A Night of Comedic Fundraising At Kay Meek Centre

On Friday, June 15, 2012, Kay Meek Centre will host the community party and performing arts centre fundraiser of the year: “Two Men, No Script: An Evening With Colin Mochrie & Brad Sherwood” with celebrity host Vicki Gabereau.

The evening begins with a 7:30 p.m. reception featuring Mangia e Bevi, Rodney’s Oyster House, Yellowtail, Whistler Brewery, Café Crema, continues with the performance at 8:30 p.m. and concludes with a 10 p.m. post-show reception in the the lobby and a VIP meet and greet with the artists in Studio Theatre.

Tickets to the gala evening are $159 including the post-show reception, and $179 including the artists meet and greet.

Call 604.913.3634 or visit www.kaymeekcentre.com for tickets or further details.

Combining original design, comfort and excellent programming, Kay Meek Centre is a dynamic cultural destination and theatre for West Vancouver and beyond. “We passionately believe in making our community theatres accessible to all.  This means that even with consistently sold out houses, our ambitions can only truly be fulfilled through additional fundraising -- annual campaigns, corporate giving, foundation grants, and our annual fundraising gala!” says Board Chair Dr. Ken Haycock. 

This, the fifth annual gala evening, opens with a reception featuring Mangia e Bevi, Rodney’s Oyster House, Yellowtail Bubbles and Whistler Brewing Company.  Two Men, No Script:  An Evening with Colin Mochrie & Brad Sherwood follow at 8:30.  Post-show, it’s a wrap in the Studio Theatre for photo opts and fine wines with the artists.

The Artists: Colin Mochrie and Brad Sherwood are “Two Men, No Script!” Just as some musicians prefer to play unplugged, comedians Mochrie and Sherwood prefer to perform unscripted.   Everything is made up on the spot, drawn from audience suggestions.   

“That can be scary but also liberating”, he said.  "For me, it's the five minutes before the show, when I'm backstage and realize, Oh, yeah, these people have paid money and we don't have a show,  that can be stressful”, says Mochrie.  "Once we're out there, a sort of serenity comes over and you go to work, no matter what happens."   

"The thing is we're both stage hogs. We don't like to share, so it's works out nicely for us. The thought of two-man improv was exciting for us. We didn't know if it would be limiting or not," Sherwood said, "but we found out over time that inventing new games keeps the show different. It's never the same show twice."

The audience is key! Though Mochrie and Sherwood draw up scenarios, the audience supplies key details that make each skit or game click.  "The audience is up onstage for about 80 percent of the games," Mochrie said. "I think our show is even more interactive than the TV show because there are only two of us. We have to have the people come up and put them in the Drew Carey role as moderators. And we have them performing in some scenes with us, so that's a lot of fun."

The show also benefits from the onstage chemistry between Mochrie and Sherwood. 

"We’ve known each other for 19 years," Mochrie says. "We grew up together in Vancouver, so it helps when you have a history with the person.  We have the same reference points.  That makes it a lot easier onstage, when all you have is yourself and the person you have to trust," he added. "What I love about working with Brad is I may not always know where he's going in the scene but I trust him enough to know it's probably a good choice. So I'll follow and see what happens."

"It's going to be a fun show," Mochrie said. "You won't walk away any smarter, but hopefully, you'll have a couple good laughs – and make money for a great theatre!  Ah, where would I be without a stage? "