With every visit Iliza Shlesinger has paid to the Boston area over the past few years, her audience has welcomed her back time and time again, with sold-out show after sold-out show. So, as she returns to level up to a bigger stage, there should be no hard feelings felt. Or is there?
Well, we will find out this fall, as the perennial comedy all-star and Emerson alum makes makes her way to Causeway Street to slay the TD Garden stage on October 13, as part of her newly announced Hard Feelings world tour. The massive 35-city trek introduces Shlesinger’s latest hour of work following not only a slew of sold-out theater shows in 2022, but also a year that saw the release of her sixth Netflix special, Hot Forever, as well as her second book, All Things Aside. Most recently, she and her husband, author/chef Noah Galuten released the Don’t Panic Pantry cookbook, spawning from their wildly successful pandemic-born online cooking show of the same name.
Additionally, she just recently launched a new three-episode series, Iliza’s Locals, in which she highlights 18 up-and-coming Los Angeles-area comedians. It is currently streaming exclusively on the 800 Pound Gorilla Media platform, but will be moving to YouTube on April 28.
Outside of the proper city limits, Somerville will be alive with the sound of laughter this summer, as Boston-born comedian and animator Jamie Loftus will be making her way back home from Los Angeles to celebrate the release of her first book Raw Dog: The Naked Truth About Hot Dogs, with a full-fledged release show dubbed A Very Boston ‘Raw Dog’ Book Release Show on June 3 at Somerville’s Center For The Arts at the Armory.
Not too long after Loftus makes her way to town, comedian and writer Alison Leiby will be bringing her critically-acclaimed solo show, Oh God, A Show About Abortion to the Armory on June 8. The stop in Somerville is part of a full tour that follows a highly successful 12-week run of the show at New York’s Cherry Lane Theatre.
Back over on Tremont Street, Godfrey will be making his way back to the city for one night only on August 12. Although his most recent full release came in the form of 2016’s Regular Black, the Chicago native was featured on Tiffany Haddish’s Netflix series They Ready in 2021, and has remained active in the podcast studio with his In Godfrey We Trust podcast, in addition to his work on the stand-up stage where he brings his wide-ranging stand-up chops to cities all over the country.
Returning to where he kicked off his Fancy Rascal tour last year, Craig Ferguson returns to The Wilbur for another go-around of his latest hour on September 9. His second book, Riding The Elephant was published in 2019, while his latest stand-up release came in the form of a docu-series, Hobo Fabulous in 2020.
Looking ahead to 2024, Ashley Gavin makes her way back to Boston for her Wilbur debut on January 26. Aside from her successful podcast, We’re Having Gay Sex, Gavin has also been featured on a number of comedy channels including Netflix is a Joke, Hulu, Comedy Central. Her first special, Ashley Gavin: Live In Chicago premieres on YouTube on April 23.
Additionally, Daniel Sloss has added a 7:30 p.m. show to his Wilbur stay on October 6, while Anthony Jeslenik has added a 7 p.m. show on December 10, capping off his own four-show run at The Wilbur.
Tickets to these shows can be accessed via The Regulars pre-sale starting today (April 19) at 10 a.m. ET before public pre-sale can be accessed using the code VANYA starting tomorrow (April 20) at 10 a.m. ET. General on-sale starts on Friday (April 21) at 10 a.m. ET.