The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Announces a $5 Million Gift from Capital One for Comedy at the Kennedy Center

Including The Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, A new Signature Comedy Series and additional comedic performances

2014-2015 Signature Comedy Series to feature Jay Leno on April 8, 2015; Kathy Griffin on June 20, 2015

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Oct 16, 2014, 11:35 ET

WASHINGTON, Oct. 16, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts today announced a five-year, $5 million gift from Capital One to fund Comedy at the Kennedy Center, a signature program at the Center focused on elevating comedy as an art form and uniting the local community together through laughter. Comedy at the Kennedy Center will include comedic events such as the annual Mark Twain Prize for American Humor and other main stage productions such as Shear Madness, as well as a Signature Comedy Series that will bring three high-profile comedic artists to perform at the Center each season. This season's signature comedy events include newly-named Mark Twain Prize recipient Jay Leno on April 8, 2015, and Kathy Griffin on June 20, 2015. A third signature comedy event will be take place in 2015 and will be announced at a later date. The headlining events will take place in the Kennedy Center Concert Hall.

Comedy at the Kennedy Center builds on the Center's dedication to advancing comedy as an essential art form through events such as the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor and free, monthly comedy nights on the Millennium Stage.

"We are grateful for the generosity of Capital One in partnering with us to bring more laughter to the Greater Washington community as well as national audiences," stated Kennedy Center president Deborah F. Rutter. "We look forward to continuing to raise the profile and stature of comedy at the Kennedy Center and beyond."

"The Kennedy Center is an iconic Washington, D.C. arts institution, and it has been an honor to be their partner in supporting the lighter side of the arts," said Jonathan Witter, President, Retail and Direct Banking, Capital One. "As Washington's hometown bank, working with the Kennedy Center has been a perfect extension of our work and our engagement in the D.C. community. Through our support of Comedy at the Kennedy Center, we'll invest $5 million over the next five years to salute the craft of comedy and help bring the community together through laughter."

Mr. Witter was recently named chairman of the Kennedy Center's newly formed Washington Corporate Council, which seeks to engage members of the local business community in support of the Center's artistic and educational programs.

In celebration of this year's Mark Twain Prize for Humor recipient Jay Leno, Capital One has enlisted his beloved former intern turned talk show host Ross Mathews to bring laughter and joy to the streets of Washington, D.C. On Saturday, October 18, Mathews will be making surprise appearances throughout the city, engaging passersby to pay tribute to this icon. In addition, starting November 17, Capital One will be hosting a Capital One District of Comedy social sweepstakes awarding two lucky grand prize winners* tickets to the signature comedy event featuring Jay Leno on April 8, 2015, complete with transportation within 25 miles of the Kennedy Center, a merchandise gift card, and a Visa gift card for dinner for two on April 8, 2015. To enter for a chance to win, visit Facebook.com/CapitalOne.

ABOUT JAY LENO
Acclaimed TV late night show host and admired stand-up comedian Jay Leno followed in the footsteps of legendary NBC late-night hosts Steve Allen, Jack Paar, and Johnny Carson as Tonight Show host. The Tonight Show with Jay Leno became the ratings leader of late night within its first two years, establishing firm leadership in all demographic categories, a winning streak exceeding 50 consecutive quarters. Prior to becoming host, Leno had been the exclusive guest host on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, where he also made multiple guest appearances. Leno has also found success with Jay Leno's Garage, which is viewed at jaylenosgarage.com and has gained an international following online, as well as an Emmy Award and two additional nominations. As a performer, Leno makes more than 100 live appearances across the country in nightclubs, theaters, and stadiums each year.

ABOUT KATHY GRIFFIN
Two-time Emmy and Grammy Award^®-winning comedian Kathy Griffin is a towering figure on television, on tour, and in publishing. This year, she made history with her sixth consecutive Grammy^® nomination and first win for Best Comedy Album (Kathy Griffin: Calm Down Gurrl), joining Whoopi Goldberg and Lily Tomlin as the only other female comedians to ever win Grammy Awards^® for Best Comedy Album. In 2013 Kathy was inducted into the Guinness Book of World Records for writing and starring in an unprecedented 20 televised stand-up specials—more than any comedian in history. She has co-hosted CNN's New Year's Eve special with Anderson Cooper since 2007, co-hosted The Billboard Music Awards LIVE, and hosted the 41st annual Daytime Emmy Awards LIVE. Her film and television credits include her own live late night talk show Kathy, her hit reality series Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List (two Emmy Awards), Suddenly Susan, Seinfeld, The Simpsons, and Shrek Forever After, among others. Her boisterous and revealing memoir, Official Book Club Selection: A Memoir According to Kathy Griffin, debuted at No. 1 on the New York Times Bestseller List.

