Lily Tomlin, Amy Schumer & Original SNL Cast Members to Headline National Comedy Center Grand Opening

The National Comedy Center will celebrate its grand opening with appearances by Amy Schumer, Lily Tomlin, SATURDAY NIGHT LIVEoriginal cast alumni including Dan Aykroyd and more, coinciding with the annual Lucille Ball Comedy Festival, August 1st -5th in Jamestown, New York.

Featuring more than 50 immersive and interactive exhibits designed by leading museum design firms in the world, the 37,000 square foot National Comedy Center visitor experience tells the story of comedy from its origins through the present and is the first non-profit cultural institution and national-scale attraction dedicated to the art of comedy.

The opening celebration will feature more than 50 events and 40 artists that include the innovators, creators, and legends of comedy. Tickets will go on pre-sale to Members on Friday, April 27th at Noon, and on sale to the public on Friday, May 4th at Noon at www.NationalComedyCenter.org

Emmy Award-Winning Comedian Amy Schumer will perform Friday, August 3rd with her show"Amy Schumer and Friends" at the Northwest Arena, while comedy legend Lily Tomlin brings "An Evening of Classic Lily Tomlin" center stage at Reg Lenna Center for the Arts on August 4th.

"Each of these artists has played a significant role in shaping and redefining comedy as we know it today. From sketch to stand-up to TV to film, the landscape has been forever changed due to the creativity and, frankly, bravery, of Lily Tomlin and Amy Schumer. Dan Aykroyd, Laraine Newman, Garrett Morris and Alan Zweibel challenged the nation's sensibilities about comedy in what they brought to air in 1975, introducing what became one of the very few cultural phenomena to endure more than four decades," said National Comedy Center Executive Director Journey Gunderson.

On August 2nd, SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE cast members Dan Aykroyd, Laraine Newman and Garrett Morris, along with original writer, Alan Zweibel, will come together at the Reg Lenna Center for the Arts to share stories and laughs in a conversation about the show's early years.

"Offering four brilliant minds from the show that broke the late night television mold is not only a glimpse into the creation of SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE but also a sampling of the National Comedy Center's core mission to share the story of comedy," notes Malachi Livermore, Director of Operations and Programming for the National Comedy Center.

Continuing an annual series of National Comedy Center dialogues, Violet Ramis Stiel will offer a stage conversation about her new book, "Ghostbuster's Daughter: Life with My Dad, Harold Ramis."<

Festival partner Cozi TV will present a very special "Conversation with Fran Drescher" as part of the opening week events. The Nanny star will share insights on her storied life and career influences, including Lucille Ball, on August 3rd.

Additional programming includes five comedy showcases featuring comedians with credits including appearances on Colbert, Conan, and Last Comic Standing. The weekend will also feature National Comedy Center dialogues, exhibit unveilings, block parties, free kids' comedy shows featuring the critically-acclaimed Story Pirates and tribute events honoring the influential careers of the "First Couple of Comedy", Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz. Additional events will be added to THE LINEUP in the coming months.

NATIONAL COMEDY CENTER

The National Comedy Center embodies Lucille Ball's vision for her hometown of Jamestown, New York to become a destination for the celebration of comedy in a way that educates, fosters and inspires. Design has been led by the most prominent cultural and interactive design firms in the world whose portfolios collectively include the award-winning 9/11 Memorial Museum, The National UNDERGROUND RAILROAD Freedom Center, The COLLEGE FOOTBALL Hall of Fame, and SNL: The Experience. The $50 million endeavor was made possible by state, federal and private philanthropic support including partnership with I LOVE NEW YORK™, Governor Andrew Cuomo and New York State's EMPIRE State Development.

In a special press briefing at the site on Friday, March 30, United States Senator Charles Schumer announced his push for a congressional designation for the Center. The new designation would officially make the National Comedy Center the nation's cultural institution dedicated to the art of comedy, recognizing it as the only institution of its kind with the mission of preserving, protecting, and showcasing the art of comedy and its role in our culture.

The National Comedy Center also operates the Lucille Ball Desi Arnaz Museum, and for the last 25 years has produced the Lucille Ball Comedy Festival with performers including Jerry Seinfeld, Jay Leno, Lewis Black, Trevor Noah, Joan Rivers, Ellen DeGeneres, Paula Poundstone, Nick Offerman, Ray Romano, Bob Newhart, The Smothers Brothers and more than 100 other comedic artists.

Located in Jamestown, a city in Chautauqua County and Western New York, the National Comedy Center is in the region of Buffalo, Niagara Falls, Cleveland, Pittsburgh and Toronto.

Photo Credit: National Comedy Center