Party Down at the Hill People’s Comedy Fest!

Mia Caruso and Alex Riba

STAMFORD — Who could have dreamt that a little town of 2,000 people in the western Catskills would become a hotbed of comedy, a veritable mecca for comedy talent!? This weekend, after the rain, The Hill People’s Comedy Fest was the hottest ticket in town.   

 Over the last six years Stamford has drawn comics close by, and far and wide to perform at  the Hill People’s Comedy Fest, an event founded by Stamford resident Marisa Caruso. and co-organized by Mary Skinner, the co-owner of the Belvedere Hotel—the venue where all the action takes place.    

Each year, the festival gets bigger, with more amazing talent.  For the last two years, the Fest has taken place over the course of three days, under a tent outside the Belvedere Hotel, and spread out over the surrounding land outside-- lending a truly festive carnival atmosphere.  The days and evenings include improv workshops for adults, free clown workshops for kids, family friendly lineups of stand-ups and later- a lineup which delivers material intended for those aged 16 and up.    A little saltier maybe, but just as friendly.   

This reporter caught the tail end of family friendly comedy –which works for all ages—and then, stayed for the unfiltered last two hours of the night.  These last two sets were filled with --not too much politics, material that was not too racy-- just a bonanza of clever observational and situational humor, which from the wild audience response, was entirely relatable.  

First up: 7 pm Alexa Tumbarello: “I am the token local person in the show,” Oneonta native, Tumbarello states.    With a calm, soothing and deadpan, non-stop delivery, Tumbarello shines a light on everyday absurdities. “It’s amazing how many people are insecure about their looks but not their personality,” she observes.    “My friends come up here and say, “Oh it’s so beautiful and diverse,” she remembers. And then the shortened version.  “it’s so beautiful.”   “I’m thinking of moving to New York City,” she relates.  “I’m wondering how to explain to people that I don’t come from the resort and spa Catskills, “I come from the rusting Pontiac on cinderblock Catskills.”  

Offstage, Tumbarello confides that the rusting Pontiac Catskills is the place that she loves to be. 

Heather Joyce takes the stage with her mandolin in tow.  She purposely works the nerd angle –she seems meek but comes on strong.   For an earlier show, Joyce introduces a song saying she wishes her friend would ask her for relationship advice, because her boyfriend is a monster.  “I wrote a song to help her identify the red flags,” she says, and plucks it out on her mandolin.   “He leaves the toilet seat up, makes a date but doesn’t show up, has reptilian scales, and he’s out destroying Tokyo.” Onlookers call it the Godzilla song.  

New Jersey native, and sometime bartender Nick Fierro talks about how to get a service job: “You drink in the same bar every night, eventually someone will go to jail or get pregnant and it’s your time to shine!”   When he’s not doing comedy or tending bar—Fierro often finds work as a grave digger. Really! 

The call for comedians first goes out in January over the internet via the many Facebook groups devoted to comedy festivals and venues, sites that are combed over by comics across the country.  The comics are picked by Caruso and Skinner along with a panel of judges who rates all of them.  The last hour of each evening is dedicated to those who rate the highest and—it turns out -- have the most experience and exposure.

That last hour--8 o’clock on Saturday was MCeed by Garth Kravits, a singer/actor and comedian and veteran of Broadway musical theater who additionally works behind the counter at Andes’ Café Mutsi when needed. 

He introduces Vinny Seeram:  “Vinny is a strange name for a man of my complexion,”. says Seeram. “I come from the Bronx, Vinny from the Bronx has a certain aura. Then we moved to Astoria.  Vinny from Astoria sounds like somebody who’d raise your rent.”  

Jae Shin talks about being neuro-divergent: “I do blame my parents for my autism because the first thing Koren parents teach you is don’t make eye contact because it’s rude. For thirty years I thought I was being polite, turns out I was just on the spectrum.”  

Then, it’s time for headliner Mia Jackson, whose appeared on Netflix, Comedy Central and opened for Amy Schumer.   From the roar of the crowd, Jackson already has a major Catskills following.  

Jackson’s piece de resistance is a tale, tall or otherwise, which she unfolds with a solid delivery, immaculate phrasing, and punctuates perfectly with her body. She tells the story of a date she had in Chattanooga, Tennessee. While walking with her date down the street she sees bologna covering the sidewalk.  Bologna, everywhere, sticking to her feet  and just generally grossing her out.  Her date’s reaction is “We usually don’t have this much meat on the ground.”   That gives Mia pause.   “You see” Mia says addressing the audience. “This implies that for him there is an acceptable amount of meat on the ground.”  

For me, these were just some of the highlights. But there were absolutely no duds.  The standing room only crowd provided a steady and raucous wave of laughter—especially as the drinks flowed.  

Kudos to Caruso who came up with the Hill People’s Comedy Fest in 2021.  A lifetime upstater, she grew up in Wappingers Falls, went to school near Buffalo and moved to Stamford with her husband just before Covid.  “Covid saw a lot of creative people moving to Stamford,” she says. “It was still affordable.”  Joining her was an enormous creative community, actors, makers, comedians, musicians, singers and teachers of all those beforementioned pursuits.  She soon found other like-minded folks-professional and non-professional who said, “let’s put on a show!” 

Over the past several years the Hill People’s Comedy fest has expanded, now produced by Caruso, and her partners in their production company, Party Theater, which also produces theater pieces and outdoor performances  like the upcoming Microcosm, an outdoor immersive performance walk showcasing new theatrical works, performance art and storytelling by regional artists—some professional and some not.  

Caruso and Garth Kravits, the sometimes Mutsi helper and Broadway vet also work together on the new organization in Margaretville, Margaretville Arts, and the Delaware County School of Performing Arts (DCSPA ) which holds classes for kids—and sometimes adults --who want to have fun by learning how to perform.  Kravits founded the organization with his partner Julia Rugg, and  Caruso and other performers teach classes in improv, dance, theater.  

Kravits, as well as the principals of the Party Theater want their work to be inclusive.  The Hill People’s Comedy Fest made room for everyone, young and old , professional and non-of all complexions and persuasions—and made some events free and some pay.  

Regarding Margaretville Arts and DCSPA:  “We thought it was important to bring performing arts to a community that is undeserved,” says Kravits, who looks forward to their new space across from Café Mornings in Margaretville.  “All of our programs are affordable and scholarships and financial aid are also available.”

In addition to all this, coming up for Kravits and Caruso is a new show called: “Wired and Tired” which pokes fun at contemporary life, technology, the news cycle and the rapid pace of life—even here in the Catskills. Caruso and Kravits were given a Roxbury Arts Group grant to fund this project.  

As one of the realtors in these parts used to say,  “There’s magic in these mountains.”  But there’s also a lot of action, too! 

Keep your eyes peeled for @partytheater, @mrscrso, @mvillearts, @dcspa and all the rest.  You’ll find something to enjoy!