We at Virginia Organizing hope you will join us at the Paramount Theater for a night of comedy and storytelling with performance artist Ann Randolph. The show starts at 7 p.m.the night of Saturday, December 9. Proceeds from the show will benefit Virginia Organizing’s work to empower the people of Virginia to bring about change in their communities and beyond.
Susan Bro (Mother of Heather Heyer and founder of the Heather Heyer Foundation), and former congressman and special envoy Tom Perriello will also speak at this event. The main attraction will be acclaimed playwright and performer Ann Randolph (Mel Brooks says “she’s a genius”) in her performance piece, “Inappropriate in All the Right Ways.”
“…a show like no other! … 100% FUN!…”
— The Huffington Post
From the website:
“Randolph fuses her trademark irreverent observations with TED-style self-help messaging to create an opportunity for the audience to take the stage and tell their own stories in a has-to-be-seen-to-be-believed transformational theatrical experience.
“Inappropriate In All the Right Ways starts with Randolph sharing her own wild ride: from living as a volunteer in a mental institution in Appalachia; to living on a boat off the coast of Alaska pretending to clean the Exxon Oil spill with some good ol’ boys from Louisiana; to a homeless shelter in Santa Monica; to hooking up with Mel Brooks and Anne Bancroft for an Off Broadway run on 42nd St; to teaching thousands to take the stage and speak their truth. Each step of the way, we watch Randolph face tremendous obstacles and defeats and are witness to how each of these challenges led to the unfolding of this always unique and always surprising artist.”
Why an event at the Paramount: Virginia Organizing hopes this event will raise awareness of how grassroots organizing can help us realize our individual and collective power to tackle the many racial, social, and environmental justice issues facing our state, nation, and world.
Why a comedy and storytelling event: Virginia Organizing and Ann Randolph believe that lightness and laughter help us face life’s challenges. Additionally, they know from experience, when we have the opportunity to share our stories, and truly be listened to, it strengthens us and empowers us to act. This is why Virginia Organizing’s chapters host regular meetings around the state that invite people, particularly those who traditionally have little or no voice in our society, to talk about their lives. Storytelling is the starting place of all of Virginia Organizing’s campaigns. In that same spirit Randolph will host apage-to-stage workshop in Charlottesville for a group of individuals interested in sharing their story. On December 9 she will invite on stage any of the workshop participants who want to share what they’ve written.
Here is what she says of her hopes for her visit with us: “I’m going to be performing Inappropriate in all the Right Ways this December 9th in Charlottesville, VA, in a special event to promote racial and social justice. I’m honored to be sharing the stage with Susan Bro, the mother of Heather Heyer, the young woman killed not long ago at the riots in Charlottesville. I’m looking forward to guiding the community in telling their stories; the hope of the Charlottesville Community is that we come together, we listen to each other’s stories, and we see how we are more united than divided.
“I recently read a wonderful article by Charles Eisenstein, encouraging his readers to practice political empathy by asking with compassionate inquiry the question: ‘What is it like to be you?’ My hope in Charlottesville is that we can truly hear varying political beliefs with open hearts and minds.”
Music: Sons of Ichibei
Sign Language Interpretation Available
Doors open at 6 p.m.
Tickets: www.theparamount.net
If you would like to help sponsor this benefit performance, click here.
If your budget makes buying tickets impossible there will be donation only tickets available here. Virginia Organizing wants this event to be accessible to everyone.
For more information, please contact Maggie Murphy at maggie@virginia-organizing.org or 434-220-0527 ext. 230.
