Stage Door News
Stage Door News
This August, the Bad Dog Theatre Company is opening its own performance space at 875 Bloor Street West. In addition to housing a custom-designed 68-seat room for improv and theatrical comedy, the fully-licensed Bad Dog Comedy Theatre will feature a dedicated studio space for the company’s rapidly-expanding Academy classes.
For over 20 years, the award-winning Bad Dog Theatre Company (previously known as Theatresports Toronto) has specialized in the art of unscripted comedy and improvised performance, and has provided affordable, accessible improv training for thousands of people of all ages and experience. Dubbed “Toronto’s improv hub” by NOW Magazine and led by renowned improv veteran Julie Osborne, Bad Dog looks forward to its future in this new space.
Artistic Director Julie Osborne says, “Unscripted comedy is finally coming of age in Toronto. Opening the Bad Dog Comedy Theatre is the perfect next step for us as we continue to grow and professionalize this exciting artform and bring excellent, high-quality entertainment to an audience that is quickly discovering just how engaging and satisfying really good improv can be."
Creating a Comedy Corridor in Bloorcourt:
With the addition of the Bad Dog Comedy Theatre at Bloor and Ossington, Bloorcourt is quickly becoming a top destination for comedy and live entertainment in the city. Torontonians can expect to enjoy live shows at the Bad Dog Comedy Theatre nightly. Bad Dog will produce its own shows Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays and will open its doors to rentals and co-productions throughout the week.
Comedy Bar co-owner and Vice-chair of the Bloorcourt BIA Gary Rideout Jr. says, "I really like the direction Bad Dog has taken over their time with us at Comedy Bar. Improv in Toronto deserves a dedicated space and the proximity to Comedy Bar is a huge bonus. It creates a comedy corridor in Bloorcourt."
Since relocating from its original bricks and mortar space on the Danforth in 2011, Bad Dog has produced unscripted comedy shows at Comedy Bar. Bad Dog is delighted to continue its partnership with the owners of Comedy Bar in this new venture and to remain in the Bloorcourt neighbourhood, less than a block from Ossington Station.
It All Begins at Launch Week: August 11-16:
To kick off its first month at 875 Bloor St. W., Bad Dog has curated a week of fantastic improv showcases featuring both out-of-town guests and local talent. Launch Week performers include Taz VanRassel and Ryan Beil of Vancouver’s multiple-Canadian Comedy Award-winning Sunday Service, members Atlanta’s premiere improv company Dad’s Garage, Vancouver’s Nicole Passmore, Montreal’s high energy duo, Easy Action, and Kristen Schier from the Philly Improv Theater in... Philadelphia. Improv hero and star of Whose Line is it Anyway? Colin Mochrie will join the cast of Illusionoid (Paul Bates, Lee Smart & Nug Nahrgang) to record a special live episode of their improvised podcast before also guesting in a Bad Dog summer favourite: the Blockbuster Showdown.
Hometown favourites appearing at Launch Week include 2014 Globehead champs The Sufferettes (Kayla Lorette & Becky Johnson), Canadian Comedy Award-nominated troupe Tony Ho, rare performances from Toronto-based members of Regina’s General Fools and Montreal’s Uncalled For, Fringe phenoms Sex T-Rex, the emerging all-female powerhouses of Hawkins, Bad Dog co-founders Kerry Griffin & Marcel St. Pierre and the theatre’s own award-winning resident cast: the Bad Dog Repertory Players, hot off a run of sold-out performances of Toronto, I Love You at the Toronto Fringe Festival.
Other Launch Week highlights include Canadian Celebrity Theatresports, the mind-bending multi-media mayhem of the Doppelganger Video Project, and a week-long Micetro tournament (free every night at 7pm!).
For more information on Launch Week, including a full performance schedule, please click here.
2014-07-24
Toronto: Bad Dog Theatre Company moves to its own performance space August 11