FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Livermore Valley Arts
Contact: Ruth Egherman (925) 583-2306
A Silly September of Comedy, Kicking Off the New Season at The Bankhead
Livermore, CA – (August 1, 2025) – The perfect medicine for those summer-is-over blues, Livermore Valley Arts is delighted to kick off its new season in full with a September full of laughs. The month of comedy hits the ground running with an evening of mischief and music from two very familiar faces, Jane Lynch and Kate Flannery in The Trouble with Angels on Saturday, September 6, followed by forever Bankhead hot sellers, the best up-and-coming comedians on the West Coast at the SF Comedy Competition on Friday, September 12, and a cast of mature women of standup in a night of uninhibited comedy at Funny Women of a Certain Age on Friday, September 19. The month culminates in one more LOL night with a true standup sensation, Jon Lovitz of Saturday Night Live fame, on Friday, September 26. All of these hilarious performances will play at the beautiful Bankhead Theater in Downtown Livermore.
It’s like the Rat Pack…but with a couple of broads. Join Emmy Award-winner Jane Lynch (of Glee fame) and the hilariously charming Kate Flannery (of The Office fame) for a raucous night of comedy, song, and unapologetic mischief in The Trouble with Angels. With powerhouse vocals, razor-sharp wit, and more than a few surprises, these two beloved stars serve up a cocktail of classic tunes, campy banter, and devilish charm. It’s part cabaret, part stand-up, and all sass—because when these angels get together, heaven can wait. Livermore Valley Arts is elated to have two of Hollywood’s best grace the Bankhead Stage on September 6. (Tickets are selling fast for Jane Lynch and Kate Flannery. Interested patrons are encouraged to purchase tickets early for The Trouble with Angels.)
Having been a perennial stop on the 20-show circuit that comprises the annual competition, the San Francisco Comedy Competition is a unique elimination-style contest, differing from many other competitions in prestige and time commitment. Running over a four-week timeline during the month of September, the legendary San Francisco Comedy Competition attracts hundreds of qualified comedians from around the world, with only 32 comedians being chosen. Now in its 49th year, the San Francisco Comedy Competition has helped launch a Who’s Who of comic champions. Over the years, legends such as Robin Williams, Dana Carvey, Sinbad, and Ellen DeGeneres have emerged from this renowned stand-up comedy contest to become stars. This September engagement during the semi-finals at The Bankhead will again be hosted by past champion Jackie Flynn, a Boston-born comedian and actor known for his rapid-fire sarcasm and take-no-prisoners delivery. A winner of the SF Comedy Competition and a Just For Laughs alumnus, he’s appeared in Loudermilk, The King of Queens, Veep, and several Farrelly Brothers films, including There’s Something About Mary and Me, Myself & Irene. A true comic’s comic, Flynn continues to tour nationally while stealing scenes on screens big and small. His new Amazon special, Wicked Funny, just dropped, and is the perfect teaser for this night of laughs. The Bankhead looks forward to welcoming and discovering the next comedy greats before they hit it big, as well as Flynn, during semi-finals week in Downtown Livermore on September 12.
The next week, September will continue with much laughing out loud with the return engagement of Funny Women of a Certain Age, the hilarious show featuring a lineup of some of the funniest female comedians over 50. From relatable anecdotes about aging and relationships to witty world observations, these comedians will surely have audiences in stitches all night. Funny Women is a show straight from the unfettered mouths and uninhibited minds of the funniest, most daring, most experienced people in comedy: the women who have seen it all. They’ve raised children both on and off the road, having club bouncers watch their babies while onstage. These women have stayed in comedy condos where you don’t want to use a blacklight on anything, and they’ve been told women aren’t funny. They have a lot to say, and they say it hysterically. The creator of Funny Women, known as the comic’s comic and “one of the pioneering female comics of the modern era” (San Antonio Express), with over two dozen television credits to her name, Carole Montgomery is a respected veteran of the standup comedy scene nationwide. Carole has also headlined clubs and colleges across the USA and starred in two Las Vegas production shows. In her ten years as a Vegas star, it is estimated that over 5 million audience members have seen her. Carole filmed Funny Women of a Certain Age for SHOWTIME, becoming the network’s highest-rated comedy special in 2019, and her second SHOWTIME special rated even higher, also making TV history as the first comedy special to feature six women over the age of 50. Don’t miss out on this side-splitting performance, where a cast lineup of Carole Montgomery, Leighann Lord, Felicia Michaels, and Barb North will prove that, indeed, #funnynevergetsold, right here in the Tri-Valley once again on September 19.
