April Fools' comedy show to raise money for Alzheimer's research
Comedians on campus will soon have a chance to make others laugh while raising money for the fight against Alzheimer's disease.
A Night of Comedy for a Cause is part of Hilarity for Charity, a national organization created by actor Seth Rogen and his wife Lauren Miller. All of the money raised by the event will go to The Alzheimer’s Association to fund research.
The show, which will be held Tuesday, will be put on by two campus improv comedy troupes, Trap Door Improv and After Hours Improv.
“This will be the first time Trap Door and After Hours have worked together, which is exciting,” said Stevie Elizabeth Sahutske, president of After Hours Improv. “A lot of the people in the two groups know each other, so it should be a fun show.”
The show will take place at Plachta Auditorium from 7 to 9 p.m. It will feature a number of comedy acts, including sketches by the improv groups, musical comedian Pegasus, and stand-up comedians Patrick Fowler and Stu McCallister.
In Hilarity for Charity’s fundraising competition, the university that raises the most money for the charity before April 11 will host an advance screening of Rogen’s new comedy movie, “Neighbors.” The fundraisers themselves will also get to meet Rogen.
Trap Door Improv President Damon Hunter said the group is more focused on fundraising than competing for the prize.
“I think pooling our resources to better the world and raise money for Alzheimer’s research is more important,” Hunter said.
Trap Door Improv first learned about the charity organization from a video of Rogen addressing Congress. In the video, Rogen spoke about how his mother-in-law, who suffers from Alzheimer’s disease, got him involved in the cause.
Trap Door joined Hilarity for Charity U, the branch of the charity that works with colleges across the country. They then contacted After Hours Improv and began collaborating to create A Night of Comedy for a Cause.
The group will be accepting donations for Alzheimer’s disease research at the event. Contributions can also be given through the event’s page on the fundraising website Crowdrise. As of Sunday, the site has raised $180.
