by Alessandra Haddick
The April Fools Improv Troupe added a heartwarming touch to their annual, always upbeat “Holiday Cheer with Fools and Friends” at Hermosa’s Second Story Theater, on Saturday, December 13.
Instead of wearing April Fools Improv T-shirts with their Jesters logo, they wore Ocean Diner T-shirts with Edna the Waitress logos. Ocean Diner is a popular, east Hermosa Beach restaurant owned by Rick Hankus, a member of the improv group since 2006. Hankus passed away from lung cancer last month, just four months after being diagnosed with the illness.
Hankus also owned Java Man in downtown Hermosa Beach.
“He was such an icon in the community,” said the evening’s co-director, Chris Brown. He praised Hankus as “a devoted father, husband, community volunteer, business owner, and a funny, funny guy on stage.”
“Rick was really good at making scenes work, and making everyone around him better,” Brown said.
The evening opened with Beck Chang contrasting her strict upbringing on a farm in China with the permissive parenting she sees in the United States. Members of the troupe followed with impromptu skits and word play, the styles of humor Hankus excelled at.
“At the end of the day, if we can make people laugh, then that’s a win,” Brown said.
Saturday’s show was also an opportunity to demonstrate the impact Hankus had on the community. “We wanted the audience to recognize how one person can mean so much to so many,” Brown said.
Following the performances, Brown asked audience members to stand if they knew Hankus or had ever eaten at Ocean Diner or Java Man.. Most of the audience rose to their feet.
Then he invited the rest of the audience to stand. He explained how Hankus had impacted them as well, even though they never knew him.
“Rick impacted us so much, and hopefully you had a good night, so he impacted you through us,” Brown continued. “We like to think everybody in this room has been positively impacted by Rick. He was an amazing man, and we loved him. We miss him. Hold him and his family—Tim, Ian, and Ella—in your hearts. ER
