Comedian John Crist to Perform at the Peterborough Memorial Centre On Sept. 22

Comedian and Internet phenomenon John Crist is headed to the Peterborough Memorial Centre as part of his 2023 Emotional Support Tour, announced on Tuesday.

Photo courtesy of the Peterborough Memorial Centre

Crist has more than one billion video views, over five million fans on social media and has sold-out shows from coast to coast. There was growing demand so 33 shows were added in the fall and winter according to a press release.

Ticket pre-sales begin Thursday at 10 a.m. with public tickets available on Friday at 10 a.m. at johncristcomedy.com.

For pre-sale information can be found online.

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Jimmy Carr Coming to The Peterborough Memorial Centre With the Jimmy Carr: Terribly Funny Comedy Tour

UK comedian Jimmy Car will make his first appearance in Peterborough during his comedy show tour Jimmy Carr: Terribly Funny on June 2.

photo courtesy of the peterborough memorial centre.

Due to overwhelming demand, Just For Laughs has announced that additional cities have been added for UK comedy star Jimmy Carr with his new show Jimmy Carr: Terribly Funny.

Carr will make his first appearance in Peterborough at the Peterborough Memorial Centre as part of this national tour.

A household name in UK television, he is well known for hosting Channel 4’s 8 Out Of 10 Cats, 8 Out Of 10 Cats Does Countdown and Big Fat Quiz Of The Year in addition to presenting Comedy Central’s Roast Battle UK and Your Face Or Mine, and is the star of the UK’s most streamed Netflix comedy special of 2021 His Dark Material. He has been a guest on multiple U.S. late night staples such The Tonight Show, The Late, Late Show and Late Night With Conan O’Brien, and has performed at the Montreal Just For Laughs Comedy Festival since 2003.

Carr also co-wrote The Naked Jape: Uncovering the Hidden World of Jokes in 2007 and his memoir Before & Laughter, released Sept. 2021, made The Sunday Times Bestsellers list.

This is the third time that Jimmy will be back on the road in Canada, following two sold out tours with Just For Laughs in 2016 and 2018. Featuring completely new material, the Terribly Funny tour is slated to be his most successful tour to date. 

Tickets start at $45.50 (plus fees) and go on sale Feb. 24 at 10 a.m.

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Gibson and Sons Comedy Production Comes to The Peterborough Theatre Guild

The comedy production Gibson and Sons, written by Kristen Da Silva, is coming to the stage at Peterborough Theatre Guild starting Feb. 24.

photo courtesy of the peterborough theatre guild.

Directed by Jerry Allen and produced by Pat Hooper, this comedy performance stars Luke Foster, Dan Smith, Lyndele Gauci, Jade O'Keeffe, Brian McIntosh, Bethany Heemskerk and Sheila Charleton.

Gibson and Sons at the Peterborough Theatre Guild has multiple dates with showtimes beginning at 7:30 p.m. (Feb. 24, 26, March 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11), as well as matinee performances (Feb. 26, March 5) beginning at 2 p.m.

The cast and crew work together to tell Kristen Da Silva’s story of Harry Gibson, who helps his father run the family business (a struggling small-town funeral home) through he sees it beginning to interfere with his love life. Missing his recently departed mother, and hungry for companionship and the chance at having his own family, he secretly turns to an unconventional method of meeting a woman: an online Russian bride service. When his bride Katya and her acerbic older sister Eva arrive on Canadian soil, the sisters are plunged into culture shock while the Gibson family is thrown into a tailspin.

The Theatre Guild notes that the March 9 performance will have a reduced capacity with COVID-19 protocols in place, although masking is encouraged at all performances.

Tickets will be $25 for adults, $22 for seniors and $15 for students and can be purchased online or by phone.

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Large Crowd and Traffic Volumes Expected For Jeff Dunham Show

The City of Peterborough is cautioning the city of potential high-traffic and crowd volumes for the Peterborough Memorial Centre’s (PMC) ‘Jeff Dunham: Seriously!?’ show on Friday.

Photo courtesy of the Peterborough Memorial Centre.

Anyone attending or traveling around the venue between 5:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. are asked to plan for greater than-normal traffic in the area.

