The ASL Comedy...TOUR!

Keith Wann, Peter Cook, Crom Saunders and other Special Guests
For your VRS Needs
www.callVRS.org

For your Community/VRI Needs
www.NeedInterpreter.com

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ASL Comedy Tour
Are You Ready to Die of ASL Laughter? 
Keith Wann's ASL Comedy Tour
to Hit the U.S. in 2009/2010

TWITTER KEITH WANN TO FOLLOW...
And Add Keith Wann on FaceBook

Keith Wann, renowned for his hilarious,sidesplitting comedy performances, is now producing and hosting the ASL Comedy Tour 2009, which will travel the U.S. this year. With American Sign Language (ASL) artists presenting solo performances incorporating comedy, skits, songs, improvisation, and stories, each show lasts two hours.

“This tour is so that we can raise awareness about the ASL community through comedy,” Wann said. “It’s the creation of a venue for up-and-coming ASL comedians, and includes some of the funniest people in America.” Performers include Wann himself, ASL storyteller Peter Cook, Crom Saunders presenting a deaf view on mainstream society, Lianna Carrera sharing her experiences as a child of deaf adults, ASL student Francisco who tells how it was to marry into a deaf family, and Justin “Wormy” Callaway sharing his deaf perspectives of American culture.

“What is so great about the shows is that local comedians can audition for the shows in their cities,” Wann explained. “This helps promote the creation of ASL comedy by not only nationally renowned performers, but also by local folks. Besides, it’s always great to have local flavor at events like this.” 
The ASL Comedy Tour has already been booked in several different cities and more added every month.
Sponsored by www.CallVRS.org, the multi-city tour is designed to be affordable for each location.


The tour was created as a way to give back to the community, Wann added. “I’ve been fortunate the past few years to experience firsthand people’s love of ASL comedy through my performances all over the nation. This tour is my way of making sure that other ASL performers also experience the same level of success in their ASL comedy. It’s also a great way to bring together some of the funniest minds in the deaf community, and see what havoc we can wreak.”

To get information on how to bring the ASL Comedy Tour to your town, or to view video clips, visit www.aslcomedytour.com. People interested in appearing in local shows should send samples of their original works to kemiproductionsinc@gmail.com.

Each ASL artist will do some short solo performances throughout the show that also includes skits, songs, improv games, and pure ASL hand waving, that involve the ASL comedy performers and YOU... 

To Book this event for your city
email - KemiProductionsInc@gmail.com


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2010

FOR ALL SHOWS -
When you buy a paypal ticket, bring the receipt to the show as your ticket

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February 4, 2010
Long Island, NY
Massapeaqua and Cleary
2 ICEWORM ASL COMEDY shows
Keith Wann and Crom Saunders
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February 20, 2010
Irvine, California
Keith Wann, Crom Saunders, and Peter Cook,
SPECIAL Performer - Branton Stewart

Branton Stewart grew up in a Deaf family; it was during his childhood years when he began to build a bridge between the Deaf and hearing worlds. Growing up, he encountered a plethora of languages including SEE, oralism, ASL and Cued Speech. This experience contributed to his desire to work in the field of bridging the gap between the interpreters and the Deaf community.

He recieved his Bachelor's Degree in Government from Gallaudet University. After college, his career endeavours revolved around the interpreting industry.

Branton is not only a savvy business man, but he also has a passion for acting. He has trained with Bernard Bragg, Ricky Smith and Patrick Graybill. Branton has performed ASL stories, mimes, and acted in a murder mystery production. This year, he looks forward to being a stand-up comedian.


