Algonquin Teen Draws Chicago Comedians to Local Benefit

Algonquin teen A.J. Lubecker is using some of the connections he has made while performing in comedy shows to help raise funds for a Dundee-Crown High School organization that helps families struggling financially.

Lubecker has performed his open-mic standup routine at the Apollo Theater in Chicago, Laugh Out Loud Theater in Schaumburg and Duke’s Alehouse in Crystal Lake.

Lubecker has organized a comedy show — The DC Comedy Jam — at Dundee-Crown High School at 7 p.m. May 1. The event will draw some of the "funniest comedians from Chicago," including Chris Redd, Dave Odd and Joe Kilgallon. 

Proceeds from the show will go to S.A.F.E. — for Students Assisting Family Emergencies. 

S.A.F.E. helps struggling families of Dundee-Crown students by helping them financially to do such things as paying the family's electric bill, Lubecker told Algonquin-Lake in the Hills Patch.

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Tickets are $5 for adults and $3 for students. There will be $1 off the ticket price for those who bring a can of food. 

Q&A With Lubecker

Algonquin-Lake in the Hills Patch.com Editor Amie Schaenzer reached out to Lubecker to learn more about the show in the following Q&A: 

Schaenzer: How did you go about organizing and getting these comedians to perform at Dundee-Crown? Can you tell me a bit about these comedians and why you think it will be a great show? 

Lubecker: I've performed in a ton of shows over the past three years, so I've done shows with each of the comedians coming out. I just shot each of them a message, and they were all up for performing for the cause.

I'll tell you a bit about the comedians:

The first guy that's coming out is Dave Odd. He's a veteran standup comedian in Chicago (performing since 1997). He's opened for Bob Saget, Tracy Morgan, Dave Chappelle, Daniel Tosh and many others. He also is the founder of the Edge Comedy Club in Chicago.

The second guy that's performing is Chris Redd. Chris has a high-energy style of comedy and has performed at the UP Comedy Club at Second City and on the South Side of Chicago at Jokes N Notes.

The last guy that's coming is Joe Kilgallon. Joe is a member of the Comedians You Should Know, which is one of the most successful local shows in Chicago. He also performs at the Laugh Factory in Chicago pretty regularly.

With all these comics plus the Dundee-Crown performers, it's guaranteed to be a fun night. 

Schaenzer: Can you tell me a bit more about the show and what people can expect?

Lubecker: The show will be all original standup comedy. It will be a TV-clean show, mainly geared for high school students and up.

Schaenzer: Can you tell me a bit about S.A.F.E. and why it was decided that the money should go to this organization? How much of the proceeds will go to S.A.F.E.

Lubecker: S.A.F.E. stands for Students Assisting Family Emergencies and it's run by the Dundee-Crown Counseling Department. S.A.F.E. provides food, money, and different items to Dundee-Crown families in need. They will send students, who get free lunch at school, home with care packages (of food) on the weekends.

I chose this group to raise money for because it's directly giving back to the Dundee-Crown community. The three comedians who are driving out from Chicago will be getting $20 gas cards just to get out here and that's it. Other than the three $20 gas cards all proceeds will go straight to S.A.F.E.

Tickets are $5 for adults and $3 for students, but if you bring a can of food it's $1 off the ticket price. The donated food will be given to the D-C families in need, and once those families are given food, the rest will be given to the FISH Food Pantry.

Schaenzer: How can people get tickets?

Lubecker: Tickets will be sold during lunch at Dundee-Crown starting April 23, so D-C students can buy tickets then. But we plan on making the majority of our ticket sales at the door on May 1.

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