Bay Area comedian and comedy producer, Lisa Geduldig (of Kung Pao Kosher Comedy™), and Ashkenaz Music & Dance Community Center joined forces almost two years ago to bring the East Bay a new monthly (the second Thursday of the month) comedy series, Comedy at Ashkenaz!
Since launching, the show has commemorated Black History Month, Women’s History Month, Gay Pride, Mother’s Day and Father’s Day; hosted a political comedy night; and raised funds for three organizations and causes (the Redwood Empire Food Bank which provided food to shelters in Sonoma County for residents displaced by the North Bay fires, RAICES: The Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services, and Alameda County Community Food Bank).
On July 11th Comedy at Ashkenaz features the Better Than Therapy Tour with award-winning storytellers, Mary Carouba and Regina Stoops. Lisa Geduldig hosts.
In the Better Than Therapy Tour, which recently sold out the Luther Burbank Center for the Arts in Santa Rosa, Mary and Regina take you on a journey through two lives where random detours are met with quick wit and humor. From completely different worlds to a chance performance at the same dive bar, these two women formed a lifelong friendship based on a common love of laughter. Laugh at their problems; forget about yours! These two master storytellers come together to demonstrate that humor can elevate and inspire, and laughter really is the best therapy.
Mary Carouba, a popular comedian, TED talk presenter, and award-winning storyteller, uses her life story to entertain audiences and raise an eyebrow or two. Stories of her Arab/Irish household (where the family business was the “adult entertainment industry”), her career as a children’s advocate, her work behind prison walls, surviving a liver transplant, and the loss of her home in the Northern California fires are all part of her powerful message of hope and humor. Finding the funny in almost any circumstance is a hallmark of Mary’s life and work.www.marycarouba.com Video: www.youtube.com/watch?v=vB_8aDlO4N8
Regina Stoops, a Moth StorySlam winner, takes her audience on an entertaining journey through a life filled with so many causes she has run out of room on her car’s bumper. Through insightful humor, Regina takes a look at a seemingly ordinary life and redefines what it is to be “normal.” The life of a gay, Catholic, Democratic, suburban soccer mom born in a town called Normal provides the backdrop for tales of diversity, adversity and suburban chaos. With a wide range of topics to cover, Regina is a regular performer at fundraisers, conferences and comedy clubs throughout the country. www.reginastoops.com Video: www.youtube.com/watch?v=k3Idu8iVv0Q
Lisa Geduldig is a local comedian and comedy producer who’s the creator, producer, and MC of a variety of comedy shows including Kung Pao Kosher Comedy™ - Jewish comedy on Christmas in a Chinese Restaurant (which celebrates its 27th year in 2019) and Comedy Returns to El Rio (which just celebrated its 10th Anniversary in May).
**While Ashkenaz is an all ages venue, the comedy shows are not recommended for kids under 16.
Free parking at REI, across the street.
