Queens of Comedy present International Women’s Day show this Saturday at the Comedy Bar Danforth

By MATTHEW STEPHENS

Howl and Roar Records will be presenting the second annual Queens of Comedy show for International Women’s Day at Comedy Bar Danforth (2800 Danforth Ave.) on Saturday, March 8.

Starring Ava Val, Nour Hadidi, Amanda Cordner, and a headlining performance by Deborah Kimmett, the all-women comedy show will provide laughs and live entertainment while underscoring the importance of supporting women’s rights on International Women’s Day (March 8).

“Every year, we have new people. We try to make it as diverse a group of comedians as we can because it’s International Women’s Day. We’re just trying to have a lot of different voices,” said Kimmett.

“I’ve been working with CBC a long time, and they have a really great, diverse group of women that are always performing.”

Kimmett describes this year’s lineup as a team of “top notch comics” with unique personalities and perspectives in the comedy world.

Tickets prices for general admission for the March 8 show are $29. For arts workers and those who are underemployed, tickets can be purchased at a discounted price of $25. The event runs from 6 to 7:15 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at Comedy Bar Danforth’s website.

While last year’s show was produced by CBC, this year will see Kimmet herself headline and produce the show at the beloved East Danforth location close to her home in the Beaches.

“I’ve been a comedian for 45 years. I’m 67, and I love living in the Beaches. I just taped a new comedy album called Smoke Show which was all about my life in the Beaches over the last eight years,” said Kimmett. “I’ve always lived in the centre of the city, but I just love the East End.”

In addition to her latest comedy album, Kimmett said much of her comedy material in recent years has been inspired by what she sees in her daily life as a Beach resident.

“There’s just so much humour that I see on the beach every day, between the people that walk on the beach, to the cold plungers. I’m like ‘People running into the water to get cold, and people that are homeless are trying to get out of the cold,’” said Kimmett.

She said she’s happy to approach women’s rights through a comedic lens, and to see female comedians getting more recognition in an industry historically dominated by males.

“I think people just love celebrating International Women’s Day with comedy because it can get kind of heavy when you think about women’s rights, so it’s just a really fun, fast-paced 75 minutes,” said Kimmett. “I think when it’s been a male dominated business, women have had to fight harder to get into it.”

For more than 40 years, Kimmett has worked as a storyteller, performer, songwriter, and comedian who has brought wisdom and laughter to people across the country. She works as a regular performer on CBC’s Winnipeg Comedy Festival LOL, has produced several comedy albums, and is an accomplished author of four books.

Her past works have seen her nominated twice for the National Magazine Award for Humour, as well as being shortlisted for the Governor General Award for her play Miracle Mother in 1984.

She has written numerous works for television, film, and the stage, including 52 episodes of TV on Steve Smith’s Go Girl. Her lead role in the movie Keep Coming Back debuted at the Palm Springs Film Festival and Whistler Film Festival, which garnered her a best actress nomination at the Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists (ACTRA). She has also appeared on Canadian shows such as Frankie Drake, Tall Boyz, and Gayle Pyle.

For Kimmett, matriarch of the upcoming Queens of Comedy show, working closely with younger comedians has helped freshen her material and incorporate new perspectives into her comedy, as well as to help younger comedians navigate the industry.

“I feel like I have stayed vibrant, or more relative because I keep working with women in their 30s and 40s and 50s – you just see that the voices are much more interesting now,” said Kimmett.

“The more I work, the more I get to work with women of those different generations. You realize that each generation has its own style of humor, and it keeps evolving.”