Punchline San Francisco Showcasing All Women Headliners in March
Comedy fans checking out their local comedy club lineup can usually count on a consistent pattern. White guy, brown/black guy, white guy, white guy with a lady comic variable replacing either the brown/black guy spot or MAYBE one of the white guys slots. Of course this is a generalization, as some clubs cater to the “urban market” with a business model geared towards showcasing comedians of color. Rarely will you find more than one woman headlining a club in a month, unless of course it’s Margaret Cho and Maria Bamford or some other well known woman who will make bra loads of money for the club. The San Francisco Punchline is turning the status quo on its head by offering all female headliners to celebrate March as Women’s History Month. Gina Yashare, Emily Heller, Ms. Pat, and Cristela Alonzo are just a few of the headliners appearing as part of the celebration.
While many clubs boast one or two monthly all women line-ups, this is a different approach. There aren’t ten women on a show with a witty name, “I didn’t want this to have a title that incorporated anything related to clothing, shoes, makeup or anything else I’ve seen when people do all-female shows,” said Punch Line booker Molly Schminke, who helped create the event. “Why does it always have to be something like ‘Lipsticks and Laughs!’? Why can’t it just be funny-people-making-you-laugh-about-funny-things, regardless of their gender?”
While the lineup is stellar and the concept is something any female comedian can get behind, is it productive? Yes, the month will showcase female performers and the club is obviously standing behind the idea that women are funny. But is putting the entire month on women’s shoulders effective? As in, private parts aside if the shows don’t sell as well as the club would like, will that be a step backwards for female headliners? As a statement, this is a great idea. If any comedy scene can sustain a month of female headliners, San Francisco can. The down side? If you miss the month of women, you will get a ONE NIGHTER in April for your lady comedy fix. Is it really a good thing to feature a month of female comedians, if the next few months are void of any female presence?
Emily Heller, appearing March 17-19, says the March lineup isn’t all that different from the regular schedule at the Punch Line. “The Punch Line always books great comedy, so this event is along those same lines,” says Heller. “It just happens that there will be a lot of women back-to-back.”
If you are looking to get your fix of lady comedy in March, The SF Punchline is your go to destination.
