Featuring seasoned performers and L.A.'s most exciting new voices, The Crow will offer both family-friendly and not-so-family-friendly shows.
On June 1st, Nicole Blaine (NBC, E!, Amazon Prime, HBO's Women in Comedy Festival) is opening The Crow - a new comedy space at Bergamot Station Arts Center in Santa Monica. Featuring seasoned performers and L.A.'s most exciting new voices, The Crow will offer both family-friendly and not-so-family-friendly shows.
The Crow is woman (and mom) -owned, an important distinction in the male-dominated comedy world. Envisioned as a response to the all-too-common gatekeeping at comedy theaters, this collaborative space is built around inclusivity and progress. "Our duty is to create an environment that allows development for all," said Blaine. "Using comedy as a vehicle for good and for progress is who we are." The Crow mixes art with education to elevate comedy culture and the community at-large.
Comedy fans or moms who want their kids out of the house will find plenty of opportunities to get involved through classes, summer camps, open mics, or simply taking in a show. Classes and shows include stand-up, storytelling, improv, and sketch for all ages, with specialized programs for teens. For kids ages 7 - 12, The Crow offers Comedy Camp with week-long sessions concluding in a final performance for friends and family on the main stage. Comedy Camp cost is $450 a week and sessions start June 13th. Full scholarships are also available - thanks to Chris and Rachel Sullivan (This is Us).
The Crow's first grown-up show on June 4th at 8pm is open to the public and is a fundraiser for The Children's Hospital of Los Angeles with a lineup consisting of James Adomian, Dana Eagle, Ian Edwards, Dave Helem, and Ester Steinberg. Tickets are $25 and 100% of the proceeds go to charity.
Nicole and Mickey Blaine met back in 1992 as theater nerds at Santa Monica High School and have been producing and teaching theater, film, and comedy together ever since. They executive produced and directed the stand-up special Burning the Light on HBO. Nicole has been producing The Showdown Comedy Festival annually at the Westside Comedy Theater since 2014, discovering the next generation of comedians and bringing in top level executives from Comedy Central, HBO, NBC, and Disney to name a few, to participate in free in-depth industry panels. Nicole's passion is creating an opportunity for comics to get to the next level in their career by creating a space and opportunity for comics to be seen by the industry with a strong focus on education and relationship building.
You may have seen Nicole (but probably not) in her stand-up special Life's a Bit, streaming on Amazon Prime and produced with Comedy Dynamics and directed by Mickey Blaine, or on NBC's The Today Show, E's That Morning Show, San Fransisco's Sketchfest, Montana's Big Sky Comedy Festival, The International FringeNYC Festival, Atlanta's Laughing Skull Comedy Festival and HBO's Women in Comedy Festival. Mickey has been the head of the theater department at Vistamar High School in El Segundo for the past 11 years and is moving on to teach at Crossroads in Santa Monica this fall to be closer to The Crow. More info on Nicole and Mickey Blaine can be found here.
The Crow is located at Bergamot Station Arts Center. Bergamot Station is an internationally renowned creative arts complex, boasting some 20 venerable galleries and creative businesses. The fine art galleries present regular and diverse rotating exhibitions featuring artists from all over the globe and across all mediums. Bergamot Station Arts Center is a unique and unparalleled collection of fine art galleries. Throughout the year Bergamot Station Arts Center hosts vibrant community and cultural activities and facilitates educational, non-profit and charitable events. More info can be found here.
The Crow welcomes all who welcome all.
Head to CrowComedy.com to learn more.
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