Good news, Sea to Sky comedy fans: Laugh Out LIVE is here to stay.
Local improv talents Ira Pettle, Rebecca Mason and Dave Francis have registered their performing troupe as a company. They’ve secured proof of concept and engage with their growing fan base through a website, a newsletter and an email list. Now, they’re about to touch off their third season on Oct. 14 by opening for none other than Brent Butt at the Whistler Writers Festival (WWF).
Indeed, Laugh Out LIVE will brew up a batch of thriller-themed improv to complement the Corner Gas icon as he reads from his first novel: Huge, in a Saturday night special titled “A Killer Night of Comedy, Murder and Mayhem.”
Afterwards, the trio will help wrap up the WWF with a pair of “Writer’s Block Parties” on Sunday and Monday night: high-energy stand-up shows at the Fairmont Chateau Whistler that promise to make light of all sorts of literary tropes.
“It’s a great opportunity to work alongside a well-known performer, and for us, it feels like the next natural step in our development,” says Pettle. “We’re stoked, and also not surprised because we do feel like we are there. We’ve been working so hard to get good, to create original content, to keep developing and working towards the end goal, which is to have Laugh Out LIVE be a mainstay in Whistler’s communities and beyond.”
Ironically, Pettle won’t be able to attend his group’s marquee event with Butt. He is a finalist for Children’s Artist of the Year at the Western Canadian Music Awards, and will be attending said awards ceremony on Saturday in Kelowna. Some might be frustrated at having to give up one good thing for another, but the longtime Whistlerite holds a healthy perspective.
“You know, it’s such a blessing that I had to choose between both of these incredible things,” Pettle says humbly. “As much as I would love to personally be there [on stage with Butt] in my physical body, Laugh Out LIVE is going to be representing me that night. It’s not necessarily about Dave, Rebecca and I. It’s about the brand, as opposed to the three of us.”
The magical triangle
When Pettle first came to Whistler some 13 years ago, he was shocked to discover a tourist town that played host to so many visitors lacked a consistent form of after-dinner theatre entertainment. He recalls locals putting on sporadic shows for other locals, but dreamt of creating some type of recurring theatre production meant for tourists and Whistlerites alike. Years elapsed without any real momentum in that direction… until Mason spoke up.
Mason and Francis initially met Pettle as his students in various improv classes. Pettle had tried and failed to launch other shows before, but Mason—bringing the drive that once propelled her through a competitive junior hockey career—convinced him to give it another go. The trio pitched Arts Whistler on what would become their flagship production: Laugh Out LIVE.
They knew the chances of establishing a regular show in such a sports-centric town weren’t great. Things only got harder when COVID-19 emerged on the scene. Against the odds, however, the new weekly winter comedy act took off thanks to “a s—t ton of hard work” and the unique chemistry between its leads.
“We call ourselves the magical triangle,” Pettle reveals. “It’s because—and I’m going to use Rebecca’s words here—we each have a unique zone of genius. Each of us brings to the magical triangle a skill-set, an outlook, a certain energy and experience that the others don’t necessarily have.
“So, there’s something really special about the three of us together.”
The festival that could
How did the magic triangle land its big break? Well, Pettle has an existing relationship with the WWF: for the past three years, he and Pique features editor Brandon Barrett have hosted an event there called “Comedy Quickies”: a way to share local comedy sketches with a wider audience. This time around, Pettle knew the WWF would be an ideal way to open Laugh Out LIVE’s new season.
WWF director Rebecca Wood Barrett was on board once again. She soon returned their call, asking them to open for Butt on a Saturday night. It was a no-brainer.
“In the amount of time [that I’ve been here], the WWF has always occurred to me as the little festival that could,” says Pettle. “Whistler’s a sports-centric town. To have a writer’s festival in Whistler goes against everything. It’s just this magical little festival—well, it’s not little. It’s really big.
“With Rebecca and [former WWF director] Stella Harvey over the years, the amount of work and energy that goes into creating what the event is, it’s immeasurable. The talent they bring in, the spotlight that they bring to local artists, is huge. And it’s not just readers, writers and publishers—I’m a performing artist. Nothing but gratitude for Stella and Rebecca, the whole team, and the opportunity just to do what I love.”
Pettle doesn’t like to limit himself. He’s a burgeoning musician, an accomplished comedian and, of course, a beloved children’s performer. Not every artist can cater to both mature and youthful audiences with skill, class and taste, but he pulls it off masterfully.
“I do think I’m still figuring it out on some level, and with that, I also believe that performance—whether it’s for young people and families, or the 18-plus crowd—are one of the same,” opines Pettle. “We’re talking about engaging people. I have an internal process where I’m really just looking for things that lighten me up with these particular demographics in mind.
“With the comedy thing, I’m really just listening for what I find funny. In the kids’ world, it’s the same thing: I’m just thinking about my inner six-year-old and what it’s calling for.”
