Presenting a showcase of Toronto’s greatest rising performers!

This month’s line-up includes headliner Bryan Hatt (Comedy Network), stand up by Jeremy Woodcock (This Hour Has 22 Minutes, Tims Sims Cream of Comedy Award finalist), and improv by Catch23, Comedy Bar’s resident long-running show and Toronto’s friendliest improv death match! With host Jay Freeborn (Tim Sims nominee, opened for Hoffstetter), it’s one helluva promising line up!

If you’re new to comedy in the city, this is a great intro.

When: Saturday, December 20, 7:00pm.

Where: Comedy Bar, 945 Bloor St. West

Tickets: $10 at the door. https://comedybar.ca/show.php?Event_ID=3298

Updates: Twitter Hashtag- #CULive

Facebook Event: www.facebook.com/events/1520496714887535/

Here’s the ‘cred of behind our stellar line up:

Headliner: Bryan Hatt

Bryan Hatt: Over the last eight years Bryan has become one of the most versatile and entertaining acts on the comedy circuit. Bryan’s ability to blend his show with polished jokes and spontaneous ‘riffing’ has quickly made him an audience favorite all over the country. The world anticipates Bryan’s first ever album taping (even though he’s been doing comedy for over 13 years!). In 2011, Bryan also shot his first comedy special for the Comedy Network and was a finalist in the Great Canadian Laugh Off. Raised in the country and living in the city has made Bryan a well-rounded act who’s accessible for all: corporate events, colleges, fundraisers, and of course, the clubs. Check him out; you’ll be glad you did!

Twitter: @BryanHatt

Website: Bryan at Yuks

Jeremy Woodcock

Jeremy Woodcock is a stand-up/sketch comedian and comedy writer. He has written for several programs including This Hour Has 22 Minutes and Just For Laughs, and hosts a television show, The Urbane Explorer, itself a spin-off of his popular video Finding Bessarion. His comedic writing has appeared in print for The Walrus, CBC Punchline, Bite.ca, and others, and on his Twitter account, @jwPencilAndPad, for which he has been cited in New York Times magazine. He’s a member of Comedy Bar’s resident show Sunday Night Live’s by The Sketchersons, and is also known for being friendly.

Twitter: @jwpencilandpad

Host: Jay Freeborn

Jay Freeborn is a young, up-and-comer in the Canadian Comedy scene. Regularly performing hundreds of times a year, he has appeared on BITE TV, was Runner Up in the 2014 Brantford Rising Stars contest, and was Nominated for the 2014 Tim Sims award. He also opened for Steve Hoffstetter the host of Fox’s show “Laughs”. Even though Jay does enjoy writing stuff on paper, he’d much rather yell it at strangers through a microphone.

Twitter: @jay2thefreeborn

Website: www.facebook.com/jay.freeborn.1

Catch 23 Improv

Catch23 is “Toronto’s friendliest improv death match”. Since it’s founding in 2002, Catch23 has the go-to improv show to see the latest, greatest, and most experiential improv comedy and performers in the country (*Editor’s note: They’re way too humble to admit it, so we said it for them). Having been recognized as one of the best improv shows in Toronto by the Torontoist, The Toronto Star, BlogTO, Toronto Life and more, Catch23 is stepping it up by taping a TV pilot on Monday, December 15th at 7pm! .

Format: Each of the three competing teams gets 23 minutes (no more, no less) to perform over four rounds, and the audience and a selected judge score each scene out of a combined 10 points. Although, for this express show, it’s more like Catch7!

Twitter: @Catch23improv