Stand-up comedy had always been a male domain. Only a tiny handful of women have broken out of the brutal world of comedy clubs to become household names. After decades of fighting for a place in the spotlight, things have finally shifted. Hysterical, a feature documentary from director Andrea Nevins (Tiny Shoulders: Rethinking Barbie), journeys backstage and on the road with veteran comedians, rising stars and novices to discover how an intrepid group of boundary-breaking females are changing the game and exploring what it takes to become the voices of their generation and their gender. Hysterical takes an intimate look behind the velvet curtains and beer-soaked clubs of the comedy scene into the lives of the women shattering comedy's glass ceiling with raucous laughter and perfectly timed punch lines. From newcomers to super stars, the funniest women in comedy drop the mic with their heartfelt struggles, personal stories and hilariously bold opinions.
Andrea Blaugrund Nevins is a Academy Award-nominated, Emmy award-winning director, producer and writer. Her keen interest in lives in transition led her to chronicle retired dancers given a late-in-life chance to perform. Still Kicking, her first independent documentary, earned her the Academy Award nomination. Her first feature length documentary, The Other F Word, about anti-authoritarian punk rockers donning the cloak of paternal authority, premiered at SXSW, was distributed by Oscilloscope and broadcast on Showtime. In examining the huge transitions NFL football players make from super stardom to relative invisibility, she directed the 2014 season-opener for Peter Berg’s HBO series, “State of Play.” Entitled Happiness, it follows three players looking for fulfillment in second chapters. Her feature Play It Forward grew out of this work. It follows two brothers at mid-life as their dreams and sacrifices for NFL glory collide. This film was selected to open 2015’s ESPN/Tribeca Film Festival, and was bought by Showtime. It was also selected for inclusion in the 2016 American Film Showcase. Tiny Shoulders: Rethinking Barbie, a Hulu Original Documentary, premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival, Hot Docs, and on Hulu in April 2018.
