HEROES' WAY With Kathy Buckley And No Limit's Children's Ensemble Opens 6/17

Gifted comic, award-winning actress, accomplished author, and renowned inspirational speaker Kathy Buckley originally gained fame as "America's First Hearing Impaired Comedienne," a five-time American Comedy Award Nominee as Best Standup Comedienne. "Heroes' Way" features Ms. Buckley and the No Limits Children's Performing Ensemble for one night only, Saturday, June 17 (7:30pm) at the Kirk Douglas Theatre in Culver City, benefiting No Limits national outreach educational program for deaf and hard-of-hearing children.

Kathy Buckley discovered she was hard-of-hearing in the 2nd grade after first being mis-diagnosed as mentally impaired. During her late teens, Kathy's life was further interrupted when she was run over by a jeep while sunbathing on a beach. Her recovery took almost five years. Then, just six years later, she was diagnosed with cervical cancer. Exhibiting an insightful intelligence and a decidedly off-beat sense of humor, Buckley has channeled her life challenges through a successful stand-up comedy career, two acclaimed one woman Off-Broadway shows, Don't Buck with Me/Now Hear This!, an original PBS special, No Labels, No Limits!, and her autobiographical book, If You Could Hear What I See.

Although gratified by her success as a performer, Buckley believes her humor has a higher purpose. "My comedy disarms people," she says. "I love to make people laugh, but I love it even more if I can teach them something at the same time." She backs her philosophy by tirelessly performing on behalf of nonprofit and educational organizations throughout the Unites States. She serves as the national spokesperson for the non-profit organization, theater group, and school, No Limits.

The mission of No Limits is to meet the auditory, speech and language needs of deaf children and enhance their confidence through the theatrical arts and individual therapy as well as provide family support and community awareness on the needs and talents of deaf children who are learning to speak. In 1996, Michelle Christie-Adams, M.S. ED, a teacher for the deaf with over 18 years experience in the entertainment industry, founded No Limits, recognizing the lack of opportunities for oral deaf children to improve their speaking abilities in a fun and non-academic setting. Knowing these children can often be lost in the shuffle of the hearing world, Ms. Christie-Adams designed an after-school theater program to help develop communication skills, expand vocabulary and grammar, and understand character development. Through role- playing, cultivating creativity and developing public speaking skills, No Limits children began to confidently move in to the hearing world.

After witnessing dramatic improvements in the children No Limits expanded to become a national program. Shows have included oral deaf children in over 10 states with 49 original productions and 30,000 people witnessing the accomplishments and talents of these inspiring children. With No Limits growing success rates, the program was extended beyond the theatrical arts. In 2002, No Limits began to provide free auditory, speech and language training year-round. Donated by JP Morgan Chase, formerly Washington Mutual, the No Limits Educational Center provides free services to lower-income children with a hearing loss in the greater Los Angeles area. As a result of its comprehensive program, children with hearing loss are learning essential skills that will allow them to attend college and become productive citizens of society.

Last June, the young actors of No Limits made history by being the first children with a hearing loss who listen and speak to perform at the prestigious John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington DC. Michelle Christie-Adams, founder of No Limits, expressed "It was one of the proudest days and one that will not be forgotten by the children, parents and all who witnessed their extraordinary talents."

No Limits, which received a grant from the Culver City Perforing Arts Grant Program to use the Kirk Douglas Theatre, is honored to partner with Harmony with No Limits, a women's guild devoted to the vision and mission of No Limits. Their fundraising efforts over the past four years has taken many deaf children off the waiting list for the No Limits after school program. Harmony with No Limits will be hosting the after party that will include a meet-and-greet with the cast, photo ops with celebs, cocktails, food and entertainment. It is guaranteed to be a wonderful evening.
"Heroes' Way" performs Saturday, June 19 at 7:30pm, followed by the Harmony After Party at 9pm, at the Kirk Douglas Theatre, located at 9820 Washington Blvd., in Culver City. For ticket information, call 310-280-0878. $100 ticket includes Harmony with No Limits' after party; $250 for VIP seating. For general information about No Limits: www.KidsWith NoLimits.org.

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