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Event Program
TUE, APR 15
FEATURING
Emmy Blotnick, Rob Cantrell, Jon Fisch,
Mehran Khaghani, Clare O'Kane, & Shalewa Sharpe
HOSTED BY WYATT CENAC
Due to a scheduling conflict, Kerry Coddett will no longer be appearing at this event.
Tag us on Instagram @symphonyspace to be featured!
Emmy Blotnick is a stand-up comedian and writer based in New York. Her writing credits include @midnight, The President Show, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Pause with Sam Jay, History of the World: Part II, and In the Know. Blotnick has performed stand-up live at venues coast to coast, including the Montreal Just for Laughs Festival and the Comedy Cellar in New York, and on screen on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Conan, and her half-hour special on Comedy Central. Blotnick has been featured as a panelist on NPR's Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!, and most recently served as producer for the series English Teacher.
Emmy Blotnick is a stand-up comedian and writer based in New York. Her writing credits include @midnight, The President Show, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Pause with Sam Jay, History of the World: Part II, and In the Know. Blotnick has performed stand-up live at venues coast to coast, including the Montreal Just for Laughs Festival and the Comedy Cellar in New York, and on screen on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Conan, and her half-hour special on Comedy Central. Blotnick has been featured as a panelist on NPR's Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!, and most recently served as producer for the series English Teacher.
Rob Cantrell is a comedian, musician, actor, writer, and filmmaker. He has acted in TV shows The Last OG, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Girls5eva, and appears in the new indie horror feature film Traction Park Massacre. He released a stand-up album titled Pure Uncut Joy and the 7-track music EP Caffeinated Dope Rhymes. As a stand-up, Cantrell has performed at top comedy clubs, music venues, and theaters; plus he has appeared at the SXSW, Bonnoroo, and The New York Comedy Festival. He has written for projects on Adult Swim, Comedy Central, and The Howard Stern Show. Cantrell enjoys hanging out with his family, crossword puzzles, and fresh beets.
Rob Cantrell is a comedian, musician, actor, writer, and filmmaker. He has acted in TV shows The Last OG, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Girls5eva, and appears in the new indie horror feature film Traction Park Massacre. He released a stand-up album titled Pure Uncut Joy and the 7-track music EP Caffeinated Dope Rhymes. As a stand-up, Cantrell has performed at top comedy clubs, music venues, and theaters; plus he has appeared at the SXSW, Bonnoroo, and The New York Comedy Festival. He has written for projects on Adult Swim, Comedy Central, and The Howard Stern Show. Cantrell enjoys hanging out with his family, crossword puzzles, and fresh beets.
Jon Fisch is one of only a handful of comedians who has appeared on both The Late Show with David Letterman and The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. He appeared on NBC's Last Comic Standing and was named the New York City Capital One Audience Favorite. Fisch has performed at numerous festivals, including the HBO Comedy Arts Festival, the Great American Comedy Festival, and the Just for Laughs Festival in Montreal, and he regularly appears at the Comedy Cellar and Gotham Comedy Club in New York. Fisch previously hosted the podcast In the Tank and currently hosts the podcast Spiraling Up.
Jon Fisch is one of only a handful of comedians who has appeared on both The Late Show with David Letterman and The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. He appeared on NBC's Last Comic Standing and was named the New York City Capital One Audience Favorite. Fisch has performed at numerous festivals, including the HBO Comedy Arts Festival, the Great American Comedy Festival, and the Just for Laughs Festival in Montreal, and he regularly appears at the Comedy Cellar and Gotham Comedy Club in New York. Fisch previously hosted the podcast In the Tank and currently hosts the podcast Spiraling Up.
Mehran Khaghani is a standup comedian, emcee, actor, event producer, upstart, social advocate, serial yeller, troublemaker, love-spreader, line-pusher, and general intellect of intimidating proportion currently living in New York City. He has been a finalist in multiple comedy festivals, tours nationally, was featured on Season 9 of NBC's Last Comic Standing, has been seen on MTV, Comedy Central, IFC, and TruTV, and is a regular at the world-famous Comedy Cellar in New York City.
Mehran Khaghani is a standup comedian, emcee, actor, event producer, upstart, social advocate, serial yeller, troublemaker, love-spreader, line-pusher, and general intellect of intimidating proportion currently living in New York City. He has been a finalist in multiple comedy festivals, tours nationally, was featured on Season 9 of NBC's Last Comic Standing, has been seen on MTV, Comedy Central, IFC, and TruTV, and is a regular at the world-famous Comedy Cellar in New York City.
