We will get better at this, promise

First apologies! The whole point of having a blog is so that people can get up-to-date information before anyone else and that obviously has not been happening.  We will work at getting a new post up every week.  That being said, since it has been so long we have a ton of news!!

Our line-ups! Wow, we are the little laugh shop that could.  The shows are getting busier and we have even had some sellouts! Whyte ave was ready for new style of live entertainment and we are flattered and thrilled to have been embraced so wholeheartedly by the community.  We will talk about our line-ups later but first lets get some promotions out of the way.

Amateur Night

This night has proven so popular that we have expanded it into Wednesdays as well.  So now every Tuesday and Wednesday at 8PM you can watch Edmonton’s rising comedy talent hit, or miss, but either is entertaining!  Always anchored with a professional Headliner and MC this is definitely a night to check out!  Only $10.00 and show times are 8PM both nights.

Date Night!

This is a new promotion we just started.  Every Friday at 8PM we are dedicating to those couples out there who need a night out.  All couples receive two for one admission for the Friday 8PM Show.  Really impress your date and book a reservation for dinner at Chili’s with us too!

 

 

 

 

 

Industry Night!

Every Sunday Night we want to serve you for a change.  Every Sunday night at 8PM The Laugh Shop on Whyte dedicates their show to those who serve others all week long.  If you are in the Hospitality or Service Industry, and are over 18 years old, bring proof of where you work and you will receive a complimentary ticket to the Sunday Night Show!

Coming soon….  Keep checking our website for more promotions….we will be adding a Starving Students offer very very soon.

Fund Raising!

Finally a stress free way to raise some much needed cash.

We can suggest several packages to help your non-profit, registered charity, sports team etc.  to raise money!

1.  Have a fundraiser at The Laugh Shop on Whyte!

We have the show, the staff and the know how to put on a comedy show for your event.  All you need to do is sell the tickets.  How it works: We sell you a block of discounted tickets for any Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday or Sunday Show.  You sell them for profit and keep the profit.  How we help: We will include you in our online sales so you can offer your supporters the convenience of booking their tickets on line.  We include your group in any in-house advertising which can include posters, table talkers, website promotion, web newsletters, MC Lead sheets etc.  The end result:  You know your show is looked after, and all you need to do is laugh and count the money you raised.  It really is that simple.  Call Chrysi at 780 476 1010 to book your fundraiser today!  Finally, a low risk fundraiser that works!

2.  Book a Comedian or Comedians to come to your venue!

We have access to North America’s top touring headliners and that means YOU have access.  Call our Agent Holly Watt at 780 244 4411 to get started.  It really is easier than you think!

3.  Stand Up for Fund raising

This an exclusive package put together by Call Back Entertainment.  In today’s economic climate it is even more challenging then ever to convince people to part with any cash for your worthy cause.  Let the Laugh Shop and Call Back Entertainment take the stress out of fund raising!  The Laugh Shop and Call Back have teamed up with the organizers of one of the most successful charity events in Canada, Laughing For Cancer, to present to you a professional option for your fund raising needs.  Check us out at www.standupforfundraising.com and let us get you raising more funds today.

Comedy Classes & Workshops

The Laugh Shop is proud to be Edmonton’s innovator in developing tomorrow’s comedy stars. In addition to our regularly scheduled Amateur Showcase Show on Tuesdays, and our Stand Up Stand Outs show on Wednesdays, we periodically host Comedy classes and clinics chaired but some of the Industries top Stand Up Talents.

Upcoming Clinics and Classes are:

Ongoing:  Paul Sveen’s Advanced Stand Up Comedy Class….
click here for more information

November 24, 25 & 28th John Wing’s Comedy Clinic….
click here for more information

See we told you we had a lot.  We do want your feedback please.  Join our fan club, email our box office and tell us how to improve (we like to know what you like about us too!)  You can email boxoffice@thelaughshop.ca for more information on shows, the fan club and to provide feedback (good and bad).

