By Conrad Dudderar
Senior Staff Writer
Tickets are going fast for a third annual improv comedy show that benefit a Yukon helping ministry.
“Comedy for Compassion” be staged Friday, July 26 at Grace Church Yukon, 720 S Yukon Parkway. Dinner will be served at 6:30 p.m. and the family friendly comedy show will start about 7:15 p.m.
Performers from OKC Improv will enjoy interacting with audience members during the 1-1/2-hour show.
“In improv comedy, everything is made up on the spot,” said Father Tim Baer of Grace Church. “They’ll play a few improv games and ‘starters’ that the audience will get. Sometimes they’ll do a sketch based on the leads that the audience gives.
“Some of it is really interactive. They’ll bring people up on the stage area who will be a part of the show.”
Audience members only get involved in the performance as much as they want. Most people just sit back and watch the show.
HOPING FOR A SELL-OUT
The July 26th Comedy for Compassion will benefit Compassionate Hands, a non-profit organization now in its 25th year providing support and fostering hope for self-sufficiency.
This marks the third year that Grace Church has hosted OKC Improv in a benefit performance.
“We had about 100 people attend the first time and about 130 people the next,” Baer said.
“We would love to sell it out this year. We have room for about 150 people in our Parish Hall.”
Several Grace Church members – including music minister Kyle Gossett – are active with OKC Improv, a comedy troupe that performs regularly in Oklahoma City’s Plaza District.
“A few years ago, we thought to create a fundraiser that would be open to the community and would be something a little bit different here in Yukon,” Baer said. “We wanted to benefit one of our local ministries, and we’ve chosen in the last few years to give that money to Compassionate Hands.”
The Grace Church congregation includes a chef, Ryan Parker of Cisco Foods, who will present a dinner featuring “street” tacos. To help with the fund-raiser, Coop Ale Works provides beer so comedy show attendees can wash down the tasty fare. Other drinks will be offered.
“This is a great opportunity to come together, have some fun and support a great cause,” Baer said of the third annual Comedy for Compassion. “Anybody elementary age and up would enjoy the show. It’s definitely family friendly!”
Compassionate Hands Director Joanne Riley said “Comedy for Compassion” is a can’t-miss Friday night event.
“It’s a lot of fun and encourage people to come,” Riley said. “The money raised from this yearly event helps us help people who really need it and helps maintain our programs.”
Grace Church offers childcare for youth 5 years and under who are too young to sit through the show. They instead will watch a movie in the church nursery.
There are several ticket levels: $5 for kids (dinner and childcare), $12 for adults (show ticket), $15 for adult premium (show ticket and dinner), and $20 for adult VIP (show ticket, dinner and drinks).
For more information about the July 26th Comedy for Compassion, visit GraceYukon.org/Comedy
