Good Place for Dry Humor

To some, a nightclub without alcohol sounds about as much fun as the Sahara Desert. “Not!” proclaims the gang down at the Positive Directions Coffee House. They’re putting on a night of live music and comedy Saturday with singer and comic Teresa Tudury and comic Beverly Mickins.

Although the monthly coffeehouse is part of the Positive Directions Community Recovery Center, program coordinator Deborah McColl said that the event is open to anyone. “It’s a service to provide a clean and sober environment for those in recovery (from alcohol and other addictions) and to expose the community at large to sobriety,” she said. “They’re being exposed to the idea that you can go and have a good time without drinking.”

The coffeehouse started about three years ago with some recovering comics at the center who were trying out their material. McColl decided to formalize it, and got lights and a sound equipment donated. A little stage was built, and--excuse the expression--cocktail tables were assembled. In January, 1990, the coffeehouse opened.

The focus is on entertainment and fun. “Being in recovery is a hoot,” said Tudury, who says she performs her original songs and comedy in nightclubs all over Southern California. “We all share this common struggle, but the struggle can be very funny, if you keep it in the right perspective.”

The show starts at 8 p.m. upstairs at the center, at 225-D N. Maryland Ave. in Glendale. Dessert and coffee are included in the $6 donation, and there’s no two-drink minimum.