Laughter is Medicine comedy workshop and show is back!
Have you ever imagined yourself doing standup comedy?
Are you interested in learning more about comedy and humorous storytelling as a way of exploring settler-Indigenous relationships?
Are you scared but secretly thrilled at the prospect of being on stage telling jokes to a friendly Denman crowd?
Join us!
This summer, Denman will welcome back Cherokee scholar and comedian Jeff Ganohalidoh Corntassel for a comedy workshop in May and show at the Community Hall on Saturday, June 6th.
Jeff will lead a group of us in a 4–part workshop to explore how Indigenous and non-indigenous folks express humour, to learn comedic storytelling and craft a 3-minute standup routine with the help of fellow workshop attendees and mentors. Everyone is welcome to sign up, especially youth and elders!
The newly minted comedians will then join a group of guest performers on stage at the Front Hall in a community comedy showcase on Saturday, June 6th.
The online workshop series will take place on Mondays from 6-8:30 p.m. May 11, 18, 25 and June 1. There will be a final workshop on Friday or Saturday before the show to finalize our routines. The cost is $150 for adults and $60 for youth, with no one turned away due to lack of funds.
By day, Jeff Corntassel is a member of the Cherokee Nation and the Professor of Indigenous Studies at UVic, where his research and teaching focus on “Everyday Acts of Resurgence” and the intersections between Indigenous internationalism, community resurgence, climate change, gender, and community well-being.
By night, you can find him doing stand-up at venues around Victoria, including Phillips Comedy Night at the Mint. He also produces stand-up comedy fundraisers for Indigenous communities on the frontlines, such as Wet’suwet’en First Nation, Maunakea, Hawaii, Standing Rock and others. Jeff regularly runs Laughter is Medicine stand-up comedy workshops with Mark Robertson, producer of Ratfish Comedy, for aspiring Indigenous and BIPOC comedians.
This fun and transformative workshop experience is open to Denman Island residents over 14 who are interested in developing stand up comedy skills through the lens of resurgence and reconciliation.
This event is being organized by Concerts Denman and supported by the Denman Island Reconciliation Group and the Denman Centre for Autonomous Living and Learning (D-Centre) @ the Snag (www.thesnag.org/dcentre ). To register for the workshop, contact Joan at jcdonaghey61@gmail.com