Lewis Black takes final stand-up comedy tour to F.M. Kirby Center in Wilkes-Barre on March 9
From a press release:
Today, two-time Grammy Award-winning comedian Lewis Black announced Goodbye Yeller Brick Road: The Final Tour with shows throughout North America and Europe, including his return to the F.M. Kirby Center in Wilkes-Barre on Saturday, March 9, 2024.
After 35+ years as a touring stand-up comedian, Black is parking his tour bus for good next year, marking the end of his legendary world touring career. The 75-year-old New York City resident will write the next chapter of his career by going back to his roots and focusing on writing a new play, penning a new book, and expanding his podcast to include live recordings. He will also return as the voice of “Anger” in the upcoming Pixar film sequel “Inside Out 2.”
“For a while now, I have been letting folks know that I am going to retire from touring. No one believed me. ‘Why would you retire from touring?,’ they asked. This is after years of being asked why I was touring: ‘It must be exhausting.’ So today I am announcing that I am retiring from touring,” he said.
“It is a life that has given me great joy and opened a world of possibilities for me. I thought the road would go on forever; well, I was wrong about that. And the fact is as hard as the road maybe to be on, it’s harder to leave it. I am only retiring from touring. It’s time for me to explore other avenues such as writing, reading your rants, and pitching TV shows that will be rejected. (Which is why I know they are good.) More importantly, I can finally give my fantasy football team the focus and time it truly needs. And maybe, just maybe, I can become the professional golfer I was born to be.”
Doors at the Kirby Center (71 Public Square, Wilkes-Barre) open at 6 p.m., and the show starts at 7:30 p.m.
Tickets, which are $49, $59, $69, and $99, plus applicable fees, go on sale this Friday, Nov. 17 at 10 a.m. at the Kirby Center box office, online at kirbycenter.org and ticketmaster.com, and by phone at 570-826-1100. A Kirby Member pre-sale begins on Wednesday, Nov. 15 at 10 a.m.
There is also a $29 student ticket offer, with a limited number available through the box office with a valid student ID while supplies last.
Lewis Black uses his trademark style of comedic yelling and finger pointing to expose the absurdities of life. His comedic brilliance makes people laugh at life’s hypocrisies and the insanity he sees in the world. He has performed throughout the world and the United States, including Carnegie Hall and two successful Broadway runs.
His latest stand up special, “Tragically, I Need You,” released earlier this year and has already surpassed 1.3 million views on YouTube. The brand new special explores his ways of coping with the pandemic, his frustrations with the evolving world and, of course, his thoughts about the chaos of America these last few years.
Black is the longest-running contributor on Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show,” and his stand-up specials have appeared on HBO, Comedy Central, Showtime, and Epix.
Adding a unique element to podcasting, he delivers audience-written rants which have been submitted from fans around the world on his podcast, aptly named “Rantcast.”
In 2015, he voiced the character “Anger” in Pixar’s Academy Award-winning film “Inside Out.” He can be seen reprising his role in the sequel, which just released its trailer. His other notable films include Universal’s “Accepted” co-starring Blake Lively and Justin Long; “Man of the Year” opposite Robin Williams, Christopher Walken, Laura Linney, and Jeff Goldblum; and the Paul Feig-directed Christmas comedy “Unaccompanied Minors.”
In 2020, the comedian released his 14th stand-up special, “Thanks for Risking Your Life.” He has eight critically acclaimed comedy albums, including the 2007 Grammy-winner “The Carnegie Hall Performance.” He won his second Grammy in 2011 for his album “Stark Raving Black” and has a total of six Grammys nominations. He has also published three bestsellers: “Nothing’s Sacred” (Simon & Schuster, 2005), “Me of Little Faith” (Riverhead Books, 2008), and “I’m Dreaming of a Black Christmas” (Riverhead Books, 2010).
A published playwright, he has written over 40 plays and has found his work performed throughout the country, including at the A.C.T. Theatre, the Magic Theatre, the Williamstown Theatre Festival, and The Public Theatre.
In addition to his professional pursuits, Black is dedicated to a number of charitable organizations and entities, such as the Luv U Project, The 52nd Street Project, The Kurt Vonnegut Museum and Library, and the National Comedy Center. He is also deeply committed to supporting U.S. troops. A seasoned USO tour veteran, he has performed for the troops on three Christmas tours in Iraq and Afghanistan.
He is currently on his coast-to-coast Off the Rails Tour, which wraps up on Nov. 18.
The F.M. Kirby Center is a historic Art Deco/Moderne-style performing arts center located in downtown Wilkes-Barre. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980.
