Tommy Little and Michael Hing from The Project will be among the star attractions at the Newcastle Comedy Festival's Gala Night on May 27. The city's biggest night of laughs returns for a fifth year at the Civic Theatre.
The line-up also features Taskmaster Australia's Tom Cashman, Venezuelan-born "happy immigrant" Ivan Aristeguieta, Nick Cody, Newcastle's own drag queen royalty Timberlina, plus Chris Ryan, Nick Capper, Julia Wilson, Paige Hally, and The Chaser's musical-comedy maestro Andrew Hansen.
Little has performed at the Gala previously, but his stocks have risen since through hosting Network 10's The Project and the nationally-syndicated afternoon radio show with Carrie Bickmore on the Hit Network.
"Tommy Little is pretty big for us because he's probably Australia's leading comic at the moment," Newcastle Comedy Festival chief Andrew Milos says.
While the Gala remains the main event at the Comedy Festival, Milos is spreading his wings this year.
The festival will host shows every weekend between May 25 and June 25.
"I really wanted it to be a proof of concept for the state government and the council to see what it can be, doing it over the course of a month and doing 30 to 40 shows," he says.
"I want to see what it's like to have that steady thing where there's always going to be something on.
"I tried to do it last year on a smaller scale, but this year I'm incorporating some other venues."
There will be a variety of intimate alleyway shows at Jam's Karaoke & Bar and the Newcastle Comedy Club, as well as 200-capped gigs at The Gal in Hamilton and a Greek-themed night at The Exchange Hotel featuring Sydney comedian Anthony Locascio.
Final details for those solo shows will be released shortly.
"There's a big audience for that [ethic comedy], which I've never tapped into," Milos says.
"I'm Greek myself, and I'm never considered doing it until recently. I was like, 'Why haven't I done this before?'."
Tickets for the Newcastle Comedy Club Gala Night are on sale now from newycomedyfest.com.
