With all its elite colleges (Harvard, MIT, blah, blah, blah) and world-renowned hospitals (Massachusetts General, Dana-Farber, etc …), Boston has been known for being a buttoned-up place. But there is one night a year when the city lets its freak flag fly and that’s the annual production of Banned in Boston, the all-star musical comedy revue featuring a cast of celebrity rockers, writers, politicians and personalities making fools of themselves for a good cause.
This year, that day is April 9 and the cast includes Aerosmith’s Tom Hamilton as Bill Clinton playing opposite Pulitzer-prize winning author and presidential historian Doris Kearns Goodwin as the ghost of socialite Isabella Stewart Gardner. If it all sounds a little crazy, it is, but the antics are all part of a Banned in Boston spoof to benefit Urban Improv, a nationally-acclaimed youth program that uses improvisational theater to teach urban kids how to handle issues like racism, bullying, homophobia and drugs. This is Urban Improv’s major annual fundraiser and the proceeds support violence prevention and positive youth development programs for 7,000 city kids.
The cast for the 15th annual Banned production also includes US Senator John Kerry, Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick and his wife Diane, Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley, Boston Mayor Tom Menino and Click ‘n Clack, the “Car Talk” guys Tom and Ray Magliozzi. The plot of this year’s crazy skit revolves around the Avatar sequel being filmed in Boston and Angelina Jolie getting help from dialect coach Mayor Tom Menino. The event will be held at the cool House of Blues in Boston.
“This week, I’m just pumping the show,” says Hamilton, who has been practicing his Arkansas accent. “It’s really fun. Everybody gets a major buzz on. It’s a real party. I’m hoping everybody checks out what Urban Improv is and maybe they’ll think it’s a good idea and make a donation.”
Photo provided courtesy of Urban Improv’s Banned in Boston.