Facing financial challenges ahead of its 2020 edition, the Toronto Sketch Comedy Festival has gathered some Canadian star power from the worlds of music and comedy for a benefit concert.
Festival organizers will hold their "Laugh Rally" benefit on December 6 at Toronto's Isabel Bader Theatre (93 Charles St.).
The evening's lineup will feature performances by Kids In the Hall's Bruce McCulloch, Baroness Von Sketch Show's Aurora Browne, Nirvanna the Band the Show's Matt Johnson and Jay McCarrol, Gavin Crawford, British musical comedy duo Flo & Joan, standup and sketch comedian Ron James, She the People, Tallboyz, Tita Collective, and Women Fully Clothed.
Musical performances are also set to come from Torquil Campbell of Stars and Moe Berg of the Pursuit of Happiness.
As TOsketchfest board chair Megan Mackeigan explained in a statement, "2019 was a difficult season for us; we're in a situation compounded by the loss of funding from a long-time provincial partner for the upcoming 2020 season. Laugh Rally came together quickly — the result of a groundswell of support from some of the biggest names in Canadian comedy who believe in the work the festival does to support emerging comedy artists. It's truly a once-in-a-lifetime event to help kick-off our campaign to secure the future of TOsketchfest."
McCulloch added, "TOsketchfest has been an important incubator for comedy in Canada for fifteen years. It's a big reason for the comedy boom we're having now. They have worked selflessly, and now need help. I'm in."
Tickets for Laugh Rally are available now, and can be purchased online here.
The 15th annual Toronto Sketch Comedy Festival is currently slated to take place March 4 to 15, 2020.
Festival organizers will hold their "Laugh Rally" benefit on December 6 at Toronto's Isabel Bader Theatre (93 Charles St.).
The evening's lineup will feature performances by Kids In the Hall's Bruce McCulloch, Baroness Von Sketch Show's Aurora Browne, Nirvanna the Band the Show's Matt Johnson and Jay McCarrol, Gavin Crawford, British musical comedy duo Flo & Joan, standup and sketch comedian Ron James, She the People, Tallboyz, Tita Collective, and Women Fully Clothed.
Musical performances are also set to come from Torquil Campbell of Stars and Moe Berg of the Pursuit of Happiness.
As TOsketchfest board chair Megan Mackeigan explained in a statement, "2019 was a difficult season for us; we're in a situation compounded by the loss of funding from a long-time provincial partner for the upcoming 2020 season. Laugh Rally came together quickly — the result of a groundswell of support from some of the biggest names in Canadian comedy who believe in the work the festival does to support emerging comedy artists. It's truly a once-in-a-lifetime event to help kick-off our campaign to secure the future of TOsketchfest."
McCulloch added, "TOsketchfest has been an important incubator for comedy in Canada for fifteen years. It's a big reason for the comedy boom we're having now. They have worked selflessly, and now need help. I'm in."
Tickets for Laugh Rally are available now, and can be purchased online here.
The 15th annual Toronto Sketch Comedy Festival is currently slated to take place March 4 to 15, 2020.
