SF Sketchfestis on track to celebrate its long-delayed 20th anniversary event this year, with an eclectic roster of comedy stars, events and surprises, set to fill San Francisco with gut-busting laughter over two weeks.
The event returns in-person Friday, Jan. 20, and runs through Feb. 5, after multiple COVID-related delays thwarted its official two-decade celebration in 2021 and its much-anticipated comeback originally set for 2022, which was postponed due to last winter’s COVID-19 surge.
While the festival did mark its two-decaderun withavirtual Festpocalypse!— a more than three-hour-long live streamthat showcasedperformances and appearances by festival veterans with a mix of archival footage—festival organizers are excited to bring back live comedy shows to nearly a dozen venues across the city from the Castro Theatre toPianoFight(though, for the first time, seven select events will also beoffering a streaming option).
For Bay Area comics, SF Sketchfest an oasis in a changing city, comedy world
Among the marquee names on the lineup are Cheech Marin and Tommy Chong, Fred Armisen, Dana Gould, David Alan Grier, ElliottGould, Bruce Campbell, Bronson Pinchot, Christopher Guest, Catherine O’Hara, Eugene Levy, Michael McKean, Harry Shearer and Jane Lynch.
As usual, this year’s scheduled is loaded with hidden gems.Below are a few highlights from the action-packed festival:
S— Arcade
Mike Drucker is slated to host a live performance, where video game journalists and comedians play and discuss some of the worst video games of all time in front of an audience.
Guests include Stella Chung, Henry Gilbert, Bob Mackey, James Mwaura, Jalisa Robinson and Max Scoville.
10 p.m. Friday, Jan. 20. PianoFight Mainstage, 144 Taylor St., S.F.
Porchlight: A Storytelling Series
Beth Lisick and Arline Klatte host San Francisco’s original storytelling series, bringing along the festival’s bold-name lineup for their cast of storytellers. Among this year’s guests are Atsuko Okatsuka, David Cross, Chris Garcia, Ify Nwadiwe and Irene Tu.
7 p.m.Jan. 21. Swedish American Hall, 2174 Market St., S.F.
Celebrity Autobiography
Comedians and celebrities read aloud from the ridiculous autobiographies of ridiculous celebrities. This show features new passages from memoirs of stars like Matthew McConaughey and Mariah Carey, as read by Beverly D’Angelo, John Michael Higgins, Laraine Newman, Oscar Nunez, Eugene Pack, Andy Richter, George Wendt and more.
7:30 p.m. Jan. 27. Cobb’s Comedy Club, 915 Columbus Ave., S.F.
Fred Armisen Residency
The “Portlandia” and “Documentary Now” star performs music and comedy, featuring a surprise guest musician, each of three nights of a residency billed as “comedy for bass players, but everyone is welcome.”
9 p.m. Jan. 27-28. 8 p.m. Jan. 29. Great American Music Hall 859 O’Farrell St., S.F.
‘A Mighty Wind’ 20th Anniversary
The stars of the 2003 folk music mockumentary “A Mighty Wind” — Christopher Guest, Catherine O’Hara, Eugene Levy, Michael McKean, Harry Shearer, Jane Lynch, John Michael Higgins and Michael Hitchcock — reunite for a conversation, moderated by Kevin Pollak.
The film hilariously chronicles a reunion concert by folk music actsthe Folksmen, the New Main Street Singers and Mitch & Mickey.
1 p.m. Jan. 28. Castro Theatre, 429 Castro St., S.F.
Will You Accept This Rose?
Actress, writer and comedian Arden Myrin shares her love for “The Bachelor,” which she calls the greatest comedy series of all time, with celebrity fans including Doug Benson, Paget Brewster, Mike Carrozza and Mary LynnRajskub, among others.
4 p.m. Jan. 28. Gateway Theatre, 215 Jackson St., S.F.
An Evening with Elliott Gould
Prolific film and television star Elliott Gould — best known to a generation as Ross and Monica’s dad on “Friends” — looks back on his expansive career following a 50th anniversary screening of Robert Altman’s 1973 film adaptation of Raymond Chandler’s detective novel, “The Long Goodbye.” The event is moderated by filmmaker Jay Rosenblatt.
5 p.m. Jan. 28. Castro Theatre, 429 Castro St., S.F.
Tribute to Cheech & Chong
The eternallybuzzed Chicano comedy duo, known for stoner classics like “Upin Smoke” and “Nice Dreams,” mark their50th year together by sitting down for a conversation with journalistBen Fong-Torres.
7:30 p.m. Jan. 31. Masks required inside venue. Sydney Goldstein Theater, 275 Hayes St., S.F.
Red Room Orchestra
The local outfit Red Room Orchestra — Sketchfest regulars — made up of Marc Capelle’s all-star ensemble will perform the instrumental scores and soundtrack tunes from David Lynch’s “Twin Peaks,” in homage to Julee Cruise, followed by a set dedicated to Alex Cox’s cult favorite “Repo Man” with the director sitting in.
8 p.m. Feb. 2; 9 p.m. Feb. 3. Great American Music Hall, 859 O’Farrell St., S.F.
Asian AF
的亚裔美国人举行的综艺节目right Citizens Brigade Theatre in Los Angeles and New York makes its way to Northern California.
The Asian AF shows at Sketchfest are slated to feature stand-up, sketch, music, videos and improv, with a cast that includes Zahra Ali, Josef Anolin, Jason Choi, Will Choi, Sarah Claspell, Eugene Cordero, Dana Donnelly, Fizaa Dosani, Pallavi Gunalan, Miss Golightly, Misha Han, Mike Lane, MicNguyen, Allyn Pintal, Joy Regullano, Dhruv Uday Singh, Alex Song-Xia and more.
The Feb. 3 performances are preceded by a Filipino AF-themed show on Feb. 2.
8 p.m. Feb. 2; 7:30 p.m. and 10 p.m. Feb. 3. Great Star Theater, 636 Jackson St. S.F.
The Improvised Shakespeare Company
As the name suggests, each performance is built around a single audience suggestion. The performers create “a fully improvised Shakespearean masterpiece right before your eyes” with no script or preplanning. This year’s event features four sets, and you’ll likely want to catch them all.
10 p.m. Feb. 3; 7:30and 10 p.m. Feb. 4; 7:30 p.m. Feb. 5. Brava Theater Center, 2781 24th St., S.F.
SF Sketchfest 2023:Jan. 20-Feb. 5. $22-$65 per show. Various venues in San Francisco. Passes for the canceled SF Sketchfest 2022 will be honored.For a full schedule of events, including a list of select shows available to stream, plus ticket details, go tosfsketchfest.com.