For Marc Price, comedy is in his blood.
The longtime stand-up comedian and actor will be bringing his unique style of comedy to Sedona on Thursday, Feb. 8 at 7 p.m. on the Goldenstein Stage at the Mary D. Fisher Theatre. The show is presented by the Sedona International Film Festival.
Price comes from a long line of entertainers. His father was a stand-up comedian for many years while his grandfather was in vaudeville.
“My dad had me later in life so his contemporaries were comedians like Fred Allen, George Burns and Milton Berle,” he said. “I grew up around show business so it’s pretty much all I’ve known. I’ve been doing this for more than 30 years and I still love it.” Price made his stand-up debut not in a high school talent competition or at an open-mic night, but on “The Merv Griffin Show” when he was just 14. It was that appearance that opened the door to other projects including his most notable role as Irwin “Skippy” Handelman on the popular 1980s “Family Ties,” which starred Michael J. Fox.
“These are troubled times so that’s when people need to laugh the most,” Price said.
As a stand-up comedian, Price has opened for Jay Leno and Jerry Seinfeld. He has appeared in comedy tours including Comic Relief with Billy Crystal and Whoopi Goldberg and the Green Collar Comedy Tour, which uses comedy to promote environmental awareness. He has starred in movies, hosted late night talk shows and more recently he’s been behind the cameras writing and producing for E!, TBS, Disney Channel, Animal Planet, GSN, Showtime and more.
“I learned a lot from guys like Jay and Jerry,” Price said. “Growing up I remember wanting to be just like them. And when I was on ‘Family Ties,’ I paid attention to things on the set behind the scenes and learned a lot from that as well.”
While he learned about comedy from those he has opened for over the years, it was his “Family Ties” costar he learned the most from.
“Just hanging out with Michael J. Fox was amazing,” he said, adding that last year his shows helped raise $10,000 for Fox’s foundation for Parkinson’s research. “He took me under his wing and treated me like a little brother. He would teach me things from how to fall funny to asking a girl out. He’s the best.”
Opening for Price will be Lorrie Brownstone, an Arizona comedian who talks about life as a single mom.
“Lorrie is very funny — she cracks me up,” Price said.
Tickets are $15 general admission and $13 for Sedona International Film Festival members. All tickets include a meet-and-greet with Price and Brownstone in the lobby after the show.
Visit www.SedonaFilmFestival.org for tickets and performance information or call 282-1177.
Ron Eland can be reached at 282-7795 ext. 122, or email reland@larsonnewspapers.com
