Mississippi State University’s improv comedy troupe, Lab Rats, will be performing tonight in order to benefit St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital. The troupe will hit the stage in McComas’ Lab Theatre at 7:30 p.m. and 10 p.m. Tickets are $5 each and all the proceeds go to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital.
Lab Rats was formed in 2003 and performs four to five shows on campus per semester and travels to out of state comedy festivals as well. Lab Rats has joined Laughing Stock, a collection of improv groups founded by the Southeastern Comedy Arts Alliance.
Laughing Stock has made a promise that all members will donate 100 percent of their proceeds from one show in the spring to St. Jude’s.
Sophomore English major Rachel Perkins, one of the assistant directors for Lab Rats, said the event is a great way to help a worthy cause while still having fun.
“Lab Rats shows are a lot of fun, and we love doing them for a great cause, which makes it even more worth it. It’s a great chance to laugh and have fun while still supporting a noble cause,” she said.
Perkins has been in Lab Rats since her freshman year, and she said the group helped her, as an out of state student, adjust to campus and meet new people.
“I’ve made a lot of great friends in Lab Rats. It’s been an incredible learning experience, and I’ve grown as a person, and met a lot of new and different people through it,” Perkins said.
Owen McGuire, a graduate student and former Lab Rat, helped start SECAA and Laughing Stock. He said he enjoyed his time in Lab Rats, met friends for life and is amazed that he can help such a worthy cause while doing something he loves.
“We’re using comedy and humor, and people can go out and have a good time while their money goes to a good cause,” said McGuire.
Joe Daniel, a sophmore secondary education major who has been in Lab Rats for one year, said he is a part of a family in Lab Rats, and loves to make people laugh.
Daniel said he is amazed something he enjoys doing so much can also be used to raise money for a worthy charity.
“It’s an honor to have the opportunity to do something I love to do every day while at the same time making people laugh who are supporting a great cause,” said Daniel.
Last year, the event raised $1,500 for St. Jude’s, and Perkins says Lab Rats hopes to raise the bar again this year.
“We are trying to gain as much publicity for it as possible, and we need to pack the place out tonight in order to break last year’s mark,” said Perkins.