The festival presented a lineup of all-women comedians, as well as women-owned businesses and vendors, and proved to be a hit in its inaugural year at Art Centre Theatre in Plano. Beginning Sept. 8, Queen For a Day will return for a full weekend of laughs and festivities. This time, the festival will be held at Stomping Ground Comedy Theater.
Barden was particularly drawn to Stomping Ground because it's a women-led organization. Over the course of two days, festival-goers will be able to watch stand-up comedy, alternative comedy and different forms of storytelling.
“This year we are showcasing more different styles than just stand-up,” says Barden. “We had these last year, but stand-up really ended up being the main attraction last year. So we're really excited to incorporate more improv and more alternative comedy, and the Stomping Ground community just has a good basis for that.”
At the helm of production are Barden and fellow comedians Kate Greathouse, founder of Greathouse Playhouse; Lindsay Goldapp, Stomping Ground co-founder and artistic director; and MONNA, who is CEO of Claws Out Media and Entertainment.
For Friday’s show, Greathouse wants to “encourage the weird and the new to try out alternative comedy acts.” She recalls being the only woman on a comedy lineup more times than she can count, which she says does not fairly reflect the number of funny women on the scene.
Similarly, MONNA launched Claws Out as a way to platform women and femmes in comedy and to boost marginalized voices. She has become a favorite in Fort Worth and Arlington’s LGBTQ+ community thanks to her outspoken and unapologetic nature.
“There’s no lack of shows with an all-male lineup, but you rarely see an all-woman show unless it’s a niche-type show with a weird title like ‘I Remember Getting My First Period.'” – Kelanna Spiller.
tweet this
“I use my platform as a tool to create safe spaces as Claws Out continues to focus on inclusivity and diversity, all while putting on an unforgettable show,” says MONNA. “I tailor every set to each crowd but you can always rely on me for mental health representation and a genuine, fun time.”
Queen For a Day aims to shine a spotlight on up-and-coming comedians, as well as veteran women comedians. Also performing sets are Britainy Goss, co-founder and producer of Plano Comedy Festival, and Angela Owen, producer of the Deep Fried Comedy series at the State Fair of Texas. Owen promises “fearless sass and irreverent reflection of a post menopausal Gen-X female comedian.”
Headlining the festival is Kelanna Spiller. Known for her stints on shows such as Kevin Hart Presents: Hart of the City and her unfiltered After THAAET podcast, Spiller says festival goers can expect a high-energy and “goofy” set. Spiller also looks forward to showing the different nuances that exist in women comedy, instead of sticking to a specific brand of humor.
“There’s no lack of shows with an all-male lineup, but you rarely see an all-woman show unless it’s a niche-type show with a weird title like ‘I Remember Getting My First Period,’” says Spiller. “Then, of course, it’s an all-woman lineup for shows like that. We work in a male-dominated profession, so to be a part of a women’s festival in Dallas I couldn’t pass it up.”
The festival will close out on Saturday, Sept. 9, with Goddess: A Celebration of Women, a parody of the Goddess party trend, which will be hosted by Goldapp, along with Oklahoma City-based actress Bailey Maxwell. This portion of the festival will be an interactive experience with improvised music, saging and other experimental elements.
“It's part talk show, part variety show, and part white nonsense,” says Goldapp. “We wear caftans and do all sorts of woo-woo, hippie-dippie stuff. But it's also genuinely uplifting and fun, and we get the whole audience involved. It's a perfect way to cap the weekend.”
