Comedians
Our inaugural lineup features a stellar cast of comedians, each bringing their own unique style to the stage. Some will also be leading workshops, sharing their expertise to help you sharpen your skills and step into the spotlight.
Ben Norman Davies
Host, Friday and Saturday
Trained at Second City, Ben is a stand-up comedian, improviser, and actor with eight years of experience. He has performed across Canada at top venues like Comedy Bar, Second City, and The Comedylab. A prolific show producer, Ben has created events such as Laughs at the Legion, The Comedy Blender, and Broken Dreams Comedy. He recently released his second album, Fragile and Proud (2024), cementing his reputation as a rising star in comedy.
Ava Val
Comedian
Ava Val is a John Candy Award-winning comedian/musician/actress from Toronto. Her honest and insightful-yet-silly & spontaneous account of her transgender journey has turned heads across North America, earning her repeat appearances at renowned festivals including Just For Laughs, JFL Toronto and Vancouver, Off-JFL/Zoofest, and the Winnipeg, Ha!ifax, and Arctic Comedy Festivals, among others. Ava's talents also earned her a writing role on the 30th season of This Hour Has 22 Minutes, a spot on season 4 of Roast Battle Canada, and a unanimous round of "yes"es from the judges of Canada's Got Talent Season 3. Notably, she is the first trans person to achieve several of the above credits. She also has a new standup comedy special "So Brave" currently on YouTube, hosts her own podcast "PodGis", and was a lead cast member in season 3 of OutTV's Drag Heals.
Chris Robinson
Saturday Night Headliner, Workshop Teacher
A standout in Canadian comedy, Chris has multiple Just For Laughs appearances and won the SiriusXM Top Comic competition, earning a $25K grand prize. He's been praised for his Crave stand-up special Panning For Gold and has appeared in Pillow Talk (Crave), One More Time (CBC), and Roast Battle Canada (CTV). With charisma and razor-sharp comedic timing, Chris is a festival favorite.
Moe Ismail
Friday Night Headliner, Workshop Teacher
An Egyptian-Canadian comic with 15 years of experience, Moe has toured nationwide and opened for Hasan Minhaj, Colin Mochrie, and Roy Wood Jr. His high-energy performances have been featured on Just For Laughs, SiriusXM, and CBC. Known for blending cultural perspectives with quick wit, Moe delivers a fresh and dynamic stand-up experience.
Sandy Danto
Comedian
Sandy Danto is an aggressively comfortable L.A. based comedian. Danto is a regular at The Comedy Store, Laugh Factory and Hollywood Improv. He causes wheeze laughter globally, from his hometown Detroit to Tokyo, Australia, New Zealand on through obscure parts of Canada and Iowa. Sandy's antics can be seen on Comedy Central shows like The Story Of Our Times, Mash Up and Brody Stevens' Enjoy It! in addition to Alone and Together and Mad TV. He's also starred in various commercials as well as his own thigh slapping videos on Youtube, Instagram and TikTok. He stars in the award winning indie feature film "Funny Fat Guy" and is the comic relief in horror film "Tar". His debut album Daddy Boy is available to stream everywhere.
Hilary Henderson
Comedian
Hilary Henderson is a Toronto-based standup comedian, content creator, and host. Hilary's original comedic content has racked up millions of views and earned her over 50,000 followers, with features in Macleans, the Toronto Star, Narcity Canada, Yahoo Lifestyle, and group chats everywhere. She was also part of an ensemble cast that won Best Comedy at the Los Angeles Film Awards in March 2023. She produces monthly live show, Pink Chicken Comedy, an interactive standup show. Her podcast Overstimulated with Hilary Henderson dives into pop culture, current events, and the collective existential crisis we're all trying to vibe through.
Nate Friedman
Comedian, Improv Teacher
A comedian, writer, and improviser, Nate trained at Humber College, Second City, and Victoria Academy of Dramatic Arts. He won the Ontario Arts Tim Sims Award and has performed at Toronto Sketchfest, Orlando Improv Festival, and Mexico Assembly Festival. He's also a children's book author and appeared on Children Ruin Everything (CTV), proving his versatility on and off stage.
Ryan Beverage
Comedian, Musical Stand Up Teacher
Originally from the UK, Ryan combines music, visuals, and storytelling in his performances. He has appeared at Yuk Yuks, Comedy Bar, and Corner Comedy Club and took his solo show to the Hamilton Fringe. Set to debut at the Edinburgh Fringe, Ryan's unique approach blends humor, creativity, and engaging storytelling, making him an exciting addition to the festival.
Madison Cassaday
Comedian
Madison Cassaday grew up in Toronto, Canada. He attended a performing arts high school during which time he performed in many theatre productions, had several commercial bookings and starred in a TV pilot and a 26 episode TV series. After high school Madison enrolled in the Academy of Dramatic Arts in Los Angeles where he completed a three year program in dramatic arts.
Danielle Kerr
Comedian, Assistant Workshop Teacher
Danielle Kerr is a stand-up comedian, improviser, and producer based in Toronto. She found her comedic calling in 2022, and has never looked back. Danielle's performed all over the city, including at Comedy Bar, Social Capitol Comedy Theatre, and Absolute Comedy. Danielle brings heart and brutal honesty into every performance. Her perspective on dating, sex and family, largely informed by her asexual identity, has brought a breath of fresh air to the Toronto stand-up comedy scene.
Derek Kalala
Comedian, Assistant Workshop Teacher
Derek Kalala is a Toronto based comedian that brings his unique comedic delivery and life experience to life on stage with every performance. Having grown up in South Africa, Derek's comedy is rich with unique cultural perspectives and observations delivered with quick, polished wit. Derek has performed all over North America in cities like Vancouver, Toronto, Ottawa, Halifax, New York, New Orleans and many great cities in between.
Rachel Manson
Comedian
Rachel is a Toronto based writer and comic. She regularly performs booked shows around the city as well as abroad. She just returned from performing at the Dallas Comedy Festival, and last year she was featured in the San Diego Comedy Festival and the Seattle Highlarious Comedy Festival. Rachel is also a freelance writer for production companies in Toronto and L.A, most recently completing the Web Series Incubator with Women On Screen out of Vice Toronto. She also writes for several publications, including NOW Toronto.
Lou Currie
Comedian
Lou Currie (she/they) is a writer, musician and actor born and raised in the GTA. They are the co-host of Good Boy Comedy at Black Lab Brewing, but when they're not on stage you can find them musical directing and producing around the city. She is a guitar comic and queer creative, combining her love of folk music with her knack for bad puns. Headlining iconic Toronto venues such as the El Mocambo and Comedy Bar, you can find her doing her troubadour schtick wherever there's a mic.