The bright and wacky minds behind Laugh Out LIVE! are poised to deliver a full pull of content in 2024.
For starters, they’ll return to the Maury Young Arts Centre on Feb. 16 and 17 with their next show, titled “Face Shots and Snow Jobs.” Familiar faces Rebecca Mason and Ira Pettle will be joined on stage by Jonny Fleet and Mark McIvor, as well as two Vancouver-based comedians named Colleen Thompson and Ryan Lee.
“We really want to create an entity that performing artists can use as an opportunity, whether you are a comedian or not,” explains Mason. “We’re thinking of getting musicians into our show. We’ve got ideas of getting some dance performers into our show. Laugh Out LIVE! is this staple entity that we want to build up in Whistler.
“We want to keep riding that wave where people are now coming to Whistler and associating it with events outside of skiing or mountain biking. You can come here and watch a comedy show or a great theatre production, listen to some amazing music and those sorts of things.”
The popular local comedy group is adding new branches to its programming tree, including doubling down on its warmly-received improv classes with a new April 8 event.
“One Night Stand” is a two-hour workshop aimed at those looking to dip their toes into a new way of performing. After trying their hand at the basics of the craft, attendees will also be treated to an improv-only show.
“We’re excited about this concept,” Mason says. “We have our big marquee event, which is on a production stage. It’s got lights, it’s got audio … but we’re also excited about doing an improv-only format that maybe we can squeeze into smaller venues or do as private events. Improv is a comedy format that we just don’t get enough of anywhere in the world, if you ask me.”
Laugh Out LIVE! also hopes to begin offering other types of courses on stand-up comedy, sketch writing or anything else Sea to Sky denizens might be interested in.
Changing of the guard
If you’re a Laugh Out LIVE! fan, you may have noticed one conspicuous absence from the names mentioned up until this point: Dave Francis. That’s because Francis, one of the troupe’s founding members, is stepping away.
“Dave is taking a pause to refocus and rebalance,” Mason says. “We are a family at Laugh Out LIVE!, and we see incredible people coming and going all the time. We’re so lucky to have that structure, but it’s a ginormous project and it consumes the majority of our lives.
“During his absence, Dave will be missed greatly. I’m 99.9-per-cent certain that he has his own unique fan base. People love him. He’s got this wonderful energy onstage, and he’s brought that British humour that Ira and I can’t contribute. The fact that he can step away for now, and Laugh Out LIVE! can continue to thrive, [is a testament] to the incredible work the three of us have put in to build the brand. It can be a space for anyone to come and go.”
Indeed, one of Laugh Out LIVE!’s core principles is it can transcend any particular assortment of people—even the trio who brought it to life. While Francis is always welcome to return to the group in any capacity, they are also equipped to move on without him.
One more thing Mason looks forward to in the coming months is a planned shift towards private events—without, of course, compromising any of their other ventures. She and Pettle are in talks with hotels and various conferences about the idea of doing comedy shows of varying lengths and formats tailored to a specific audience.
And while Mason doesn’t want to give away too much, the hockey player-turned-performer promises there will be a few novel summer events to keep the good times rolling all year.
Learn more about Laugh Out LIVE!’s upcoming programs here.
