We Love Montreal Sketchfest
We’re so happy Montreal Sketchfest is back! The festival returns with nine days of “fun skits” as your Aunt Bev calls them at Theatre Saint Catherine (and one paked night at Montreal Improv).
Montreal Improv Performers In The Festival!
There are so many Montreal Improv regulars in the festival this year that we felt we had to gush about all the funny folks we can’t wait to see.
In no particular order:
COLLECTED NOVELLAS
Featuring many of the members of Montreal Improv’s former online house team Lampshade Renegade, Collected Novellas brings many of them together in the same city for the first time! They’re “a badass sketch team dedicated to subversion, quirkiness and social commentary”. (May 6th at 10 PM at Théâtre Sainte-Catherine)
NAIVE ADVENTURES
Mélanie Mc Crae - former house team member, producer of Panda Recesss and front row seat enthusiast - makes her Sketchfest debut with a solo set… at Montreal Improv, no less. (May 13th at 8 PM at Montreal Improv)
MADAME
Improv show regular - and former member of online house team Old Dog New Tricks - Marilyn DT is a part of Madame, as “Three witchy ladies have added their special touch to the cauldron of fun…” (May 13th at 8 PM at Théâtre Sainte-Catherine)
BOB SANDERSON’S STORY TIME!
Bob Sanderson, infamous children’s author and alter ego of former Montreal Improv house team member Max Lett, teaches kids about life’s prickly truths. From ‘money doesn’t grow on trees’ to ‘heaven is just a lie the pope made up so he could take all your money’, Bob is no stranger to tackling life’s harder lessons. (May 13th at 10 PM at Montreal Improv)
DREAMBOAT
DreamBoat featuring house team alum Mengzhou Li is “a solo project exploring the artistic awakening of an Asian Canadian immigrant woman in her mid 30’s as a means to process past traumas.” Check them out on openning night! (May 5th at 8 PM at Théâtre Sainte-Catherine)
EMERY FINE
Emery Fine, “author of “The Hunter’s Feast,” “ComplexWorld: The Planet One Million Times bigger than Earth,” “SimCity Babies: Children of Computer,” “Journey through ComplexWorld: A SimCity Babies Tale,” and “Funyons for the Fun Ones,” also does Sketches.” We love him. (May 12th at 8 PM at Théâtre Sainte-Catherine)
XAVIER TOLENTINO
Xavier Tolentino, formerly of the house teams Old Dog New Tricks, Janet, Trampoline Fire and the old Montreal Improv’s bilingual team Merlin Monroe, makes a solo splash (May 11th at 8 PM at Théâtre Sainte-Catherine)
100% HUMAN PEOPLE
House team alumnus Shanthony Exum is joined by her funny pals Solly and Nguyen for scripted laughs (or “laffs” as we call it in the biz) on the festival’s closing night. “Their style of comedy is satirical, outlandish, musical and of course human.” Of course. (May 14th at 8 PM at Théâtre Sainte-Catherine)
MTL SKETCHFEST PRESENTS RIP THE SKETCH REPUBLIC: A CELEBRATION OF LIFE
The Sketch Republic was a hilarious, and at times unhinged, staple of the old Montreal Improv. This show bids adieu to the house that Danny Belair and Erin Hall built. Be sure to wear your finest fake mustache. (May 13th at 10 PM at Théâtre Sainte-Catherine)
Shows at Montreal Improv
ANDERS YATES, JOY PROVISION and NAIVE ADVENTURES
Friday, May 13th at 8 PM
Anders Yates | Toronto
Anders Yates is a comedian, actor, writer, and improviser. He is a founding member of the legendary sketch and improv troupe Uncalled For as well as the comedy/dance troupe Dance Animal. Anders promises to spend his entire show being tall and gay.
(Check out Anders’ two-hour improv workshop at Montreal Improv on Saturday, May 14th at 4 PM!)
Joy Provision | Toronto
Love makes the world go round. Like petrol and secrets. Joy Provision aka Rena Taylor and Ethan Resendes is gonna smack you upside the head with radical acceptance, all while caressing your funny bone with whispers of sweet nonsense.
Naive Adventures | Montreal
Member of the sketch team Hard Cake at Improv College, Melanie McCrae is taking it offline and bringing her solo set to the stage!
THE BEST OF TOM HEARN, SIDE SALAD AND BOB SANDERSON’S STORY TIME!
Friday, May 14th at 10 PM
Tom Hearn | Toronto
Tom Hearn is a multiple award winning sketch comedian & director. He is a cast member of the Second City National Touring Company. Tom has toured his 5 star reviewed solo show “SLANG” & “Gay Garbage” all over North America and has amassed 200k followers between TikTok and Instagram. Select credits: Montreal, San Francisco, Chicago and Toronto Sketch Comedy festivals, JFL, JFL42, Halifax Fringe, A Sketch Comedy Extravaganza Eleganza, ‘Children Ruin Everything’ (CTV) and ‘Good Sam’ (CBS).
Side Salad | Montreal
Side Salad is a troupe born from improv at Theatre Sainte-Catherine with backgrounds in acting, play writing, sketches, musicals, and more. They hope to get some laughs and have some fun!
Bob Sanderson’s Story time! | Montreal
Bob Sanderson, infamous children’s author, teaches kids about life’s prickly truths. From ‘money doesn’t grow on trees’ to ‘heaven is just a lie the pope made up so he could take all your money’, Bob is no stranger to tackling life’s harder lessons. Now he’s on tour, promoting his latest book. So join him, won’t you, for a night of storytelling.
There are tons more shows happening over the course of the festival. Check out their full line-up - or purchase tickets - at montrealsketchfest.com.