Please note: This performance contains adult themes and strong language. Audience discretion is advised.
This summer, NYLaughs is popping up all over NYC—taking stand-up where it rarely dares to tread: parks, rooftops and all the public spaces where New Yorkers pretend they’re not laughing. For over a decade, with the help of public support, NYLaughs has brought joy for free to the people while uplifting stand-up as a civic art form and a uniquely powerful NYC cultural asset—with appearances from comedy’s brightest like Hannibal Buress, Michael Che, Roy Wood Jr., and more along the way.
Now? We’re beyond thrilled to land at Lincoln Center with three unforgettable shows that celebrate the power, punch, and poetry of women’s voices—plus one sizzling night of Brazilian and South American brilliance. We kick it all off with our Juneteenth celebration, honoring not only freedom and Black joy, but also the 50th anniversary of Saturday Night Live and one incredible woman who helped shape that legendary comedy institution. Headlining the night is SNL alum Sam Jay, joined by the hilarious Marina Franklin, Eva Evans, Grace Johnson and Meka Mo.
Lincoln’s about to get loud. Come laugh like you mean it. Line-ups are subject to change.
General Admission. Limited advance tickets are free. Seating is first-come, first-served.
Lincoln Center’s FastTrack Ticket link can be found here:
https://www.lincolncenter.org/series/summer-for-the-city/nylaughs-613
Lineup
Sam Jay Headliner
Sam Jay is a stand-up comedian, actor, and two-time Emmy-nominated writer known for her bold, unfiltered comedy that explores race, gender, and identity. A former Saturday Night Live writer, she created and starred in HBO’s PAUSE with Sam Jay and has released two acclaimed stand-up specials: 3 in the Morning and Salute Me or Shoot Me. Sam also co-created and stars in Peacock’s Bust Down and appears in the Netflix film You People alongside Eddie Murphy and Jonah Hill. Named one of Variety’s 10 Comics to Watch, Sam continues to push boundaries with sharp wit and fearless honesty
Meka Mo Host
Queens native Meka Mo is a NYC comedy regular, producing Purple Park Comedy at Q.E.D. and Queens² Mic at The Tiny Cupboard—both platforms spotlighting BIPOC, AAPI, and LGBTQIA voices. She’s the 2021 U.S. Comedy Contest winner, a Ladies of Laughter finalist, and has hit stages from Coney Island to Oakland. You can also catch her co-hosting the emotional wellness comedy podcast We’re Done Here.
Eva Evans
Hailing from Brooklyn and Jamaica, Eva Evans has been described as “the true definition of a hustler.” Though many recognize her as a viral sensation from her clip on Don’tTell comedy, she has been doing comedy for years. She’s been featured on Sway in the Morning at Caroline’s and The Wendy Williams Show, BET, and at the request of Senator Jessie Williams performed at the 2018 Women’s Empowerment Awards. Eva has performed in the Netflix is a Joke Festival, Laughing Skull Festival, Harlem Comedy Festival, and Manhattan Comedy Festival; and was the only female comedian to regularly perform in front of detainees at Riker’s Island.
Marina Franklin
Marina Franklin is a powerhouse comedian, actor, and writer known for her sharp wit and standout performances on HBO, Hulu, Comedy Central, and more. A festival favorite and host of the acclaimed podcast Friends Like Us, she brings humor, heart, and unapologetic realness to every stage and screen.
Her critically acclaimed podcast, Friends Like Us, brings together women of color — and the occasional brave man — to unpack current events with humor, heart, and honesty.
Grace Johnson
Grace Johnson is a Nigerian New Yorker and a rising star in comedy, recently named one of the New York Comedy Festival’s 2023 “Comics to Watch” and a finalist in New York’s Funniest 2024. With a comedy special on Don’t Tell Comedy and a finalist spot at the Big Sky Comedy Festival, Grace is making audiences laugh coast to coast. In 2023, she was crowned the Bell House Newcomer, and her sharp, delightfully nerdy perspective—what she calls “Glasses Comedy”—invites you to see the world through her witty, unapologetic lens.
