No Joke: Lawyer to Pay Salaries of Actors at his Former Comedy Theater During Coronavirus Crisis

BOSTON, March 20, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Dan Faneuf, attorney at law, former actor and comedian at the acclaimed Improv Asylum in Boston and New York, is donating $25K to cover the salaries of the actors in both locations who have lost shows and income due to the Coronavirus crisis.

Faneuf, a former improv comedian/actor at Improv Asylum in Boston, who now runs his own law practice, has a very personal connection with the theater and actors he is helping. "Improv Asylum stood by me through the toughest moments of my life, both on-stage and off. I am grateful for all the amazing performers I have had the chance to work with. This is just a way of helping out when help is needed."

"When Dan reached out to me with his incredible offer, I was blown away. Like all small businesses in the hospitality industry during this crisis, Improv Asylum and the rest of our comedy venues are staring into the abyss, with no way to generate revenue and thus no way to pay our employees," says Norm Laviolette, co-founder and CEO of Improv Asylum and Laugh Boston. "We've had to furlough most of our employees already, and have no idea when we might be able to re-open. For Dan to step up like this, and help the most vulnerable of our employees is just a tremendous act of generosity."

"Dan was an amazing performer here for a long time. He threw away his chance to continue making very little money in a basement theater in Boston to become an "Attorney" in Boston. Worst decision of his life," jokes Laviolette. "But it got me thinking, how can we help even more actors, comedians and artists who have lost their income and really have no way to make it up? So through our non-profit foundation, "No Rest For The Wicked Funny," we are working to raise money to distribute to those people that make us laugh and cry and dance and sing. With Dan's generous seed donation, we have a great starting place. After all, so many of the things we love, comedy, music, TV and film -- literally all the things we are using to get through this epidemic, are created by these artists. We need to make sure they are taken care of in some way."

Despite Improv Asylum being shut down for the time being, Laviolette and Faneuf remain busy. Laviolette, an author, public speaker and small business owner, has been on-call to talk about the impact of Coronavirus on businesses in the entertainment industry. And Faneuf, whose firm specializes in representing victims of sexual assault, wrongful death and serious injury negligence, says, "We're all still working during this crisis."

For more information or to make a donation, visit www.improvasylum.com/norest.

ABOUT IMPROV ASYLUM
For over 20 years, Improv Asylum has been Boston's best comedy. Located in the heart of the historic North End of Boston, Improv Asylum is open every day of the week with their signature sketch and improv main stage revue running every Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights. With classes, corporate training and private events, the company has performed for over a million people — a number that continues to grow with the recent addition of their New York City location. Find out more information at www.improvasylum.com

ABOUT NO REST
No Rest For The Wicked Funny Foundation, Inc is the incorporated 501(c)3 public charity branch of Improv Asylum. The organization's mission is to improve the community by using the art of comedy, partnering with other non-profit organizations to raise money for those who need it most. As of March 15, 2020, donations to NRWF, Inc. will go towards providing relief to comedians and actors that have lost wages due to state-wide Coronavirus-related shutdowns. Find out more information at norestfoundation.org or make a donation here.

SOURCE Improv Asylum

Related Links

http://www.improvasylum.com