18th Annual Chutzpah! Festival lineup announced

Michele Merola’s MM Contemporary Dance performs at this year’s Chutzpah! Festival. Enrico Morelli photo.

Tickets go on sale today (Dec. 13) for the 18th Annual Chutzpah! Festival. Organizers have also announced the lineup for the festival, aka the Lisa Nemetz International Jewish Performing Arts Festival. The arts festival takes place Feb. 15-March 15 2018 at various venues, including the Norman Rothstein Theatre, Scotiabank Dance Centre, Rickshaw Theatre, and Fox Cabaret.

One of the highlights of the annual event is its Dance Series. This year’s Chutzpah! features some of the most sought-after contemporary choreographers in the world, along with theatre, comedy and music. Here are some highlights.

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18th Annual Chutzpah! Festival lineup announced

Card game makes fun of Vancouver traditions like _______ and __________.

The Fictionals committing Improv Against Humanity. Photo courtesy Zemekiss Photo.

One of Vancouver’s hardest-working improv troupes has released a new party game that makes fun (with love, of course) of our fair city.

Created by the Fictionals Comedy Co., Cards Against Vancouver is a spin-off of the hugely popular Cards Against Humanity game. The Fictionals recruited dozens of Vancouver comedians and comedy fans to create the game, which is free to download, print and play. And the troupe will officially launch the game Dec. 20 at the Rio Theatre (1660 E. Broadway) as part of its monthly show Improv Against Humanity.

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Card game makes fun of Vancouver traditions like _______ and __________.

Second Jo Koy show added to JFL NorthWest lineup

Jo Koy

(Updated Dec. 12) This just in: JFL NorthWest has announced a second show by Jo Koy.

The festival headliner’s 7 p.m. performance on March 7 is sold out. Due to demand, tickets for a second show, at 9:30 p.m., went on sale earlier today (Dec. 12).

Other headliners include Trevor Noah, Maria Bamford, Brian Regan and Mike Birbiglia. All told, JFL NorthWest is presenting over 90 shows with over 100 comedians at over 30 venues.

In addition, this year’s JFL NorthWest introduces Vancouver to a new comedy film festival. And JFL NorthWest, in association with SiriusXM, highlights the best in local talent with the Best of the West Series.

The festival takes place March 1-10 2018 at various venues, including Queen Elizabeth Theatre, Vogue Theatre, Vancouver Playhouse, Rio Theatre, Biltmore Cabaret, ANNEX Theatre, Fox Cabaret, The Comedy Mix, and Yuk Yuk’s. Tickets, including singles and the new three-day pass, are on sale at jflnorthwest.com.

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Second Jo Koy show added to JFL NorthWest lineup

Toronto’s Bloody Marys, Portland’s Broke Gravy among this year’s Vancouver Improv Festival guests

Toronto’s The Bloody Marys.

Improvised TED Talks, naughty puppets, twisted sci-fi dystopia and more are on the docket of this year’s Vancouver International Improv Festival.

Out-of-town performers include The Future from Philadelphia, Broke Gravy from Portland, Rapid Fire Theatre from Edmonton. Local improv stars such as Hip.Bang! and The Fictionals are also taking part.

All told, the 19th edition of the festival, has 40 performances scheduled during its Oct. 11-14 on Granville Island. Here’s a look at some of the acts.

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Toronto’s Bloody Marys, Portland’s Broke Gravy among this year’s Vancouver Improv Festival guests

You can’t keep a good game show down — the return of Graham Clark’s Quiz Show

Graham Clark brings back The Quiz Show from “game-show hiatus.”

Graham Clark loves game shows. And so the Vancouver comedian is eager to once again present The Quiz Show, a live hybrid of American game show and British panel show.

Clark debuted in 2016 at the now sadly defunct Main Street gallery Hot Art Wet City. Originally a spoof on segments from game shows past, The Quiz Show grew to incorporate all original segments. Local comedians are the contestants, and do their best to make audience members laugh – and win prizes, of course. On Sept. 9, he’ll resurrect the show at the Fox Cabaret (2321 Main St.).

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You can’t keep a good game show down — the return of Graham Clark’s Quiz Show

Catch HBO star/podcaster/talk-show host/stand-up comic Chris Gethard this Tuesday night in Vancouver!

On his Beautiful/Anonymous podcast, Chris Gethard fields a random call and talks to a stranger. As the comedian himself admits, this is can go a lot of ways – funny, sad, neither. Which is why, when he comes to Vancouver to record a new episode tomorrow night (Tuesday May 30) at the Biltmore Cabaret (2755 Prince Edward St.), he’ll also do a set of stand-up.

Besides Beautiful/Anonymous and his standup comedy career, Gethard hosts his own TV talk show, The Chris Gethard Show; starred in the 2016 Mike Birbiglia film Don’t Think Twice; and is a cast member on the hit Comedy Central series Broad City.

Other credits include Inside Amy Schumer (Comedy Central), The Office (NBC), Parks and Recreation (NBC), Louie (FX), and Bored To Death (HBO). You can also catch him in his own HBO comedy special, Career Suicide. We talked to the 37-year-old New Jersey-ite about the podcast, therapy, and his upcoming Vancouver show.

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Catch HBO star/podcaster/talk-show host/stand-up comic Chris Gethard this Tuesday night in Vancouver!

JFL NorthWest, Vancouver Comedy Fest spotlight – Ivan Decker and local comedy

Vancouver comic Ivan Decker

Besides opening for Jim Gaffigan and Iliza at this year’s JFL NorthWest, Vancouver comic Ivan Decker will host two showcases of local talent.

This year’s JFL NorthWest is bringing a plethora of big-name comics from down south. Colin Quinn, Iliza Schlesinger, Jim Gaffigan, Trevor Noah, and Sarah Silverman are among the talented mirth-makers coming to Vancouver for the festival, which begins tonight, Feb. 16, and runs until Feb. 25.

But the festival also gives local comics a chance to shine. For example, in B-Sides with Chris Gordon (Feb. 21 at Biltmore at 9:30 p.m.), Calgary’s Gordon and top local headliners such as Graham Clark, Kyle Bottom and Efthimios Nasiopoulos will discuss a comedian’s creative process by featuring the rare and risky jokes they love to tell, then opening up to an audience Q&A.

The festival is also hosting a Best of the West series that features many of the best locally produced shows. Among them are Alicia Tobin’s Come Draw with Me, The Gentlemen Hecklers, Graham Clark’s Quiz Show, and more.

Meanwhile, one of the best-known names on the local scene, Ivan Decker, has been picked to open for both Iliza and Jim Gaffigan. Decker, whom Splitsider once named the Top Canadian Comedian Under 30 (he’s now 31), will also host the Just For Laughs Showcase at the Biltmore Cabaret on Feb. 21 (7 p.m. start, before the aforementioned B-Sides) and Yuk Yuk’s Vancouver Feb. 22 (8 p.m.). We talked to Decker about comedy festivals, scaring Vancouver mayor Gregor Robertson, and his online dating profile.

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JFL NorthWest, Vancouver Comedy Fest spotlight – Ivan Decker and local comedy