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Watch clips from 10 must-see comedians coming to Boston for winter 2025-26
Some big names and great new discoveries are on the comedy list for Greater Boston this winter.
What brightens up the bleak midwinter? Why, a good dose of comedy, of course. Here are 10 comics coming to Greater Boston stages this December-February who are worth your comedy dollar, along with some other hilarious shows of note.
Note: Tickets for some shows may only be available on the secondary market. Also, some of the below videos may feature naughty language, better use your headphones if you’re at work.
Jeff Arcuri at the Wilbur
You’ve seen him all over TV, and if you’re the type of person who’s prone to visiting subreddits, you have probably visited his. Regardless, people in Boston are clearly enamored with Jeff Arcuri: He’ll practically be living at the Wilbur for the first week of December, where you’ll be able to watch the Michigan native expertly work the crowd first-hand. (If you can snag a ticket.) Monday-Sunday, Dec. 1-7, various times, Wilbur Theatre, 246 Tremont St., Boston, $48-$115.
TJ at Lil Chuck Boston
Ever wonder what it’s like to move here from Haiti? Turns out it’s hilarious — at least if you’re listening to TJ’s version of it. The Haitian-born comedian is both edgy and hilarious when mapping out the challenges of the immigrant experience and race relations in general. And not just on stage: Under his longer name, Tanael Joachim, he’s also contributed to The New York Times as an op-ed writer. Thursday, Dec. 4, 8 p.m., Lil Chuck Boston, 74 Warrenton St., Boston, $33.99.
Stavros Halkias at the Wilbur
Dubbed the logical heir to the “Big Fat Party Animal” throne in a New York Times Magazine profile this past October, Stavros Halkias (you can call him Stavvy) first gained prominence as the co-host of a podcast whose name makes us uncomfortable and has since has built a stand-up following in leaps and bounds. Here’s your chance to help him achieve his goal to get “just famous enough to buy his mother a nice home and then quit show business to open a surf and turf restaurant in East Baltimore.” Friday-Saturday, Dec. 12-13, various times, Wilbur Theatre, 246 Tremont St., Boston, $61-$299
One Funny Lisa Marie at Laugh Boston
If you always wished you had a straight-talking Italian relative, have we got the woman for you. Millions have watched One Funny Lisa Marie on TikTok, where she tells it like it is about family, food, and family (and also food). And now you can watch her shooting the breeze live on stage, where she insists she just talks about whatever’s on her mind at that moment. (“I’m not a professional comedian,” she told New York Family. “I’ve become one because of social media. They said they were going to pay me, so I became one.”) Saturday, Dec. 13, 4 p.m., Laugh Boston, 425 Summer St., Boston, $42.52-$63.14.
@onefunnylisamarie #onthisday ♬ original sound – Lisa Marie Riley
John Oliver at MGM Music Hall
You may know him from his time as a correspondent on “The Daily Show” or, if you’re an HBO subscriber, from his weekly deep-dives on “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver,” which won the Emmy for Outstanding Talk Series every year from 2016-2022. Or you may know him as the guy who did the voice of Zazu in the 2019 live-action version of “The Lion King.” Regardless, he’ll help you close out the year when he brings his topical comedy and his exaggerated British accent (come on, is that for real?) to Lansdowne Street. Saturday-Sunday, Dec. 27-28, 8 p.m., MGM Music Hall at Fenway, 2 Lansdowne St., Boston, $121-$198.
Gabby Bryan at Off Cabot
Gabby Bryan’s current tour is called “Gabby Bryan is my Best Friend,” and you know what? We believe it! That’s just the effect that she has on people. Plus, she is a New Jersey native, and like most people from New Jersey, her father was a member of Bon Jovi. (OK, maybe it’s not that common, but it is true in her case.) She also co-wrote and starred in a play about Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino from MTV’s “Jersey Shore” and Billy McFarland of the Fyre Festival becoming friends when they were serving time in the same federal prison, which we find fascinating. Friday-Saturday, Jan. 9-10, various times, Off Cabot, 9 Wallis St., Beverly, $41.74.
James Acaster at Chevalier Theatre and the Wilbur
The quick-witted British panel show regular known for his hilarious storytelling and offbeat characters will be doing two shows in Greater Boston this January, where he is sure to display the comedic talents that led to him taking home five Chortle Awards (an actual thing). He’s also a bestselling author, was in “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire,” and loves hecklers (feel free to speak up while you’re there). Saturday, Jan. 24, 7 p.m., Chevalier Theatre, 30 Forest St., Medford; Sunday, Jan. 25, 7 p.m., Wilbur Theatre, 246 Tremont St., Boston; only resale tickets available
Katie Hannigan at the Comedy Studio
Katie Hannigan has some great comedy credits, including “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” Comedy Central, Just For Laughs New Faces, “The Late Late Show with James Cordon,” and MTV. But what we find really interesting is that she’s also appeared in commercials for Subway, Cheez-Its, Mabelline, and Home Depot, which sounds like a very eclectic mix. As to whether Cheez-Its will come up when she’s in Harvard Square, it’s probably worth the price of admission to find out. Saturday, Jan. 24, 7:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m., The Comedy Studio, 5 3/4 John F. Kennedy Street, Cambridge, $28.95- $33.95
Learnmore Jonasi at Laugh Boston
Like TJ, mentioned above, Learnmore Jonasi has a lot to say about coming to America from a place very not-like America — in his case, Zimbabwe. He’s also had a pretty big platform to say it on: He won over the judges on “America’s Got Talent,” eventually finding his way into the 19th season’s top five. Of course, he was no slouch in Africa, either: He was already the recipient of the prestigious Savanna Pan-African Comic Of The Year Award before moving to Pittsburgh. (And just the fact that he moved from Africa to Pittsburgh shows he has a sense of humor.) Friday-Saturday, Jan. 23-24, various times, Laugh Boston, 425 Summer St., Boston, $38.40
Judy Gold at Off Cabot
Judy Gold is the author of the book, “Yes, I Can Say That: When They Come for the Comedians, We Are All in Trouble,” and she has a point. (Just ask Stephen Colbert and, for a brief moment this past September, Jimmy Kimmel.) But while defending free speech is important, landing the joke is just as vital — and that’s something Judy Gold can do, in spades. (Just ask the critics who raved over her latest show, also called “Yes I Can Say That!,” which The New York Times — them again! — called “laugh-packed” and “deliberately uncomfortable.”) Friday-Saturday, Feb. 27-28, 6:30 p.m. and 9 p.m., Off Cabot, 9 Wallis St., Beverly, $41.74
Also of note:
- Comedy superstars making return trips to Boston this winter include George Lopez at the Wilbur (Jan. 31), Trevor Noah at the Chevalier (Feb. 1-3), and Tracy Morgan at the Wilbur (Feb. 21).
- If Christmas comedy is your thing, Matt Rogers will have you covered with his “Christmas in December” show at the Wilbur (Dec. 15).
- Two very different comedic options for New Year’s Eve: Middle-aged goofball Brian Regan will be at The Cabot, and Gen Z smarm-master Matt Rife takes to the stage at TD Garden.
- For something completely different, consider “Sh*t Faced Shakespeare” at The Rockwell in Somerville (various dates), or a screening of “The Princess Bride” complete with one of its stars when “An Inconceivable Evening with Cary Elwes” comes to the Wilbur (Feb. 20 and 22).
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