Author Shawn Levy to discuss women in comedy April 7

The Lewes Public Library, Delaware Comedy Theatre and Browseabout Books will welcome bestselling author Shawn Levy for a live, online discussion of his new book “In On the Joke: The Original Queens of Stand-Up Comedy” at 5 p.m., Thursday, April 7, via Zoom.

“In On the Joke” is the story of a group of unforgettable women who knocked down the doors of stand-up comedy so other women could get their shot. It spans several decades, from Moms Mabley’s rise in Black vaudeville between the world wars, to the roadhouse ribaldry of Belle Barth and Rusty Warren in the 1950s and ’60s, to Elaine May’s co-invention of improv comedy, to Joan Rivers’ and Phyllis Diller’s ferocious ascent to mainstream stardom. In this hilarious and moving account, Levy shows how the trailblazing women of stand-up comedy broke into the boys’ club, offered new ideas of womanhood, and had some laughs along the way.

Levy will be joined in conversation by Amy Warick, co-founder of Delaware Comedy Theatre. Registration for the Zoom-based program is required at tinyurl.com/zoomwithauthors or the library website, lewes.lib.de.us.

Shawn Levy is the bestselling author of “The Castle on Sunset,” “Rat Pack Confidential,” “Paul Newman: A Life,” and “Dolce Vita Confidential.” His writing has appeared in The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, The Guardian, The Hollywood Reporter, Sight & Sound, Film Comment, and American Film.

Delaware Comedy Theatre, formed in spring 2005, is a nonprofit theatre company bringing professional comedy improvisation training and performance to the Lewes, Rehoboth and Dewey Beach areas.

Participants are encouraged to support the authors by purchasing a copy of the book from local independent bookstore Browseabout Books. Each copy will be signed. Orders may be placed online at browseaboutbooks.com, by calling the store at 302-226-2665, or in person at 133 Rehoboth Ave., Rehoboth Beach.