LONGVIEW, Texas (KLTV) – Laughter is said to be the best medicine. An annual improv festival, Laugh Out Longview, is hoping to be the cure.<\/p>\n
They say laughter is contagious…<\/p>\n
And in East Texas, it is.<\/p>\n
\u201cLaughter is important because it brings people together,\u201d KayCee Counts, Laugh Out Longview event coordinator, said, \u201cand it\u2019s hard to sit next to a person who\u2019s laughing and not want to laugh with them.\u201d<\/p>\n
For improv groups like Duck, Duck, Moose, growing the comedy scene in East Texas spreads not only joy, but community.<\/p>\n
\u201cMan, a lot of people are stepping into the comedy realm lately — which is a beautiful thing!\u201d long time comedian and Duck Duck Moose member R.J. Heard said. \u201cA 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.\u201d<\/p>\n
For twelve years, Heard has worked in comedy.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn school I just loved being the class clown,\u201d Heard said. \u201cI love making people laugh, so I figured: Why not make a career out of it?\u201d<\/p>\n
He said opportunities in the field have grown over time.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s a lot of open mics and a lot of clubs that\u2019re willing to give comedians a chance to showcase their talents,\u201d Heard said. \u201cThe art of comedy has grown a lot since I started.\u201d<\/p>\n
And newcomers like Dominic Mannino said since joining the improv group, other skills have strengthened as well.<\/p>\n
\u201cEven at work, I work as a school counselor over at Marshall, and if I\u2019m working with a student and suddenly I\u2019ve exhausted all my options I feel like I\u2019m a little better at thinking on my feet,\u201d Mannino said.<\/p>\n
So why do people want to laugh?<\/p>\n
\u201cI always say, \u2018You never know what people are going through in life.\u2019 And they just need a good laugh to get \u2018em out of whatever funk they\u2019re in,\u201d Heard said.<\/p>\n
\u201cTo me, it\u2019s one of the best uniters for us,\u201d Mannino said. \u201cPeople wanna argue over every little thing on Facebook. We\u2019re here to laugh at these jokes and lift everyone\u2019s spirits.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s just a happy, good feeling,\u201d Counts said.<\/p>\n
Events are Friday and Saturday this weekend from 6 p.m. – 10 p.m. at the Longview Museum of Fine Arts.<\/p>\n
As of Friday afternoon, tickets are still available and can be purchased online or at the door.<\/p>\n
Events start Friday at 6:00, but you can still catch parts of the show as it lasts until 10.<\/p>\n
Saturday night, the show will last from 6 p.m. \u201310 p.m., showcasing improv teams from around the state, an unscripted performance of Wicked, and more!<\/p>\n
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