Improv Comedy Night benefitting Paws of Hope!
TORP IMPROVE COMEDY NIGHT!
Paws of Hope Animal Rescue
The Livery, 190 5th St, Benton Harbor, MI
Thursday, October 24, 5:30pm
Come laugh with us and help raise money for Paws of Hope at the same time! Join us for a night of spontaneous comedy featuring the talented local improv group TORP as they bring us an improvisational review with cat and dog themes based entirely on audience suggestions!
Paws of Hope (POH) was founded in April of 2012 and is an all-volunteer rescue group. There is no paid staff and volunteers do not receive compensation. All of the fostered pets live in private homes with volunteers. As an IRS 501(c)(3) charity, they rely on the fund raising efforts of our hard‐working volunteers, grants and on donations from the public.
In addition to being able to relax in private foster homes, foster pets are spayed and neutered, fully vaccinated, and treated for any medical issues that might be revealed. In order to keep costs low so they can provide care for more homeless pets, POH volunteers have learned how to give several vaccinations and run tests for standard diseases which afflict cats and dogs.
TORP began its reign of improvisational comedic revelry in 2011. The troupe has been causing fits of laughter while entertaining at charity events and public performances throughout southwest Michigan including for Lory’s Place, the Morton House, The Mendel Center’s Living Room Series, the Lake Michigan College Hospitality and Fine Arts programs, One Hundred Women Strong, and more. They are the house comedy troupe of The Oak Room at the Citadel in the Benton Harbor Arts District, where they perform once per quarter.
TORP Improv comedy is based on audience suggestions, or if you're not the participating type, just sit back and enjoy! Hope to see you there for a night of merriment and fun!
OPENING FOR TORP
The evening will begin at 5:30 with a performance by Singer/Guitarist Mike Ault. Mike is a Southwestern Michigan contemporary guitarist, singer and song writer with over 20 years of experience in the local music industry.
Mike’s musical repertoire is an upbeat blend of contemporary pop/rock, cross-over country, and island rock and ballads, creating a sound that is fresh, fun, and familiar.
HOST FOR THE EVENING
Joey Dimaggio - Joey DiMaggio was born and raised in St. Joseph, Michigan.
In his youth, he was a child actor, singer, and dancer, performing in numerous local, regional, and professional theater productions, as well as television commercials. After high school, he attended Millikin University in Decatur, Illinois, and was later accepted into the prestigious American Musical and Dramatic Academy in Manhattan, NYC.
In addition to his theatrical endeavors, he has extensive experience in the bar, restaurant, and hospitality industry. His Nana and Papa opened a Sicilian tavern called DiMaggio’s Pizza on Western & Belmont in Chicago, later relocating it to Lake Michigan Beach in 1957, where it still thrives today.
While living in Manhattan, he had the extraordinary opportunity to help re-open the legendary Studio 54 in its original location in 1998. After his time in New York, he returned to his Lake Michigan roots in Southwest Michigan, where he served as the General Manager and Director of Operations for The Stray Dog Bar & Grill for over 19 years. He is now a Financial Professional with The Airey Financial Group. He is the Commodore of the New Buffalo Yacht Club. He also hosts his own plant-based cooking show on PBS called Joey D’s Kitchen, which airs new episodes weekly on television and digital social media platforms.
He is a proud single dog dad to his two five-year-old Boston Terriers, Onyx and Sterling. He enjoys spending weekends and free time on his SeaRay Sundancer aptly named the “JOEY D.”
TORP ensemble for the evening includes:
Stephen Kadwell is married with two dogs and lives in Niles. He grew up in several places on the west side of Michigan and graduated from Western Michigan University. He spent a decade in Orlando where he was on a first-name basis with several hurricanes before returning to Michigan where fall is an actual season.
Amy McWhirter is an international emcee, event host, and moderator, energetically inspiring audiences to connect to the heart of messaging at conferences, award galas, and meetings. She’s a soulful communicator who catalyzes content, instigates engagement, and ties everything together, driving focus and business outcomes. She also assists with projects as a producer and scriptwriter for her husband’s company, Bolin Video Communications. Amy has a lifelong passion for dance and performing on stage. She has appeared in numerous plays, musicals, and stage productions. Amy teaches and choreographs Adult Repertoire at the Benton Harbor-St.
Joseph YMCA, where she and her ladies prepare one or two dance numbers per year to perform for film and in person. She is excited to be a part of the TORP improv comedy troupe!
Mike Nadolski studied improvisational theatre with The Players Workshop of Second City in Chicago back in ye olde days. He has been an improvisational theatre student, performer, and instructor for over 40 years, conducting improv workshops for a wide array of schools and organizations throughout Southwest Michigan. Mike has produced, directed, and performed with The Practical Theatre Co. in Chicago, Southern Streets Theatre in Atlanta, Bridges Theatre and Workshop and Smarty Pants Theater Co. in Benton Harbor, and a few other even more obscure Midwest improv troupes through the years. He is the founder and artistic director of TORP and owns the Citadel Dance Center building with his loving, patient, and supportive wife Sarah.
Nita Nicholie has spent 4-decades teaching high school which has prepared her well for improvisational theatre. She has used humor to diffuse tension and encourage teenagers to learn. Whether it’s tamping down the drama of teen romance or singing show tunes to wake up kids who’ve been up all-night playing video games, who could ask for better preparation to bring the funny? Nita has performed with both Smarty Pants Theatre and the early iterations of TORP before jumping into this TORP ensemble with both feet.
Andy Sawyer began his improv comedy career close to 40 years ago, using comedy as a tool for teaching environmental science at Stone Environmental School in Portland, Maine. After moving back to the Twin Cities to woo and eventually marry the one true love of his life, Nita Nicholie, the two collaborated to help establish the “Calling all Colors” program. Andy again applied improv comedy to this program, using it as a tool for children to begin dialogues on issues of race, stereotyping, and skin color. Improv continued to be a passion of his and he soon began working with Mike Nadolski at Bridges Theater, then Smarty Pants Improv, and finally as a founding member of TORP. Andy also enjoys weaponizing Improv to torment phone solicitors. Try it sometime.
Joel Smiedendorf is a St. Joe native who has studied improv acting in both Chicago and Los Angeles. He has also performed in local community theatre productions at Twin City Players, Lake Michigan College, and The Ghostlight Theatre. When not performing, Joel pays the bills as a freelance video production assistant and dreams about the day he can get paid to be funny. He hopes you enjoy the show and will continue to support your local arts!
Every ticket sold and donation made goes directly to helping our furry friends in need. Let’s make a difference together, one laugh at a time!
Sponsors:
POH is only able to fulfill their mission with the support of the community. While support takes many forms, we are particularly grateful for our event sponsors for the evening:
KAB SALES LLC,
THE LIVERY
THE HANSON FOUNDATION (Greg & Sue Kellogg)
Starks Family Funeral Home
Event details:
What: TORP Improv Comdey Night
Where: The Livery, 190 5th St, Benton Harbor, MI
When: Thursday, October 24, 2024
· 5:30 pm – Singer/Guitarist Mike Ault
· 6:30 pm – TORP Improv Comedy Show
Tickets: 15 adv / $20 at the door
You can purchase tickets online at http://www.ticketstripe.com/POH-ImprovNight