2024 Festival Performers

Aimée Beaudoin

Edmonton, AB

Aimée Beaudoin

Aimée and Jeff are both Gemini, Canadian Comedy Award, AMPIA and Sterling nominated actors and writers. It was in the writing room of a sketch show that Jeff and Aimée discovered their comedy chemistry and aligned their subversive senses of humour. Years later they opened up Spotlight Cabaret. Jeff and Aimée have written 8 musical comedy productions for Spotlight Cabaret including Legends of Music, Moolah Rouge, Prettier Woman, The Tiniest Mermaid, Titanical the Musical, Dirtier Dancing, Alison Wunderland, and Gatsby’s Cabaret. This dynamic duo have also co-hosted countless shows and events including The Edmonton Comedy Festival, Bourbon & Burlesque, and Ice District Movie Nights.

Drew Behm

Toronto, ON

Drew Behm

Drew Behm is a comedian who grew up in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada and now makes his home in Toronto, ON. As a writer, Drew's satire has been featured on the CBC's Comedy website and The Hard Times Magazine. As a standup, Drew has made appearances at the Halifax Comedy Festival, JFL in Montreal, the Hubcap Comedy Festival, and was a semifinalist in the Seattle International Comedy Competition. Drew's debut album "GNARLY" was released in September 2018 on all platforms, and his act can also be heard regularly on Sirius XM satellite radio". We think this is Drew’s second time at the Edmonton Comedy Festival although our security tells us he snuck in one other time.

Scott Belford

Calgary, AB

Scott Belford

Scott Belford is a professionally touring comedian based out of Calgary, Ab who has performed across the country and, more recently, around the world on cruise ships. His latest album "Staying Together For the Cat" is currently playing on Sirius XM. He also hosts the Walkoff Podcast, a Toronto Blue Jays focused show weekly (has hit number 1 baseball podcast in Canada numerous times on the Apple charts). Belford's unique view of the world and storytelling ability has delighted crowds around the world and he’s become a favorite at the Edmonton Comedy Festival.

Kyle Caniff

Edmonton, AB

Kyle Caniff

Kyle is an Edmonton based comedian that performs professionally all across the province and beyond the prairies. Blending a mix of lived experience and a silly delivery, Kyle continues to explore jokes about being adopted, his first nations identity, being on an only-meat diet and crafts it all into an enjoyable act that is sure to bring the laughs. Kyle has performed for the Craft Island Comedy Festival, Edmonton Comedy Festival and the Grindstone Comedy Festival. He’s been heard internationally on Sirius Radio, and was a featured performer on Alberta's Just For Laughs Originals album recording.

Rory Gardiner

Ottawa, ON

Rory Gardiner

This washed-up country artist is CCMA nominated song writer who has shared the stage with a number of great acts like Keith Urban. Fusing his music background with standup comedy, he has made a number of television appearances for brands like Under Armor, or shows like Canada’s Got Talent and America’s Funniest Videos. Rory untangles life in suburbia, raising kids, relationships, ageing parents & mother nature. Some would consider his stand up as “comedy birth control”. His short form videos have over 100 Million views on across all platforms, Corus Entertainment voted him in TOP 10 Funniest Canadians, and you can catch his hilarious TEDx Talk, on using humor as a coping mechanism.

Lori Gibbs

Calgary, AB

Lori Gibbs

Known as the human antidepressant, Lori’s magnetic style moves between polished material, crowd work and improv with expert precision. Not only are you in for a show that surprises you, chances are she is too! On top of nearly a decade in Calgary radio, Lori has been featured from coast to coast in Canadian comedy. She has delighted at the Winnipeg Comedy Festival, is a regular on CBC’s The Debaters, and was nominated Best Stand-up Comic at the Canadian Comedy Awards.

Andrew Grose

Edmonton, AB

Andrew Grose

For over 3 decades Andrew Grose has charmed countless audiences with his hilariously relatable material and quick wit. He’s appeared on some of the most prestigious stages in Canada from Montreal’s Just For Laughs to the Calgary Stampede Grandstand Show. He’s performed on countless television specials and at all the major comedy festivals around the world and is now one of the most sought-after comedians in the cruise industry. We’ve lost count of how many times he’s appeared at The Edmonton Comedy Festival but we think it’s 13 times missing only once because he got a better offer. He is also is the Producer of this festival.

