The Buzz: First year for “Pet-a-Llama Comedy Fest,” second year for Spoke Word fest

Pet-a-Llama Comedy Festival announced for this August: Petaluma already has its own film festival, beer festival, art and garden festival, spoken word festival (keep reading), and even its own festival dedicated to a popular ’70s movie about the 1960s. Now, thanks to Dominic Del Bene and his Petaluma-based record label and production company Blonde Medicine, our little town will be getting a big new comedy festival. Dubbed the Pet-a-Llama Comedy Festival, the event will take place this August 16-18, with shows at the Mystic Theatre and The Big Easy.

The initial line-up of acts - which will be added to as the event grows closer - features a variety of stand-up, sketch comedy, improvisational theater, live podcast recordings and more. Highlights include comedian Brian Posehn (“The Big Bang Theory,” “The Sarah Silverman Show”), The Comedians’ Cinema Club (an L.A.-based group that reenacts popular movies on the spot), The Sklar Brothers (Netflix’s “What Are We Talking About?”), Buddy Cole (from Kids in the Hall), Todd Glass and the Todd Glass Band, and a whole more.

All shows will be separately ticketed, and will take place concurrently at both venues at 6 p.m., 8 p.m., and 10 p.m. To see the full lineup and get information on each of the acts, a website has been set up at Petallama.com. Tickets are now on sale.

“Second Inaugural” Wine Country Spoken Word Festival announces its line-up: In the same vein, Dave Pokorny Presents has announced the roster of storytelling performers who will be attending this year’s Wine Country Spoken Word Fest, taking place Friday-Sunday, Oct. 19-21 at the Mystic Theatre and other locations in downtown Petaluma.

Headliners this year include sociopolitical comedian W. Kamau Bell, Appalachian storyteller Elizabeth Ellis, poet-performer Denice Frohman, award-winning solo performer Zahra Noorbakhsh, and returning from last year, storyteller Bil Lepp and poet-actor Steve Connell. The full line-up can be found at DavePokornyPresents.com.

Cinnabar Theater raises curtain on upcoming season: And since we’re revealing the upcoming lineups of local festivals, perhaps we should clue local theatergoers in on what Cinnabar Theater has planned for its 2018/2019 season.

It all begins with the beloved Kander, Ebb & Masteroff musical ‘Cabaret,’ running Aug. 31-Sept. 16. Next up is the drama ‘The Great God Pan,’ by Amy Herzog, Oct. 12-Oct. 28, followed by ‘Love, Linda: The Life of Mrs. Cole Porter,’ a musical by Stevie Holland, with songs by Cole Porter, Dec. 14- Jan. 6. After the New Year, actor John Shillington will tackle the one-man fantasy-drama ‘Underneath the Lintel,’ by Glen Berger, running Feb. 1-Feb. 17, 2019. After that, Terrence McNally’s hilariously weird comedy-drama ‘A Perfect Ganesh,’ March 29-April 14, 2019. Closing out the season will be Gioachino Rossini’s timeless opera ‘The Barber of Seville,’ June 7-June 23. Tickets are now on sale at CinnabarTheater.com.

(Have a BUZZ item to suggest? Drop a line to Community Editor David Templeton at david.templeton@arguscourier.com)