Bonus Feature: Lauren Mitchell's Top-5 at SheDot

SheDot: Top 5 shows I am looking forward to

by Lauren Mitchell

Introducing Lauren Mitchell:
By day, I work in academic publishing and by night, I am all over the city telling jokes. I like to sleep, I just don’t (totally jk I am the Queen Of Naps). I have always liked to write and I have always loved talking to people but mainly I love the sound of my own voice, so it was probably inevitable that I get into stand up at some point. It did take me a while to figure out though, and I spent a lot of time in school, serving coffee, and being an office monkey before I thought, oh man, I could probably just get on stage and run my mouth and maybe people wouldn’t totally hate it. All of that started about 9 months ago (just gave birth to a comedy baby, no big deal) and I have been telling jokes all over Toronto (and once in London, once in Hamilton, and a couple times in Edmonton) ever since. Other things you may want to know about me: I love Drake + all rap music, I don’t generally watch movies until they have been out for roughly two years, my style icon is Jessica Fletcher, and I think chocolate covered pretzels might be the best thing that we, as a people, have managed to come up with.  

Folks, it is almost upon us. SheDot is just around the corner, and I know you’re all probably like 'I am so excited, but also, so overwhelmed by all of the amazing shows.' Fear not friends, I am here for you. There are so many good shows for you to see, but I’m gonna let you know the five I am most excited about checking out in order to make your life so much easier. You’ll thank me later, promise.

SheNot TDot  

As a comedian in Toronto, I am very lucky to see a lot of my favourite local comedians perform on the regular, so I am very excited to check out this amazing line-up of ladies from out of town. The show features ladies from across Canada and the US, and is hosted by Toronto’s very own Allison Dore. When you see as much comedy as I do (and trust me, I see a lot) it’s easy to figure out what people might talk about because a lot of times similar regionality breeds familiarity, which is to say, every comedian I know has a TTC joke. But this, this, is a chance for me to learn all about how awful transit is all over North America!

SheLBT

This show has a killer line-up, featuring many of my favourite comedians working out of Toronto. The show is hosted by Martha Chaves and is seriously stacked on top of that. One of the best in the biz, the Kathy Bates of the Toronto comedy scene, Catherine McCormick is bringing her incredibly smart style to the proceedings, along with Halifax ex-pat MegMcKay (purveyor of my favourite George Bush Jr joke), and Dawn Whitwell, a Toronto favourite who also runs an amazing comedy class (full disclosure, I have taken it) and has taught many of the amazingly funny women at this festival. 

SheSketchProv

Because I spend so much of my time out and about in this city doing stand-up, I don’t get to regularly see much sketch or improv comedy, so I am really looking forward to checking out the SheSketchProv show (two for one baby!). On top of all that, two of my fav ladies from our fine city are hosting, Jess Beaulieu and Laura Bailey, who together, make up the hilarious duo, Chick Boom. The evening features an entire line up of sketch and improv performers from Toronto and will not disappoint.

SheFresh

Oh man, this is another crazy stacked line-up of my Toronto favs, plus a bunch of hilarious women from across the border. This show is all of the up and comers on the scene, all the people that are gonna blow up soon, so ya may as well see them now, so, at some point in the near to distant future you can say 'HEY, I saw them BEFORE they were famous'. Hosted by the hilarious Rhiannon Archer it features Toronto’s very own Hoodo Hersi and Danz Alvatar and New Yorker’s Ashley Bez and Angela Cobb and so many more!

SheDot Festival Gala

This is the big one guys, the season finale if you will. The gala is going to be a-mazing. It is hosted by Trish freaking Stratus and is featuring some of best comedians working in Canada today: Elvira Kurt, Lauren Ash, Leslie Seiler, Naomi Sneikus, Carolyn Taylor, and Sandra Battaglini OH MY!

So there you have it, if you only have time to see five shows, I suggest you check out these ones. They feature a great mix of comedians from all over North America, and even throw some sketch and improv in there too. What a healthy, well rounded list. Go to these shows and you’ll be so full plus your butt will look great*, and that’s a guarantee.  

*Your butt already looks amazing.

May 1 - 4