Clare O’Kane is an actor, comedian, and writer from San Jose, California. She has performed in the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Bridgetown Comedy Festival, San Francisco Sketchfest, Outside Lands, and has opened for the band Jawbreaker on their most recent reunion tour. She has written for SpongeBob SquarePants, Shrill, and Saturday Night Live, appeared on Comedy Central (dot com), and was the pseudo-host of Viceland's Flophouse. In 2022, she was deemed a Comedian You Should Know by Vulture. Her second comedy album, Everything I Know How to Do, was released in 2024. O’Kane is frequently cast in short films and usually paid in hummus. She has been described as “sarcastic” and “half-Asian.”
Clare O’Kane is an actor, comedian, and writer from San Jose, California. She has performed in the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Bridgetown Comedy Festival, San Francisco Sketchfest, Outside Lands, and has opened for the band Jawbreaker on their most recent reunion tour. She has written for SpongeBob SquarePants, Shrill, and Saturday Night Live, appeared on Comedy Central (dot com), and was the pseudo-host of Viceland's Flophouse. In 2022, she was deemed a Comedian You Should Know by Vulture. Her second comedy album, Everything I Know How to Do, was released in 2024. O’Kane is frequently cast in short films and usually paid in hummus. She has been described as “sarcastic” and “half-Asian.”
Brooklyn-based comedian Shalewa Sharpe developed her sly yet goofy style in Atlanta, where she was raised. A 2019 Vulture Comic To Watch, she has appeared on HBO, Comedy Central, The CW, Peacock, and Showtime. She has two albums, Stay Eating Cookies and So You Just Out Here?, both available everywhere. Sharpe is currently a co-host of the weekly podcast The War Report with Gastor and Shalewa.
Brooklyn-based comedian Shalewa Sharpe developed her sly yet goofy style in Atlanta, where she was raised. A 2019 Vulture Comic To Watch, she has appeared on HBO, Comedy Central, The CW, Peacock, and Showtime. She has two albums, Stay Eating Cookies and So You Just Out Here?, both available everywhere. Sharpe is currently a co-host of the weekly podcast The War Report with Gastor and Shalewa.
Wyatt Cenac is an Emmy Award–winning comedian, actor, producer, and writer known for the HBO late-night comedy docuseries Wyatt Cenac’s Problem Areas. Additional screen credits include aka Wyatt Cenac, People of Earth, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, and most recently, The Great North. He's made four comedy albums: Wyatt Cenac: Comedy Person, the Grammy-nominated Brooklyn, Furry Dumb Fighter, and One Angry Night in November, and hosted the televised stand-up variety series Night Train with Wyatt Cenac. He started his career in animation as a writer for Mike Judge's King of the Hill and has served as a consultant for South Park. Every now and again he pops up in a film, most notably Barry Jenkins’ Medicine for Melancholy.
Wyatt Cenac is an Emmy Award–winning comedian, actor, producer, and writer known for the HBO late-night comedy docuseries Wyatt Cenac’s Problem Areas. Additional screen credits include aka Wyatt Cenac, People of Earth, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, and most recently, The Great North. He's made four comedy albums: Wyatt Cenac: Comedy Person, the Grammy-nominated Brooklyn, Furry Dumb Fighter, and One Angry Night in November, and hosted the televised stand-up variety series Night Train with Wyatt Cenac. He started his career in animation as a writer for Mike Judge's King of the Hill and has served as a consultant for South Park. Every now and again he pops up in a film, most notably Barry Jenkins’ Medicine for Melancholy.
Uptown Showdown is made possible thanks to the generous support of the Seedlings Foundation, Howard Gilman Foundation, The Shubert Foundation, Blanchette Hooker Rockefeller Fund, Charina Endowment Fund, Susan Bay Nimoy, The Fan Fox and Leslie R. Samuels Foundation, PECO Foundation, Coastal Community Foundation of South Carolina, Michael Tuch Foundation, Jody and John Arnhold and the Arnhold Foundation, The Grodzins Fund, and The Isambard Kingdom Brunel Society of North America.
This program is also made possible with public funds from the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature.
Symphony Space thanks our generous supporters, including our Board of Directors, Producers Circle, and members, who make our programs possible with their annual support.
Kathy Landau Executive Director
Peg Wreen Managing Director
Isaiah Sheffer*
Co-Founder and Co-Artistic Director (1978-1990)
Artistic Director (1990-2010)
Founding Artistic Director (2010-2012)
Allan Miller
Co-Founder and Co-Artistic Director (1978-1990)
Jennifer Brennan Director of Literary Programs
Drew Richardson Lead Producer of Literary Programs
Vivienne Woodward Producer of Literary Programs
Mary Shimkin Director of Broadcast & Literary Initiatives
Matthew Love Consultant for Literary Programs
Magdalene Wrobleski Literary Assistant
Leigh Reid Literary Intern
Mia Testa Literary Intern
*in memoriam