Novato Theater Company
Comedy Festival May 2025
NTC proudly presents the next in our wildly popular series of Comedy Festivals.
The best of the Bay Area stand-up talent right here on our stage.
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Friday May 2, 2025, 8:00pm
Saturday May 3, 2025, 8:00pm
Novato Theater Company, 5420 Nave Dr #C, Novato, CA 94949
$25 per night!
$40 for both nights!
Tickets at the door, or on-line in advance below
Organized and MC'd by John Griffin
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Friday, May 2, 8:00pm
JD Arandia
Tony Zavala
Sophia Garrow
Cody Smit
Steve Ausburne
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Saturday, May 3, 8:00pm
Josh Argyle
Martin Marrufo
Corde Snell
Austin Carr
Emily Van Dyke
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WINE AND BEER WILL BE AVAILABLE!
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Line-up subject to change. Photos and Bios in no particular order.​
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JD Arandia
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JD Arandía is a podcast host and stand-up comedian. JD is Bay Area born and raised. He grew up on a steady diet of Cantiflas, Chespirito, Jim Carrey and The Simpsons and from the first time he made someone laugh he was hooked. He enjoys the art of comedy because it brings light to all aspects of the human experience. He has performed all over the state, opened for Sammy Obeid, Felipe Esparza and Tom Rhodes.
Tony Zavala
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Tony Zavala is San Francisco-based stand up comedian. Originally from Los Angeles, he has made Northern California his home, where he produces shows with Bear City SF, Second Floor Stand Up, and Don’t Tell Comedy. His style is smart and personal, touching on handling relationships, his upbringing in a same-sex parent household, and navel gazing his way through life. He is a regular at The Punch Line and Cobb’s comedy clubs in San Francisco, and other clubs throughout the Bay Area. He has appeared at the Oakland, Santa Cruz, and Savage Henry comedy festivals, and opened for many comics including Dana Gould, Dulcé Sloan, Laurie Kilmartin, Jesus Trejo, and Steve Rannazzisi. Tony has black hair and brown eyes.
Blood type: A+, Allergies: None
Sophia Garrow
Since moving to San Francisco in 2022, Sophia has been featured in SF Sketchfest, Limestone Comedy Festival, Vail Comedy Festival, Cheaper Than Therapy, the Palace of Fine Arts, the SF Standard and many more. Her comedy has been described as “are you sure you want to tell strangers about that?” by her mom and “but you’re still an accountant, right?” by her dad. With a mix of personal anecdotes, a dash of self deprecation, and an eerie similarity to Rosie the Riveter, Sophia will make you feel like you’ve been best friends all along..
Cody Smit
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Before doing stand-up comedy, Santa Rosa native Cody Smit started out as a rapper under the stage name, C-Smitty. After realizing he was tone-deaf and possessed no rhythm, he gave up on his dreams of becoming a white rapper and took to stand-up comedy. His first gig was at a slam poetry open mic and consisted of him jotting down jokes about an ex-girlfriend on a bar napkin. His would-be set quickly escalated into a dreary tirade about her infidelity. Before he knew it, Smit was producing and hosting comedy shows throughout Sonoma County. At 22 years old, Smit learned the art of what it truly means to “bomb” on stage in the preliminary rounds of the San Francisco Comedy Competition. Now he does so with class and dignity.
Steve Ausburne
Steve Ausburne is a Northern California based comedian but started his comedy career by getting a lifetime ban from a church Grant’s Pass Oregon. Buoyed by that taste of success, he has since embraced the stage as a place to present a spoken word memoir of all the embarrassing life moments that lurk in a place that only stand up or therapy sessions can reveal. Steve is a regular at the San Francisco Punch Line and Cobb’s Comedy Club as well as a cohost of multiple mildly popular podcasts. He is also allergic to cats.
Josh Argyle
Josh Argyle is equally at home telling jokes at comedy club as he is at a BBQ or barbershop. His quick wit and “everyman” relatability have helped him carve out a respected spot in the competitive Bay Area comedy scene. He is a paid regular at the Punch Line and Cobbs comedy clubs. Josh has opened for national touring comedians such as Kyle Kinane, Doug Stanhope, Pablo Francisco and Dave Attell. When he is not telling jokes, Josh can be found at his apartment losing at Mario Party to his Fiancé and pontificating about the ridiculousness of writing in the third person with their tiny dog.
Martin Marrufo
In 11 years of comedy, Martin Marrufo has delighted audiences by blending stories of his big-city upbringing with his many neuroses, creating an unforgettable experience for audiences all over. Martin has performed in comedy clubs all over the Bay Area, including Punch Line San Francisco, Cobb's Comedy Club, Rooster T. Feathers Comedy Club, and Tommy T's. He has also produced and hosted several comedy shows over his career. You'll be calling him Marty in no time.
Corde Snell
Corde Snell is a California based comic with roots in both the San Francisco Bay Area as well as the Central Coast and LA. After graduating from UC Santa Barbra, Corde decided to invest fully into comedy and has been performing all over California in clubs like The Comedy Store, Cobb's, Punchline, San Jose Improv and more and opened for names such as Moshe Kasher, Brent Ernst, James Davis and Eddie Griffin. Corde brings his unique brand of comedy stemming from his own life experiences and the absurdity that has surrounded them.
Austin Carr
Austin Carr is a young, up & coming comedian; he got his start working as a door guy at the famous Cobb’s Comedy Club in San Francisco & is now performing at Comedy Clubs, Theaters & Festivals across the country! Austin also produces a hit show called “Talking After Sets” as well as a show on a boat called “Comedy on the Bay” which had it’s first annual “Comedy on the Bay Festival” in 2021 & his debut album “Nice to Meet You” made it to #2 on iTunes Charts! Born and raised in Northern California, Austin has a sharp wit; his observational comedy showcases his unique take on the world, his life experiences and he’s a natural story teller. Through comedy Austin hopes to challenge his own beliefs, highlight some of the absurdities of the world, give his takes on a range of topics from his personal life to common experiences and global happenings, alter perspectives, bring people together, and most importantly make you laugh!
Emily Van Dyke
Originally from the Midwest, Emily Van Dyke loves best friend tattoos and telling inappropriate stories at baby showers. Emily is a local favorite in Northern California, she is a regular in SF Sketchfest and she just recorded her first album, "Feeling Myself.".