TICKETS $25

Doors 1:30 p.m.; Event 2 p.m.
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THE EXPERIENCE

We are beyond thrilled to share a sneak peek of the film Paralyzed by Hope: The Maria Bamford Story, the much-anticipated new documentary about one of comedy’s most singular voices: Maria Bamford.

The screening will be followed by a conversation between CUA-honoree Maria Bamford and film director Neil Berkeley!

ON SCREEN: Paralyzed by Hope: The Maria Bamford Story

2026. Directed by Judd Apatow & Neil Berkeley. Runtime: 1 hour 56 minutes. 

Blurring the line between performance and personal crisis, comedian Maria Bamford turns her mental health journey into material that’s riotously funny and ultimately inspiring. What emerges is a portrait of an artist transforming vulnerability into creative strength through honesty.

ON STAGE: Maria Bamford & Neil Berkeley

Maria Bamford

Maria Bamford is revered for her deeply personal and experimental comedy about mental illness. She’s the author of the New York Times bestselling memoir Sure, I’ll Join Your Cult and is the star of four hour-long standup specials (Local Act, Weakness is the Brand, Old Baby, and Maria Bamford: the special, special, special!) and the surreal, semi-autobiographical Netflix comedy series Lady Dynamite, about a comedian who suffers a nervous breakdown. Maria was the first female comic to have two half-hour Comedy Central Presents specials and starred alongside Patton Oswalt, Zach Galifianakis and Brian Posehn in The Comedians of Comedy. She also created and starred in the cult hit web series The Maria Bamford Show, in which she plays all the characters.

Maria is often recognized for her prolific voiceover work, including characters on Big Mouth and its spinoff Human Resources, HouseBroken, Teenage Euthanasia, Santa, Inc., Bob’s Burgers, Bojack Horseman, Summer Camp Island, Adventure Time, Talking Tom and Friends, Legend of Korra, Puss in Boots, CatDog, and PBS’s Emmy-winning series Word Girl. She played DeBrie Bardeaux on Netflix’s Arrested Development and recurred on the ABC hit series Fresh off the Boat. Other TV guest roles include Night Court, Life & Beth, Portlandia, Kenan, Mr. Mayor, and large recurring roles on Hulu’s Everything’s Gonna Be Okay, and Showtime’s Flatbush Misdemeanors. Maria was also Emmy-nominated for her guest appearance on the Netflix children’s series Ask the StoryBots.

Maria’s late-night appearances include The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Late Night with Seth Meyers, CONAN, The Late Late Show with James Corden, and The Tonight Show. Her interview series What’s Your Ailment? deals with the various mental struggles of celebrities and is available on the Topic streaming service. Her Audible Original You Are (A Comedy) Special is a semi-mock instructional book for both standup and life.

Neil Berkeley

Neil Berkeley is an Emmy-nominated director known for inventive, heartfelt documentaries, including Gilbert, Beauty Is Embarrassing, and Harmontown. Blending humor, honesty, and visual flair, his films humanize complicated, deeply creative people while revealing the struggles, quirks, and idiosyncrasies that drive extraordinary artists.