Stage Door News
Stage Door News
Bad Dog’s new monthly show, Book Club, takes all of the best elements of classic readers’ soirees - spirited discussion, strong opinion, the very real possibility of drinking a little too much wine - and combines them with the levity and liveliness of an unscripted comedy show featuring some of Toronto’s sharpest wits. It’s the perfect night out for if you've ever wanted a nudge to finally crack open that hot/essential/controversial/quintessential volume you've been meaning to read but just haven’t gotten around to… and if you don’t quite get through each month’s selection, you never have to worry about being put on the spot! Just like a good book, our performers have you covered.
Our first show, opening January 19th, explores the title story from recent Nobel laureate Alice Munro’s Hateship, Friendship, Courtship, Loveship, Marriage. For future Book Club announcements, please follow Bad Dog on Facebook and Twitter, and check the Book Club page at www.baddogtheatre.com/BookClub.
Book Club’s premise is simple: through a combination of conversation and scenework, our improvisers will explore a different Canadian novel on the Comedy Bar Cabaret stage on the third Sunday of every month. Book Club is an intimate and thoughtful comedy show that brings audience and performers together: the audience will be involved in selecting what gets read, and each show’s unofficial “epilogue” will be post-show discussions at the bar!
Book Club’s creator and host Dan Hershfield says “So many improv shows are homages
to TV shows and movies. I thought it would be interesting to see what wouldhappen if we drew from literature instead, favoring inspiration over imitation. Improvisers are masters at drawing from the world and using what they experience as the inspiration for something completely new and unexpected. Just like conventional book clubs, it’s a chance to really get inside and explore the art we love.”
Book Club will feature a rotating cast of some of Toronto’s best comedians and improvisers including Jan Caruana (Second City), Chris Gibbs (National Theatre of the World), Evany Rosen (BDRP, Picnicface), Jocelyn Geddie (The Sketchersons), Thomas MacKay (Teh Internets Quiz Show), Jess Bryson (Bad Dog Repertory Players), Ashley Comeau (Second City), Lindsay Grant (Teh Internets Quiz Show), and Devon Hyland (Comedy on Tape). So don’t wait for the movie, come to Book Club instead.
Book Club
8:00pm - 3rd Sunday of every month (usually)
January 19, February 16, March 23 (NB: 4th Sunday this month only), April 20, May 18
Location: Comedy Bar (945 Bloor St. W)
Tickets are $10 regular/ $5 student
Tickets are available at the door, online at COMEDY BAR’S LINK
or by the Comedy Bar Box Office at 416-551-6540.
2014-01-13
Toronto: The Bad Dog Theatre Company presents "Book Club" every third Sunday