ABC Sitcom Star To Perform In Morristown

MORRISTOWN, NJ — Janelle James, known for playing Ava Coleman on ABC's "Abbott Elementary," is scheduled to perform stand-up comedy at Mayo Performing Arts Center on Saturday, July 11, at 8 p.m.

Tickets for the Morristown show go on sale Friday at 10 a.m. According to the announcement, tickets are $45 to $79, with all fees included. MayoArts.org is listed as the only authorized site for tickets for Janelle James. Tickets may also be purchased at the box office or by calling 973-539-8008.

James is a star of the Emmy-nominated comedy series Abbott Elementary, now in its fifth season. She has continued to receive recognition for that role, including a 2026 Critics' Choice win for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series and four consecutive Emmy nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series. She's also earned Golden Globe, Independent Spirit, and Gotham Award nominations tied to her work on the series.

James also earned the 2023 NAACP Image Award for Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series. She later received nominations for the 2024, 2025, and 2026 NAACP Image Awards in the same category, along with three nominations for the Television Critics Association Award for Individual Achievement in Comedy.

Before Abbott Elementary, James worked as both a writer and actor on Showtime's Black Monday and Apple's animated series Central Park, according to the MPAC. Her stand-up career has included tours with Chris Rock, Amy Schumer, and David Cross. Her most recent stand-up special appears in Season 3 of Netflix's The Stand Ups.

The venue's announcement also notes earlier career recognition, including being named one of Variety's Top Ten Comedians to Watch in 2020. It says she was also selected as a New Face at the Just For Laughs Festival Montreal in 2016 and was named one of the 50 Most Funny People in Brooklyn that same year. Her debut comedy album, Black and Mild, was released on major streaming platforms in 2017.

The announcement also credits James with hosting the 2023 Writers Guild of America Awards and the 2022 ABC game show The Final Straw. It says she also took over the Eugene Mirman Comedy Festival, now called the Janelle James Comedy Festival in Brooklyn.

Click here to purchase tickets to the July show.