The Bentzen Ball is breezing through town this weekend, bringing in some of most noteworthy names in comedy to Washington.
Sponsored by BrightestYoungThings.com, a social scenester site, the festival seems styled as a bid to bring some New York-style, cutting-edge culture to what some still consider to be a buttoned-down D.C.
The event’s choice of venues offers a nod to District history –it kicked off Thursday at U Street’s Lincoln Theater, with Patton Oswalt, Todd Barry and Mary Lynn Rajskub.
This festival is the first of its kind here — the culmination of a trend that’s been percolating for a decade. For years, some of the most innovative talent in comedy hasn’t been found in front of a brick wall, the setting made famous by the Improv brand of comedy clubs. Often labeled “alternative comedy,” these acts found friendlier audiences in venues that book bands from the world of indie rock.
The Bentzen Ball runs through Sunday, in venues sprinkled along the U Street Corridor including Studio Theater and Black Cat, as well as Ben’s Chili Bowl, HR-57 and Bohemian Caverns. It wraps up Sunday at the 9:30 Club in a show headlined by Sarah Silverman. A portion of all ticket proceeds will be donted to Walter Reed Army Medical Center.
For a complete schedule and ticket information, visit bentzenball.com.
