Need a Good Laugh This Christmas?

What’s so funny about Christmas? Go see comedian Juston McKinney and friends, back by popular demand for A Merry Funny New England Christmas at The Music Hall, and you’ll be rolling in the aisles. Comedy Central star McKinney—with music impresario Bob Lord, the effervescent band, The Gaudy Baubles, and special guest comedians—delivers a hilarious holiday extravaganza featuring down-home Yankee sensibility colliding head on with a glittery showbiz Xmas!

“Juston McKinney is one of the most talented young comedians on the national scene today,” says The Music Hall’s Thérèse LaGamma, Deputy Programming Director/Curator. “We’re thrilled to welcome him back to his hometown of Portsmouth for two performances of A Merry Funny New England Christmas at The Music Hall, on Thursday December 8 and Friday, December 9.”

At least half of the show will be completely new material this season, says McKinney. “But,” he notes, “some fan favorites, like "Greyhound Bus to Portsmouth" and "Can You Keep A Secret Santa...I Re-gifted," we have to do again!”

Under the musical direction of producer, composer and front man Bob Lord, the Gaudy Baubles is a rocking holiday quintet with a stunning vocalist that will treat the audience to everything from the Kink’s Father Christmas to I’ll be Home for Christmas. The musical spoofs promise to be a highlight of the show. Joining Juston and Bob and the band will be top comics Bernadette Pauley, Al DuCharme, Tom Cotter, and Kerri Louise.

Seacoast native Juston McKinney grew up in Portsmouth, New Hampshire and Kittery, Maine. He moved to New York in 1997 to launch his comedy career. After performing at the city’s top comedy clubs, including Caroline’s on Broadway and the Gotham Comedy Club, he moved to Los Angeles in 2001 and became a regular performer at the Improv.

In 2002, he made his first appearance on The Tonight Show, returning in 2004. In 2007 he was chosen to become part of the Blue Collar Comedy Tour-Next Generation hosted by Bill Engvall. The show was recorded at the Las Vegas Comedy Festival, aired on TBS, and was released by Warner Brothers on DVD/CD.

Juston has appeared in numerous shows on Comedy Central, including a half-hour special Juston McKinney Presents. In 2010, he appeared on The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien and premiered his one-hour Comedy Central special, A Middle-Class Hole, which was released by Warner Brothers on DVD/CD. Currently, he is writing and developing a pilot about a volunteer fire department in the fictitious town of Effingwoods, New Hampshire.

Submitted by Kathleen Soldati, director of marketing, The Music Hall