Judy Gold & Christine O'Leary Play The Ridgefield Playhouse

On Friday, November 4th at 8 p.m., Christine O'Leary will open for Emmy Award-winning actress and comedian Judy Gold, the star of two Off-Broadway shows.

"I feel honored and privileged to consider The Ridgefield Playhouse my home base," says O'Leary, now in her fourth year with The Playhouse. "It's not just that it's a nice place," she explains, "It's who comes here. It's a different audience; they're smarter and ready. The Ridgefield Playhouse draws an audience that rewards strong, clean, sassy, progressive ideas. Stand-Up comedy has a home here, and I am so grateful to be a part of that reputation."

O'Leary will open for Emmy Award-winning actress and comedian Judy Gold, well-known for her work as a writer and producer on "The Rosie O'Donnell Show" and as the star of two Off-Broadway shows.

Gold's most recent show, "The Judy Show - My Life as A Sitcom" ran to sold-out audiences. Gold was nominated for the 2012 Outer Critics Circle Award for "The Judy Show," as well as a 2006 Drama Desk Award nomination for Outstanding Solo Performance for her previous show, 25 Questions for a Jewish Mother. In addition, the show won the 2007 GLAAD award for "Outstanding New York Theater." The New York Times called her�one-woman show "fiercely funny, honest and moving."

"I've admired Judy's work for a long time," says O'Leary. "She is a legend to me. It's a huge deal to be chosen by her to host her show and to share a stage with her and Liz Barrett and Karen Bergreen. I'm excited for my community and everyone who loves Stand Up to see this show."�

Performing with Gold that night are two other hysterical comics. Liz Barrett's one-liners come fast and furious and she is often called a female Steven Wright and a thinking man's Roseanne. Karen Bergreen is a nationally recognized stand-up comic, making appearances in both seasons of�"The Jim Gaffigan Show." She has�appeared on�"The View,"�Comedy�Central and has been invited twice to perform at HBO's U.S. Comedy Arts Festival in Aspen Colorado and�The�Great�American Comedy Festival. �

One of O'Leary's first gigs in Ridgefield was when Adam Broderick hired her to perform at his staff holiday party. To get material, she went undercover at both of his salons, posing as a new employee who was sent to "shadow the staff to gain experience." Weeks later, she shocked everyone when she took center stage at their holiday party, grabbed the microphone, and began a litany of dead-on impressions and inside jokes that made everyone howl with laughter.

Although she teased Adam mercilessly, he was so impressed with her talent that he recommended her to perform at The Ridgefield Playhouse, where she was quickly booked to open for veteran comedian Gilbert Gottfried.

"The first time I performed at The Ridgefield Playhouse I was hooked" says Christine. She went on to open at The Playhouse for some of the biggest names in comedy today, including Joy Beyhar, Chevy Chase, Sinbad, Tracy Morgan, and Janeane Garafolo.

In addition to performing at The Playhouse and serving as emcee and host at various private and nonprofit events, O'Leary also teaches a very popular Stand-Up comedy class. With sixteen sold-out classes under her belt, O'Leary has had students from all walks of life, including doctors, writers, puppeteers, stay-at-home moms, attorneys -- and people going through divorce, chemo, and hip replacements. She even had a couple of empty nesters who dropped their last child off at college and enrolled in the class together. She and her students will perform in their "Graduation Show" on Wednesday, November 9 at 7 p.m.

Tickets are $15 for Comedy Workshop Graduation Show, $35 for Judy Gold at The Ridgefield Playhouse, 80 East Ridge, Ridgefield, CT.