Laughs for Haiti

The staged reading is over.  SFH raised $646 toward the loan that Jean will need for his taptap.  Thank you all for your support.

As you know if you’ve attended any of our Trivia events, SFH puts the “fun” in fundraising.  There’s another opportunity coming up to have fun for a cause.

On Friday night, June 15, you’ll be able to have a few laughs and get a glimpse inside the world of Hollywood (sort of) while helping a friend in Haiti.

The event

We will be holding a “staged reading” of a film script.  The script is for an original G-rated comedy called “Scrolled“.  It is best described as a cross between “The [original] Muppet Movie“, “National Treasure“, and “It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World“.

“Staged reading” means that the script will be read by actors on a stage.  There will be little motion, but plenty of emotion.  The cast will do its best to make it visually interesting, but the audience will have to supply most the visuals with the help of their imaginations and the narrator’s description.  Think of it as watching an old-time radio show.

Staged readings are commonly used in the film industry to expose interested “insider” audiences to award-winning and otherwise hot, unproduced scripts.  Although the odds are that “Scrolled” will never be made into a commercial release, imagine the bragging rights if it is!

Regardless, we can guarantee a few things:

1. You’ll have a good time and some laughs.
2. Multiple movie-related door prizes will be awarded to some lucky attendees.  Prizes currently include tickets to “Harry Potter Night” at the Lowell Spinners, movie treats, DVD’s, and more TBA.
3. You’ll help a great and very tangible cause.  Speaking of which…

The cause

Jean (not his real name) is a young man living ina suburb of Port-au-Prince.  With his mother and father both dead, he is the sole support for an extended family.  Without a job, that’s an almost impossible task.

Jean’s dream is to drive a taptap for a living.  For those who have never been to Haiti, taptaps are the ubiquitous form of public transportation that Haitians depend on.  Aside from their exceptionally colorful design and their propensity to overflow with passengers, they are a lot like our taxis.

Until recently, Jean gave private English lessons for his income, but that has always been inconsistent at best.  His current plan is to enroll in our Biznis Pam program, learn the fundamentals of running a business, and get a loan to buy a taptap.  Unfortunately, the cost of a taptap is much higher than our typical loan, so we are trying to make up the difference with funds from this event.

The vital stats

Where:  Grace Community Church, 275 Billerica Road, Chelmsford, MA
When: Friday, June 15, 2012, 7:00 – 9:00 PM
Cost: $10 per ticket, available only at the door.  (Ticket price is tax-deductible!)

Snacks will be available for free and several door prizes will be awarded.  You won’t get those at the local cineplex!

If you have any questions about this event, please write to trivia@servantsforhaiti.org.