A Spanish-language comedy show is coming to Ellenville this weekend, bringing a new voice—and a new audience—into the Catskills’ historic comedy scene.
The Borscht Belt Comedy Club will host Venezuelan comedian Laura Bolivar on Saturday, April 18 at 8 p.m. at Shadowland Stages Studio on Market Street. The show will be performed entirely in Spanish, part of a growing effort to expand comedy offerings beyond English-speaking audiences.
Bolivar, who has been based in New York City since 2015, said her comedy is deeply rooted in her experience as an immigrant adjusting to a new language and culture.
“When I came here, I didn’t speak any English at all,” she said. “So a lot of my material comes from those mistakes… trying to speak another language, adapting to a new country, making new friends.”
Before finding stand-up, Bolivar studied journalism and worked in media in Venezuela. She initially turned to comedy as a way to improve her English, enrolling in classes and performing short sets in front of classmates.
“I was just doing it for fun,” she said. “But then I realized I was having so much fun—and I felt close to my dreams again.”
Over time, she began performing in both English and Spanish, discovering that each language shaped her performance differently.
“In Spanish, I feel like I can go faster, be more free,” she said. “In English, I’m more structured—what I write is what I say.”
That flexibility has helped her connect with a wide range of audiences, from Latin American communities to non-Spanish speakers curious about the experience. In one recent show, she recalled a woman translating each joke in real time on her phone.
“She told me, ‘I don’t speak any Spanish—I’m translating every joke you’re saying,’” Bolivar said. “That was so sweet.”
The upcoming Ellenville performance is part of a broader trend. Spanish-language comedy has been growing in popularity, especially in cities like New York, where audiences are eager to laugh in their native language after spending much of their day working in English.
“People want a space where they can laugh in Spanish, remember how they were raised, and see someone with the same experience,” she said.
Organizers say the show is also about expanding the legacy of the Borscht Belt, the Catskills region long known as a launching pad for American stand-up comedy. Bringing in bilingual and Spanish-language performers is one way to keep that tradition evolving.
The April 18 show is aimed at Spanish speakers, bilingual audiences, and even those still learning the language—what organizers describe as “Duolingo lovers” looking for a fun, immersive experience.
For Bolivar, performing in the Catskills carries added meaning.
“This is the right moment for shows in Spanish,” she said. “People want to see it.”
The show takes place Saturday, April 18 at 8 p.m. at Shadowland Stages Studio in Ellenville.