Jeff Halaby

Edmonton, AB

Jeff Halaby

Tyler Hawkins

Edmonton, AB

Tyler Hawkins

Tyler’s irreverent act won him the Homegrown Comedy Competition at the Just for Laughs festival in Montreal and earned him his own national special on the Comedy Network and CTV. He has been featured on national radio and shared the stage with comedy greats including Bobcat Goldwait and Rich Hall. Tyler is from Edmonton but has performed everywhere from Boston to Seattle to the Sunset Strip and has left a roar of laughter in his wake. Tyler has graced such stages as The Comedy Store, The Imrov and The Comedy Underground in Seattle.

Tim Nutt

Kelowna, BC

Tim Nutt

Tim Nutt has appeared at comedy festivals all over the world including the Edinburgh Comedy Festival, Montreal’s famous Just For Laughs, Halifax’s HA! Comedy Festival, the Edmonton Comedy Festival and The Winnipeg Comedy Festival to name just a few. Often compared to some of his comedy heroes like Billy Connolly and George Carlin, Tim is a consummate Storyteller and Entertainer, weaving his unique point of view into a great performance that is sure please. “He's a one-man-war on stupid people, playing on audiences' preconceptions." - Andrew Clark, The Toronto Star.

Dave Nystrom

Calgary, AB

Dave Nystrom

Dave Nystrom is an acclaimed comedian who has performed stand up all over the world. This includes a tour of the United Kingdom, HBO's prestigious US Comedy Arts Festival in Aspen, Colorado, filmed a stand up special for Comedy Central in New York and his own one hour TV special for the Canadian Comedy Network. In 2006 he was brought on as a writer for CBC’s “This Hour has 22 Minutes” during which he won a Canadian Comedy Award and a Writers Guild of Canada Award. He also wrote, produced and starred in “Comedy Club” which was chosen as one of seven finalists out of thousands of submissions for The Reel Madness International Film Festival. Dave is a favorite at the Edmonton Comedy Festival and we’re glad to have him back.

Simon O'Keeffe

Ireland

Simon O'Keeffe

One of the most popular figures on the Irish comedy scene, Simon has played clubs across Ireland and around the world worked with the likes of Jim Gaffigan, Michelle Buteau (Netflix), Dan Soder (Billions) and many more. He has headlined shows in every part of Ireland, more than 40 major UK cities, and in a dozen European countries. This is Simon’s first appearance at the Edmonton Comedy Festival and, as far as we know, his first shows in Canada.

Cameron Phoenix

Toronto, ON

Cameron Phoenix

A staple of the Toronto comedy scene, Cameron Phoenix spent time honing his craft in Montreal and the UK, winning the prestigious King Gong Competition at the Comedy Store. He’s performed at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, opened for Colin Mochrie at the Haymaker Comedy Festival, recorded for JFL Originals at Just For Laughs Toronto 2023 and produces The Gong Show at Comedy Bar in Toronto. He is also is one half of the successful Twitch stream Little Dinky News with Che Durena This is Cameron’s first time at the Edmonton Comedy Festival but we’re confident it won’t be his last.

Ben Proulx

Edmonton, AB

Ben Proulx

Providing a unique perspective as a Jewish amputee who grew up in the prairies, Ben had little choice but to end up as a comedian. He manages to combine an honest and raw delivery, with a unique storytelling ability that creates immediate connections with audiences of all types. His resume notably includes standout performances at the Edmonton Comedy Festival, the Calgary Comedy Festival, the Okanagan Comedy Festival, and at the World Series of Comedy in Las Vegas. You can also find Ben in TV shows including Fargo and Hell on Wheels, as well as in the Oscar award-winning movie, The Revenant.

Rebecca Reeds

Toronto, ON

Rebecca Reeds

Now living in Toronto, Rebecca Reeds is from small town Ontario. She began performing in Ottawa and quickly became a comedian to watch out for. She’s performed in the United Kingdom, United States, and all over Canada. Rebecca has appeared on CBC, SiriusXM, and CBC Comedy where her clip was viewed more than 2 million times. In addition to her appearances on radio and television, Rebecca has performed at several festivals across the country including Just For Laughs, Toronto’s JFL42, The Winnipeg Comedy Festival, NXNE, and the Cottage Country Comedy Festival. Her “VWR” podcast won Outstanding Debut for a Series at the Canadian Podcast Awards. This is Rebecca’s second appearance at The Edmonton Comedy Festival.

