The Flyover Comedy Festival is almost ready to invade St. Louis again, from November 14–16, but there’s still time to figure out which shows to prioritize. Patton Oswalt and Tig Notaro’s headline show at Stifel Theatre is sold out, but if you didn’t snag tickets, fear not. There is still so much to see at the three-day fest. We spoke with Flyover co-founder and executive producer Zach Gzehoviak for a roundup of must-see recommendations. Here are his picks.
Comedy Confidential with Steve Furey
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Atomic by Jamo, November 14 at 9 p.m.
Hosted by Steve Furey, Comedy Confidential is a show where some of the best comedians share their deepest darkest secrets for laughs. While the show normally has a residency at The Comedy Store in Los Angeles, Gzehoviak knew he had to bring it to Flyover after he caught it at the Moontower Comedy Festival in Austin last year. The show also features audience participation, with attendees sharing some of their own secrets for a prize at the end of the night.
Frequent Floaters
Hot Java Bar, November 15 at 8 p.m.
Named “the horniest night the high seas has to offer” by Cruise Weekly, Frequent Floaters is a parody cruise ship lounge act hosted by avid cruisers Franny and Frank (Laura Schein and Clayton Farris) and their accompanist (Pete White) that recounts the couple’s randy misadventures over the last 40 years performing at sea. “I really don’t want people to sleep on this one,” Gzehoviak says. “It’s a unique thing that is kind of outside of your typical stand-up show.”
Writer’s Block
The Improv Shop Main Stage, November 15 at 8 & 10 p.m.
Merging the world of television writing and improv, Writer’s Block sees a team of seasoned improvisers do a staged reading of a brand new unproduced sitcom pilot and then perform an improvised episode of that same show live on stage. Gzehoviak notes that what makes this team special is that it features alumni from Washington University. In addition to their two performances at Flyover, Writer’s Block will also be doing a performance at WashU on November 13 ahead of the festival.
Jackie Fabulous
Hot Java Bar, November 16 at 8 p.m.
Comedian Jackie Fabulous has a number of accolades to her name, some of which include being a semi-finalist on America’s Got Talent, competing on Last Comic Standing, and performing on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. Not only is she headlining a showcase at Hot Java Bar, featuring a cadre of talented comedians, but she’s also one of Gzehoviak’s favorite working comics. “I just think she’s hilarious,” Gzehoviak says. “She’s been around for a while, and I really hope people check her out.”
Rhizome Comedy special tapings
Atomic by Jamo, November 16 at 7 & 9 p.m.
In a first for Flyover, there will be two different comedy special tapings at Atomic by Jamo on Saturday, presented and produced by Rhizome Comedy, a comedy label based in Raleigh and created by St. Louis comedy scene alum Jeremy Essig. The first taping will feature performances from Natasha Vinik and Caitlin Checkeroski for two 20-minute specials, and the second taping will feature performances from Olivia Carter, Jon Alcabes, and Kari Assad, along with St. Louis comics Larry Greene and Tiel Pearce, to create short specials for each comic.
To see the full lineup and purchase tickets, please visit flyovercomedyfest.com.
