Laughter is contagious and our annual benefit, Cocktails and Comedy, is too. It’s back and even better than ever with stars from the hit ABC talent show series, America’s Got Talent!
EARLY BIRD TICKETS ON SALE NOW THROUGH APRIL 1st!
Over three years ago, as the country emerged from the global pandemic, FRE hosted a night of pure, clean comedy complete with grins, giggles and guffaws. Regaled by seasoned performers from the L.A. Comedy group, Catholic Laughter, the FUNdraiser proved to be just what the doctor ordered! The event grew in popularity becoming the most successful benefit for us to date, raising over $130,000 each of the last two years to benefit our cause.
Now in its fourth year, Cocktails and Comedy focuses on funding student sponsorships to aid our talented students at St. Antoine’s School in Karangazi, Rwanda. Overall expenses to educate a child for one year are $1,000 USD. At this event, we ask our guests to consider giving one student a chance to overcome poverty through education.
We offer monthly payment plans, making this an affordable gift, and a life changing possibility for a student. While full sponsorships are our goal for the evening, every donation make a difference to these children. During the school year, students correspond with their sponsors sharing profound gratitude and a glimpse into their dreams for the future.
If you enjoy a good chuckle, consider joining us for our next Cocktails and Comedy where laughter brings hope to our kids.
Meet Erica Rhodes!
Erica Rhodes has appeared on ABC’s Modern Family, HBO’s Veep, Fox’s New Girl, and IFC’s Comedy Bang Bang. She was a regular panelist on Comedy Central’s @midnight and Fox’s Punchline. Her standup TV appearances include NBC’s Bring the Funny and Last Call with Carson Daly, the CW’s Howie Mandel Comedy Extravaganza, SeeSo’s The Guest List, Hulu’s Coming to the Stage, and AXS’ Live at Gotham.
Erica was chosen as a New Face for the 2018 Just for Laughs Festival (Montreal) and also performed at the San Francisco Sketchfest, the Moontower Comedy Festival (Austin, TX), the Blue Whale Comedy Festival (Tulsa, OK), the Boston Comedy Festival and RIOT L.A. Fest.
Erica starred in the ABC Digital series The Off-Season, was a semi-regular performer/writer on NPR’s A Prairie Home Companion, and a recurring character on the Audible series, Dr. Katz: The Audiobook. Her first album Sad Lemon hit #1 on the iTunes comedy charts and her first one-hour comedy special La Vie en Rhodes was shot as part of the Tribeca Drive-In Fest (at Pasadena’s famous Rose Bowl) and can now be viewed on Amazon Prime.
Erica currently voices the scene-stealing character of “Dotty” in the hit Netflix animation series, A Tale Dark and Grimm. Bring the Funny judge Jeff Foxworthy described Erica as “the best-defined comic voice of the competition.
Meet Learnmore Jonasi!
Learnmore Jonasi is a Zimbabwean stand-up comedian and actor. He stands at over 6 feet, his comedy is brought to life by past experiences, observations and his view (from the top) which elicit rib-tickling laughs, regardless of the crowd.
He has performed with and alongside the biggest names on the African Continent and performed across 20 countries at various Theatres, Festivals, Comedy clubs, and on TV Shows. He was the winner of the 2023 Boston Comedy Festival , and the 2023 audience choice Jersey City Comedy festival.
In 2019 he won the National Arts Merit Awards as the Outstanding Comedian of the Year, the Savanna Comic Choice Awards as the Pan African Comic of the Year, and he was the People’s Choice Award winner in Steve Harvey’s Stand Up Spotlight competition. He can be seen on America’s Got Talent starting May 2024 after receiving the Golden Buzzer and advancing directly to the live show.
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