Red Dragonfly Productions Blog

“Amazing Grace” show helps ailing woman

Some of you may remember Grace White from our recent comedy benefit for the Benicia Vallejo Humane Society. Grace is known as the "hippie" comic. She came to comedy late in life and has enjoyed a second career making people laugh. She was very funny and a delight to meet.

Grace was recently diagnosed with cancer and is having a hard time. Rich Freedman from the Vallejo Times Herald, Pepper Belly's and many of Grace's comedy friends are coming together to help her out. I assure you a wonderful night of good laughs and good hearts. Please join us!

Bay Area stand-up comics Johnny Steele and Bob Sarlatte plus national headliner Rocky LaPorte are among the comics performing Thursday, January 24th at 7:30 pm.

The show, “Amazing Grace: Comics Unite to Fight Cancer,” at Pepper Belly’s Comedy and Variety Theatre in Fairfield, will help stand-up comic Grace White, a resident of Colfax in the Gold Country.

Steele, a past winner of the San Francisco Stand-Up Competition, joins Sarlatte, a veteran San Francisco comic, voice actor and pubic address announcer for the San Francisco 49ers.

Other comics confirmed include LaPorte, voted “Best Male Comic of the Year” by the Las Vegas Tourist Bureau, Aundre the Wonderwoman, Howie Nave of “The Improv” in Lake Tahoe, Fairfield comedian Clark Taylor and Pine Sol lady, Diane Amos.

Howie Nave, the host and producer of the Improv at Harvey’s in South Lake Tahoe and host of the “Howie’s Morning Rush” morning show on KRLT in Tahoe, also appears.

Rocky LaPorte says “While some of us are long-time friends of Graces’s, some haven’t even met her. But we understand what it is to go without health insurance or go without being able to pay some bills. This show won’t only help her financially, but, hopefully, lift her spirits."

Other comics are expected to be added later.

General admission tickets for the 7:30 pm show are $20 and on sale at Pepper Belly’s. Call 707.422-SHOW or www.pepperbellys.com for tickets and information.

The House of Floyd show at Vacaville Performing Arts Theatre on November 3rd was so well received that we've already scheduled to bring it back on November 8, 2008! How's that for planning ahead? This show brought a laserium quality laser show, video, lights and live music to Vacaville Performing Arts Theatre and delivered a stunning multimedia package with live music. I'm still getting emails and phone calls from people in the audience that night. This show is the most complex show I produce. There was a moment after loadin -- when equipment, instruments and cables were covering the stage. There were technicians and roadies and musicians and venue staff everywhere and I thought --- "Are we going to put this all together in time?" At other times, as I tried to keep out of everyone's way, I thought "What were you thinking? Why don't you produce comedy shows? A chair, a mic.....it's so easy!" But, come 8 pm and, of course, all was well. Thank you to House of Floyd for being such a great band to work with, and thank you to the technical staff of Vacaville Performing Arts Theatre. Everyone came together and the show was wonderful!

I finally got a chance to see the inside of The Empress Theatre in Vallejo. I've been hearing good things about The Empress and it's all true! The Empress has been beautifully restored to it's glory. It just goes to show what a few million dollars can do! My hats off to all involved in this restoration. You can be proud.

The Majestic Theatre in Benicia is not going to be available to rent for the next 3 months. Robert is taking a break from renting the theatre through the winter so the opening of The Empress couldn't happen at a better time for me. I spoke with Robert last week and he'll let me know as soon as The Majestic is available to rent, but for now -- there aren't going to be any shows at The Majestic Theatre. We've certainly had some memorable shows with some wonderful artists -- Steve Freund, Tommy Castro, Maria Muldaur, Johnny Ace, Cathy Lemons, Pork Pie Phillips, Alvon, Mz. Dee, Stef Burns, Kenny Saydak, The Alameda Allstars, The Detroit Disciples, The Volker Strifler Band, The Bud E. Luv Trio, Bill Haley's Original Comets, VOENA, The David Thom Band, Craig Horton, The Suburban Comedy Tour, George Winston, House of Floyd and Antsy McClain and The Trailer Park Troubadours....

I'd like to thank Robert, the owner of The Majestic, for two wonderful years of shows at The Majestic!