A joint venture between new Salem- and Portland-based company Ravens Flight Creative and Salem-based production firm Hennepin Studios has produced an upcoming series of celebrity appearances that will kick off at 8 p.m. on Friday, May 18 with comedian and personality Andy Dick at the Historic Elsinore Theatre (170 High St. SE).
The all-ages performance is $25-35 and tickets can be purchased at TicketsWest.com.
“We have a lot of people that we are talking to for the series, not just comedians,” said Ravens Flight co-founder Ryan Rogers, who also is heavily involved with Salem’s Culture Shock, Clockworks Cafe & Cultural Center and Freewheel Skate & Style in Portland.
“We have some authors that we are contacting, spoken word artists, actors and some musicians as well as other comedians,” said Rogers, who added that the series is focused on a mix of storytelling and performance to create a personal atmosphere.
Rogers said that a large portion of the 2012 series would be announced within the next month, with a majority of the performers at the Historic Elsinore Theatre and a ticket price around $20-30. As per contractual standards, names won’t be announced until contracts are finalized.
Andy Dick was a comedian on the rise in the 1990’s as a regular on The Ben Stiller Show and NewsRadio, and though he has stayed in the spotlight the past decade with prominent bit parts in major films (Zoolander, Old School, Funny People) and appearances on television (Comedy Central Roasts, Sober House), well-documented substance abuse and related issues have made a public mess of his personal life.
“The performance will highlight a new creative direction for Andy, who is newly sober, and will be delving into a more personal intimate collection of material, sharing his experiences, his foibles, and his lessons,” Raven Flight Creative said in its press release.
Rogers said that a lot of celebrity performers are willing to reduce their fees to crack the mid-Willamette Valley market, but haven’t signed on just yet.
“Andy was really cool. He said yes right away. He’s been really positive about the show and coming [to Salem],” said Rogers. “But a lot of the people we are talking to are waiting to see how the first couple of shows go before they commit. Big names, ones that people will be surprised about.”
To find out more information about Ravens Flight Creative, visit RavFlight.com.
