ABOUT THE FESTIVAL
FOUNDED BY NANCY LEVINE
THE LADIES ROOM COMEDY FESTIVAL IS CELEBRATING
ITS FOURTH SEASON!
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Our aim is to empower and support ALL women in a male-dominated field. We are an inclusive festival, seeking incredible comedic talent among the finest female and female-identifying comics working today. We are actively and enthusiastically seeking comics from all walks of life. Our goal is to give a stage to the brightest comic voices of today and spotlight the most promising talent of tomorrow.
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We're thrilled to announce that headlining our 2024 Festival is the acclaimed and hilarious standup comedian and founder of "Funny Women of a Certain Age" , Carole Montgomery.
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We are also proud to announce our judges for this year's festival will be renowned NYC comedy managers and agents Felicia Madison, Nicky Sunshine, Jason Steinberg, Adam Halaseh and Monique Latisse.
NANCY LEVINE
FOUNDER
Nancy Levine recently won First Place in the 2024 US Comedy Contest, held in Los Angelas, CA. She attended the Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University where she majored in acting. She toured nationally as the Wicked Witch in the Wizard of Oz and as the Nurse in Romeo and Juliet. Off Broadway and Regional credits include: "Poor Cousin Carol" at ATA, Housewives of Secaucus at Feinstein’s 54 Below, My Big Gay Italian Christmas at the Golden Nugget, the Alpha Theater Company Production of "Oy!" and A Sketch of NY at the Producer’s Club and more.
Nancy is also the founder of Laugh Out Loud Productions, an entertainment company that specializes in interactive theater comedy shows. Laugh Out Loud Productions produced the hit Off-Broadway comedy "The Housewives of Secaucus: What a Drag!" at The Actors Temple Theatre in New York City, in 2021. It was the first play to be produced Off-Broadway in a pandemic. It put "Off Broadway back off its feet and into high heels."
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It was at Broadway Comedy Club that her monthly show Hot Flash spawned a hit podcast with her producing partner, Robin Lakin. Since 2019, Hot Flash: The Podcast has welcomed a motley crew of guests from the worlds of comedy, film and TV, drag, nightlife, and theater. The bi-monthly interviews are produced by Gotham Podcast Studio and are available on all major streaming platforms, including Apple Podcast, I Heart Radio, and Spotify. Previous guests have included Dean McDermott, Comedian Nicky Paris, Jordan Gelber, agent Roger Paul, Broadway Producer Ken Davenport, Miss Richfield 1981,Broadway Producer and President of the NYC based Actor's Temple Theatre Carol Ostrow, Transgender Actress and Educator Bianca Leigh, Shameless series regular Mary Kennedy, comedy writer Neil Berliner, and Child Star Maxim Swinton, just to name a few!
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Nancy is also a standup comic. She was a finalist in the US Comedy Contest in 2024 and the Palm Springs Comedy Festival in 2021 and performs all over the tristate area. She lives with her husband in Orange County, NY.
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HEADLINER
CAROLE MONTGOMERY
Carole Montgomery is a veteran stand up comedian with over 40 years of experience. She is a writer, director and producer. Carole also works with comedians to develop their solo shows.
She has done 11 comedy tours overseas for the US military produced by Armed Forces ECntertainment.
Her most recent project "Funny Women of a Certain Age" was Showtime's highest rated comedy special of 2019. It also made television history being the first special to feature 6 female comics over the age of fifty. More Funny Women of a Certain Age and Even MORE Funny Women of a Certain Age (which was filmed during a global pandemic) rapidly followed.
Carole continues to lead the way for older female comedians. She created WOACA at the age of 59 and now well into her 60's, doesn't appear to be slowing down.
She is proving that indeed Funny Never Gets Old.
NICKY SUNSHINE
JUDGE
Nicky Sunshine is an actress, stand up comedian and writer. She is an established voice over talent with dozens of clients such as JC Penny, NY Times, Tumi, Amazon and countless others. Ms. Sunshine's self written "Confessions of a Massage Parlor Madam"has raised awareness about sex trafficking, sex work and sexual assault . Ms Sunshine is a radio personality on 108soul.com and co owner of the new venue "Comedy in Harlem".
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Felicia is the Director of New Talent and Development at West Side Comedy Club in New York City where she books all shows and runs club.Felicia curates’ comedians for her new talent shows and helps to develop and nurture young talent through her daytime mic program, workshops, and seminars at West Side Comedy Club. Founder of F Comedy Club offering classes, open mics and produces new talent shows for up-and-coming comics.Felicia is the founder of Laughing Affairs which produces a daytime lunch show, “Laugher Cise - Come Laugh Your Ass Off,” Comedy for a Cause, and private events for corporations and individuals.Funny Business, a Panel Discussion created and moderated by Felicia, provides a forum for female comedians to hear from female executives in the comedy world. Her first event at the Friars Club was a huge success and due to popular demand, she is planning to produce a few panels a year. Felicia performs on stages throughout NYC. In addition to live appearances, you can tune in weekly to her podcast "MT Nesters.” Felicia is also working on a pilot about her life in the comedy world and revamping her one-woman show “The Miserable Mrs. Madison.” She performed her one woman show “The Miserable Mrs. Madison at the New York Fringe Festival.
