By By Sarah Kluesner

One man takes comedy to new depths, beyond the laughter and into the soul. Back in August, a woman walked up to Paul Anthony of Massapequa and handed him an envelope instructing him to read the enclosed letter. Anthony had been in Port Jefferson hosting Comedy for a Cause, a comedy festival to raise money for children’s charities on Long Island.

Later that night, he read about the loss of a 25-year-old tradition at Plainedge High School, in North Massapequa, where budget cuts were depriving the students of progrms. Anthony decided he wanted to help. The result was Comedy for Drama, a one night comedy show to save the drama program at Plainedge High School.

“When budget cuts happen, people don’t realize what’s happening and whose lives it affects,” Anthony said. “It’s [the spring musical] a tradition and now the graduating class won’t get to do it.”

Comedy for Drama is going to feature six New York comedians performing at Plainedge High School’s state of the art theater. The night will feature FDNY comedian John Larocchia, who was voted funniest fireman by ABC’s The View, Tony Colletti who has just finished his one-man show at Villa Roma, Levittown’s Mark Burritt, Veronica Mosey from Brooklyn, and Nancy Witter, a finalist in Nick at Night’s Funniest Mom in America contest. Larocchia, Colletti, Burritt and Mosey all performed at the Comedy for a Cause event in August.

“The show is going to be a lot of fun and the tickets are cheap,” Anthony said.

Carol Benedeto, a parent of one of the seniors, is hoping the event on Oct. 22, will raise the $25,000 needed to restore the drama department. Tickets are being sold for $20 and can be purchased in advance and on show night. The event starting at 7 p.m. will also include a $250 cash pot and a raffle for Billy Joel’s ‘Movin’ Out.’ If the 800 seats in the theater are filled then the goal will be reached.

Alyssa Benedeto, a senior at Plainedge, has been performing on the stage since the fourth grade and has been an active participant in the drama club.

“I have done drama all my life,” Benedeto said. “Rehearsals every night after school in the auditorium were home away from home and the people there were my family.”

Now in her senior year, Alyssa has been faced with the drama club being cut from the school after the budget failed to pass and the school was on an austerity budget. In addition to the drama club, many of the sports programs were also cut, but were able to raise enough money to start running again. Students and parents are hoping to be able do the same for the drama club.

“I look forward to participating in the musical every year,” Dan Nekola, a senior at Plainedge, said. “It is my outlet for both acting and singing and expression of myself; I really don’t know what I would do without it.”

A group of approximately seven parents have been working to raise the money to save the drama club and give the seniors their last spring musical. Benedeto, Alyssa’s mother, is one of the parents. She gave Anthony the letter that led to the creation of Comedy for Drama.

“For a lot of kids this is their passion; it’s their only creative outlet,” Benedeto said.

The spring musical usually brings all the high school students together. The dancers come in for the kick line, students come in to play in the orchestra, tech students help with the lighting and sound, art students help build and design the set, and the drama students participate for the acting.

“My son has been looking forward to playing in the ‘pit’ at the spring musical since middle school,” Sue Vanucci, whose son is a sophomore musician at Plainedge, said. “He is devastated by the loss of the drama club and we are all hoping that the community will support these kids and attend this event.”

“We’re doing all we can do to get our drama club back,” Alyssa said. “Hopefully with the support from our community we will be able to get back our musical and that amazing feeling of family and laughter that only being in drama can provide.”

For more information, to order tickets, or to make a donation, call Carol Benedeto at (516) 799-9162.