18000 Von Karman Avenue 
Irvine,  California  92612 
9pm TIME CHANGED
Tickets for Irvine
Buy your tickets now to reserve a seat through our advanced paypal feature and bring your receipt to the show and have a great night of hand flapping!
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March 6, 2010
Rhode Island
Keith Wann, Crom Saunders, and Peter Cook
special Guest - Gregg Spera

1 Orms Street 
Providence,  Rhode Island  02904 
8pm
Tickets for Rhode Island
Buy your tickets now to reserve a seat through our advanced paypal feature and bring your receipt to the show and have a great night of hand flapping!
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April 17, 2010
Minneapolis, MN
Keith Wann, Crom Saunders,
and Peter Cook,
Special Guest -Lisa Callsen, codadiva that!

gets her rush from networking both for business and socially. With passions like talking and herself, she realized she had a message. Lisa is working on becoming a professional speaker and writing a one woman play based on topics related to Deafness along with a humorous presentation of growing up hearing in a Deaf household.

2020 American Boulevard East 
Bloomington,  Minnesota  55425 
8pm
Tickets for Minneapolis
Buy your tickets now to reserve a seat through our advanced paypal feature and bring your receipt to the show and have a great night of hand flapping!
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April 22, 2010
Neptune, NJ
ICEWORM ASL COMEDY show
Keith Wann and Crom Saunders
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May 15, 2010

Norfolk, VA

Keith Wann - the one man show

235 E Main Street
Norfolk, Virginia 23510 USA
8pm
Tickets for Norfolk
Buy your tickets now to reserve a seat through our advanced paypal feature and bring your receipt to the show and have a great night of hand flapping!

Your ASL Performers

Keith Wann
Sacramento, CA -Brooklyn, NY - Clearwater, FL - a RV!


Keith Wann, a child of deaf adults, is one of America’s funniest ASL comedians. Keith tours around the ASL Nation performing both of his one man shows “Watching Two Worlds Collide” rated G to R (depending on the audience request) and his K.I.D.S.show (Keith's Inspirational Deaf Stories), for family audiences and Schools.
He also performs as a Storyteller for Festivals featuring
family and children stories in ASL.
Keith has gone Hollywood and was filmed in some PEPSI commercials to build hype for the SuperBowl commercial. He has also been on a few TV shows as an extra, including Law and Order and Court TV and also appeared in Mosdeux's Resonare as the Demented Apple Farmer...and just finished filming another film playing a deranged prison convict in the film How I Killed My Girlfriend's Cat.
Keith was also involved with Sia,
as her ASL consultant in her music video featuring ASL!
Keith is working on a collection of CODA/KODA stories for a book.
He also teaches workshops for interpreters to analyze lyrics and ASL, the journey to certification, and Improvisation for ASL students.
Keith has worked solo and in collaboration with other great ASL artists bringing to stage Coda stories, Deaf culture, Improv, Sketch comedy,
and ASL student bashing.
Keith lives in Brooklyn, NY and Clearwater, FL.  He works part-time as an interpreter certified CI CT and NIC:Master. Keith completed a program at Julliard on interpreting Broadway plays and has interpreted Shrek, Hedda, 39 Steps, Hamlet, and Little Shop of Horrors.


Peter Cook

Chicago, IL

Peter S. Cook is an internationally reputed Deaf performing artist whose works incorporates American Sign Language, pantomime, storytelling, acting, and movement.
Peter has traveled extensively around the country and aboard with Flying Words Project to promote ASL Literature with Kenny Lerner since 1986. Peter has appeared in Live from Off Center’s “Words on Mouth” (PBS) and “ United States of Poetry” (PBS) produced by Emmy winner Bob Holman. Peter teaches at Columbia College where he received the 1997 Excellence in Teaching award. In 1998, Peter set up a video production called PC Production and now based in Chicago.
Peter was featured nationally in festivals such as the Jonesboro National Storytelling festival , Oklahoma City Winter Tales, Illinois Storytelling Festival, Indiana Hoosier Storytelling Festival, Eugene Oregon Multi-Cultural Festival, and The Deaf Way II and the Millennium Stage at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.
Peter was invited to the White House to join the National Book Festival in 2003. Internationally,Peter has worked with Deaf storytellers/poets in Sweden, Norway, Denmark ,Netherlands, Austria and Japan.
Peter lives in Chicago and teaches in ASL-English Interpretation Department at Columbia College.
He loves to tell stories to his son.