Parking and Traffic

Attendees are strongly encouraged to plan ahead, arrive early, carpool or use Peterborough Transit. On-site parking is expected to be in high demand, costing five dollars (cash only). There are on-site accessible parking spaces along the west side of the PMC, available on a first-come, first-served basis. There is a drop-off area at the front of the building on Lansdowne Street.

Alternative parking options near the venue are the Del Crary Parking Lot at George and Rink streets and the King Street Parkade on King Street west of George Street. For on-street parking, please obey parking restrictions and ensure vehicles do not block driveways or impede emergency response vehicle access.

Peterborough Transit runs two scheduled routes (#2 Chemong and #7 Lansdowne) past the PMC.

Traffic on Lansdowne Street is expected to be heavier than usual between 5:30 p.m. and 7 p.m.

Show Time and Entry

Doors are scheduled to open at 6 p.m. with the show beginning at 7 p.m. All entrance gates will be open:

• Gate 1: Lansdowne Street West at Roger Neilson Way

• Gate 2: Lansdowne Street West at Lock Street

• Gate 3: Lock Street

• Club Entrance: Southwest side of the building, off the parking lot

Restrictions for ticketholders

The show prohibits photos or video recording and will be strictly enforced.

No re-entry is permitted after entering the gates. Ticketholders who leave the building for any reason will not be permitted to enter again. Ticketholders wishing to leave the building to smoke will not be allowed back in per the re-entry policy. The PMC is a smoke-free building.

Tickets

The PMC was the only authorized ticket purchase outlet for this event. The PMC reminds ticketholders that the PMC cannot confirm the validity of tickets purchased through non-authorized websites and outlets.

All tickets must be presented to door staff to gain entry to the event. A reprint charge of $2.00 per ticket will be applied to anyone needing it. For customers who chose to have their tickets held at the Box office “Will Call”, please bring the order confirmation number or photo ID to pick up tickets.

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An Evening of Stand-Up Comedy in Support of the YES Shelter for Youth and Families

Support the YES Shelter for Youth and Families at the live two-show comedy event at Gerti’s Restaurant on Dec. 1.

Photo courtesy of Phillip Jolicoeur.

Stand-up comedians Brad Bryans and Ernie Vicente will be opening for headlining comedian Casey Corbin (Just for Laughs, Comedy Now, MTV, SiriusXM) during the two live shows.

Each show is over an hour of stand-up comedy accompanied by a dinner, chosen from a limited menu. 100% of ticket and dinner profits will go to supporting YES.

YES offers many services for those ages 16 to 24 and families, including a 24-hour staffed shelter equipped with 30 beds.

“YES is profoundly under-resourced as the primary agency serving youth and families experiencing homelessness in Peterborough. We depend on our community to help keep us here to offer safety and support out of crisis. Events like Phil's Comedy Show at Gerti's not only helps our downtown revitalize, but also helps to provide much-needed recovery to those of us who are struggling,” said Brooke Erickson, development lead at the YES Shelter for Youth and Families.

Early show dinner is to start at 5 p.m. with the show beginning at 6:15 p.m., and the late show will serve dinner at 8 p.m. and start at 9:15 p.m at Gerti’s (225 Hunter St W, Peterborough) on Dec. 1.

Show tickets are $60 each, available at https://www.eventbrite.ca/o/phillip-jolicoeur-30925617501.

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Local Tiktok Star Making Live Stage Debut As a Motivational Comedian

You may have heard “Good Morning, Assholes!” on TikTok from Wayne Hannah and now is taking his message live and in person as a motivational comedian in a live show in January.

Hannah has been deployed in Bosnia and parts of Africa in 2000 and 2009 respectively during his military career. Photo Courtesy of Wayne Hannah.

“Vulnerable AF: An Evening With Wayne Hannah” is being held at Farmhill Weddings, south of Peterborough, on Jan. 21.

Kickflip Pictures Inc., a Peterborough-based production company, will film the live performance for a project based on Hannah and his story directed by the company’s founder Tyler Boyco.

Hannah is a veteran and firefighter who has been diagnosed with PTSD and ADHD. After spending the majority of his adult life self-sabotaging and making excuses for a negative mindset, he made a conscious decision to change his ways.

