FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact Info:
Janice Rodriguez
Las Locas Comedy
773-330-2520
[email protected]
laslocascomedy.com
Las Locas Comedy Celebrates “Chingona” History Month
While COVID-19 continues to devastate the comedy industry nationwide and bars that regularly offer their space for live comedy are closed, comedians have had to find new ways to stand out in a saturated online marketplace. Las Locas Comedy not only manages to hold their own in this new space, but thrives in front of a new, nationwide audience.
Chicago, IL (March 15th, 2021) – Las Locas Comedy celebrates Women’s History Month with Las Locas Comedy Presents: ¡The Chingona History Month Show! on Saturday, March 20th, 2021 at 8 pm CST online. Simply put, a chingona is a badass woman that gets shit done, a Mexican slang word turned battle cry for Latinas everywhere. Local chingona and Chicago favorite, Gwen La Roka, headlines this special night of comedy.
When The Comedy Club Database reported that less than 1% of comics booked at 55 comedy clubs across the country were Latina, they quantitatively solidified the need for Las Locas Comedy in an industry historically dominated by the white male narrative. The producers at Las Locas Comedy know that Latinas are neither first nor alone in the fight for representation in standup comedy so they weren’t surprised to find that the same report stated that less than 6% of comics booked were women of color. While Las Locas Comedy boasts primarily Latina lineups, they also make space for “Honorary Locas,” other women of color, on their lineups. They believe a unified front in the fight for representation at the grassroots level creates a positive ripple effect in the comedy scene, propelling underrepresented talent to national comedy clubs and beyond.
Founder and producer, comedian Janice V. Rodriguez, believes it is imperative to keep moving forward despite, and sometimes in spite of, the limitations caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. “I think it is more important than ever that we’re out here making people laugh while continuing to talk about important issues. Embracing the online format has allowed us to reach more people in different areas across the U.S. and stay active in the community versus just going dark because we can’t meet in person. It’s important that we’re still talking to our community through comedy,” said Rodriguez. “In this political climate and with the specific issues facing the Latinx community today, we thought it was really important to give a voice to Latina talent as well as have a platform where we could discuss important current events and cultural issues through comedy,” Rodriguez added.
Their loyal following of “#Locas4Life” has not gone dark either so their efforts to adapt to the new normal have paid off. Their September virtual show drew an audience of over 60 people, comparable to sold out, in person performances. Their ticket sales have proven time and again that there is a market for comedy written by and performed by Latinas. “It was so refreshing to see women of color on stage putting on a hilarious set and filling the room with such positive energy,” says one fan in a review on the group’s Facebook page. “It’s a must see show and I plan to spread the word and keep going to shows to give my support.
Tickets to Las Locas Comedy Presents: ¡The Chingona History Month Show! and booking information are available at www.LasLocasComedy.com. Follow Las Locas Comedy on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube at @laslocascomedy for more “Loca” content.
About Las Locas Comedy
Las Locas Comedy is a Chicago-based monthly comedy showcase centered around Latinas and female comics of color. The show was founded by comedians Janice V. Rodriguez (janicevrodriguez.com) and Soli Santos in 2017 to provide a platform for Latina comedians and female comedians of color. The debut show was standing room only and their popularity continued to grow with each subsequent show. Las Locas Comedy is currently produced by Rodriguez and comedian Jess Martínez. Las Locas Comedy received the inaugural Lady Laughs Comedy Award for Best BIPOC Show, has been Chicago Reader Recommended and dubbed a “Must See Comedy Event” by Red Eye.
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