Crom Saunders

Pittsburgh, PA


Crom Saunders  grew up in a normal environment and thought it was boring so he started seeing things from a very different perspective. Crom also really enjoys theatre- Crom has his own one-man show, “Cromania!”, which tours nationwide, featuring over 40 different characters, comedy, improv, and storytelling, allowing audiences a glimpse into his warped imagination.

Crom also co-founded ICEWORM, a nationally touring troupe which features improv and sketch comedy. He now directs plays as well as act in them, the latest production being "2258: A Comedy of Cosmic Proportions"  the latest of several plays to be produced from Crom’s scripts.

In addition to performing, Crom also has interpreted dozens of plays, from children’s theatre to musicals, including "Spamalot" and "Mamma Mia" and teaches ASL and theatrical workshops across the nation. He currently teaches ASL and Deaf Culture at Columbia College in Chicago when he is not busy training his eyebrows for the rodeo.

Crom is thrilled to be a member of the ASL Comedy Tour!



Lianna Carrera
Chicago, IL


Lianna Carrera was born to a Deaf mother and a hearing father 

on Christmas day in 1984. Her father was an ordained minister 

to the Deaf, which meant moving often to establish Deaf 

churches and missions along the east coast. As she grew 

older, Lianna's ties to the Deaf community strengthened. She 

began to understand that her experiences as a CODA are unique 

but more importantly, uniquely hilarious. 

Lianna is a stand up comedian that performs for predominantly 

hearing audiences. The influences of her CODA upbringing can 

be seen in the large gestures, facial expressions and 

American Sign Language that she incorporates into her acts. 

She prides herself on being able to bring the hearing world 

to the Deaf world through her insight and humor. 

She has performed at The Laugh Factory, LA, The Improv, LA 

and continues to travel to colleges, universities and 

festivals around the country.

Patrick Fischer is from several generations of fine artists and actors from Europe, and has seen many theatre productions which gave him an extensive interest in all things relating to theatre and art. These interests led Patrick to be involved in a variety of artistic positions (artist, board member, actor, director, producer, teacher, and consultant) as well as participation in a variety of performances (storytelling, poetry, emcee, skits, and comedy) all around the nation.
From Patrick's experiences and training in different aspects of theatre, he grew to enjoy sharing and passing on his exposure and knowledge. Patrick launched his theatrical business in 2005, providing various services to those who want to learn more about theatre through deaf's eyes. When Patrick is not "working" in theatre, he teaches American Sign Language (ASL) and currently is a certified ASLTA instructor at Portland Community College under the Sign Language Studies Program and Sign Language Interpretation Program in Portland, OR. Patrick is also a professional artist and owner of a freelance design business, "Infinity Design.
"To know more about Patrick Fischer, check out his two websites: 
www.mrshineyhead.com and www.idwiz.com.

Gregg Spera
Up North, USA

Gregg Spera is Deaf and locally known in the New England Deaf community as an entertainer. Gregg has performed at Boston’s Faneuil Hall, state fairs, public libraries, Deaf schools and events for the Deaf. He has made several appearances in Deaf films such as Break the Circle, The Golden Legend, Hammer and Hope, The Deafy Bunch and The Three Deafies. Gregg’s remarkable talents include the art of illusion, performer, mime, storyteller, ASL consultant, film maker, editor, producer, director and presenter mime, and comedy.  Gregg’s passion is to educate the deaf community through the visual arts.

Aside from professional life, his utmost accomplishments are raising two wonderful children, Courtney and Marissa AKA “The Koda Sisters”.  He is married to Sheryl, an amazing and compassionate wife. 

He is honored to be a member of the ASL Comedy Tour.



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