Wild Goose Creative is hosting “Unsavory Dames,” an all-female comic show, to raise awareness for domestic violence, on Saturday. The proceeds will go to the Sexual Assault Response Network of Central Ohio.
“We’re donating to SARNCO. It helps directly in our area. It makes this much more personal,” said Brooke Cartus, one of the stand-up comedians. “It connects the performers and the audience. There is a real need for more organizations like this across this nation. The bottom line is we want you to walk out of the door with an awareness.”
SARNCO is a local sexual assault prevention and intervention program that provides medical and psychological help to assault victims.
Wild Goose created the show in conjunction with its “Women’s Month” in mind. With an all-female cast, the group is hoping to spread the message through comedy, Wild Goose intern Christine Horvath said.
“Domestic violence is a scary thing, and in doing comedy to raise awareness, maybe we are helping to take away some of that scariness,” said Amy Talbott, an improv comedian.
“Unsavory Dames” is the first of several February events celebrating women. The title of the show comes from “The Lady’s Dressing Room,” a Jonathan Swift poem, Horvath said. She said the title satirizes how people see female comics.
The cast won’t just do its regular types of comedy, but will cross into less familiar territory including sketch, improv and stand-up comedy in the show. Some of the improv acts will be short-form, which will include games requiring audience participation.
“This is the first all-female, all-genres, comedy show in Columbus,” Horvath said.
Lauren Sanders, an Ohio State alumna and stand-up comedian, said there was a strong connection within the comedy community.
“I know about half of the women performing. The Columbus stand-up comedy scene is pretty tight-knit,” she said. “It’s all about female empowerment,” said Sanders, who co-wrote several of the sketches that comics will perform.
Cartus said there would be no man-hating, but to expect a lot of jokes poking fun at the male gender.
“It’ll be interesting to see what kind of jokes come out with a bunch of female comedians,” Sanders said.
Cartus said the all-women show shouldn’t deter anyone from attending because the message they are trying to send transcends gender.
“We’re just from a range of backgrounds. It’s a celebration of females. We will all bring our experiences of life and love,” she said.
