What The Festival

WHERE The Festival would we be without our wonderful venue partners 🩷🩷🩷 Thank you Sweet Action Theatre Company, Small World Music, Toronto Sketch, and of course Youngplace. It means so much to have your support for What The Festival.

"Not many people can say they graduated medical school to become a clown!”

Srutika Sabu, creator and performer of 'Santosh Santosh' sat down with Sesayarts Magazine to talk about her transition from doctor to clown, and the creation of her beloved Toronto Fringe-hit character Santosh Santosh.

“My inspiration was very much South Indian software engineer meets man transitioning to Malayali uncle. There are bits of me as well."

Read more in the full interview: https://www.sesayarts.com/srutika-sabu-a-funny-thing-happened-on-the-way-out-of-medicine/ 😍 Thank you, Sesayarts!

🎫 There are only a few tickets left to see Santosh Santosh at Sweet Action Theatre Company, Saturday Sept 28 at 7:30pm! 🎫

✨ This Sunday afternoon we close out the festival with our UP-AND-COMER CABARET ✨

Come celebrate the next gen of Toronto’s Drag, Clown and Puppetry. Starring acts who are just getting their feet wet, or just getting back into it, this cabaret is one of WTF’s most uplifting and unexpected gems!

🌟 FEATURING: Monica Kopec, Mark Terrett, Tammy The Brown, Snackbaby Thiccums (Alexandra Cioppa), Randy Boots (Randal Boutilier), The Sensationalists (Shanda Bezic and Michael MacEachern), The Rhino Lassies (Alexandra Watt Simpson, Morgan Johnson) and Ganesh Thava!

Hosted by Kendall Savage, Co-Founder and former Artistic Director of the Montréal Clown Festival.

🗓️ Sunday Sept 29 @ 3:00pm
📍 Youngplace
🎫 Get your tickets: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/wtfs-up-and-comer-cabaret-tickets-997364924337?aff=oddtdtcreator

🔥 Announcing the panelists for our POST ‘DRAG RACE’ DRAG panel this Saturday: Stefan Fetamean, Jessie James, and MAC! 🔥

Exploring the impact of the reality tv show ‘Drag Race’, in this FREE panel discussion we'll listen, laugh and learn about the future of our beloved Kings, Queens, Creatures and Things! Moderated by Canada’s premiere tragicomedienne, Pearle Harbour.

🗓️ Saturday Sept 28 @ 5:00pm
📍 Youngplace
🎫 FREE to attend! Book your spot: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/panel-post-drag-race-drag-tickets-1002658658037

🤩 We open TONIGHT! 🤩 We can't wait to welcome you for a hilarious weekend at Youngplace with What The Festival. 🎊 Events run tonight until Sunday, and they're selling out fast.

This Saturday you can't miss our DON’T DRAG ME DOWN cabaret, showcasing some of Toronto's favourite Drag Kings. 😍 👑

👑 FEATURING: Dyce 2 Watch Out 4, Dank Sinatra, King Freddie, Brattery Acid, Andy Fetamean and Stefan Fetamean, Max Malada, Sandy Joint and Buoj! Hosted by Ace Monstera.

🗓️ Saturday Sept 28 @ 9:30pm
📍
🎫 Get your tickets: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/dont-drag-me-down-at-wtf-tickets-997364573287?aff=oddtdtcreator

🎊 Get to know the What The Festival team! 🎊

✨ Emily Jeffers - Associate Producer ✨

Emily Jeffers produces the shows TIGHT FIVE and You’ve Been Warned: A Bouffon Cabaret and facilitates workshops to support the professional development of clowns in the community. She is also an actor and clown, known for characters like Sheonardo DiCaprio and Bitty-Bat. She has performed at Edinburgh Fringe, Toronto Sketchfest, Toronto Fringe, Montreal Sketchfest and the Montreal Clown Festival.

✨ Monica Bradford-Lea - Marketing and Outreach Coordinator ✨

Monica is a marketing specialist and project manager with 10+ years experience at organizations including Canada’s National Arts Centre and Tarragon Theatre. She’s also a playwright, actor, producer, and co-founder of award-winning theatre company Spicy Day. Monica creates plays that unite audiences in laughter, and provoke conversation about society. Follow her work on Instagram: , .

✨ Lauren Welchner - Patron Experience Coordinator ✨

Lauren is an experienced Events Manager and co-founder of Popscotch Events, a women-run local events company that has been featured on Global News, City News, 98.1 CHFI Radio, and in the Toronto Star. Outside of events, Lauren’s theatre work with Spicy Day, which she has co-created, performed, and produced, has won ‘Best Of Fringe’ in the Toronto Fringe Festival, been awarded ‘Critic’s Pick’ by Mooney On Theatre, and been nominated for a Prix Rideau Award for ‘Outstanding New Work’.