Closing out the month of laughs, Jon Lovitz has been one of the best-known comedians for the last thirty years. He got his start acting in High School plays and developing his skills at the University of California, Irvine, where he earned a B.A. in Drama. He also studied acting with Tony Barr at the Film Actors Workshop. At the advice of Barr, Jon decided to concentrate solely on comedy, and he began taking classes with the famous improv comedy group “The Groundlings” in 1982. One year later, after being accepted into “The Sunday Company,” Jon got his first acting job on the television show The Paper Chase: the Second Year, and in September of 1984, he was accepted into the main company at “The Groundlings,” who on March 28, 1985, appeared on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson where Jon premiered his character “Tommy Flanagan of Pathological Liars Anonymous.” Following the introduction of this persona, Jon got an agent, and booked a movie, a series, a voice over for a cartoon, and Saturday Night Live, where he was nominated for an Emmy his first two years on SNL, becoming known for his characters “Tommy Flanagan of the Pathological Liars Anonymous” (“Year, that’s the ticket”), “Master Thespian,” “Hanukkah Harry,” and “the Devil.” He has appeared in over 40 films, including Big, A League of Their Own, The Wedding Singer, High School High, Small Time Crooks, Rat Race, The Producers, Eight Crazy Nights, The Benchwarmers, Grown Ups 2, The Ridiculous 6, among many others. He has also worked with acclaimed directors such as Penny Marshall, Rob Reiner, and Jerry Zucker, and he is one of a handful of actors regularly used in almost all of Adam Sandler’s movies. In 2024, he completed the lead character in the film The Toast and appeared in Happy Gilmore 2, starring Adam Sandler.
Along with his comedy, Jon is well known for his distinctive voice. He was the lead voice for the character “Jay Sherman” in the acclaimed cult cartoon series The Critic. He has also appeared in twelve episodes of The Simpsons, even creating the character of Marge Simpson’s boyfriend “Artie Ziff” (who sounds suspiciously like Jay Sherman). Jon has also appeared on Broadway in Neil Simon’s play The Dinner Party, taking over the lead role from Henry Winkler. He has sung at Carnegie Hall three times (including Great Performances: Ira Gershwin at 100: A Celebration at Carnegie Hall) and sung the National Anthem at Dodger Stadium and the U.S. Open. He also sang with English rock star Robbie Williams at the Royal Albert Hall and appears on his album, Swing While You’re Winning! He is currently performing his new musical comedy show, From the Shower to the Stage, with celebrated musical conductor and arranger Randy Waldman, who has been Barbra Streisand’s personal pianist for the last 36 years and is her current musical conductor. Jon has also had an illustrious television career. He was the first famous guest star on the hit show Friends, and in the same week, he appeared on an episode of Seinfeld. Jon also has enjoyed recurring roles on Hot in Cleveland, Las Vegas, Two and a Half Men, Hawaii Five-O, and New Girl. Jon is one of the few performers to start as an actor and then become a successful stand-up comedian who has headlined nightclubs, theatres, and casinos in Las Vegas, Canada, and across the country since 2003, and The Bankhead is thrilled to host such an accomplished talent on September 26.
Tickets for shows in the 2025—2026 Bankhead Presents season are available online, by calling 925-373-6800, or at the box office windows. For a complete list of events, visit LivermoreArts.org.
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Livermore Valley Arts is an independent 501(c)3 non-profit offering wide-ranging programs that provide access to the arts for the Tri-Valley community and beyond. The Bankhead Theater and Bothwell Arts Center are home to eight resident performing arts companies, over 40 studio artists, and cultural arts instructors. LivermoreArts.org
Show: Jane Lynch and Kate Flannery—The Trouble with Angels
Date/Time: Saturday, September 6, 2025, at 8:00pm Selling Fast
Tickets: $25—$125 ($25 student/military personnel) / Groups of 10 or more save 20%
Show: SF Comedy Competition
Date/Time: Friday, September 12, 2025, at 8:00pm
Tickets: $25—$60 ($25 student/military personnel) / Groups of 10 or more save 20%
Show: Funny Women of a Certain Age
Date/Time: Friday, September 19, 2025, at 8:00pm
Tickets: $25—$90 ($25 student/military personnel) / Groups of 10 or more save 20%
Show: Jon Lovitz
Date/Time: Friday, September 26, 2025, at 8:00pm Selling Fast
Tickets: $25—$95 ($25 student/military personnel) / Groups of 10 or more save 20% Dates, times, and ticket prices for other events available at www.LivermoreArts.org
