Photos by John Moore for the DCPA NewsCenter. Click above for more photos.

December marked the final seasonal presentation of BALLS! A Holiday Spectacular, an annual holiday benefit variety show that since 2009 has raised about $35,000 for metro nonprofits using sock puppets, spontaneous haikus and silly prizes.

The two 2015 performances at Lannie’s Clocktower Cabaret raised about $5,000 for The Gathering Place, Denver’s only daytime drop-in center for women, their children and transgender individuals experiencing poverty or homelessness. The core group of BALLS! performers was Mare Trevathan, GerRee Hinshaw (host of The Bug Theatre’s monthly Freak Train), Emily K. Harrison (founder of Boulder’s case-challenged square product theatre) and bassist Jim Ruberto.

Guest stars included musicians actors and comedians Ben Kronberg, John Common, Jess DeNicola, Jen Korte, Brian Landis Folkins, Justin Walvoord, Gregg Tobo, Christie Buchele, Adrian Egolf, Jack and Coke (a.k.a. Meridith C. Grundei and Gary Grundei), DJ Savior Breath (Eryc Eyl) and special guest appearance by former Denver TV host Kirk Montgomery.

They were joined by BALLS! co-founder Melanie Owen.

Read more: BALLS! wins 2015 True West Award

‘BALLS! A Holiday Spectacular’: From left: Mare Trevathan, Emily K. Harrison, GerRee Hinshaw and Jim Ruberto. Photo by John Moore.