The Theatrical, Charitable Side of Aerosmith's Tom Hamilton

What's going on with Aerosmith these days? Tonic can tell you that the Bad Boys of Boston are reuniting to go on tour, will be playing a special hometown date at baseball's venerable Fenway Park August 14 and are planning to return to the recording studio at some point in the near future.

But before any of that happens, bassist Tom Hamilton did something that makes him both happy and a little bit nervous: sketch comedy for a good cause. Hamilton was part of a celeb-studded musical revue Banned in Boston April 9 that raised $400,000 for Improv Boston, a violence prevention program that uses improvisational drama to help 7,000 city kids deal with issues of bullying, racism, drugs and homophobia when they confront them.

The capacity-crowd event took place at the House of Blues in Boston, more well-known for hosting performers on stage like Snoop Dogg than politicos and Pultizer-prize winning authors. But, the venue turned out to be the perfect stage for a zany, sometimes profane production and Hamilton had plenty of renowned company. The Pulitzer prize-winning and presidential historian Doris Kearns Goodwin got lots of laughs when she cut up as a daffy Cher and later, after a costume change, played a prim-but-pottymouthed 19th century Boston socialite Isabella Stewart Gardner. Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick delivered jokes ("As you know Massachusetts has become Hollywood East, which has been very educational for me. Do you know what old money is in Hollywood? A check that clears.") and a rousing rendition of "You'll Love Boston" to the tune of "I Love Paris."

Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley may have lost her bid for Senator Ted Kennedy's seat to Scott Brown, but if she ever gives up her day job, she might consider acting. Wearing her own black tuxedo, striped oxford shirt, MBT sneakers and a cropped blonde wig, she nailed Ellen DeGeneres' quirkiness even down to her dance moves and endearing shuffle. And, Boston Mayor Tom Menino, appeared in Avatar-style dreadlocks to give dialect coaching lessons to Mickey Rourke, improbably played by Massachusetts Film Office head honcho Nick Paleologos.

And Hamilton? He played Bill Clinton with thumbs up aplomb. So how did Hamilton get involved in these shenanigans and tomfoolery? Well, he's loved sketch comedy since he was in the high school drama club in New London, NH. And to hear him tell it, it was his idea that the band be part of a 1990 Wayne's World skit when Aerosmith appeared as the musical talent on Saturday Night Live. But, about ten years ago when Aerosmith was off the road and Hamilton was getting antsy, his band manager put him in touch with Urban Improv and its Banned in Boston production so he could pursue his theatrical yearnings.

"I was looking for a show biz kind of thing and it turned out to be an accident that my involvement was a fundraiser. They treat me like a king. This is a great organization. They help kids rehearse situations they may get into and the kids come up with ideas of how they can handle them without them being in danger," says Hamilton of Urban Improv, which works on youth development in city schools.

Hamilton says he identifies with the challenges kids face trying to growing up without getting into trouble. He said even though he grew up in a small New Hampshire town with a population of 2,000 and was on student council, the tennis team and participated in a model UN program in high school, he had a run-in with police at age 16 when he was charged with LSD possession and distribution. "I was so embarrassed and ashamed with my parents. I paid off my fine of $300 by doing gigs in a rock band," recalls Hamilton.

So Hamilton says that when life winds down and Aerosmith retires, charity work could be a second act for when he puts his bass away.

Photos courtesy of Urban Improv Banned in Boston.