by Phillip Zema
On Friday, February 12, Charles Marshall, a renowned Christian comedian, performed at the Berlin Seventh Day Baptist Church. The event, which was attended by sixty-three area couples, featured valet parking, a convenient coat service, a delicious catered buffet, an enthusiastic wait staff, an assortment of deserts and jokes about love and marriage. While Marshall’s insights on romance generated laughs, he further engaged the crowd by making sport of several audience members. Marshall’s routine was focused around the joy of relationships and marriage, and it was evident the crowd thoroughly enjoyed the show.
The dinner and comedy show was held in the Church’s community room. The dark lighting, black table cloths and small tables created a comedy-show atmosphere. After having their cars parked, the guests were seated; they were promptly served with drinks from members of the Church’s youth group. Then they took turns going to the buffet, which included roast beef and turkey carving stations, rosemary potatoes, green beans, caramelized carrots and salad. Once the dishes were cleared, Sherry Kluck, the event’s chief coordinator, introduced Charles Marshall.
Marshall, who is also a published author and has performed for Wells Fargo and the U.S. Postal Service, did not fail to entertain the audience. After telling several amusing life stories, he went after the crowd. His jabs were entirely benign and innocuous, but they drew laughter nonetheless. For example, he invited two singles in attendance to join him on stage; he subsequently attempted to make them “a date” for the event. Marshall also walked among the crowd, poking fun at young and old couples alike. His jabs were well received, however, and his “victims” were good sports.
In closing, while the event was free to the public (dinner and parking included), nearly $500 was given in tips. The money was donated to the Berlin Community Food Closet. The comedy show marked the second consecutive year the Berlin Seventh Day Baptist Church hosted a pre-Valentine’s Day community event. It hopes to continue the fun next year.