✨ Lucas Irving - WTF Intern ✨

Lucas Irving (he/they) is a newly Toronto-based actor, singer, and clown and is currently an MA candidate in theatre, dance, and performance studies at York University researching the intersections of clown and drag. Lucas also performs as his drag queen persona, Pinkity-Twinkity (a queen by profession, clown by nature). Lucas' placement at WTF was facilitated by the Theatre Department at the School of the Arts, Media, Performance & Design.

🌟 This Friday, we're showcasing some of Toronto's very best Drag, Clown and Puppetry acts at our STRANGE MAKER SHOWOFF cabaret. 🌟

This is the hilarious night of vivid and vibrant variety you've been waiting for. Cabaret hosted by Jesse Buck, a lead clown performer with Cirque du Soleil.

🔥 FEATURING: Jessie James, Construction Guys, Ru-yu-yuy (Ruy Nieves), Kendall Savage, Hudson Bae, Mackenzie Mccallum-Mallory, The Auger (Logan Robins), and CHROMAKAY (Kay Chan).

🌟 STRANGE MAKER SHOWOFF CABARET 🌟
🗓️ Friday Sept 27 @ 9:30pm
📍 Youngplace
🎫 Buy now: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/wtfs-strange-maker-showoff-tickets-997363369687?aff=oddtdtcreator

What The Festival is THIS WEEK! 🎊 Have you locked in your festival schedule yet? Make sure you plan ahead - all events are one night only.

We can't wait to have you join us! 🩷 🤩

Our sale is on now until 11pm tonight! 🎊 Use code WTFSAVE7 to save $7 on all WTF tickets! 💰 🤩 Book your seats, the festival is coming up next week, Sept 26-29: https://www.eventbrite.com/cc/what-the-festival-2024-3600689

🤩 ⏰ TONIGHT ONLY from 7pm-11pm - SAVE on all WTF tickets! ⏰ 🤩

Use code WTFSAVE7 to save $7 on each ticket. 💰

📱 Set your alarm, and get ready to book your tickets tonight! The festival is coming up next week. Buy your tickets: https://www.eventbrite.com/cc/what-the-festival-2024-3600689

🤩 ⏰ TONIGHT ONLY from 7pm-11pm - SAVE on all WTF tickets! ⏰ 🤩

Use code WTFSAVE7 to save $7 on each ticket. 💰

📱 Set your alarm, and get ready to book your tickets tonight! The festival is coming up next week. Buy your tickets: https://www.eventbrite.com/cc/what-the-festival-2024-3600689

✨ Meet Alicia, WTF's Executive Director and Co-Founder ✨

Alicia DiStefano (she/her) has been active in Toronto’s clown community since 2010 after obtaining a Master of Arts degree in Theatre and Performance studies from York University. She is the artistic director of Pajama Cat Productions and has been the force behind Red Nose Cabaret since its creation in 2017. 🔴

In addition, Alicia has over ten years experience working as an event administrator and community engagement coordinator. ✨ She is passionate about various forms of clown and comedy, as well as providing opportunities for artists to showcase their talent and reach new audiences.

We're proud to offer this fantastic and affordable Introduction to Shadow Puppetry Workshop with Puppetmongers Theatre next weekend. 💡 Come learn the ins and outs of how to bring shapes and shadows to life. Spots are limited!

INTRODUCTION TO SHADOW PUPPETRY
🗓️ Saturday Sept 28 @ 11am-4pm
📍 Youngplace
🎫 Your $100 registration gets you into this 5-hour workshop, with all materials included!

✨ Puppetmongers was founded by Ann and David Powell and has performed in Canada, the US, as well as the UK, France, Belgium, Germany and Iran. They continue to run the Puppetry Exploratory Laboratory, the Puppetry Hive, and Fresh Ideas in Puppetry!

🔗 Book your spot: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/workshop-intro-to-shadow-puppetry-tickets-1002655057267

👋 Say hi to Byron, WTF's Artistic Director and Co-Founder 👋

Byron Laviolette (he/him) is a director with over twenty years experience working in the arts, the agency, the academy and the arcade. 🔥 Theatrically, he is the resident director of Pucking Fuppets with Adam Francis Proulx and has worked with the Summerworks Festival’s Audience Choice Winner Pearle Harbour and the 2014 Canadian Comedy Award and 2012 Dora Mavor Moore Award- winning clown duo Morro and Jasp.

Byron also holds a PhD in Interactive Theatre and Pervasive Transmedia Fiction from the Theatre and Performance Studies Department at York University.

