Comedy Night to Benefit Scholarship Fund

Are you ready to get your laugh on? Join the Highland Rotary Club on Friday, April 19 at Casa Milanese, located at 692 US-44, Highland, NY, for some 21-and-over style fun with comedic powerhouse Joey Kola. Plus, he’s baaaaaaaack! The one and only, hilarious Crazy Gene Trifilo will once again be the event emcee. There will also be a surprise guest comedian that’s going to leave the audience in stitches.

Proceeds from the event will support the Highland Rotary Club’s scholarship fund, slated to award $12K to college-bound Highland High School students and to assist Ulster BOCES students from Highland in purchasing the tools, licenses, and other start-up costs to enter their trade fields. Tickets are $65 per person and include a buffet dinner. The doors open at 5 PM with a cash bar; dinner will be served at 6 PM. The show starts at 7 PM.

“The talent this year is spectacular,” said event organizer Richard Roza, noting that as a stand-up comedian for 40 years, headliner Joey Kola has performed for hundreds of thousands of people in the US, Canada, and England. His high energy, spot on punchlines, and fast delivery assault an audience like a comedic freight train.

Order tickets here. Reservations can also be made by calling 845-234-6210.

Kola’s impressive list of TV credits include, “The Tonight Show” with Jay Leno, “The Late Show” with David Letterman, “The King of Queens” with Kevin James, “The Martha Stewart Show,” “Comedy Central Presents Joey Kola,” “The Rosie O'Donnell Show,” Comedy Central's “Premium Blend,” “The Rachael Ray Show,” “Jimmy Fallon,” and CBS's hit show “Kevin Can Wait,” staring Kevin James, where Joey also plays the role of Larry Anderson, the corn eating assistant principal on the show. He’s also appeared at countless comedy clubs, colleges, casinos, theaters, cruise ships, and corporate functions.

Kola was also voted Best TV Comic five years in a row by Time Out NY magazine. He’s also been an audience warm up for many shows, such as "The Rosie O'Donnell Show,” "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire,” with Meredith Viera, "The Late Show” with David Letterman, "The Apprentice,” "Survivor" finales, "The Jane Pauley Show,” CBS's "Wake-Up with Ali and Jack,” "The Marriage Ref" produced by Jerry Seinfeld, "The Late Show" with Stephen Colbert, and "The Chew.” Kola continues to perform as an audience warm-up for “The Rachael Ray Show” as he goes into its 15th season.

The show will open with Dutchess County native “Crazy” Gene Trifilo. The seeds of Trifilo’s career were planted in 1994 when he was voted class clown by his senior class. Shortly after, he began an amazing career that has led him to perform all over the world, including New York City, New Jersey, Las Vegas, the Hudson Valley, Denver, Detroit, Tampa, Miami, London, and Paris, to name just a few. Trifilo has been on stage at some of the best clubs including the Broadway Comedy Club, Manhattan Comedy Club, Rascals, The Brew Ha-Ha, and The Improv. He has also performed numerous dinner shows including the world-famous Totonno’s Italian Bistro in Yonkers, New York. Television appearances include NBC’s “Last Comic Standing,” “Laugh Out Loud,” and “Comedy for a Cause.” You may have also heard Crazy Gene on WPDH 101.5 FM with Coop and Tobin and on “Good Morning Hudson Valley” 1260 AM with Bruce Owen and Jay Verzi.

Order tickets here. Reservations can also be made by calling 845-234-6210.