Chris Robinson

Toronto, ON

Chris Robinson

In 2016 Chris was the runner up at the prestigious homegrown competition at Just For Laughs in Montreal. Later that year he went on to be crowned Sirius XM's Top Comic. That win granted him $25,000 and a return to Just For Laughs Montreal as well as an appearance at JFL Northwest in Vancouver and his own solo show at JFL42 in 2017. Chris is also a working actor who can be seen on Netflix, Amazon, CMT and various TV and internet commercials. Now Magazine has described him as having "charisma and raw talent to burn." This is Chris’s first appearance at the Edmonton Comedy Festival.

Anjelica Scannura

Toronto, ON

Anjelica Scannura

Anjelica Scannura is a Toronto-based comedian, actress and producer. She’s appeared at the Boston, Cleveland, Palm Springs. Burbank and Winnipeg Comedy Festivals and has been featured on CBC’s Laugh Out Loud numerous times. Anjelica was also a semi-finalist in the Seattle Int'l Comedy Competition. She produces and hosts several stand-up shows in Toronto, as well as the Haymaker Comedy Festival in the heart of Prince Edward County. This is Anjelica’s second appearance at the Edmonton Comedy Festival.

Abdullah Usman

Toronto, ON

Abdullah Usman

A product of clashing cultures and modern day chaos, Abdullah's authentic yet lively humour has earned him features on CBC Television, CBC Gem, Just For Laughs Toronto, Radio One, and the Arctic Comedy Festival. He now tours nationally as a crowd favourite headlining comedy clubs and theatres across Canada. In addition to stand up, Abdullah also works as a writer for the CBC digital series Street Cents. Abdullah’s comedy revolves around tales of his culturally juxtaposed life as a first-generation Canadian, his provocative societal observations, and his topical/pop culture banter - all wrapped in an eccentric stage personality and garnished with crowd interactions. This is Abdullah’s first appearance at the Edmonton Comedy Festival.

Ken Valgardson

Camrose, AB

Ken Valgardson

Ken taught school for 35 years and has been a professional comedian for most of that. Retired from teaching, he is now a full-time comedian with over 40 years experience and a pension. Comedy has taken Ken all over the world, even entertaining our troops in the Middle East. He has co-written and acted in various plays at the Edmonton Fringe Festival from the critically given 0 stars for “The Fourth Wall” to Audience choice winner “An Anthology Of Ghastly Tales”. Sit back and take notes as Mr.V makes you part of his classroom. Ken is one of the top corporate comics in Western Canada drawing from his rural background to guarantee to make you laugh with his grumpy outlook on life.

Kristeen Von Hagen

Las Vegas, NV

Kristeen Von Hagen

Originally from Victoria, Kristeen makes her home in Las Vegas, where she is the opening act for the residency of Puppetry of the Penis for the last 9 years. As a writer and producer, Kristeen has won 5 Canadian Screen Awards. Her recent writing credits include The Juno Awards, Stronger Together, Canada Day (CBC) & Canada’s Walk of Fame. Kristeen is also a 4 time Canadian Comedy Award winner and has performed at the Just for Laughs Festival, Winnipeg Comedy Festival, The Edmonton Comedy Festival, SHOWTIME's Comedy Without Borders, CBC radio’s the Debaters and recently was seen in the holiday rom-com movie Santa’s Got Style.

2024 Festival Performers

Aimée Beaudoin

Drew Behm

Scott Belford

Kyle Caniff

Rory Gardiner

Lori Gibbs

Andrew Grose

Jeff Halaby

Tyler Hawkins

Tim Nutt

Dave Nystrom

Simon O'Keeffe

Cameron Phoenix

Ben Proulx

Rebecca Reeds

Chris Robinson

Anjelica Scannura

Abdullah Usman

Ken Valgardson

Kristeen Von Hagen

Spotlight Cabaret

Fringe Theatre

Yuk Yuk's Century Casino