Now (drum roll please)…. Our shows for the rest of the year!

November 10 – 15th Cash Levy from LA

November 17 – 22nd Andrew Grose
(With a Special Fundraising Event with CTV on Thursday.)
CTV’s Graham Neil will host the week with Andrew.

November 24 – December 6th John Wing from LA

December 8 – 13th Rob Brackenridge from LA

December 15 – 20th Kevin McGrath

December 31st Rich Hall

Holiday Box Office Hours

Thursday December 24th 12 PM – 9PM
Friday December 25th closed
Saturday December 26th 12PM – 9PM
Sunday December 27th 12PM – 9PM
Monday December 28th Closed
Tuesday December 29th 12PM – 9PM
Wednesday December 30th 12PM – 9PM
Thursday December 31st 12PM – 11PM
Friday January 1st Closed

 

Holiday Showtimes

Thursday December 24th 8PM
Friday December 25th closed
Saturday December 26th 8PM
Sunday December 27th 8PM
Monday December 28th Closed
Tuesday December 29th 8PM
Wednesday December 30th 8PM
Thursday December 31st  7:30PM & 10:30PM
Friday January 1st Closed
Saturday January 2nd  8PM
Sunday January 3rd  8PM
Saturday January 2nd 12PM – 9PM
Sunday January 3rd 12PM – 9PM

Mike MacDonald

Mike MacDonald will be coming to The Laugh Shop October 6 – 11th.  Mike is definitely someone to see.  If you haven’t seen him yet, you have missed some serious comedy in your life, and if you have, you know what we are talking about.

Mike has been doing stand up for better than 30 years.  That is not to say that he has worn out bits and still does the same close that he has relied on for the past 30 years.  Mike is a comedy genius.  Last time he was through, 90% of his show was new!  If you know comedy at all, you know that it can take years to develop a completely new, solid, strong 30 – 45 minutes.  Mike does it in less than 2.  Without a home stage to work out new bits on.  He finds something funny, writes it down, tries it on a couple of trusted friends then unveils it to the public.  9 times out of 10, it kills.

Mike is one of the original innovators of stand up in Canada.  He blazed a trail for all comedians working today.  No one has appeared at the Just for Laughs festival more times than Mike.  You can’t turn on your TV without seeing one of his innumerous specials.

Mike also does whatever he can to help new talent, always generous with a tag or call-back he might see, he watches new acts.  All the time!  He likes to!  Mike MacDonald is one of the real reasons why there is a strong future for Stand Up comedy.

Do yourself a favor and grab a ticket.  You won’t be sorry.  We guarantee this, if you don’t find Mike funny, you really should check to see if you have a pulse.

Mike will be concerting The Laugh Shop on Whyte Ave October 6 – 11 and tickets are on sale now.  Call 780 476 1010 or book online at www.thelaughshop.ca.

Mike will also be offering a comedy clinic, check the website for info and if you are an aspiring comedian, get your spot booked fast, we are only accepting 10 total and many are gone already.

Team Laugh Shop

To make September a little easier for Edmonton!

Because we know that money is tight after all those books and supplies, we have made a deal with Whyte Ave’s only full time Comedy Club, The Laugh Shop, to offer $5.00 off any ticket this month. The catch is, you have to book online to get the deal.

The Laugh Shop Shows are as follows:
Tuesdays
Amateur Night: Showtime is at 8PM doors open at 7PM. Always anchored with a professional Headliner and MC.

Wednesdays
The Stand Up Stand Out Show! Showtime is at 8PM doors open at 7PM.

Thursdays
See three professional touring comedians, with credits including Just For Laughs, Comics!, Comedy Now! Late Night with David Letterman, The Tonight Show and more! Showtime is at 8PM and the doors open at 7PM.