ABOUT CAPITAL ONE
Capital One Financial Corporation, headquartered in McLean, Virginia, is a Fortune 500 company with more than 900 branch locations primarily in the District of Columbia, New York, New Jersey, Texas, Louisiana, Maryland, and Virginia. Its subsidiaries, which include Capital One, N.A., and Capital One Bank (USA), N. A., offer a broad spectrum of financial products and services to consumers, small businesses and commercial clients. We apply the same principles of innovation, collaboration, and empowerment in our commitment to our communities across the country that we do in our business. We recognize that helping to build strong and healthy communities—good places to work, good places to do business and good places to raise families—benefits us all and we are proud to support this and other community initiatives. To learn more, visit capitaloneinvestingforgood.com.

ABOUT THE JOHN F. KENNEDY CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts is America's living memorial to President Kennedy. Under the guidance of Chairman David M. Rubenstein, President Michael M. Kaiser, and Music Director Christoph Eschenbach, the nine theaters and stages of the nation's busiest performing arts facility attract audiences and visitors totaling 3 million people annually; Center-related touring productions, television, and radio broadcasts welcome 40 million more.

Opening its doors on September 8, 1971, the Center presents the greatest performances of music, dance, and theater; supports artists in the creation of new work; and serves the nation as a leader in arts and arts management education. With its artistic affiliates, the National Symphony Orchestra and Washington National Opera, the Center's achievements as a commissioner, producer, and nurturer of developing artists have resulted in more than 300 theatrical productions, and dozens of new ballets, operas, and musical works.

Each year, millions of people nationwide take part in innovative, inclusive, and effective education programs initiated by the Center, including school- and community-based residencies and consultancies, age-appropriate performances and events for young people, career development for young actors, dancers, singers and instrumentalists, and professional learning opportunities for teachers, teaching artists and school administrators. These programs have become models for communities across the country. The Center's Any Given Child program works with selected local school districts and seeks to provide a comprehensive arts education to children K-8. The Center also has been at the forefront of making the performing arts accessible to persons with disabilities, highlighted by the work accomplished with its affiliate, VSA.

As part of the Kennedy Center's Performing Arts for Everyone outreach program, the Center stages more than 400 free performances of music, dance, and theater by artists from throughout the world each year on the Center's main stages, and every evening at 6 p.m. on the Millennium Stage. Announced in 2011, the Rubenstein Arts Access Program expands the Center's efforts to make the arts accessible to children, young adults, and to people who have little or limited ability to attend and enjoy the performing arts, enabling audiences to engage in more ways, at more times, and in more places than ever before.

*Capital One Sweepstakes Grand Prize Details

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Limited-time offer. Valid November 17 through November 23, 2014. Must be over 18 years of age. Grand prize is for two (2) tickets to attend the Signature Series Jay Leno Comedy Show on April 8, 2015, at the Kennedy Center. Prize also includes transportation within 25 miles of the Kennedy Center, merchandise gift card and Visa gift card for dinner for two on April 8, 2015, at the winner's choosing. Winner is responsible for travel and all related costs to the Washington, D.C., area if not a resident. Tickets are non-transferrable. Capital One associates and their families are not eligible to win. Please see a banker at your nearest branch for a copy of the Official Rules. Void where prohibited.

TICKET INFORMATION
Tickets for Jay Leno go on sale to the public on February 4 and tickets for Kathy Griffin go on sale to the public on April 1. Tickets start at $39 and will be available for purchase by visiting the Kennedy Center website, in person at the Kennedy Center box office, or by calling (202) 467-4600 or (800) 444-1324.

For more information about the Kennedy Center, please visit www.kennedy-center.org.

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SOURCE Capital One Financial Corporation