(L-R Key Lewis, Geoff Lott, guest host 2001 winner Dwight Slade, Marcus, Leif Skyving, Tony Boswell)
Photo by Peter Greyy
Salt Lake City resident Marcus (or The Artist Formerly Known as "Marcus the Man of 1000 Voices") has won the 28th Annual Seattle International Stand Up Comedy Competition. A perpetual motion machine of a performer, the former rock musician integrated vocal impressions, singing and dance into his shows, which pleased both audiences and judges night after night.
Sunday night at Seattle's Comedy Underground, Following the very last of the 23 shows that make up the Competition, Marcus was awarded the crown. He wins $5000 cash, and a headline appearance at The Comedy Underground in Seattle December 6-8 2007. Shows are at 8:30 nightly, with late shows Friday and Saturday at 10:30 PM. Thursday tickets are $6; Friday $12, and Saturday $15, and are available at www.ticketweb.com. Information on all Comedy Underground Shows can be found at www.comedyunderground.com, or by calling (206)628-0303.
As usual, the contest was a close affair, with less than half a point separating Marcus from 2nd place finisher Tony Boswell of Chicago, who took home $2000.
First place for the evening went to Sweden native Leif Skyving, currently residing in Boise, but it was only enough to pull him up into 3rd for the contest ($1500).
Fourth place and $1300 went to Key Lewis, a recent emigre to the Northwest from Sacramento, and Kirkland resident Geoff Lott took 5th and a check for $1200.
Over 6000 audience members were entertained in this year's competition, which began October 31 and toured the state, presenting shows at 19 different venues.
Detailed information on the Seattle Comedy Competition, including a daily blog, pictures and bios of the performers, can be found at http://www.seattlecomedycompetition.com.
Photographer Peter Greyy's collection of Seattle Comedy Competition photos is here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/seattlecomedynet/collections
Multiple "attaboys" go to this year's competiton staff: Rosalie Gale, Wally Glenn, Peter Greyy, & Pavel Simsa.
And we salute our venue partners Laughs Comedy Spot, Gordon's On the Green, The Edmonds Center for The Arts, The Columbia Theater for the Performing Arts, Fairhaven Pub & Martini Bar, The Comedy Underground, Chop Suey, Paradise Village Bowl and Lounge, West Seattle's Admiral Theater, The New Everett Theatre, Whitman College, The Liberty Theatre, The Skagit Valley Casino Resort, The Lucky Eagle Casino, the Wshington Athletic Club, the Vashon Theatre, the Kirkland Performance Center, and the Admiral Theatre in Bremerton.