Fridays
See three professional touring comedians, with credits including Just For Laughs, Comics!, Comedy Now! Late Night with David Letterman, The Tonight Show and more! The early show is at 8PM with the doors opening at 7PM and the late show starts at 10:30PM with the doors opening at 10PM

Saturdays
See three professional touring comedians, with credits including Just For Laughs, Comics!, Comedy Now! Late Night with David Letterman, The Tonight Show and more! The early show is at 8PM with the doors opening at 7PM and the late show starts at 10:30PM with the doors opening at 10PM

Sundays
See three professional touring comedians, with credits including Just For Laughs, Comics!, Comedy Now! Late Night with David Letterman, The Tonight Show and more! Showtime is at 8PM and the doors open at 7PM.

The Laugh Shop on Whyte Ave is located at 10268 82 Ave (second floor) and you can enter between the Starbucks and the Subway on Whyte Ave.

Book online at www.thelaughshop.ca to get this deal, and remember it only lasts until Wednesday September 30th.

Grand Opening!

Though technically we held our first show the first week of August, we had a brief (work out the kinks) schedule of performances followed by a full on packed room from noon to midnight for 11 days with the Edmonton Fringe Fesival, so we are considering this week our GRAND OPENING.

First we have to tell you the Fringe was fantastic!  We were both thrilled and priveledged to be a part of such a great Edmonton Event.  It held it’s position as North America’s largest Fringe Festival and when you see the quality of the acting, and the incredible organization and long, really long hours of the support staff, you know why.  We look forward to participating next year as well.  Speaking of that , we wonder if we know any comedians with one-person shows who might want to explore this BYOV option out?  Hmmmmm.

Tonight (Thursday August 27th) is our Private Party.  Friends, Family, Performers and new and old business partners will hopefully be joining us in what promises to be the opening of a very cool club on Whyte.  The incomperable Erica Sigurdson will headline, which we think makes us the first comedy club to use a lady comedian to open a new room.  One of our good friends and incredibly talented headliners, Andrew Grose will MC and we are hoping for a few surprise guest sets from some good friends we know are coming.

The party will continue through to Sunday where we have shows for the public at 8 and 10:30 Friday and Saturday and a special headline event with Andrew Grose on Sunday at 8PM.  We really hope to see you out to one of the shows.

The Laugh Shop on Whyte has a stellar line up coming at you. 

September 1 – 6th we Present Mike Dambra from Rochester NY
September 11 – 13th we Present Harry Doupe from Toronto
September 22 – 27th we Present Tim Koslo from Edmonton
October1 – 4th we Present Jason Blanchard from Toronto
October6 – 11th we Present IN CONCERT Mike MacDonald

Every Tuesday Night is Amateur Night and we recommend that show highly!  If you are interested in becoming a comedian check out more information right here!

Wednesday Night will showcase our rising talent as well having a Professional comedian close the show.

Thursday thorugh Sunday we present the best Stand Up Talents from across North American and beyond.  These guys and gals are funny, like really really funny.  We even guarantee it!

We hope to see you all check us out very soon, everyone needs a laugh and we know we can supply your biggest!

The Laugh Shop Team

The Fringe is coming the Fringe is coming!

Well, driving to work has become a challenge but WOW how cool to see all the barricades and tents and know we are a part of it.  A big part.  Stage 2!  The signs are up and the rehearsals are underway. We are so pleased to be playing such a major role with the Edmonton Fringe and are more than a little pleased that our programming is about 60% comedy oriented.

If you are looking the shows at our stage are:

A Watched Pot Never Boyles
Who’s Afraid of Tippi Seagram
The Big Stupid Improv Show
Fruitcake
ImproVision: Fast, Loose and Lovely
The Further Adventures of Antoine Feval
The Art of Being a Bastard
Die Nasty Overflow Show
The Honeymoon Period is Officially Over
Inviting Desire

Tickets are available online at www.edmontonfringeadventures.com and we can’t recommend these shows enough.  Support grass roots theatre in a grass roots club and you will leave throughly entertained.  PLUS (and we can’t be 100% sure on this) we might be the only fully licensed venue!  With temperatures in the high 20’s that ice cold big rock will taste better than ever.

