Snowed In Comedy Tour Set To Deliver Another Year Of New Laughs
“One of the biggest advantages of doing the Snowed In Comedy Tour is you get to miss the hardest part of the winter,” comedian and tour founder Pete Zedlacher said by telephone from his Calgary office.
He had managed to escape -30C temperatures in Calgary while the show was touring Vancouver Island enjoying the balmy -2C weather.
Zedlacher was speaking to MJ Independent just as this year's tour had finished its first leg – 33 performances mostly in British Columbia.
“It has been a big success. We have had sold out shows and standing ovations so far on the tour,” he said.
“People are coming up and telling us afterwards it is the best show ever.”
Zedlacher attributes the success to this year’s tour by keeping things fresh and new.
“You always want to put in a new show every year,” he said, adding what his performance will be based upon is “some of the travels I have had in the past year, home renovations, relationships…you always want to be relatable.”
“There is going to be a lot of relatable material it is all 100 percent Canadian.”
Zedlacher, who grew up in the blue collar community of Wawa, Ontario, said his childhood years still play into his outlook on life.
“I still have that work ethic.”
Growing up he worked at a local Wawa gas station before trying his hand as a stand-up comedian.
A career that spans 23 years and included small club gigs right up to repeat performances at Montreal's world famous Just For Laughs Comedy Festival and tours abroad including Europe.
Additionally he has appeared on or wrote for some well known Canadian television and radio shows.
Asked about such great Canadian comedians such as Frank Shuster of Wayne and Shuster fame Zedlacher said he had an autographed photograph of the Canadian comic icon in his Calgary office.
“It’s inspiring. They have inspired a whole new generation of comics coming forward.”
Zedlacher said being a Canadian comic was in many ways different than being an American comic which is advantageous to comedians from Canada especially on the Snowed In Comedy Tour.
“Canadian comics are very friendly…we have a fan base that follows us and comes up and says hi…there is a big gap between Canadian and American styles,” he said, adding having a rapport with the fans is important.
“You (the audience) have to like the people (comedians) first to laugh at them.”
What Is Snowed In???
The Snowed In Comedy Tour started 12 years ago when it played nine shows strategically located around ski resorts in British Columbia.
“At the time it was just an excuse to go snowboarding,” he said.
The tour grew from those humble beginnings and grew into the largest comedy tour in the country.
Today the tour is stronger than ever and crosses the entire country. It is the largest comedy tour in the country. This year there are 70 shows in 63 cities.
This is the 6th year the tour will be stopping in Moose Jaw with its always new and fresh show.
Zedlacher was on the tour when it stopped in last year to a sold out and well received performance.
Who Is Performing???
The tour features something people usually do not see at clubs and other tours and that there is no warm up acts or people breaking into the industry.
“We are offering four distinct international headline comedians.”
The show runs from 8 p.m. and lasts just over two hours and is followed by the all important meet and greet with local fans.
Something important to the performers.
Dan Quinn has done numerous appearances on TV and radio and has won the Canadian Comedy Competition at Just for Laughs Festival in Montreal. He has done Comedy Now on CTV, The Debaters, Sirius XM radio and won Best of the Fest at the Hubcap Comedy Festival in Moncton. He travels around the world performing in England, The U.S. Australia, Switzerland and France.
Paul Myrehaug now resides in London, England but was born in Camrose, Alberta and tours around the Globe. He won the Great Canadian Laugh off $25,000 prize and has been on Just For Laughs, Sirius XM and the Debaters.
Pete Zedlacher is becoming one of the most recognized acts in Canada. He has been nominated 5 times for Comedian of the year, done the Just For Laughs Gala 8 times and won the Sirius-XM Radio Top Comic Competition. Along with his Acting Credits he is now writing for the CBC Johnny Harris show, OF ALL PLACES.
Debra DiGiovanni has been named her hometown Toronto’s favourite comedian three times in five years. Debra’s persona is one of the best developed of any comic working today- couple that with a hilarious act that is so personal everyone can relate- and you see why Debra is so popular. In 2018 she made an appearance on Conan O'Brien, and she's the star of her own Crave TV and Netflix specials. She's well-known in Canada for appearances on Much Music's Video On Trial.
Coming From Wawa To Moose Jaw
Asked about how it felt about coming from Wawa – with a name perhaps ‘more distinctive’ than Moose Jaw – to play in the notorious city Zedlacher said it was fun.
“It’s fun coming from a place named Wawa to be able to perform in Moose Jaw. We are set to perform in Medicine Hat on the tour and maybe someday Yellowknife.”
Oh how Canadian.
The Snowed In Comedy Tour will be at the Mae Wilson Theatre on February 27th at 8 pm.
Tickets are available on-line by clicking here or at the Moose Jaw Cultural Centre Box Office.