Orpheum Comedy Show Benefits Cape Cod Hospital Auxiliary

On May 14, members of the Chatham and Harwich branches of the Cape Cod Hospital Auxiliary will host “Laughs that Deliver,” a comedy night fundraiser at The Chatham Orpheum Theater. 

The event, which includes shows at 5 and 7 p.m., will feature nationally acclaimed comedian Amy Barnes. All proceeds will support maternal health and the family birthplace at Cape Cod Hospital. 

Formed in 1942, the Cape Cod Hospital Auxiliary is a nonprofit organization that supports Cape Cod Hospital through fundraising pledges that assist in the cost of new or improved facilities or programs at the hospital. Recently, the philanthropic group completed a $1 million pledge in support of the Davenport-Mugar Cancer Center. When turning to the next funding need for maternal health and family birthplace, Cape Cod Hospital Auxiliary co-chair Beth Jacobs focused on the numbers.

 “There are approximately 1,000 births on Cape Cod each year,” said Jacobs. “Membership was particularly moved by this opportunity to support our young families of our Cape Cod communities.”

Barnes was someone Jacobs saw roughly 10 years ago, she said. In explaining why Barnes is great for the event, Jacobs focused on her ability to appeal to all audiences.

 “The show is not just for women, but she is very relative to women’s laughter and she’s very diverse,” said Jacobs. “She really can customize her show to meet what we’re doing and what we’re raising the monies for.”

Barnes, who is based out of the Pacific Northwest, started in comedy more than 20 years ago. As a writer she’s worked with actors and comedians like Nancy Travis, Bonnie Hunt, Jack Black and Morgan Freeman. Now, in a national touring act, she plays more than 60 dates a year. Coming back to the Orpheum for a second time, she said that it’s nice to play an event that is focused on a worthy cause.

 “We had a lot of fun the last time I was there,” said Barnes. “It always is much more compelling to me to do it for a reason than to just do it for entertainment at a club.”

For those who haven’t had the chance to see Barnes before, she commented on how she would describe her comedy.

 “Safe?” she joked. “You don't have to be scared. I feel like hopefully it's not going to offend anybody, but I think it's just really real and lighthearted and it comes directly from my own life and experience.”

Barnes refers to herself as a “clean comic.” While it may have started as a necessity, it has become a point of definition for her, she said.

 “When I started out doing comedy, you had to work clean for a lot of the venues and for television, and I thought, that seems like a lot of work to write two different shows, right?” she said. “But honestly, it just makes me accessible to a lot of people. And I think funny is funny. And so hopefully, maybe if you're looking for a dirty act, if it's still going to make you laugh, you'll come and laugh at it, even though it's clean.

 “But for me personally, I want to be somebody that elevates the bar a little bit instead of dragging it down any further,” she added. “Hopefully that's what I'm doing.”

Recently Barnes filmed a Dry Bar Comedy special in Provo, Utah. Dry Bar Comedy lists 3.05 million subscribers on its YouTube channel and is devoted to providing standup comedy for everyone in the family. She said she had a great experience filming the special. 

 “It’s become quite a brand and I think people are really looking for alternatives to the direction that comedy has gone,” said Barnes. “I was flattered to be asked and I think I'm going to go back and do another one and I think I'm going to guess it'll be up in about six weeks.”