A native of Lee, Massachusetts, Kevin Bartini has established himself as one of the most sought-after “audience warm-up” comics in television, appearing before audiences at The Daily Show, The Colbert Report, The Match Game and others. He has worked in the top comedy clubs of NYC and has appeared in off-Broadway productions. This weekend, he’ll be coming back to his old high school to launch the Berkshire Mountain Comedy Arts Festival along with his childhood friend, lawyer David Rice, bringing with him faces you’ll probably recognize from the worlds of comedy and TV. “As opposed to spending the next 20 years in airports and places I don’t care about, I can do something that actually gives back to community,” Bartini says. The Berkshire Mountain Comedy Arts Festival’s inaugural event will be held at Lee High School on Saturday, Nov. 6 at 7:30 p.m.

In some way I never left the Berkshires. I chose to move to New York City to be a comedian because it’s the greatest city in the world to do that, but it’s just two-and-a-half hours away from home. I never considered going to LA. The idea of coming back and doing a comedy festival gelled during the pandemic. There were no audiences to warm up, so it gave me time to take a much-needed step back and reassess. I’m in the mid-point of my career. I thought about what’s worked and what hasn’t, what I do and don’t want to do once the world opens back up.

I came to an understanding and appreciation of the fact that while I may have further to go in standup, I have probably hit the peak of what that industry can provide for me. I don’t want to be 60 and having to fly somewhere at my own expense to rake in $1,000 for the weekend.

But what do I have? I have this connection to the Berkshires. I’ve played the theaters and know the people — I’m on the advisory board of Shakespeare and Company and understand what happens to these theaters off season, sitting empty and making no money. I’m a position of having many talented, funny, and famous friends looking for cool places to perform. I can facilitate that.

Part of the mission of the Berkshire Comedy Arts Festival is to make every show a fundraiser. A space that would otherwise be closed can make some money. We could partner with a nonprofit organization and support that group. I never planned on being an activist, but over the last 8 to 10 years I began doing public advocacy kind of comedy. I found myself wanting to support a cause or candidate and was setting up comedy night fundraisers.

I had reconnected with David Rice, a childhood friend from Lee and now a lawyer. He provides the skills for the business and legal side of the Comedy Arts Festival. Our original date for the first show was August 2020, around the time the General Electric/PCB Dump issue was heating up. I wanted to help the Stop the Dump (#NoPcb413) group support the fight against General Electric’s toxic waste dump in Lee. It’s been frustrating watching people fight the good fight with very little money. The money raised at the show will go to help raise awareness of the cause.

I’m cashing in every favor to make this festival work. The lineup for the first show is fantastic. Two of the comedians have local connections. All four of them have appeared on TV in standup or as writers/actors on TV shows.

Covid complicates everything, but we plan to have some shows before we really get started with a slate of events in the spring. It won’t always be standup. There may be conversations with actors and writers with ties to the Berkshires, live tapings of popular podcasts, sketch and improve performances, a variety of shows. We hope to partner with local bars, clubs, restaurants, and other venues. Every show will be dedicated to benefiting a specific cause, group, charity or organization in the Berkshires.

There seems to be a lack of live comedy in the area. We aim to create shows and experiences that are unique. David and I are doing this because we both love the Berkshires and want to give back.

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The Rural We