LONGVIEW, Texas (KLTV) – Laughter is said to be the best medicine. An annual improv festival, Laugh Out Longview, is hoping to be the cure.
They say laughter is contagious…
And in East Texas, it is.
“Laughter is important because it brings people together,” KayCee Counts, Laugh Out Longview event coordinator, said, “and it’s hard to sit next to a person who’s laughing and not want to laugh with them.”
For improv groups like Duck, Duck, Moose, growing the comedy scene in East Texas spreads not only joy, but community.
“Man, a lot of people are stepping into the comedy realm lately — which is a beautiful thing!” long time comedian and Duck Duck Moose member R.J. Heard said. “A lot of people are coming out of their shyness and really trying to get on stage and really try to spread the medicine of laughter around.”
For twelve years, Heard has worked in comedy.
“In school I just loved being the class clown,” Heard said. “I love making people laugh, so I figured: Why not make a career out of it?”
He said opportunities in the field have grown over time.
“There’s a lot of open mics and a lot of clubs that’re willing to give comedians a chance to showcase their talents,” Heard said. “The art of comedy has grown a lot since I started.”
And newcomers like Dominic Mannino said since joining the improv group, other skills have strengthened as well.
“Even at work, I work as a school counselor over at Marshall, and if I’m working with a student and suddenly I’ve exhausted all my options I feel like I’m a little better at thinking on my feet,” Mannino said.
So why do people want to laugh?
“I always say, ‘You never know what people are going through in life.’ And they just need a good laugh to get ‘em out of whatever funk they’re in,” Heard said.
“To me, it’s one of the best uniters for us,” Mannino said. “People wanna argue over every little thing on Facebook. We’re here to laugh at these jokes and lift everyone’s spirits.”
“It’s just a happy, good feeling,” Counts said.
Events are Friday and Saturday this weekend from 6 p.m. – 10 p.m. at the Longview Museum of Fine Arts.
As of Friday afternoon, tickets are still available and can be purchased online or at the door.
Events start Friday at 6:00, but you can still catch parts of the show as it lasts until 10.
Saturday night, the show will last from 6 p.m. –10 p.m., showcasing improv teams from around the state, an unscripted performance of Wicked, and more!
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