The Boston Comedy Festival returns for its 25th year – The Boston Globe

DiMarzio echoes his language. “I think we try every year to make it something special,” she says. She highlights the BCF’s comedy competition, which brings in dozens of comedians to face off in several rounds, before the winner is chosen from the final eight comedians at the finals event that ends the festival. “The contest has always been the heart of the festival, and so we always just kind of start with that, to get the best people to come into the contest.”

The Boston Comedy Festival has been a lot of things over the past 25 years. Sometimes it’s part film festival — they’ve hosted animation and short films. During the pandemic, the festival went virtual for a year, with all of the comedians performing in front of a custom BCF background to make it feel like an actual festival. “Every year, we do stuff that works and we do stuff that doesn’t,” says McCue, “and we just keep rolling along.”

McCue has been doing comedy since the early ‘90s, while DiMarzio is a creative designer. She can’t remember when, exactly, she started helping out, but she has been immersed in comedy for most of the festival’s history. They are always looking for fresh talent, but DiMarzio says she sometimes has to remind McCue that a perceived up-and-comer may actually be a 10-year stand-up veteran. “We have to adjust our idea of who is new,” she says.

They don’t start with a big budget and figure out what talent they can buy; they build each festival show by show with the different venues, which this year includes City Winery, the Comedy Studio, the Rockwell, the Somerville Theatre, and the Berklee Performance Center. The idea is to appeal to the widest possible range of tastes. “We’ve always had the feeling of: Whoever you think is the best comedian, you’re right,” says McCue. “So we’re gonna be trying to get the best of every different kind of thing.”

Here’s a rundown of what you can see at the Boston Comedy Festival. Check www.bostoncomedyfest.com for showtimes and tickets.

THE CONTEST This starts on April 1 at the Rockwell, and bounces between there, the Comedy Studio, and City Winery. It runs the length of the fest, with the winner crowned at the finals April 5 at the Somerville Theatre. It’s a good opportunity to catch a variety of comedians, but it’s also a showcase for Boston comics to host and do 15-20 minutes while votes are being tabulated. You’ll see some of the city’s best there, including Andrew Mayer, Niki Luparelli, Kathe Farris, Alex Giampapa, Kelly MacFarland, Will Smalley, Robbie Printz, and many others. It’s a display for agents and bookers coming to town to scout. “The whole purpose of this thing [we] started 25 years ago was just trying to get industry to come here and see the acts,” says McCue.

THE FUNNY TOGETHER TOUR If you’re looking for clean comedy, this is your show. Providence comedian Rhonda Corey, who created the tour in 2023, is joined by June Bug Colson and Mike Murray. April 3, 7 p.m. $20. The Rockwell.

EDDIE PEPITONE If you missed The Bitter Buddha on his co-headlining tour with Chris Gethard in October, you can see him do his own show here. In his “In Ruins” special, Pepitone says that even though he rails against corporate culture, he’s enjoying the space in his new Honda Element. “I like that, because there’s room to weep,” he says. “I can regret my past life decisions in this car with satellite radio.” April 3, 2:30 p.m. $20-$35. City Winery.

CELEBRATING DIVERSITY IN COMEDY This show provides a spotlight on comedians from LGBTQ+ and immigrant backgrounds, hosted by drag performer Miss Uchawi, featuring Ugandan-born comedian Birungi, “Beer With a Queer” host Jeff Klein, stand-up and speaker Madelein Murphy, and headlined by Boston’s own Corey Rodrigues. April 4, 7 p.m. $20. The Rockwell.

EMO PHILIPS The off-the-wall comic is a longtime friend of the festival, and a joy to watch. One year, he had a great visual gag where he came out at the Rockwell in a neck-to-ankles trench coat, and over the course of several jokes, without drawing attention to it, took off the coat, and slowly made it disappear into his pants pocket. At another fest, he came onstage after the finals at the Somerville Theatre with a broom and started sweeping the stage as people filed out. “He was so committed to the bit,” says DiMarzio. April 5, 7 p.m. $25-$30. The Rockwell.

BEST OF THE BOSTON COMEDY FESTIVAL: TO BENEFIT THE COMEDY GIVES BACK FIRE FUND This show best exemplifies the kitchen-sink spirit of the Festival, featuring comics from different generations with different styles. Jim McCue, the crowd work expert. Paul D’Angelo, the ‘80s Boom comic with a knack for a rant. Storyteller and sometime nerd Bethany Van Delft. The sly but aloof Dan Boulger. Karen Morgan, a Georgia transplant living in Maine. And sharp-eyed former Boston comic and one-time theater kid Erin Maguire. McCue is happy to be able to help comics hurt by the LA fires through Comedy Gives Back. “Everybody’s not up and running out there again,” he says. “They still need help.” April 5, 7:30 p.m. $25. Berklee Performance Center

AMY MILLER “I think the most 40-year-old thing I do, though, is I do have a special word for when I’ve had so much white wine I wanna get in a fist fight,” says the Los Angeles-based Miller. “It’s just ‘chardonnangry.’ Y’all can use that.” She headlines two shows with host Courtney Reynolds and feature act Will Smalley. April 5, 7:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. $25. The Comedy Studio.

BOSTON COMEDY FINALS This is where the final eight (barring a tie) contestants will compete for the top prize in front of a panel of judges. BCF veteran Ryan Hamilton will be on hand to receive the Comedian of the Year honor, and Boston comic Kenny Rogerson, nicknamed The Viper for his savage and inventive wit, gets the Lifetime Achievement Award. Tony V, last year’s Lifetime Achievement winner, hosts. April 5, 8 p.m. $30. The Somerville Theatre.