August 13 – 23rd The Laugh Shop is Fringing, then…..hello comedy!

August 26th Kevin McGrath presents his musical mayhem…..
August 27th our OFFICIAL opening, by invitation only but we may have a blog contest to win a couple of tickets in so please stay tuned.
August 28 -29th The amazing, beautiful, and razor sharp wit of Erica Sigurdson headlines!
August 29th Edmonton’s heavy hitter of comedy, the Bed in a Bag guy….Andrew Grose! (hopefully, we are waiting on confirmation for this one).

Please note that we will not be allowing any passes for the Fringe events, 100% of the door is going to the artists and tickets are incredibly reasonable so sorry folks, hold onto those passes for after the Fringe.

Keep Lauging and thanks for reading!

Team Laugh Shop

We are open on Whyte Ave

Team Laugh Shop thanks you for waiting so patiently for a new blog.  Truth is, we have been busy.  Allow us to recap.

Saturday July 25th
Our last show at Londonderry Mall.  Dave Nystrom headlined (and incidently he killed).  It was very hard to leave the Mall.  Pat, Ana, Tamara and Sean have been such great people to work with and wevwish them nothing but the best.  We still encourage you to shop at Londonderry Mall,  they have great stores and the Mall is operated by some fantastic people.  Though we were sad, we were also excited to get down to Whyte Ave.  Why?  It’s freak’in Whyte Ave people.

Sunday July 26th
We moved….UGH!  We were a small but mighty team of laborors moving half our stuff into storage (the club on Whyte is a lot smaller) and half to the club.  Ryan, Spence, Don, Carla, Heidi, Lisa and Chris were incredible.  This would not have happened without them.

Monday July 27th – Saturday August 1st
Every day was a new challenge.  In the end we managed to put that club together with time to spare.  Unfortunately the City was not on the same timeline as we were so, alas, no inspection, and no shows that week end.  An unexpected week end off.  We all should have gone camping!

Tuesday August 4th
Back at it with the City.  We had some good people in our ring but the wheels of progess move  S L O W L Y.  We are all very anxious to open our doors. All our new neighbors keep looking in and tell us how good things are looking.  The Fringe joins us as well and they start building their stage on top of ours.  They also managed to fix alot of the mistakes our overpriced installers made (we are definitly writing some letters, that aughta scare them a bit).  Inspector a no show again.  Which turns out to be a good thing.  As we lost all our power.  Apparently we were supposed to transfer it, good to know.  A call or two to Epcor and we are told we will get power within 24 hours.  Fingers crossed.

Wednesday August 5th
A couple of calls to Epcor and we have power by 10:30.  Finally the inspector comes, we are good to go.  Now the liquor license, all they need is the business license which was just OK’ed by the Inspector.  Whoo hoo booze and funny Wednesday night.    Uh, no.  Sadly a computer glitch keeps the the booze in the cupboard but remarkably people came in anyway.  A great first show, great crowd and the line up was fantastic.  Paul Sveen headlined, JP Naphan and JP Fournier middled and Tyler Hawkins eemceed.  A very nice way to start our shows on Whyte.

Thursday August 6th
Chrysi had enough and went to the City and waited there until they handed her the business license.  Off it went to the AGLC and we are good to go for booze….tomorrow (sigh).  Oh well, the room looked great, the talent is stellar and everyone loves the room.  Even more people came too.

We can’t wait until tomorrow.  Two shows and licensed.  That little room is going to explode with funny.
Thanks to all our loyal fans, and please come visit us on Whyte.  We are next to Chilis which is fantastic for dinner and Flavors is right below us if you are looking to impress a lady

We have an underground parkade and are completly wheelchair accessible.  Lots to do both before and after you laugh your ass off.  We hope to see you very soon!

Team Laugh Shop
www.thelaughshop.ca
780 476 1010

Hello Whyte Ave!

