Wortham Presents
The Comedy Zone with Maryellen Hooper and Joel Byars
Friday, December 1, 2023 at 7 p.m. & 9 p.m.
Saturday, December 2 at 7 p.m.
The nation’s largest comedy club network is back! After a popular run last season, this hilarious collective returns to bring top-notch comedians for four weekends of side-splitting laughter. Some of the hottest stand-up comedians of today — seen in specials on Comedy Central, HBO Comedy, Netflix, Hulu and more — deliver witty one-liners, preposterous punchlines and hysterical anecdotes that will keep you laughing all night long. Contains adult content.
Headliner Maryellen Hooper
A veteran in the world of stand-up, Maryellen Hooper’s comedy has taken her from clubs and colleges to theaters and television. She’s appeared on many late-night talk shows including several appearances on “The Tonight Show” with Jay Leno. Her half-hour special on Comedy Central, called “Lounge Lizards,” received rave reviews and was played on heavy rotation. In 1998, the comedy industry awarded Maryellen “Funniest Female Stand-Up Comic” at the American Comedy Awards. Recently, the Walt Disney Company has asked Maryellen to perform on all four of its beautiful cruise ships, making her one of the very few comics who have.
A physical storyteller, Maryellen’s act is an ever-evolving saga about her life as a woman, wife, and mother. Never crude or offensive, her accounts of life’s little annoyances leave audiences exhausted from laughter. From home repairs on her family’s “Fixer Upper” to raising two odoriferous boys, no story is too sacred to share with her audiences.
Feature Joel Byars
Joel Byars is an award winning comedian, podcaster, and Trophy Husband. His unique clean comedy style has helped him win both the Kenan Thompson Comedy Contest and Search for the One Competition. Both of these events seek out the top clean comedians in the country. Beyond the stage, Joel has been a writer for Comedy Central, The Weather Channel, and even the author of his own book, Finding Your Funny. His podcast, Hot Breath!, has been described by NPR as “discovering the desire to be a comedian, their craft and their unifying bond found within the world of stand up comedy.” Everyone of all ages is guaranteed to laugh and learn at a Joel Byars show.
Individual Sponsors
John & Marsha Ellis • Richard & Francee Healy • Nancy Houha • Henry LaBrun • Ronna & Rob Resnick • Carol & Michael Rosenblum • The Stewart/Meredith Trust • Dianne & David Worley
Corporate Sponsors
Media Sponsors