We're 1 week away from the What The Festival and tickets are already 60% sold out! 🔥 🔥 🔥

We can't wait for you to have you with us for these wild, witty, truly wonderful events. If you don't have your tickets yet - get them before they're gone 🩷

🎫 Buy tickets: https://www.eventbrite.com/cc/what-the-festival-2024-3600689

🦇 Get ready for a Spooky, Silly, Sonic time at BITTY-BAT ON PLANET EARTH by Emily Jeffers 🦇

Coming in hot off a run at the Edinburgh Fringe, tickets are selling fast for this charming and ridiculous physical comedy. Discover Bitty-Bat in an experience that promises to baffle and delight! 🦇

🌟 💬 "Hilarious [...] You will have a wonderful time." - FringeReview, Edinburgh Fringe 📰

🗓️ Thursday Sept 26 @ 7:30pm
📍 Youngplace
🎫 Get your tickets today: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/bitty-bat-on-planet-earth-by-emily-jeffers-tickets-997354804067?aff=oddtdtcreator

🏆 Winner of the Edmonton Fringe Artist Pick Award, you're definitely winning when you by your tickets to WINNING: WINNING by Gordon Neill. 😎

Sit back and embark on a silent-ish clown journey of self-discovery and transformation to unlock the true winner inside each of us. On this path to redemption Gordon Neill must overcome the challenge of his greatest foe - himself. 🙏

🗓️ Thursday Sept 26 @ 9:30pm
📍 Youngplace
🎫 Buy now: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/winning-winning-by-gordon-neil-tickets-997360631497?aff=oddtdtcreator

🎊 SANTOSH SANTOSH guarantees a funny, frantic, and freeing night! 🎊

Software engineer, thought leader, and second-hand Tesla owner Santosh Santosh has it all - except the love, respect and approval of his South Indian immigrant parents. A joyful and heartwarming solo-ish clown show. ✨

📰 “Hilariously funny! Srutika Sabu plays Tosh with the charisma of a Bollywood star…I can’t wait to see more from this talented artist!” - A View from the Box 📰

Created by Srutika Sabu
Featuring Srutika Sabu and Mahdi Mozafari
Directed by Ken Hall
Stage Manager: Willow Edwards

🗓️ Saturday Sept 28 @ 7:30pm
📍
🎫 Buy now: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/santosh-santosh-by-srutika-sabu-tickets-997364212207?aff=oddtdtcreator

You don't want to miss this workshop with the iconic Puppetmongers Theatre!

INTRODUCTION TO SHADOW PUPPETRY
🗓️ Saturday Sept 28 @ 11am-4pm
📍

🎫 Tickets for this all day workshop are $100. Materials are included. This workshop is limited to only 10 participants - we have only a few spots left!

✨ Puppetmongers was founded by Ann and David Powell and has performed in Canada, the US, as well as the UK, France, Belgium, Germany and Iran. They continue to run the Puppetry Exploratory Laboratory, the Puppetry Hive, and Fresh Ideas in Puppetry! 💡 With Ann and David, come learn the ins and outs of how to bring shapes and shadows to life.

🔗 Book your spot: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/workshop-intro-to-shadow-puppetry-tickets-1002655057267

Tickets are SOLD OUT for Alexander Mantia's world premiere of THE ZUCCHINI CLUB!

And tickets are moving fast for all of the other events at What The Festival, Sept 26-29. 🏃 Get yours for these wild, witty, and wonderful shows before it's too late! 🎫 ➡️ https://www.eventbrite.com/cc/what-the-festival-2024-3600689

⏰ Last chance for earlybird tickets! ⏰ 🐦 Save $10 on tickets to WTF shows when you buy before Friday Sept 13 at 11:59pm EST. Limited earlybird discount tickets are available, and tickets are selling FAST.

Earlybird tickets to our featured Shows and Cabarets are $20. 🔥 Tickets are $30 as of Sept 14!

➡️ Buy now: https://www.wtfestival.ca/now

Calling all earlybirds! 🐦 Save a whole $10 on tickets to WTF shows when you buy before Friday Sept 13 at 11:59pm EST. 💰 Limited earlybird tickets are available.

Earlybird tickets to our featured Shows and Cabarets are $20. 🔥 Tickets are $30 as of Sept 14!

✨ See our festival lineup & buy now at our link in bio.

💬 PANEL: POST ‘DRAG RACE’ DRAG 💬

Exploring the impact of the reality tv show ‘Drag Race’, this FREE panel discussion will feature a range of Drag creators/performers. Listen, laugh and learn about the future of our beloved Kings, Queens, Creatures and Things! Moderated by Canada’s premiere tragicomedienne, Pearle Harbour.

🗓️ Saturday Sept 28 @ 5:00pm
📍 Youngplace
🎫 FREE to attend! Book your spot: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/panel-post-drag-race-drag-tickets-1002658658037