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The Project: Support the victims of Hurricane Katrina by bringing the
San Francisco Improv Community together for a benefit performance.
(PRWEB): Bay Area Improv Comedy Bands Together for Hurricane Benefit. Ensembles to bring laughter and giving together with The Flood Relief Improv Revue.
September 22, 2005 -- Shaun Landry, Founder of The San Francisco Improv Alliance and Artistic Director of Oui Be Negroes, like many Americans watched in horror the events occurring in The Gulf Coast after the wake of Hurricane Katrina:
"It's devastating" 40 year old improv comedian Landry states. "There are so many people who are affected who are on the Gulf right now struggling just to survive."
Landry's family has also been affected by the Hurricane. "It's been devastating for my family. My sister and husband" states Landry, who brother in law lost his entire home where his parents were staying in Mississippi.
Landry and The Alliance decided it was time for them to do something to help out the victims of hurricane Katrina. Since they are not firefighters, medics or builders...Landry came up with the one thing that would help the most in the time of need.
"I can get a barn. I got some copious improv skills. Let's do a benefit."
With the generous help of BATS Improv and the entire improv community (including immediate responses from Un-Scripted Theater, Lucky Dog Theater, Comedysportz San Jose, Landry's own ensemble Oui Be Negroes, The city of San Francisco Mayor's Office and Spinal tap, Mighty Wind and Simpson's actor Harry Shearer) The Alliance is sponsoring The Flood Relief Improv Revue.
"We are more than thrilled to have Shaun and the Improv Alliance at BATS for The Flood Relief Improv Revue" says Artistic Director Dave Dennison. "BATS Improv is there to perform and help this cause in everyway we can"
"The response in less than a few days has been beyond my wildest expectations” Says Landry, who is not a stranger to raising money through improv for worthy causes. From Chicago, Ms. Landry organized the Don't Hate Us Because We are Funny Benefit that raised over five thousand dollars for The Illinois Violence Prevention Program during the Los Angeles Race related shootings and the death of Ricky Birdsong. This benefit all monies will go directly to the Louisiana Disaster Recovery Foundation.
"I'm not the richest person in the world...but I know I have hands, a head and a heart" Landry states as she is organizing the benefit which will include a food and clothes drive, dozens of improv ensembles, music and entertainment, a silent auction of Improvisational classes shows and events donated by ensembles all through the bay...and a special guest host to MC the whole event.
"What the main goal of the benefit point blank and simple is to raise money" says Landry. She pauses, smiles and says "We want to raise money and make people laugh. Those are the two most important things that we can do in times of tragedy. Use Comedy to help and to make people laugh."
(Former Winners of of the Zepplin Beach
Improv's Improv Singing Contest perform at Hurricane
Katrina. Picture by Bard Braende)
The
San Francisco Improv Alliance in Conjunction would like to give a
huge thank you to the following improv ensembles who performed on
October 4th as part of the Flood Relief Improv Revue:
Colored Ink
15-Minutes
- San Francisco
Drunken
Monkey - San Francisco
BATS
Improv - San Francisco
The
Improv Singing Contest - San Francisco
Lila
Theater - San Francisco
Lucky
Dog Theater - San Francisco
The
San Francisco Improv Co-Operative's Beatnik Syndicate
The
Other Side of Funny - San Francisco
The
Super Dupers (Formerly Delta City Improv) - East Bay & San
Francisco
The
Revolution All Stars - San Francisco
Blue
Blanket Improv
Un-Scripted
Theater - San Francisco
ComedySportz
- San Jose
Oui
Be Negroes - San Francisco
Host Christopher Hayes
The Improv Alliance would also like to thank: Dave Dennison and
John Kovacevich from BATS, Chet on lights, David Norfleet on
piano and The entire crew of Lila (Jill Mueller, Chris Eickmann
and Julie Potter especially) for all of the backstage and front
stage support.
Also a heartfelt thank you up to Maya Sedgwick from Improv
Singing Contest and Bard who came all the way from Norway
Theatersports for documenting the event via pictures and video.
Continue to donate to Hurricane Katrina
Through The AllianceThe Alliance has set up a paypal service for the Victims of Hurricane
Katrina. If you would like to support early through
Improvisation to Katrina, please give your generous donation
here! All monies will go directly to: Louisiana Disaster Recovery Foundation
PO Box 94095, Baton Rouge, La 70804-9095. Website: http://louisianahelp.org/
"This is a non-profit set up by the governor to target aid to
the folks in need down there." - Recommendation to The Alliance by Harry
Shearer
(Spinal Tap, The Simpsons, The Mighty Wind, SNL)
Click
Here to Give A Donation Today!
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