The Roxy Theatre on 9th Street East in Owen Sound. (Matt Hermiz/Bayshore Broadcasting News)
A CBC comedy show will be recording material for future episodes at the Roxy Theatre this weekend.
Laugh Out Loud is back at the Roxy, and host Ali Hassan says that he and the group of comedians who will be on stage are looking forward to making Owen Sound laugh after success with the show last year.
“You definitely won our hearts as performers,” said Hassan in an interview with Bayshore News. “The producer as well really liked the venue and the people and we said ‘well, we’re coming back here when we can’ and got the invitation the very next year.”
This year’s show will feature Ronald Hae, Bryan Hatt, Kelly Zemnickis, Graham Chittenden, and DK Phan, as well as Chris Patterson, who’s known for his time with music comedy trio The Arrogant Worms.
Hassan explained that audience members can expect a variety of good comedy, and in his words, “All kinds of comedic styles – borderline a variety show.”
He said that he’s excited to visit Owen Sound once again, after last year’s show. Hassan was also in town during the Owen Sound Memoir Series to promote his book “Is There Bacon In Heaven?”
It was then he decided to perform at the Roxy for the comedy show.
“I met just the most wonderful people, and I took a walk down to the Roxy. I saw it,” he said. “One of my friends Laurie Elliot is a comedian and she had performed there, and she said ‘I think you should take a look at this venue.'”
That put the wheels in motion, because after a call to his boss at CBC, they had secured the space. “I think it came together so organically.”
CBC will be recording the evening’s performances for future episodes of Laugh Out Loud that will air throughout the coming months.
As of Monday, the show is 80% sold out.
“I was looking at the calendar, not much else happening on the night of September 13th,” he mused. “You certainly have some daytime activities, but not at night, so there’s no conflict, and we really hope people can make it.”