Knock knock. Who’s there? Orange. Orange who? Orange you excited for the Martha’s Vineyard Comedy Fest?
Join a line-up of seasoned veterans and up-and-coming talents for six full nights of hilarious humor at the Martha’s Vineyard Comedy Fest! The HBO sponsored event will be taking over the Lampost in the heart of Oak Bluffs for its fourth season of multi-night comedy. Tickets are only $30 per night, and are available online at marthasvineyardcomedy.com. The festival will run from August 11th to the 13th and August 18th to the 20th.
This Week caught up with some of the first-class comedians who promise a night filled with giggles, chuckles, and glee; judging by the amount of times they made us laugh, their full performances are sure to blow you away. Here’s how it all happened.
This Week: How did you enter into the world of comedy?
Steve Capers: My unofficial “comedy” career began in 1993 when I was a sales & marketing executive with BET Networks in their LA office. There was one particular event that Comedy Central produced at the Fox Theater in Detroit that really peaked my interest to go on my own. It was called Comics Come Home and it headlined Sinbad at the Fox Theater. I was so amazed at the power of comedy when I witness the collaboration of sponsors, volunteers, politicians, media and star power worked together to raise $75,000 for the United Way of Michigan. I felt that My involvement in that production, along with my behind the scene insights from BET Networks, armed me to test the waters of entrepreneurship. So in the summer of 2013, the birth of Knock-Knock Productions came to fruition.
TW: Why did you choose Martha’s Vineyard to host the festival?
SC: I have done a number of comedy shows, mini tours and special events in the tiniest of clubs to 2,500 seated theaters so the natural progression was for me to host a festival. I chose MV because my family has been coming here for the past 10 years and I noticed that there wasn’t a lot of late night comedy on the island. So… I rolled the dice 4 years ago… And it’s finally starting to pay off.
TW: Do you do any comedy yourself?
SC: I’ve been told I’m funny but I leave the jokes to the professionals. It’s mighty lonely on stage if you aren’t funny. I’ve seen many comics get booed and it’s not pretty.
TW: How do you find the comedians for each years’ lineup?
SC: I find comics each year by going to Jokes and Notes Comedy Club in Chicago. It’s so hard to choose the line-up because there are some funny comedians out there and most of them are my friends.
TW: If you could sum up a night at the Martha’s Vineyard Comedy Fest in one sentence, what would you say?
SC: Martha’s Vineyard Comedy Fest is the nation’s only high-octane, profanity-free comedy Fest that features some of the best comedians on the circuit. Doors will open at 7:30 PM and the show begins at 8 PM sharp. Grab a friend, don’t forget your ticket, and be prepared to gain a serious six-pack laughing the night away with the line-up at the Martha’s Vineyard Comedy Fest.
Steve Capers Bio:
After lengthy and influential careers at both BET Networks and Comedy Central, Steve Capers decided to go out and make a name for himself – in a big way. In the summer of 2013, Capers founded Knock-Knock Productions and has been paving his way through entrepreneurship since. From intimate comedy shows to theaters with 2500 seats, Capers has had a hand in organizing almost every type of comedic performance under the sun. Now he takes his talents to the Vineyard, where he has hosted the annual Martha’s Vineyard Comedy Fest year after year. This Week caught up with Capers to ask him about the world of comedy, being a funny guy, and why he chose Martha’s Vineyard.
