MANSFIELD — Comedy takes the spotlight for a good cause when Mid-Ohio Youth Mentoring hosts its annual benefit show on Oct. 18.
The event will beat the Mansfield Liederkranz, 1212 Silver Lane. Doors open at 6 p.m., with the show beginning shortly after 7 p.m.
Tickets are $20 and available online. Proceeds directly support children and families served by Mid-Ohio Youth Mentoring.
Seating is open and unreserved, so guests are encouraged to arrive early. Music and drinks will be available into the evening.
James Johann brings seasoned comedy to Richland County
The headliner is James Johann, who discovered his calling at age 19 thanks to encouragement from his mom.
After high school, when he struggled to find work he enjoyed, she suggested he test his sense of humor at a comedy club.
That led to a career spanning decades. Johann has toured nationally and appeared on The Late Show on CBS, Country Music Television, and Comics Unleashed with Byron Allen.
His Dry Bar Comedy special Rurally Funny highlights his style, and his routines are a regular feature on Sirius XM’s Blue Collar Radio.
“I’m always glad to perform for a good cause,” Johann said. “I was very happy to be invited to this event in Ohio. I’m looking forward to the shows—and to having some Skyline Chili while I’m there.”
Comedian Greg Sharp will join Johann for the night.
Fall comedy show returns after hiatus
Mid-Ohio Youth Mentoring Executive Director Jim Nicholson said the program has hosted comedy shows since 2010.
“Before 2020, we held two shows each year—one in the winter, usually between late January and mid-February, and another in the fall around October,” Nicholson said. “We kept the winter shows going through the pandemic, but this will be our first fall show since then.”
Mid-Ohio Youth Mentoring, formally known as Big Brothers Big Sisters of North Central Ohio, serves children ages 5 to 16, helping them reach their potential and grow into responsible adults.
(Photo courtesy of Jim Nicholson.)
