SheDot. Toronto’s Festival of Funny Women

The SheDot Comedy Festival is in town for its second year. The only comedy festival in Toronto featuring all-female performers, it is being headlined by none other than Margaret Cho.

Will there be talk of body parts? Relationships? Most likely!

The festival is taking no chances, bringing in seasoned female comedians as hosts, including Rebecca Kohler of Comedy Now fame, comedy teacher and Comedy Bar regular Dawn Whitwell, Canadian Comedy Awardwinner Laurie Elliott, and a Second City teacher and storyteller Sage Tyrtle.

SheDot will also feature relative newcomers like  Courtney Gilmour, Cathryn Naicker,  Adrienne Fish and Tim Sims Encouragement Award winner Caitlin Langelier.  This is a chance to get acquainted with out-of-towners from other parts of Canada and the US.

People of all stripes will hopefully find something relatable in the vast range of material. There’ll be a clean show, with the rest most probably on a scale from mild to raunchy.  As with most comedy shows, be warned: If you sit in the front, you might get picked on. Moreover, if you speak your mind during the show, be prepared to get a piece of mind in return.

It’s refreshing to see the variety of formats; besides classic standup, there’ll be sketch comedy, improv, “sketchprov” and storytelling, the latter having become a popular artform as of late. Yet another show promises an exciting surprise; an open format SheJam, happening Thursday, April 30, 2015 at 11:45 PM.

The non-performance component of the festival features two free panels, a nice gesture on behalf of the festival producers. In addition, there are four workshops available throughout the festival . These are shorter and cheaper than full-blown college courses and there is no exam, though there will certainly be homework!

Get your ShoJo on and be ready for some laughs!

Details

The SheDot Festival runs April 30 to May 3, 2015 at Comedy Bar, with the May 3 headline show at Danforth Music Hall 147 Danforth Ave.

Show Tickets:

  • $12 in advance/$15 at the door for regular performances,

Professional Development Sessions from $50 to $75 at various venues, please check the festival website for further information

Freebies.

  • SheJam. Thu Apr 30  11-45 pm to 1-15 am, Comedy Bar 945 Bloor St. West
  • The Gatekeepers Panel. Fri May 1  5:00pm – 6:30pm  Comedy Bar 945 Bloor St. W. Doors open at 4:30.  First come first served seating.  Free of charge and open to men and women.
  • The Movers and Shakers Panel Sat  May 2  12:00pm – 1:30pm Comedy Bar 945 Bloor St. W. Doors open at 11:30am.  First come first served seating.  Free of charge and open to men and women.