Hello Laugh Shoppers,

Well the fateful week has arrived.  This is our last weekend at Londonderry Mall. Sunday we pick up stakes and make our way to our new club on Whyte Avenue. We will miss the mall very much, the people and fans have been tremendous.  We thank all of North Edmonton for your support and hope you will make the short commute to the busiest corner in Edmonton.

August 1st we will open our doors on Whyte Ave.  Our first show will be offered for the low price of $0.00 HOWEVER (oh you knew there was a catch).  We will ask for you to donate what you can to the Laughing for Cancer fundraiser we are so proud to support.  You can find out more about LFC here at www.laughingforcancer.com.  Please tell your friends and family as this show will be incredible. The  talented comedians that support this cause every year in so many different areas are once again doing more than anyone expects and donating their show to help raise money.

One thing we are compelled to tell you, ALL the money raised by Laughing for Cancer over the years (which is nearing $1 000 000 now) stays in Edmonton to help Edmontontonians battling Cancer.  They help fund equipment and programs at the Cross Cancer Institute.  Please spread the word so we can have a packed room and raise a little to ease those in Edmonton battling the C word.

So far on the show are Andrew Grose, Tyler Hawkins, Winston Herbert, Kenny V, Billy Cowen, Mike Dambra, Paul Sveen and still more to come.  That is a lot of headliners on one show!

We are so excited to be on Whyte Ave and we hope you are too.  Oh and please frequent our neighbors as well, Chilis has the best roof top patio in Edmonton!  And they are right next door to us.  And if you need a hat check out the Head Case on the third floor.  They have some very cool toppers.  Need to relax, how about Perugia Spa! We know that is where you will find us!

And from August 13 – 23rd we are the Big Rock Stage for the Amazing, Remarkble, World Famous Edmonton Fringe!  Get your tickets right here as of July 28th.

Back to August 1st

We will not be taking reservations for this night so please arrive early to avoid disappointment.  Once we are full, that is it.  We will be having two shows at 8 & 10:30.

Where are we?

Here!

Second Floor
10368 82 (Whyte) Ave
780 476 1010
www.thelaughshop.ca

Cue Balls for Cancer

Ok, this is far overdue however in our defense, we are trying to build a new club on Whyte Ave this summer so we are a little busy.  Well, that and we tend to drink a bit .  Speaking of Whyte Ave we have pictures below and things are coming along nicely.  We are told we will be open on schedule.  We plan our first show August 1st (Saturday) we will be offering all of Edmonton free tickets!  Instead we will ask you to donate what you can to  Laughing for Cancer.  How cool is that, you get to see the first show for free!  Well for a donation to a great cause (laughingforcancer.com); and you get to see the first full time comedy club on Whyte Ave on her first day!  We only seat 180 so be there early to line up, we won’t be taking reservations for this show so all seating will be first come first serve.  Showtime will be at 8pm and 10:30pm and the doors will open at 7pm for the 8pm show and at 10:00PM for the 10:30PM show.

Remember that August 13 – 23 The Laugh Shop on Whyte will be The Big Rock Stage for the Edmonton Fringe Festival.  Book online HERE.

Now speaking of Cue Balls for Cancer, In June, Kevin McGrath held the first annual Cue Balls for Cancer fundraiser.  Basically portions of the show went to Laughing for Cancer and people were asked to shave their heads for a further donation at the end of the show.  Andrew Grose, founder of Laughing For Cancer was on hand to MC and get his head shaved as were several other helpful supporters.  We hope you enjoy these pictures of the event and remember Laughing for Cancer takes donations all year long at their website HERE.

Thanks Laugh Shopppers, we promise to keep you laughing if you promise to keep loving comedy!

The Laugh Shop Team

www.thelaughshop.ca

Cue Balls for Cancer & Update photos of Whyte Ave

Stand Up Comedy

One of the most challenging performance arts to master,stand up comedy has a long history.  The genre of stand up has given rise to many many famous Actors particularly in Canada.  Some of those famous names include:  Jim Carrey, Harland Williams, Shaun Majumder, Caroline Rhea, Catherine O`Hara, Dan Akroyd, Dave Thomas, Eugene Levy, Howie Mandel, John Candy, Mike Myers, Paul Shaffer, Tommy Chong to name only a select few.

