Acclaimed comedian John Cullen will be returning to his hometown of White Rock on April 5 to record his new comedy special – in an event also celebrating the third anniversary of the Yuk Yuk’s Surrey comedy club.
The shows, at 7 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. at Oceana PARC Playhouse, will be the second appearance breaking in Cullen's latest material – for those further out in the Valley, a sneak-peak performance will take place April 4 at 8 p.m. at Matsqui Centennial Auditorium in Abbotsford.
Joining Cullen for both nights will be a stellar lineup of supporting comics: host Alex Miller (of Kelowna), Syd Bosel (Vancouver Island), and Kevin Von Helvette (Surrey).
"I couldn’t think of a better place to record my new special than White Rock," said Cullen, recently relocated to Calgary.
"It will also be the first time I will be able to record my teacher material, now that I have left that career behind," he added.
Cullen has been a staple of the Canadian comedy scene for over a decade, with televised performances at Just for Laughs, the Halifax, and Winnipeg Comedy Festivals, and regular guest appearances on CBC Radio’s The Debaters.
His podcast Blocked Party has amassed nearly three million downloads, earning praise from The A.V. Club and Vulture.
His comedy albums, Most Likely to Be a Comedian and Long Stories for No Reason, both topped the iTunes Comedy Charts, and his storytelling-driven humour continues to resonate with audiences nationwide.
His latest project, Broomgate: A Curling Scandal, a narrative podcast created with CBC Podcasts, USG Audio, and Kelly & Kelly, has been recognized in Forbes, Esquire, and Vulture’s Best Of lists and won four Signal Awards.
"Celebrating three years of Yuk Yuk’s Surrey with a talent like John Cullen is the perfect way to mark this milestone," commented Garry Yuill, Yuk Yuk’s producer.
"He’s one of the best in the business, and could quite possibly be the next Gerry Dee, as he finally records his teacher material for the first time. As someone who has seen his star rise over the years, having him record his special right here in White Rock makes it even more exciting!"
Miller, a rising star in Canadian comedy, is known for his sharp wit and hilarious takes on kids and marriage. He has performed nationwide with Yuk Yuk’s, appeared at the inaugural South Rock Comedy Festival, and was featured in Yuk Yuk’s first Hat Trick Comedy Showcase of fast rising Canadian headliners.
Bosel has been featured on CBC’s The Debaters, and in Laugh Out Loud, and Just for Laughs Vancouver. A history-maker as the first woman to win BC’s Yuk Yuk’s competition, and named Best of the Fest at the Nanaimo Fringe Festival, she tours Western Canada and has opened for comedy greats like Maria Bamford, Debra DiGiovanni, Simon King, and Julie Kim.
Von Helvete, a 'punk-as-hell' comedian from Surrey, has brought his raw, irreverent humour to stages across North America, including Just For Laughs Vancouver, the Pouzza Fest, Montreal, and The FEST in Gainesville, Florida.
Oceana PARC Playhouse is located at 1532 Johnston Rd. For tickets to the White Rock show ($33 including fees), visit whiterockplayers.ca.
Matsqui Centennial Auditorium is at 32315 South Fraser Way (first floor), Abbotsford. For tickets to the Abbotsford show ($32.55 including fees) visit www.jumpcomedy.com.
