Viva Luis!

One of our players, sassy Luis Cortes, recently went through a little health scare that resulted in a brief stay in the intensive care unit of a hospital. Luis recovered just fine, but thanks to our dandy health care system, racked up a bill in the tens of thousands.

We're hosting a benefit to raise some money to help knock down the bill. Join us for a one-night only show:

VIVA LUIS!

This show will feature improv, music and a reunion of Ninja Vanish, a long-form group of which Luis was a part. And yes, Luis will be performing.

DATE: Friday night, September 4, 10:30 pm
TICKETS: $25 by phone at 323-856-4796 or online at ComedySportzLA.com

And yes, we need to reform our health care system.

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CSz Summer Camps Rousing Success

Bennett and Jeff, two happy campers in their new ComedySportz shirts.

Every summer we offer summer impov camps for kids, ages 8 - 18. This year we ran five marvelous camps: one kids' camp, one middle school and three high school. Over two hundred kids participated and our staff had a marvelous time.

Here are some campers comments from their experience:

"Great! Every year gets better and better!"
"Amazing! This camp has changed my life for the better."
"It was honestly one of the best experiences I have ever had. Honestly. Unbelievable."
"These were the best five days of my life. This experience was so indescribable."
"The experience was fantastic. Thank you for giving me the tools to succeed."
"I had one of the best camp times of my life. I learned to be comfortable in my skin."
"This camp was fantastic. I learned a lot and had a really great time doing it."
"I had a blast and learned so many things I didn't know."
"Possibly the best week of my life."

If you went to the high school camps, remember Sessions A and B are having a reunion on Saturday, September 5. Session C reunion is on September 29.

If you're interested in improv or stand-up classes, we've got them for all ages. Find out more at ComedySportzLA.com

Thanks to all of our amazing teachers who made a life time of memories.

--James Thomas Bailey

James Thomas Bailey Teaches for US Embassy in Cyprus

We had a very busy summer, so I'm very behind on the updates, so I'm going to do several in a row.

I was asked to return to Cyprus in May by United States Department of State and the embassy in Cyprus to work as a Cultural Specialist. For those of you in California, this is not the city of Cypress near Orange County! This is the island nation of Cyprus, located in the Mediterranean. It is a mix of cultures with Greek Cypriots in the South and Turkish Cypriots in the North--a complicated, diverse place.

Last October, I taught improvisational theatre to 600 teachers throughout the country and was invited back this time to be a special guest for the Cypriot Games. The Cypriot Games are a nationwide high school theatre competition sponsored by THOC (Theatre of Cyprus), the state theatre. I was lucky enough to teach students and teachers this time and work with some marvelous theatre professionals. It was a tremendous experience.

Many thanks to the folks at the US Embassy and THOC, especially Marina Maleni, Theatre Development Director. I hope to return again next year for some projects that are in the works.

-- James Thomas Bailey