On February 13th, 2021, Renascent welcomed over 300 friends, staff, and alumni, as we gathered for a night of fun and laughter with our first event of the year, Renascent Laughs: From Robes to Riches.
Spearheaded by Renascent’s own Cynthia Langill, who also hosted this special evening, Renascent Laughs was a virtual, live comedy show, which aimed to raise funds and raise moods as Toronto and Ontario continue to live through the global pandemic and region wide lockdowns. The theme of the event, “From Robes to Riches” was fitting with a virtual, at-home event, as guests were encouraged to attend in their pajamas or their favourite formal attire.
Renascent is grateful for our VIP Sponsor, Comeback Snacks, who provided our VIP guests with an exclusive package containing a variety of bags of their delicious popcorn. These boxes were delivered to people’s homes prior to the event, so that the treats could be enjoyed during the show. The VIP package, along with our Meet & Greet ticket package, provided guests with the opportunity to meet and ask the stars of the show some questions prior to their performances.
On that note, we want to share a very special thank you to the incredible headliners for the evening, comedians Debra DiGiovanni and Alonzo Bodden!
Debra DiGiovanni is a three-time winner of the Canadian Comedy Award for Best Female Comic and Gemini Award winner for Best Televised Individual Comedy Performance. Debra had the audience in stitches that night!
Alonzo Bodden, who you may know as winner of The Last Comic Standing, Just For Laughs, and who had his fourth stand-up special, Alonzo Bodden: Heavy Lightweight, air exclusively on Amazon Prime Video, delivered a hysterical performance as the event headliner.
We have been absolutely overwhelmed with gratitude for the support and turnout at Renascent Laughs. As this was our first event of 2021, and considering the extended lockdowns, we offered a Pay What You Can option to ensure our goal of community and lifting spirits was met. The funds raised through this event will be used towards our continuous efforts to provide affordable and accessible care for individuals and families living with the impacts of addiction.
We look forward to a time when we can come together for events in person. In the meantime, we are sincerely grateful for the support of Renascent and our clients, who could not receive the treatment they do without the support of our extraordinary community. Thank you!
