Carpinteria’s historic Plaza Playhouse Theater will inspire, educate and give back to the community from 1 to 6 p.m. Sunday. Join us for an afternoon of Fighting Cancer with Music, Art, Dance and Film, with a special screening of the empowering new documentary, What the F-@# is Cancer and Why Does Everybody Have It?
When filmmaker Allison W. Gryphon was diagnosed with Stage 3a breast cancer in April 2011, her first instinct was to make a movie about what she was up against to help both herself and others. Now three years later, Gryphon has formed The Why? Foundation, a cancer-fighting support network focusing on the day-to-day of the fight and how to get through it. The foundation places a great focus on fighting cancer using creative outlets as well as education and awareness.
What the F-@# is Cancer and Why Does Everybody Have It? is about understanding and celebrating those people. It’s about really hearing their voices and being invited to share those experiences in a way that will allow the viewer to walk away with inspiration, questions, knowledge and, hopefully, a desire to understand more and make things happen. This is a movie about learning what it means to fight cancer day-to-day, hour-to-hour, minute-to-minute.
Hosts for the event will be Lin Aubuchon, co-host of the KTYD Morning Show and director of marketing and promotions, and news director Peter Bie, both from Rincon Broadcasting LLC. The day will be filled with performances, a movie screening, a Q&A and more. Xenia Flores will be gracing the stage with a song on guitar, an expression of music and dance, performed by choreographer Kaita Lepore Mrazek and Tim Wood, with original music by local teen Jamey Geston.
Starshine Roshell, columnist at the Santa Barbara Independent, will do a reading from a wonderful and humorous piece that was featured in her column, called “She’s a Bad Mammograma.” There will be a few more surprises, with an announcement from the director and award-winning comic book writer Jim Krueger, and special guests, including Los Angeles-based fashion designer Piper Gore.
A panel of survivors, caregivers, medical and professional advisory board will share their experience and answer questions during an intimate Q&A after the movie. Panelist include Gryphon, a breast
cancer survivor, filmmaker and founder of The Why? Foundation; Tom Brown, a four-time colon cancer survivor and founder of Surfing for Life Foundation; Lolita Lopez, breast cancer survivor and the NBC News reporter behind the breast cancer empowering series Replacing Fear with Hope; Cheryll Willin, Oncology Services clinical director at the Cancer Center of Santa Barbara; Jen Johansen, a 10-year brain cancer survivor and co-chairwoman of Relay for Life of Carpinteria; and Eydie Kaufman, a health-care attorney and caregiver.
Proceeds will benefit The Why? Foundation and Relay For Life of Carpinteria. Tickets are $20 in advance online and at Carpinteria Toy Company, 5285 Carpinteria Ave. (cash or check only), or $25 at the door on the day of the event. EO Products will be providing gift bags to each guest in attendance.
Doors open at 1 p.m. Sunday, pre-show entertainment begins at 1:30 p.m., the screening is at 2 p.m., and there will be a brief intermission with light refreshments followed by a Q&A session. The theater is located at 4916 Carpinteria Ave. in downtown Carpinteria.
Click here for more information about the event, or to purchase tickets online.
— Connie Geston represents Plaza Playhouse Theater.