SketchFest Seattle Celebrates 25 Years of Sketchellence!

SketchFest Seattle—the world’s original comedy festival—returns this weekend, celebrating 25 years of comedy gold. Nestled sweetly smack dab in the middle of Pike Place Market’s Gum Wall, the historic Market Theater (owned and operated by Unexpected Productions) will once again serve as the headquarters of Seattle’s sketch comedy resplendence. From Friday through Sunday, this iconic venue will host Seattle’s annual sketch comedy festival, bringing together some of the brightest comedic minds from across North America. Performers from Washington D.C., Los Angeles, Toronto, New York, and more major cities will gather alongside Seattle teams for three glorious days of sketch comedic excellence… Sketchellence? Sure, why not.

Zak Nelson, the artistic director of SketchFest Seattle, shares his excitement as the festival’s Silver Jubilee approaches. “What I’m most excited about is simply having everyone at the festival,” Nelson said. “Sketch comedy has been slower to return after lockdown compared to improv or stand-up, largely because it requires more coordination by nature. I’m thrilled to welcome back some festival favorites, introduce new acts to our audiences, and, of course, spotlight our incredible Seattle teams. I’ll admit it—I’m a softie when it comes to supporting our local talent.”

Homegrown Seattle sketch teams performing this year include highly acclaimed Maple Daddies, after having been invited to perform at sketch festivals in Washington D.C., Toronto, and most recently, Portland. These Daddies starring Sophie Sonya Schwartz, Darrin Schultz, Nick Krueger, Geoff Finney, and Steven Vederoff are well-known across North American comedy houses for their Hawaiian shirts and odd behaviors. Their antics endear and delight their audience in bewildering fashion, and often lift spirits with a jaunty tune.

Gum Wall and sketch comedy sign / Justina Kolb

Seattle’s own Everything’s Fine Tonight LIVE! (EFTL) returns to the stage. Jordan Eskenazi along with writers Justina Kolb and Ethan Smith have successfully created one of the funniest and most unique shows in the Seattle sketch comedy community. Imagine your prototypical late night talk show, starring Eskenazi as some deeply uncharismatic Jay Leno type, demonstrating utterly bizarre desk bits, and otherworldly guests who manage to both entertain and frighten. Last year it was reported EFTL’s desk bit  “Phone Phreak” almost made an audience member pass out from laughing too hard. Luckily, the Market Theater has at least one first aid kit, should a similar health scare strike again.

Jordan Moeller, a former Seattle comedian now based in Los Angeles, brings “Interloper”, his solo character show to the festival. Moeller is, in short, a star. His fool-hardy characters possess a swaggering gravitas; his writing is unparalleled. 

SMAT! a comedy duo starring Sarah Kylie and Matt Olson are returning to Seattle to close out the festival. A decorated veteran Seattle team, SMAT!, now located in Los Angeles, was once the house team for the beloved Pocket Theater. The Seattle sketch community owes a great deal to SMAT!; without them many of the listed groups would not exist.

Other Seattle groups this year include: Ben Steitzer, Noble Rot, Sam Dembowski, Honey Roasted Hams, The “Responsible” “Adults”, Drop the Rootbeer and Run, and Good Crash!. 

While cities like San Francisco and New York boast their own impressive sketch comedy festivals, it’s worth noting that Seattle is a sketch town through and through. Our contributions on a national scale are significant, even if they’ve flown under the radar. This year, the Museum of History and Industry is highlighting our rich sketch comedy history with a new exhibit, “Almost Live! (Almost an Exhibit).” This celebration of Seattle’s legendary televised sketch show Almost Live! pays homage to the program that aired on KING5-TV from 1984 to 1999, earning national acclaim and numerous awards. Long before Portlandia became a household name, Almost Live! was skewering Pacific Northwest stereotypes with loving parody, creating iconic sketches like “How Seattle Are You?” and “Ballard Driving Academy.” The exhibit serves as a testament to Seattle’s deep roots in sketch comedy, and MOHAI’s collaboration with SketchFest Seattle for public programming and marketing sponsorships underscores the enduring impact of this art form on the city’s cultural landscape.

Cast of Almost Live! ca. 1997 / HistoryLink.

When asked what sets Seattle’s sketch scene apart from those in other cities, Nelson observed: “Seattle is a uniquely theatrical and absurdist city when it comes to sketch comedy,” he said. “We have a distinct approach that invites our audiences to consider life’s oddities, then heightening them with our signature dramatic flair.”

Come down this weekend, turn off your phone and brain, and immerse yourself in the joy of well-crafted comedy. Here’s to another quarter-century of sketchellence!