National headliners and regional improv troupes descend upon Longview for two days of unpredictable laughs. Theatre Longview presents Laugh Out Longview Comedy Festival on June 27-28 with popular performers and competing teams from Dallas, Houston, Austin, Tyler, Lubbock, and Longview’s own, Duck. Duck. Moose!
Headliners include WeirDass, the husband and wife team of Bob Dassie and Stephnie Weir, who are well known within the improv world for their dynamic, detailed and hilarious performances.
Texan born and raised Stephnie Weir is an actress, writer, and comedian best known for her work on MADtv. She has a long list of acting credits included Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, Happy Together, The Comedians, Castle, Key & Peele, Veep, The Goldbergs, Modern Family, A Million Little Things, Night Court, and Mighty Ducks to name a few. She’s written on numerous television shows including Raising Hope and The Millers. She is a main stage alumni of The Second City and iO Theater in Chicago.
Bob Dassie has traveled the world performing and teaching improvisation. He’s graced the stages of The Second City, I.O. and UCB in Chicago, New York and LA. He formed the seminal improv troupes Trio, Dasariski and WeirDass. Bob’s television credits include Monk, Community and HBO’s Carpet Brothers. He wrote on the animated Adult Swim series “Mr. Pickles” and the Bugs Bunny reboot “Wabbit.” Dassie is currently teaching at the WGIS Theater in LA and can be heard as a featured guest on any number of Earwolf Comedy Podcasts.
Other performers include Jonathan Mangum, and Laura and Rick Hall.
After growing up in Mobile, Alabama, Jonathan Mangum’s comedy journey began at Orlando’s SAK Theatre, where he performed a staggering 13 improv shows weekly for more than two years while in college. There, he forged a creative partnership with Wayne Brady that continues to this day — including their new comedy podcast What If where the duo hilariously explores life’s greatest hypothetical questions.
Relocating to Los Angeles with his improv troupe, Mangum quickly became a television staple. His extensive credits include The Wayne Brady Show, The Drew Carey Show, Reno 911, Pushing Daisies, NCIS, The Sarah Silverman Program, Baskets, G.L.O.W., and Chicago Med. Currently, he’s delighting audiences in his 10th season of Whose Line Is It, Anyway while serving as co-host/producer/announcer on CBS’s Let’s Make a Deal, now in its 17th season.
His work with Drew Carey led to joining the Drew Carey Improv All-Stars, performing at over 60 venues including the prestigious Carnegie Hall. Mangum has toured internationally with Wayne Brady since 2000 including a two-year, five-night a week residency at the Venetian Casino in Vegas. He recently starred in the innovative Broadway and Las Vegas production Hyprov.
Back by popular demand after her musical improv showcases at the 2024 Longview festival is Laura Hall, joined by her husband Rick Hall.
Hall is best known as the improvisational pianist and musical director on all 21 seasons of the hit TV show, Whose Line is it Anyway with both Drew Carey and Aisha Tyler hosting. Laura has toured extensively with Drew Carey and the Improv All Stars and performed with Whose Line Live at the Adelphi, the Palladium, and Royal Albert Hall in London.
While at The Second City, Laura was musical director and composer for the Jeff Award winning E.T.C. revue, “Channel This!” She has composed original musicals with The Annoyance Theater and Theater-A-Go-Go, and has composed scores and songs for several indie films.
Rick Hall was a founding member of Chicago’s Improv Institute. At The Second City he created and performed in two main stage shows, John Paul Sartre & Ringo and Catch 27. Rick uses his improv skills as a host/presenter at meetings and corporate events, as well as auditions, television shows and commercials.
Rick was a series regular on the improv-based TV show The Factory. He played Agent Johnson on 28 episodes of the hit Disney show K.C. Undercover, and was on many other television shows including NCIS, Curb Your Enthusiasm, 24, The Middle, Key & Peele, and Seinfeld. He’s been in commercials for AT&T, Centrum, Sabra Hummus and many more. Recently, Rick is on the indie film circuit as Detective Chowder in The Long Isolation, written and directed by Deb LaCusta and Dan Castellaneta from The Simpsons.
The festival is at Longview Community Center, 500 E. Whaley Street in the Downtown Cultural Arts District. Get tickets and more information on Theatre Longview’s website.