“Almost a year ago, I contemplated suicide because I couldn’t get out of that place,” reflected Hannah. “I started using TikTok as a way to share my new mindset and mission. It was also a way to hold myself accountable to the changes I was making for myself.”

The 41-year-old began sharing his “Good Morning, Assholes!” videos regularly on social media in the spring of this year. With over 210,000 followers on social media, Hannah has established an online community of like-minded individuals and those looking for encouragement through his messages.

“When we began planning my first live show, there was no other city discussed. Peterborough was our only option as it’s my home.” explained Hannah. "I wanted to do it locally because of the support everyone in Peterborough has shown me.”

@goodmorningassholes

Please Share this with all of the Humans🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏

♬ Get You The Moon - Kina

Hannah’s takeaway from his upcoming show is to help people suffering from mental health realize they are not alone. He will be sharing his story; from military service, divorce, fatherhood and being happily medicated to being true to yourself, living unapologetically and looking in the mirror every day saying “I decide."

“I want to present my message live and in person. I want to show people that you can be strong and heal but also be ‘Vulnerable AF,’” he said. “Speaking in this way has been something I’ve wanted to do my entire life.”

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Hometown PTBO: Wayne Hannah his TikTok Stardom, Calling PTBO Home and His Upcoming Ventures

This week on Hometown PTBO, Pete Dalliday speaks with TikTok star Wayne Hannah about his success on the social media app, how Peterborough became his home after living in so many places and his future ventures such as the “The More You Know” podcast.

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Local Comedian Inspires Huge Social Media Following On TikTok With His Humour

“Good Morning, assholes”, may sound insulting but local comedian Wayne Hannah has turned it into a funny and inspiring message for over 52,400 of his TikTok followers.

Hannah’s TikTok videos begin with his signature greeting often while drinking coffee in arbitrary locations. His intro is accompanied by words of wisdom to motivate and inspire his followers (known as the “Asshole Army”) to love and appreciate themselves.

“I have received thousands of direct messages and comments saying, ‘Thank you for lifting me up!’,” said Hannah. “I would be reading these motivational quotes and now I instead of talking to myself in the mirror, I’m telling people to love themselves while telling me.”

Hannah has been deployed in Bosnia and parts of Africa in 2000 and 2009 respectively during his military career. Photo Courtesy of Wayne Hannah.

Hannah has lived his life serving the community as a firefighter for over 17 years in the military and is with the Pickering Fire Services.

During his off-time in the military, he would do stand-up comedy and a radio show. Hannah has been diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and his platforms constantly changing made it difficult for him to find his calling.

“When you’re a comedian with ADHD, you try to figure out what to do with your mouth and TikTok let me be funny again,” said Hannah.

The social media star started his account shortly after the pandemic put the world into lockdown last spring. He wanted to spread positivity during difficult times for everyone.

“There is a hugely serious message in there and when I call people assholes and when I say that stuff,” said Hannah. “I tell people we’re all human, we’re not perfect but you have to love the s**t out of yourself. It’s helping people love themselves because if you can love yourself now during the pandemic, imagine how you’re going to be when it’s all over.”

The “friendly welcome” came from a moment Hannah had with his eight-year-old daughter, Harper.

The young girl had allegedly given attitude when waking up her father on an Easter morning and he responded with, “Well good morning, asshole!” according to Hannah. The two shared a laugh with each other that sparked his signature catchphrase.

Hannah takes the greeting as a compliment saying both parties in the relationship or friendship are close and are comfortable either each other.

“I just think that asshole is the nicest thing that anyone can call you, I love it,” he said. “When you hear stuff like that and when you read that, it’s the most uplifting and humbling thing to hear.”

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The Backstory On The Hilarious Citiots Improv Troupe

The Citiots Improv have become a fixture in Peterborough, playing monthly sold-out shows at the Gordon Best Theatre on Hunter Street —and more and more private gigs around Ontario as they grow in popularity. They provide, as renowned Canadian improv comedian Adam Cawley describes, "hilarious, fast paced, unforgettable improv." (Cawley himself has performed with them on several occasions.)

How did this awesome, influential troupe come to be? One of its original founders, Ray Henderson, explains...