FELICIA MADISON
JUDGE
JASON STEINBERG
JUDGE
Meet Jason Steinberg, the powerhouse founder and managing partner of Steinberg Talent Management Group (STMG), a premier agency established in 1996. With nearly three decades at the helm of STMG, Jason has built a legacy as one of the industry’s foremost talent managers.
Jason’s career began at NY Entertainment and the iconic Boston Comedy Club in NYC where he discovered and developed an impressive roster of comedians who have since become household names. Notably, he was the first to give Dave Chappelle a stage in New York, bringing him on as a management client and playing a crucial role in his early career. Jason also worked closely with legendary comics like Joe Rogan, Jim Breuer, Jeff Ross, Wanda Sykes, and Dane Cook, solidifying his reputation as a tastemaker in comedy.
Today, Jason’s talent-scouting and discernment remain at the core of STMG’s success. He has been pivotal in launching the careers of comedy greats like Patrice O’Neal, Bill Burr, and Nate Bargatze, and continues to manage high profile comedians including Donnell Rawlings, Tony Woods, and Aaron Berg. Jason draws on extensive industry relationships, maintaining strong connections with streaming platforms, casting directors, industry executives, festivals, and booking agents.
A Brooklyn native and NYU alum, Jason balances his relentless dedication to clients with his lifelong love for the New York Mets and Billy Joel. He lives in Manhattan with his supportive wife, Masami, who gracefully endures the fast-paced world of entertainment.
DANTE RUSCIOLELLI
JUDGE
Dante is one of the top stand-up comedians in the world. He has appeared on over 40 TV shows as a comedian. He was a cast member on season 5 of the NBC show Last Comic Standing. He holds the record for winning the most B.E.T. Comedy awards. Dante performs to sold out crowds all over the world 40 weeks a year. He has also performed for more US troops than any other comedian except Bob Hope. He was the Abbot at the Friars Club in Beverly Hills. That is a giant honor. It’s like being the president and you only get that position by being voted in by your peers. As an actor, Dante has appeared in over 20 films and TV shows. He has been in many commercials and was the spokesman for Miller Beer. He had his own sitcom on B.E.T. called The Blackberry Inn. Dante wrote, directed and produced multiple films with big stars that have done very well. Currently he stars in the film Unfallen with Michael Madsen and James Hong on Amazon Prime. He just Co-wrote and directed HOUSE OF KARMA starring Bai Ling, with his wife Rebekah Kochan with a release date of October 2023. Dante was a writer for Joan Rivers on the hit E! TV show Fashion Police. He also writes, directs and produces many commercials.He is also a very well-known civil rights activist who has filmed many of the police videos we have all watched.He owns GOLDEN ARTISTS ENTERTAINMENT. www.goldenartistsentertainment.com They make movies and TV shows, book live acts and manage talent. Dante is a personal manager with many household name clients. His book about his life, clients and adventures will be in bookstores soon!
REBEKAH KOCHAN
JUDGE
Rebekah Kochan is one of the hottest IT GIRL actress/comedians in the world right now. Her inner and outer beauty is only matched by her talent. She has starred in over a dozen horror films and IMDB has chosen her as one of the top 100 scream queens of all time!Rebekah is the most famous actress in gay comedy films, thanks mainly in part to her role as Tiffany in all 5 Eating Out movies. In the films she plays the over the top, crazy, slutty and bad best friend to gay men. She co-starred With Academy Award winner Adrian Brody, Michelle Rodriguez, Rob Schnider and Lindsay Lohan in the film InAPPropriate Comedy. She recently starred in the film Bro What Happened? that she co-wrote.
Rebekah was also a writer for Joan Rivers on the E! TV showFashion Police. She also Co-wrote the AVN Awards for Showtime.
As a stand-up comic, Rebekah is a power house. She performs all over the globe 40 weeks a year to sold out crowds and makesfrequent stops to perform for the US troops. She is the star and host of the stand-up comedy DVD The Gay List. She has been compared to being Sara Silverman, Dave Attell and Lucille Ball wrapped into one.
She recently joined the ranks of comedians Bill Hicks, Lisa Lampanelli, Dave Attell, Jim Norton and Robert Schimmel as the host the A.V.N. Awards on Showtime. The show was seen by over 40 million people and is available on Showtime on demand.
She owns Golden Artists Entertainment a company that produces films and TV shows, books huge comedians and has a management departsment with over 70 actors and Celebs.
Rebekah now hosts TOTAL REK on YouTube with co-host, bestie and star of the film FIRST PERIOD, Brandon Alexander III. They interview guests in the tub. The war movie she produced and Co-stars in with Michael Madsen is now playing.
She also plays the trumpet, piano, tap dances, sings, does burlesque, is a choreographer and is a trained ballerina. If there is something she can’t do, she hasn’t found it yet. With her top notch talent and radiant good looks, Rebekah Kochan is destined to be one of the biggest stars of all time.