Happier Valley Comedy Slates FUNdraiser

HADLEY — “Laughter is the same in all languages,” says Happier Valley Comedy founder Pam Victor. “Sharing happy laughter is a powerful way of connecting people, and this month, we’re putting our money where our laughing mouths are.”

In service to its mission to spread more laughter, joy, and ease to Western Massachusetts (and the world), Happier Valley Comedy is donating all proceeds from its mainstage comedy show on August 31 to The Center for New Americans of Hampshire and Franklin counties.

The Center for New Americans is a community-based, non-profit adult education center that provides the under-served immigrant, refugee, and migrant communities of Massachusetts’ Pioneer Valley with education and resources to learn English, become involved community members, and obtain tools necessary to maintain economic independence and stability.

This show marks the local improv comedy theater’s first-ever ‘5th Saturday FUNdraiser.’ On all months with a fifth Saturday, the proceeds from the 7 p.m. show are donated to a selected local nonprofit. After polling their vast community for suggestions, Happier Valley Comedy leadership selected three nonprofits on which their newsletter and social media audiences were invited to vote.

The Center for New Americans received 55% of the votes. All of the proceeds from Happier Valley Comedy’s August 31 show,  including ticket fees and the weekly 50-50 raffle, go directly to the Center for New Americans. All actors are donating their time for this event in order to pass along their pay to the Center for New Americans. The show on August 31 is the perennially popular ‘SCRIPTED/UNSCRIPTED,’ featuring esteemed local actors paired with talented HVC improvisers in six wild and wooly scenes where the actors perform line-by-line from a script while the improvisers get to make up their half of the scene on the spot. Tickets are $13, and are available online —  www.happiervalley.com/5th-saturdays.html — or at the door:

The theater’s next “5th Saturday FUNdraiser” will be in November. All are invited to nominate a local nonprofit to consider for that show by emailing [email protected]. Happier Valley Comedy is the first and only improv comedy theater in Western Massachusetts, offering improv shows every Saturday, a full-curriculum training center for improv and standup comedy, as well as professional development training workshops and interactive keynotes.