Get Your Laughs at Chicago's 4th Annual Women's Funny Festival

The 4th Annual Women's Funny Festival welcomes all to join the fun from June 18-21 at Stage 773. The four-day fest features more than 80 performances by over 160 groups, including 500 female artists to celebrate the best in female comedy.

From "SNL" writer Katie Rich, to stand-up performer Tamale Rocks (of fame most recently for exposing a Chicago bar's two-way-mirror scheme), to Chicago Sketchfest veteran groups Off Off Broadzway, The Cupid Players and Feminine Gentlemen, Women's Fest 2015 brings the nation's top comediennes together to embrace all forms of comedy including stand-up, sketch, solo, vaudeville, improvisational and musical.

Women's Fest was founded in 2012 by Jill Valentine and Liz McArthur to allow female artists nationwide the opportunity to network and, more importantly, see each other's work. The response from comedians and audience members was overwhelmingly positive, which is why the festival is coming back for a fourth year.

"I've known Jill since I was a scrappy little 13-year-old from the South Side and I adored her and looked up to her then, and still do now," Rich told EDGE. "I'd be a part of anything she asked me to do. Last year was my first time performing with the festival and I was so grateful to have a welcoming and packed house of folks to come home and perform for. Chicago will always be my true love and it means a lot to know I can come back here and take part in such a full, loving and lively festival. Oh, and funny... but, duh."

Rich is a big name in a festival full of comedy talent, in a city known for launching the careers of the funniest talents of our time. "They call Chicago the birthplace of comedy, because a lot of people come here to study at Second City or Olympic Comedy," said Valentine. "We are training thousands of comedians."

Valentine said that response to the festival has been overwhelming since they founded it, with the highest number of performer appilcations ever submitted this year. Some of the talented performers who made the cut include Pennsylvania comedian Shannon DeVito, who makes jokes about her being in a wheelchair, and transgender comedian Dina Martinez.

"Transgender is such a hot topic right now," said Valentine. "Martinez has been in this festival for a couple years, and she does a lot of comedy around dating and being trans, and it's always hilarious. Another one is Shannon DeVito, who is in a wheelchair, and takes it from that perspective. When Liz and I saw her video last year, she showed footage of herself in a grocery store, pushing the limits of what people in a wheelchair can get away with. She had employees letting her eat ice cream right from the container. It is a hilarious perspective!"

There are also great one-woman shows, like the character work of Kelly Bolton; the heavy-hitting comedy of The Boys, aka Susan Messing and Rachel Mason; and the comedy of Tamale Rocks.

"Messing and Mason are teachers but also comedians, and thousands look up to these two because they were doing it before the others," said Valentine. "It is really great just to sit back in awe and watch with pride as these two rip it up!"

Rocks has participated in the festival just about every year it's happened and counts as favorites the panels where women talk about their journey in comedy, aka, "what I wish I would have known then."

"I really love being around that many funny women. It's been really awesome to make connections and spend time with people from all over the place that are super hilarious," said Rocks. "It's about building camaraderie and being exposed to other players. I have a lot of projects but I'm definitely going to make it to as many shows as I can."

Rocks will perform a show about discovering a two-way mirror in a women's restroom, and posting a video about it, which, "people lost their minds about. It wasn't a situation a man ever had to deal with. And I wonder, would it have been different if a librarian had discovered it? Lots of great things came out of exposing this. I don't know if the show is going to be finished in time, but I'll perform it, certainly if not this year, than next."

Valentine makes sure women performers connect with each other by providing each with an all-access pass to shows. For the layman, seeing shows is almost as easy. They are all housed in one building with four theaters. There's a new show every hour, so you can get a drink and stay for a while, and see "the best comedic talent in the world. At $15 for a 40-minute show, you can pick any flavor you want: stand-up, sketch, improve, solo, musical comedy, puppets; if you have a specific taste, you'll find it here," said Valentine.

Rocks said that the Chicago Women's Funny Festival is one of the best-organized and biggest events she's ever worked with.

"They excel at creating an environment where everyone -- attendees and guests alike -- feel like it's an event, it's something you want to be a part of, and you are excited to be there. They just do a really great job of putting it together."

The Chicago Women's Funny Festival runs from June 18-21 at Stage 773, 1225 W. Belmont. For tickets or information, visit www.chicagowomensfunnyfestival.com