2009

"Ray! Can you get some of the gang together and do a show at the Bethany Hills Ski Resort this weekend? I’ve called you guys 'The Citiots’!'" That phone call from the legendary Paul O’Sullivan in February 2009 changed the lives of myself, Dan Smith, Luke Foster, and everyone who followed.

Up until that point, Paul and I had been the producers of the successful “Impros vs Joes” series at the Gordon Best, which began in 2008. "Improvs vs Joes" was an evening of improv that included some of Paul’s famous friends (Jack Mosshammer, Patrick McKenna, Lisa Merchant, Colin Mochrie, and, of course, his wife, Linda Kash, to a name a few) as well as local “Joes”, including students from his classes as well as Dan Smith and Luke Foster. The latter had already achieved some success with their former troupe, “The Shrimps”, years earlier.

ALWAYS PICK UP THE PHONE

Back to the phone call from Paul O'Sullivan…I immediately called Dan Smith and asked if he would do the show with me, and who else he thought we should ask. Fast forward to that night in February 2009 in Bethany Hills, as five very nervous improvisers sat around a dinner table at the resort, pouring over the games list, hoping we remembered how to play each game. Hoping our mouths wouldn’t fail us and allow for noise to exit in some cohesive and entertaining fashion.

That first ever Citiot crew consisted of myself, Dan and Luke, as well as Phil Oakley and Emily Doyle—a performer that had been a part of my shows with Arbor Theatre since she was 8 years old in 1999. The ski resort must have liked us, because “The Citiots” were hired for 2 more shows that spring (Megan Murphy made her debut at the second show).

Dan Smith with special guest Adam Cawley at a show

We did well in Bethany, but Dan and I didn’t think that a Peterborough audience would be ready for a Citiots show. Afterall, they knew us. Why would they pay to see us? And Peterborough already had the Impros vs Joes Show.

Flash forward to November, 2010. The week of an Impros show, Paul called me to let me know that he and Linda were double booked and couldn’t make the Friday gig. I called Dan. We already had the sponsorship in place. The room was booked. Should we make it a Citiots show?

NERVES: THE FIRST SHOW AT GORDON BEST THEATRE

As people climbed the stairs of the Gordon Best that November 2010 night, they were greeted at the door by a familiar face, me, who explained to them that it was no longer an Impros show, but a “Citiots” show. Same people…ish would perform, I told them, minus the “celebrity” element, and that it was up to them if they wanted to stay. They did.

The night was a success, with Luke, Dan, Phil and now Paul Nabuurs and I, along with Danny Bronson on the keys.

THIS THING IS GETTING REAL

May 2011. The same situation arises with Impros. Cancellations. But we improvise again with the same plan. We make it a Citiots show. Ray, Luke, Dan, Paul, Danny and Megan—and now with 17-year-old Kate Ethier as a guest. Result: Same happy audience.

June 2011. Why not actually PROMOTE an actual Citiots Show? Why not see if people want to come and see us? Ray, Dan, Kate, Danny, and now Kenn Gibb and Pat Maitland joined the fray. And people came. And people laughed. It was beautiful.

MOMENTUM BUILDS

Over the years now, we have performed (almost) every month at our homebase, the Gordon Best, as well as many other venues, private parties, fundraisers and corporate events. We have secured sponsorships from industry juggernauts, Steam Whistle Brewery and PTBOCanada.com. We have an official photographer, Jess Latone of J.Lee Photography. We received the Wire Award for “Best Performance Artist”, as voted by fans.

We have shared the stage with some of the Improv industry’s best, including Patrick McKenna, Linda Kash, Peter Wildman, and Mantown Improv (Canadian Comedy Award Winners for best Improv Troupe). We have brought local icons up on stage with us, including Paul Rellinger, Catherine Hanrahan, Caley Bedore, The Jobless boys, and Mike Judson. 

Our current lineup of Ray, Dan, Luke, Kenn, Paul, Kate, Mike, Danny and Andrew Root have been a unit since January 2014. We know that we owe it all to this amazing and incredibly supportive community who continually come out and share laughter and love with them.

Oh, and Paul O'Sullivan, thanks for your phone call. You changed our lives forever.

—written by Ray Henderson

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The Citiots next show is Friday, April 21st at 8 pm at Gordon Best Theatre. Learn more about them on their website.

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