Tragedy tomorrow -- comedy tonight! Well, actually, on April 28....

The Illinois Judges Foundation, the charitable arm of the Illinois Judges Association, is going to hold its first ever (and perhaps first annual) Judges Joke program on April 28 at 7:00 p.m.

The virtual program will be free (although a "good will" donation of up to $30 is encouraged). Registration is required, of course, and is available from this page of the IJF website (where sponsorship information can also be found). Registrations must be made by April 27. A link to join the live program will be emailed on April 28, 2021, in advance of the 7:00 p.m. curtain.

The event will feature current and former judges teaming with talent from the legendary Second City comedy troupe in an effort to bring cheer to the challenging days of the pandemic.

The IJF has recently announced its cast for the event. In alphabetical order, the judicial cast includes: Dan Locallo, a retired judge from Cook County, who serves as the Secretary of the IJF; Brian McKillip, a retired judge from DuPage County, who serves as the Treasurer of the IJF; Marty Moltz, who currently serves as a Cook County judge and as a Director of the IJF; Michael Otto, a Cook County judge and Co-Chair of the IJA Pension and Employment Benefits Committee; and Joan Smuda, a former Cook County judge and a Past President of the Advocates Society.

“Thanks to these wonderful jurists, who auditioned and were selected to work with talent from The Second City, to show the positive role of judges in our community,” says Judge Mike Chmiel of McHenry County, who serves as President of the Foundation.

The IJF is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation working to facilitate various benevolent and educational efforts, including those of the Illinois Judges Association. In the fall of 2020, the IJF had a record demand for scholarship help from law students, and doubled its awards. In this pandemic year, the IJF has also sponsored two virtual tours of the Illinois Holocaust Museum for the IJA, and an externship program of the American Bar Association.

“We thought it was especially important to provide our Judges Joke program free of charge,” says Retired Judge Mike Bender of Chicago, who serves as Chair of the Donor and Development Committee of the Foundation. “Several folks have already committed to sponsor the program and make free-will donations, to cover the cost of the program and help with the ever-escalating demand on the limited resources of the Foundation.”