IO West Theater Comedy Fund Raiser

HOOT, HOLLER AND LAUGH WITH STRIKING WGA MEMBERS AT iO WEST THEATER

While the more than eight-week old WGA strike is anything but funny, the staff at iO WEST is standing up and speaking out to provide some relief for the writers in the form of comedy and donations.

In a show of solidarity, every Monday during the month of January, iO WEST’s hit show, “The Armando Show,” will be donating half its box office proceeds to the Industry Support Fund. The Armando Show, which boasts a cast of Hollywood’s finest actors and writers sharing personal, improvised monologues that in turn inspire a series of improvised scenes, will be helmed in January with SAG/WGA performers and monologists. This month-long event will culminate in a star-studded strike support show on Monday, Feb 4, with 100% of the box going to the Industry Support Fund. The Office’s Angela Kinsey and Kate Flannery as well as MADtv’s Mo Collins are already on board to join the cast of Regular “Armando” performers including Tim Meadows (Walk Hard, SNL), MADtv’s Stephnie Weir, and Adrian Wenner (My Boys)among other notable iO alums.

“My vision for these shows is that they keep awareness on the strike and that they become a weekly rally for WGA members to be entertained and share camaraderie with their fellow union members,” says James Grace, Artistic Director of iO WEST.

Justine Bateman (Men In Trees, Family Ties) and Melanie Chartoff (Rugrats, Fridays) will be kicking off STRIKE! The Armando WGA/SAG Solidarity Shows on January 7th. Drew Cary (The Drew Cary Show, Whose Line Is It Anyway) will host the January 14th show and Bob Odenkirk (Mr. Show) will host the January 28th show. Other anticipated WGA members joining the January line-up of guest improvisers include writers Kate Purdy (Cold Case), Ed Lee (Drew Carey Show), Cindy Caponera (My Boys, SNL), Rich Talarico (SNL, MADtv),

In addition to the weekly improv shows, Kate Purdy, an iO WEST performer and WGA strike captain, will help organizing weekly picket line support by the theater at picket locations in Hollywood and in the Valley beginning on January 7th.

Make reservations for a good time and a good cause. Tickets for the January Armando Shows are $10, the February 4th show tickets are $25 both can be purchased in advance at the iOWEST web site iowest.com or by calling 323.962.7560.

The iO WEST is located at 6366 Hollywood Blvd, between Cahuenga and Vine.