Jersey Comedian Takes Stage to Benefit Local Charity

HIGHLAND PARK—Jessica Kirson, award-winning comedian and South Orange native, will perform a standup set at the Highland Park High School Theatre the evening of Saturday, October 6th. While her act promises “sheer silliness, vulnerability and ridiculous characters,” she is taking the stage to benefit a serious cause close to her heart: supporting the LGBTQIA community. Proceeds from Saturday’s show will benefit local charity The Pride Center of New Jersey, whose mission is to “provide comprehensive programming which fosters the health and well-being of the LGBTQIA community, and to increase public acceptance and champion social change through education and outreach.”

Kirson, herself an out lesbian, was recently awarded "Best Female Comic" by the MAC association in New York City and received the prestigious Nightlife Award for "Best Stand-up Comedian.” She stands out as one of the strongest comedians working in an era where only one in ten touring comedians is female. Megan Picurro, the Pride Center’s Marketing Secretary, observed “there is a real hunger in our community for positive role-models. Kirson is an inspiration to women for succeeding in an extremely male-dominated profession, and an inspiration to LGBTQIA people for being open about who she is and giving back to the community.”

Pride Center of New Jersey’s Major Events Trustee, Jeffrey Kagan, saw Kirson performing on a cruise ship in Alaska and immediately knew she would be perfect for one of the Pride Center’s future events. “I reached out to her through Facebook and was very happy she responded right away. She loved the idea of doing a benefit show for us, being from New Jersey and a member of our community.

Kirson says that working with the Pride Center is a win-win. “I’ve been doing stand up for 19 years, and it’s such a pleasure to do shows for audiences like this one. There’s no better audience in the world. I’m glad that I can help raise money and make a difference.”

The show arrives just before National Coming Out Day on October 11th, and falls during October’s LGBTQIA History Month observance. Vic Schimmenti, President of the Pride Center, noted that “while laughter is great medicine needed in the world today, our community still faces serious barriers to acceptance and equality. The Pride Center is a life-saving resource, providing a safe and welcoming place for all in the LGBT community--especially our youth--to come for support, health education and resources, and social opportunities to help grow in self-awareness, self-acceptance and self-esteem. Jessica is a great role model, and we are so grateful for her example and for giving back to the community.”

While the Pride Center of New Jersey serves people of all ages, please note that Kirson’s show is intended for mature audiences.

The Pride Center of New Jersey is an all-volunteer 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization, funded by private donations and fundraising events. No funding is provided or received from the State of New Jersey.

Tickets are available for purchase at www.pridecenter.booktix.com.