Female-Led Comedy Fest Returns

As a comedienne, Erika Swartzkopf often is asked one vexing question: Are women really as funny as men?

The lineup at the second annual Wahine Comedy Festival — run by Swartzkopf’s all-woman stand-up comedy collective Female Comics of Hawaii — should serve to prove them wrong, she feels.

“Expect to laugh out loud … because they are hilarious!” she says.

The festival, which runs at 7 and 9 p.m. Sept. 4 at Nextdoor, features various stand-up acts, including headliners Candy Lawrence and Mo Welch from Los Angeles. Lawrence’s resume includes performing on Comedy Central, while Welch is a writer at Nickelodeon and runs live talk show The Mo Show at Upright Citizen’s Brigade Theater.

“I am so excited to have these two L.A.-based comics in our Wahine Comedy Festival in Hawaii. They have impressive credits,” Swartzkopf says.

Some of the members of Female Comics of Hawaii (from left): Cameo Lawrence, Michelle Mak, Patrice Scott, Kanoe La’a and Erika Swartzkopf PHOTOS COURTESY ERIKA SWARTZKOPF

Plus, the show also will bring a number of local come-diennes from Female Comics of Hawaii to the stage, including Cameo Lawrence, Brandi Morgan, Teresa Cantero, Kanoe La‘a, Autumn Goerts, Talisha Smith, Jasmine Bautista, Aimee-Jane Baxa, Kat Moore, Swartzkopf, Mary Jane Murphy, Patrice Scott and Porscha.

“The main focus of all my Female Comics of Hawaii shows has always been to uplift local Hawaii female comics, and this year we have 13 very talented ladies in the two lineups for the shows,” Swartzkopf says.

“My mission is simply to hire talented female comics and pay them well,” she adds.

Another one of her goals with the group, Swartzkopf explains, is to not have to answer that question anymore.

“Then, maybe, there won’t be a need for a group like mine,” she says. “We aren’t there yet, but we will be.”

Tickets to the second annual Wahine Comedy Festival cost $10 per show. For more information, find Female Comics of Hawaii on Facebook or email eswartzkopf@gmail.com.