As a tribute to the art, we have chosen to dedicate this blog entry to the definition of stand up comedy.   Our facts for the most part were gleaned from Wikipedia so if anyone notes any inaccuracies please feel free to comment and provide clarity.

Of course being a stand up comedy club, we favor stand up comedy above all other performance arts however where comedy is concerned there are several other equally notable genres that should be mentioned with respect.  They include Sketch, Improv and Comedy Theatre.

We hope you enjoy our entry and if you do, please feel free to comment and let us know!

The Laugh Shop Team

Stand-up comedy is a style of comedy where the performer speaks directly to the audience, with the absence of the theatrical “fourth wall“. A person who performs stand-up comedy is known as a stand-up comic, stand-up comedian (comedienne if female) or more informally a stand-up. It is usually performed by a single comedian, with the aid of a hand-held microphone. The comedian usually recites a fast-paced succession of humorous stories, short jokes (called “bits”), and one-liners, which comprise what is typically called a monologue, routine or act. Some stand-up comedians use props, music or magic tricks to enhance their acts. Stand-up comedy is often performed in comedy clubs, bars, colleges and theaters. However, there is no real restriction on where the craft can be performed. Many smaller venues hold “open mic” events, where amateur comedians perform comedy before a live audience, offering a way for such performers to hone their craft and possibly break into the business. In North America, many comedy clubs feature the now-iconic brick wall as the backdrop for stand-up performances.

Many stand-up routines are similar to one-man shows, with the main difference being the expectations of the audience, who, in some cases, expect a relatively steady stream of “laughs”. This in turn affects the aims of the performer, who is under great pressure to deliver those laughs. If the performer cannot coax laughs out of the crowd, sometimes the crowd will poke fun at the comedian, a practice known as heckling.

Stand-up comedy is difficult to master partly because the comedian is at the mercy of the audience, which is an integral element of the act. An adept stand-up comedian must nimbly play off the mood and tastes of any particular audience, and adjust his or her routine accordingly. Stand-up is an art form that is openly devoted to getting laughs from an audience above all else (unlike theatrical comedy, which creates comedy within the structure of a play and with character and situation). The skills attributed to stand-up are diverse; it is often necessary for a stand-up comic to simultaneously assume the roles of a writer, editor, performer, promoter, producer and technician.

One hallmark of a master stand-up comedian is the ability to not only face down a “heckler“, but win over and entertain the rest of the crowd with a witty retort. Many stand-up comedians work for years to develop 45 minutes of material, and usually perform their bits repeatedly, slowly perfecting them over time. Actor-comedian Will Ferrell has called stand-up comedy “hard, lonely and vicious.”

Despite the name, stand-up comedians do not always stand up. Some will sit on a stool; Martin Mull has sometimes used an easy chair. The term “sit-down comic” is usually pejorative in nature.

With more than 70,000 visitors, German comedian Mario Barth established the world record for the most visitors in a stand-up comedy show on July 12, 2008 in the olympic stadium of Berlin.

The record for longest single stand-up performance is currently held by British comedian Mark Watson who has performed a number of 24 hour shows at the Edinburgh and Melbourne comedy festivals.

Coming soon…..The Laugh Shop on Whyte

We are incredibly excited to be able to announce a second location in Edmonton to help keep you laughing.  We are opening up on Whyte Ave this August and even better….we are a fringe venue!  The 180-seat club will offer a small, intimate, energetic way to watch the best Stand Up comedians perform.  Construction is underway and we will periodically update you with the progress and the pictures.

The Laugh Shop on Whyte will be located at

Second Floor
10368 82 Ave
780 476 1010
www.thelaughshop.ca

Keep checking the Fringe website for all the shows and make sure you pick up your tickets to see this very cool little comedy club!

The Edmonton Fringe!
The Laugh Shop