STAGE

Groundlings Grounded?The long-running Groundlings improvisational comedy troupe may be forced to shut down if $30,000 cannot be raised by the end of the year to cover its financial difficulties. In the last 16 years, the Melrose Avenue group has served as a launching pad for such stars as Pee-wee Herman, Cassandra (Elvira) Peterson, Pat Morita and Jon Lovitz. But with expenses exceeding income, the group’s executive director, Andrea Ladik, announced they are looking for a financial “miracle.” Through advertisements and personal appeals, the Groundlings are asking for donations from the theater-going public. An honor roll is being installed in the theater lobby to salute donors, and a one-night gala event, “The Best of the Groundlings,” will be held this fall.