6 Things You Need to Know about the Edmonton Comedy Festival
1. Festival producer Andrew Grose is the only festival producer in town who performs at his own festival.
Could you imagine Terry Wickham playing fiddle at the folk fest? Cam Hayden singing the blues at the blues fest? Todd Crawshaw rockin’ out at the rockfest? Well, maybe – but they probably wouldn’t.
Andrew Grose will in fact will be the star in the “Producer’s Choice” gala at the Arts Barns Westbury Theatre on Thursday, Oct. 17.
He chose himself. Why? Because he can.
“I think I’m the only comic that’s performed every year,” he jokes, “but I think I’ve got the inside track on that.”
Of course, long before this festival started nine years ago, Grose paid his dues as a professional stand-up comic. He’s headlined across Canada, including at Montreal’s Just For Laughs Festival, and has produced a number of successful stand-up shows at the Edmonton Fringe Festival. He was also a midday host on 630 CHED for seven years until being recently let go. He left unwillingly, and the matter is currently under ligation, so we can’t talk about it: Something you don’t need to know.
Also performing at the Producer’s Choice Gala (PCG) will be Kevin Stobo, Drew Behm, Dan Quinn, Tyler Hawkins, Adam Blank and Mike Dambra. Tickets to the 7:30 pm show ($28) are still available.
2. Every Show Sells Out
Wait, what? Didn’t we just read that tickets were still available to the PCG?
“We sell out every show,” Grose says almost every year.
Almost every show.
Indeed, already sold out this year is Friday’s “Leading Edge Gala” starring Emo Phillips (top photo), whom Grose says is considered the “best writer in comedy.” Likewise the “Leading Edge After Dark Gala” with Mike Vecchione. Also sold out are cabaret shows from Lisa Alvarado, Shayma Tash, Dan Quinn, and John Wing (right). There are tickets ($47.25) remaining for the “Best of the Fest Gala” with John Wing at the Westbury Theatre on the final day Saturday – but maybe not for long?
On the idea of getting some bigger buildings, Grose says they want to be careful.
“I kind of like the way it is right now. It’s manageable. We’ve always said we’re not going to force ourselves to get bigger, but we’re willing to be dragged. We want to get better before we get bigger. We don’t want to be in the position of worrying about selling out shows.”
3. Rob Pepper is Edmonton’s Funniest Media Personality
This isn’t just balloon juice for this popular radio host, half of the Pepper & Dylan morning team currently on KISS 91.7. It’s a FACT.
Rob Pepper was judged the winner at Wednesday night’s Media Challenge, in which media types around town get to see how good they are on a live stand-up stage, naked, alone, afraid. (FULL DISCLOSURE: I did it in 2012 – and never again!)
There’s supporting evidence in a highly scientific 2011 GigCity article that exhaustively tried to determine who the funniest Edmonton radio morning show host was (Pepper & Dylan were on 104.9 at the time). A panel of local professional comedians were asked to read anonymous transcripts from 90 minutes of random morning show banter, and judge which was the best. And they did – Pepper & Dylan! What are the odds?
One thousand dollars was donated in Pepper’s name to Free Footie, an organization that sponsors sports teams for underprivileged kids.
4. Pro Tip: Hang Out at the Varscona Hotel for Inside Jokes
There are about 21 visiting comics performing at the fest this year, and they’re all staying at the Varscona Hotel, 8208 106 Street, which also has the intimate ballroom where the Cabaret Series is held (in these shows the comics do their full sets; the galas generally feature several comics each doing their best 10 minutes, as they would on late night talk shows). The lobby or hotel lounge might be a good place to meet some of the comics, and pick up some stray jokes. No stealing!
5. No Racial Quota Whatsoever
For people who notice these kinds of things, almost all the comics at this year’s Edmonton Comedy Festival are white. Marito Lopez is from El Salvador, Eman El-husseini (right) is a Palestinian who comes from Kuwait. The rest are American and Canadian. No black comedians at all.
Grose explains, “We’ve never had a racial quota – ever. Our only concern is funny. Every year we hear people say, oh, you don’t have many women, or oh, you don’t have many people of colour. We don’t even notice that.”
6. Edmonton Comedy Supports Charity
Half the tickets sold to the Edmonton Comedy Festival are sold by charities, Grose says. Dozens of good causes are supported (like Free Footie, above), each of which is given 20 free tickets to sell, for $25 apiece, of which they keep 100%. A quick $500.
“We’re about about showcasing talent, but helping the community as well,” Grose says. “The charitable elements of our festival are massive.”
