Chenese Lewis Productions, LLC is a proud sponsor of “Fat Bitch!”, a one woman show by Erica Watson!

- Presented by Columbia College Chicago And Producer/Director Steve Pink (Hot Tub Time Machine, Entourage, Accepted) – Proceeds benefit the Columbia College Chicago Alumni Scholarship Fund

Watch your skinny backs Sandra Bernhard, Margaret Cho and John Leguizamo –ERICA WATSON is coming to claim her crown as Queen of the theater/standup hybrid show with the Los Angeles Premiere of FAT BITCH!After workshops in NYC and Chicago, this new solo show written and performed by Watson will run April 29- May 1, 2011 at Greenway Court Theater.

“Fat Bitch!” offers a humorous and honest glimpse at the American “fat and sassy” black woman stereotypes that continue to influence modern day images of black women. Written and performed by Watson as a hybrid of theater and stand-up comedy, “Fat Bitch!” responds to how black women and their bodies have always been subjected to sexualized admiration and ridicule. Through personal vignettes, anecdotes and video clips, as well as drawing upon iconic images including “Mammy” and “Hottentot Venus,” Watson illustrates how media images have impacted herself-esteem as she touches on PETA’s “Save the Whales” campaign aimed at overweight women, the “war on obesity,” and the controversy surrounding President Obama’s nomination of a plus-sized black woman for Surgeon General.

Watson who is a commentator for the TV Guide Network, Oxygen and BET graduated from Columbia College Chicago with a BA in Film and TV (1998), and a MA in Media Management (2005).

Influenced by the quick wit of Whoopi Goldberg, the blunt comedic observations of Wanda Sykes, and the larger-than-life confidence of Mo’Nique, Watson (who is in the film “Precious” with Mo’Nique, as well as 2006’s “Dirty Laundry” with Loretta Devine) creates a universal point of view yet offers a new voice in comedy. “Fat Bitch!” has been work-shopped at New York’s “The Tank;” first during the Black Comedy Experiment in March 2008, then in May 2009, October 2009 and The Laurie Beechman Theater in February 2010 and at The Chicago Center for the Performing Arts in November 2009 and curated at The Brooklyn Museum October 2010 for Target First Saturdays.

“Fat Bitch!” is being presented by Columbia College Chicago and Producer/Director Steve Pink. Proceeds will benefit the Columbia College Chicago Alumni Scholarship Fund.

WHERE: Greenway Court Theater 544 North Fairfax Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90036
FREE parking in the lot just north of the theater!

WHEN: Opens Friday, April 29, 2011, 8 p.m.
Closes on Sunday, May 1, 2011
Three shows only – 8 p.m. on April 29, 20, May 1.

TICKETS:http://www.colum.edu/erica
$15 for all regular performances

For more information about Erica Watson and her one woman show “Fat Bitch!” visit: www.fatbitchtour.com
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I’m giving away free tickets to see Fat Bitch to my faithful blog readers! I have more than one pair of tickets to give away, so there will be more than one winner! To enter leave a comment on this post about why you deserve to win the tickets and best comment wins! What am I looking for in the best post? I don’t know, but I’ll know when I see it! Make me laugh, make me cry, just make it good, be creative! Remember there will be more than one winner!

The winners will be announced Wednesday April 27th, 2011. Good Luck!
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Also since Chenese Lewis Productions, LLC is an official sponsor of “Fat Bitch!” I have my own VIP list, if you are a Los Angeles blogger or key industry person, make sure you are on my list!

XOXO

Chenese Lewis Productions, LLC is One of the Top 500 Small Businesses Recognized for High Customer Engagement Rates in Email Marketing.

VerticalResponse, Inc. a leading provider of self-service email marketing, online survey and direct mail solutions for small businesses, today announced Chenese Lewis Productions, LLC as one of the winners in their new customer awards program, the Vertical Response 500. This awards program highlights the top 500 small business customers that have maintained very high email engagement rates—as demonstrated by their average email open rates and click through rates. To qualify for the awards, customers had to have sent at least four email campaigns in the first quarter of 2010, and mailed to a list size of between 100-500 opt-in subscribers.

“VerticalResponse 500 award honorees such as Chenese Lewis Productions, LLC are using email marketing successfully to grow their businesses, and like VerticalResponse they know the importance of creating engaging emails that provide true value to recipients,” said Janine Popick, CEO of VerticalResponse. “The open and click through rates of their email campaigns are a testament to their excellence in growing their small business.”

VerticalResponse 500 Awards: Criteria
The team of marketing experts at VerticalResponse identified the top 500 small businesses, based on email marketing performance and engagement in the first quarter of 2010. The following criteria was used to determine the VerticalResponse 500 winners:

- Open rates: average above 20%
- Click through rates: average above 4%
- Size of email send: average between 100-500 emails per email
- Number of emails sent: at least four email campaigns

Complete List of 2010 Q2 Winners: http://www.verticalresponse.com/vr500/winners-2010-q2/