Ho Ho Ha!
Aurora Browne, Gavin Crawford, Elvira Kurt and Miguel Rivas, moderated by Ron Tite
” A Holiday Comedy Special “
Dec. 10, 2019
The holidays can be stressful, so kick off the season on December 10th with Canadian Club Toronto and some of Canada’s most respected comedians.
We’ve gathered some of the most insightful and witty Canadians to discuss what made us laugh in 2019, why we needed to find the funny in the chaos, and to provide a glimpse into what we might be laughing at in 2020. The US election?Wexit? Block Chain? Fortnite? The options are truly endless.
We’ll be joined by Aurora Browne (Baroness Von Sketch Show), Gavin Crawford (Because News), writer and comedian Elvira Kurt, and Miguel Rivas (The Beaverton). The panel will be moderated by best-selling author and founder of Church+State, Ron Tite.
Biography:
Aurora Browne, Co-Creator, Writer, Executive Producer, Baroness Von Sketch
Aurora Browne is proud to be one of the co-creators, writers, executive producers and stars of CBC’s award-winning Baroness Von Sketch Show. Aurora has been honing her sketch chops since 2000 when she was hired by Toronto’s Second City. Since then she has appeared on The Writer’s Block, Man Seeking Woman, Orphan Black, The Gavin Crawford Show, InSecurity, and Corner Gas among others. She was also a co-creator, co-writer, executive producer and co-star of the hit web series Newborn Moms, which appeared both on CBC’s and ABC’s digital channels.
Aurora has been nominated for many Canadian Comedy Awards for her work in Toronto’s red hot live sketch and improv scene, and in 2008 won the CCA for Best Female Improviser. She was a nominee for the 2000 Tim Sims Encouragement Fund Award. Her son thinks she is hilarious.
Gavin Crawford, Host, Because News
Gavin was born at the ripe old age of 0 in Taber, Alberta. After graduating from the BFA Acting Program at the University of British Columbia, Gavin moved to Toronto where he quickly took the comedy scene by storm. His unique style of performing character monologues in a standup setting got him noticed by Toronto’s famed Second City where he joined the cast in 1998 for two mainstage productions: Y2K: The Chip Hits the Fan and Nude Beachwear, 100% Off.
Gavin left Second City to co-create (with partner Kyle Tingley) and star in The Gavin Crawford Show on The Comedy Network. The Gavin Crawford Show was a critical success for the network, and during its three seasons Gavin created several of his enduring characters, including awkward teen Mark Jackson, fashion designer Uwe Meyer and Verna/Verdeen Howard. During this time Gavin also starred in the short-lived WB series Hype, but was lured back to Canada from Hollywood by an opportunity to fill in for Mary Walsh on the long-running CBC comedy This Hour Has 22 Minutes.
A two-week guest spot turned into 8 seasons on the comedy institution, during which he created countless original characters and interviewed many politicians, (including Prime Minister Stephen Harper) often in character as teen correspondent Mark Jackson.
After 8 successful years with 22 Minutes, Gavin made the difficult decision to leave the show. Over the years, Gavin has sustained his love for live performance with appearances at practically all of Canada’s established comedy festivals, including the Vancouver, Calgary, Winnipeg, St. John’s and Halifax comedy festivals, Just For Laughs, as well as the Aspen Comedy Festival.
Elvira Kurt, Writer and Comedian
Elvira Kurt, comedy legend, gay icon and freakin’ national treasure, is a multiple award-winning (Cannes Film Festival / Canadian Screen Award / Canadian Comedy Award / Toronto Fringe Festival Patron’s Pick / NOW Magazine Top 5 / World Film Fest: Gold), sold out solo show performing (Funny AF, Fearless, Homosexual Panic, Fired Up) stand-up comic and Second City veteran whose credits as star, host, guest, writer and or talent director are simply far too many to mention. Except for these: the upcoming inaugural season of Canada’s Drag Race / Baroness Von Sketch Show, Iron Chef Canada, The Great Canadian Baking Show, Master Chef Canada, SpinOff, Nick Night Out NYC, The Debaters, Degrassi, YTV’s The Game, Popcultured with Elvira Kurt, The Gayest Show Ever, This Hour Has 22 Minutes, Ellen DeGeneres’ HBO special, Just For Laughs, Winnipeg, Halifax, Sydney and Melbourne Comedy Festivals and, of course, Elvira’s unforgettable stint on both of CBC Radio’s hit show, ‘Q’ and, ‘q’.
Miguel Rivas, Co-Anchor, The Beaverton
Miguel Rivas is an actor and comedian from Toronto, ON. Miguel is best known for being the co-anchor of the CTV satirical news program The Beaverton . He has also appeared as multiple characters on CBC’s Baroness Von Sketch , and on VRV’s animated Gary and His Demons . A veteran of the live comedy scene, Miguel and his brother Freddie are the co-creators and co-hosts of the much lauded live staple Rapp Battlez.
He has appeared at Just For Laughs, JFL 42, San Francisco Sketchfest, Toronto Sketchfest, Philadelphia Sketchfest and Montreal Sketchfest. He is a founding member of the Canadian Comedy Award winning sketch super troupe Get Some, as well as Canada’s dark-comedy darlings, Tony Ho. Miguel has also starred in and directed multiple award-winning short films and music videos with his sketch group Tony Ho.
Check out Miguel’s curled hair in an upcoming episode of CBC’s Cavendish.
Ron Tite, Founder and CEO, Church+State
Ron has been an award-winning advertising writer and Creative Director for some of the world’s most respected brands, including Air France, Evian, Fidelity, Hershey, Johnson & Johnson, Kraft, Intel, Microsoft, Volvo and many others.
His advertising work has been recognized by The London International Advertising Awards, The New York Festivals of Advertising, The Crystals, The Extras, The Canadian Marketing Association, The Advertising & Design Club of Canada and The Marketing Awards, to name just a few.
He is Founder and CEO of Church+State (originally The Tite Group), a Toronto-based content marketing agency and publisher of This is That Travel Guide to Canada – a best-selling, award-winning satirical book from the creators of CBC Radio’s hit show, This Is That.
His past work includes being Executive Producer & Host of the award-winning comedy show Monkey Toast, in addition to writing for a number of television series, penning a children’s book, and writing, performing, and producing the play The Canadian Baby Bonus. In demand as a speaker on innovation, branding and content marketing, Ron continues to speak to leading organizations all over the world about “The Expression Economy” – his take on modern business.
Ron’s own book, Everyone’s An Artist (Or At Least They Should Be), was published by HarperCollins in 2016.
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