RED BANK: LAUGHING ROOM ONLY
Funnyman Mike Gaffney appears in a Saturday night Laugh Out Loud fundraiser at Two River Theater — while veteran Bobby Collins holds down the shtick at Count Basie’s place.
Saturday night in Red Bank’s “Theater District” finds the laughs flowing freely, with a good portion of the funny business dedicated to the serious mission of one of Monmouth County’s hardest-working nonprofits. It begins at 7:30 pm inside the lobby and main auditorium at Two River Theater (where the new play Guadalupe in the Guest Room continues in previews at the Marion Huber “black box” space), with the annual appearance of the Laugh Out Loud Comedy Show for 2015.
Co-headlined by standup circuit stalwarts Mike Gaffney (a seminfinalist on the most recent season of Last Comic Standing), Gina Brillon (Chelsea Lately, The View), Ryan Reiss and (NYC cabbie turned creative director of A-List Comedy) Jimmy Failla — in addition to other talent TBA — the fundraiser is a lighthearted public calling-card for 180 Turning Lives Around, the organization dedicated to ending domestic and sexual violence in the local community and beyond. One hundred percent of proceeds go to 180 from the 8:30 pm show and the 7:30 pm reception featuring a wine and beer cash bar. Tickets ($40 per person) can be reserved via PayPal or by calling (732)264-4360.
Meanwhile, back at the Basie, the funny-fort is being held down in style with the return of a frequent-flyer favorite — Bobby Collins, the veteran standup guy who (in a former life) was once a vice president of Calvin Klein, before he decided that nothing came between him and his comedy. Bobby’s back for his umpteenth set at the Count’s place this Saturday, in an 8 pm show for which tickets ($20 – $39.50) can be reserved right here.