SF Sketchfest 2026 lineup includes Kids in the Hall, Futurama.

2 hours ago7 min read

The curtain is set to rise on SF Sketchfest 2026, a veritable marathon of comedy and performance art that will command stages across San Francisco from January 15th through February 1st, and the initial lineup announcement feels less like a simple schedule and more like a standing ovation for the very soul of live, collaborative comedy. The triumphant return of Kids in the Hall is the headliner that sends a palpable charge through the city’s cultural air, a reunion that echoes with the legacy of their groundbreaking, character-driven sketches which, much like a long-running Broadway hit, have proven timeless, their absurdist bite and fearless physicality inspiring generations of performers who saw in them the permission to be strange, brilliant, and utterly singular.They are not merely performing; they are taking their rightful place in the comedy hall of fame, a living testament to the enduring power of a tight-knit ensemble. Then there’s the parallel universe of Futurama, a show that, in its own animated, sci-fi splendor, operates on the same principle of a perfectly balanced cast delivering whip-smart, emotionally resonant writing—the announcement of their presence suggests a live read, an event where the voices behind Fry, Leela, and Bender will breathe three-dimensional life into the script, transforming words on a page into a theatrical event that blurs the line between animation and live performance, much like a stunning stage adaptation of a beloved novel.This festival, now a cornerstone of the city's winter calendar, operates with the precision and ambition of a well-rehearsed production; it transforms the entire city into a dynamic, multi-venue theater, where an audience member might move from the hallowed halls of a historic playhouse catching a legendary improv troupe to an intimate black-box theatre discovering the next great stand-up voice, creating a rhythm and flow that is uniquely San Franciscan. The sprawling, 'amazing' nature of the lineup, as teased, is its core strength—it’s a repertory company on a civic scale, offering everything from the sharp, political satire that functions as our modern-day morality plays to the whimsical, one-person shows that are the equivalent of powerful monologues.This isn't just a series of shows; it's an ecosystem, a breeding ground for the next act that will someday headline, a place where the alchemy between performer and audience in a live setting is the entire point, a reminder that in an age of digital streaming, the most electric, unpredictable, and human moments still happen under the lights, with the sound of a collective laugh ringing in the air. SF Sketchfest is, ultimately, a celebration of the script and the spontaneity, the veteran and the rookie, all sharing the same stage, and the 2026 edition, with its powerhouse opening acts, promises to be one of its most memorable runs yet, a festival that understands comedy, at its best, is great theater.

#SF Sketchfest

#comedy festival

#lineup

#Kids in the Hall

#Futurama

#Nickelodeon

#Doug

#The Women of SNL

#featured

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