VACT’s 10th anniversary celebrations kicks off with two All-Star Asian Comedy Events in early January

10th Annual Asian Comedy Night – and – Etch-YOUR-Sketchoff, January 7 - 10, 2009

VANCOUVER, BC (December 7, 2008) – To celebrate 10 successful years as the city’s premiere Asian Canadian theatre company, Vancouver Asian Canadian Theatre (VACT) kicks off 2009 with two of its signature Asian comedy night events January 7 to 10, hosted by Tom Chin. First is the return of its wildly popular Asian sketch comedy contest: Etch-YOUR-Sketchoff!#$%!!, where amateur teams compete for applause and prizes on January 7 & 8. Following that on January 9 & 10 is the All-You-Can-Laugh: 10th annual Asian Comedy Night, an all-star smorgasbord of North America’s best and funniest professional Asian sketch comedy troupes. Both productions are at the Roundhouse Performance Centre. Tickets are available online at www.vact.ca and at the door.

Needless to say, these 2 VACT productions provide a rare and not-to-be-missed showcase of some of the best Asian comedic talent in North America – alongside nearly 50 of Vancouver’s up-and-coming Asian Canadian performers and comedy writers, all on one stage.

The Etch-YOUR-Sketchoff!#$%!! Contest gives sketch teams 2 weeks to write and rehearse at least 2 sketches, one of which must incorporate a creative element provided by VACT that each team will choose at random. On the first night, January 7, each group will be given a 6-10 minute set to perform their sketches in front of a live audience, where a panel of celebrity judges will award the winner the coveted RICE BOWL trophy from the Top 3. On January 8, in a 2nd performance, the audience will be the judge and its winner-take-all for the cash prize.

All-You-Can-Laugh: 10th annual Asian Comedy Night is a gathering of 5 of the funniest Asian sketch comedy troupes from North America: 18 Mighty Mountain Warriors (San Francisco, Los Angeles), Assaulted Fish (Vancouver), OPM (Los Angeles), The Kupps (Toronto), and Hopsing’s Offspring (Vancouver) for two hilarious performances. Also performing is stand-up comedian Jeffery Yu. The VACT Asian Comedy Night has been a sold-out event every year and the annual show has provided a rare showcase for various Asian stand-up comedians and sketch groups from all over Canada and the US. As a developer of new talent, VACT had previously incubated such successful local Asian-Canadian sketch comedy troupes as HOT SAUCE POSSE and ASSAULTED FISH.

For more information please visit http://www.vact.ca.

Event #1 Details
Etch-YOUR-Sketchoff!#$%!!
@ Roundhouse Performance Centre
Davie & Pacific Blvd., Vancouver
January 7: The Rice Bowl Competition
January 8: The People’s CHOYS Award
Both performances at 7:30 PM
$18 in advance, by phone (604) 713-1800 and online (www.VACT.ca)
$22 at the door

Event #2 Details
All-You-Can-Laugh: 10th Annual Asian Comedy Night
@ Roundhouse Performance Centre
Davie & Pacific Blvd., Vancouver
January 9 and 10
Both performances at 7:30 PM
$22 in advance, by phone (604) 713-1800 and online (www.VACT.ca)
$27 at the door

Ticket Special: The Bundle of Laughs Deal
See both shows and save! Great stocking stuffers! (Until Dec. 19)
$35 in advance, available only online (www.VACT.ca)

For media access please contact Joyce Lam at the e-mail address or phone number listed below, no later than January 2, 2009.

VACT (Vancouver Asian Canadian Theatre) aims to produce quality plays in which Asian-Canadians take on culturally or artistically significant roles. VACT works to dispel Asian stereotypes by producing leading and/or supporting roles where Asian-Canadians are depicted realistically in the performing arts.