
  • Myq Kaplan: All Killing Aside
  • Jena Friedman: Miscarriage of Justice
  • Tom Lenk: Trash
  • Camilla Cleese: Produced by John Cleese
  • Jamie Loftus: Girl Who is Boss
  • Police Cops in Badass Be Thy Name
  • Norwegians of Comedy: Cülture Elitë
GAME SHOWS & INTERACTIVE
  • The Crossword Show with Zach Sherwin
  • Game Night Variety Show with Joseph Scrimshaw and Laser Malena-Webber
  • Iron Comic with Moshe Kasher & Nato Green
  • Let’s Go Atsuko: A (woke) Japanese Game Show
KIDS SHOWS
  • Story Pirates with special guest Patton Oswalt
  • The Children’s Show with the cast of The Groundlings and friends
WORKSHOPS
  • Kevin McDonald Workshop: Making a Sketch Comedy Show
  • Storytelling Skills: Wow Your Crowd Workshop with Kevin Allison from RISK!
  • Character Workshop with Brian Palermo of The Groundlings

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