Theater News

No Child, TastiSkank, Westfeldt, et al. Win Comedy Arts Festival Prizes

Nilaja Sun
(© Carol Rosegg)
Nilaja Sun
(© Carol Rosegg)

Nilaja Sun’s critically acclaimed solo show No Child and the duo TastiSkank, featuring Broadway stars Kate Reinders and Sarah Litzsinger, were among the winners of Jury Prizes at the 13th Annual U.S. Comedy Festival in Aspen, Colorado this weekend.

No Child, directed by Hal Brooks, first opened last May at the Beckett Theater before transferring last summer to its current home, the Barrow Street Theatre. The show is based on Sun’s own experience as a “teaching artist” in the New York City school system, whose job is to introduce her students to the play Our Country’s Good. In it, she portrays an amazing array of characters, including an elderly school custodian, an overwhelmed Asian-American teacher, a beleaguered Latina mother, and an entire classroom of Bronx 10th graders who are considered the worst kids in the entire system.

Jennifer Westfeldt, who played the role of Eileen in the Broadway revival of Wonderful Town, was named Best Actress for her role in the romantic comedy Ira & Abby, which was named Best Feature.

Other winners included comedians Shane Mauss, Kirk Fox, Tim Minchin, and John Oliver, actor Jay Baruchel, comedy troupe Summer of Tears, and film director Tom DeCillo. Television personality Stephen Colbert was named Person of the Year.