In an effort to continue breaking down barriers for new comedy students and aspiring comedians, Blind Tiger Comedy is inviting participants who are underrepresented in comedy to join The Welcome 2021.
While in its third year, 2021 is Blind Tiger’s most ambitious and far-reaching Welcome to date.
This summer, Blind Tiger Comedy is inviting hundreds of people from communities across the province who are underrepresented and inexperienced in comedy to join The Welcome completely free of charge. Effective immediately, people who are interested in trying improv or sketch comedy classes may register for free if they:
n Self-identify as Black, Indigenous and/or a Person of Colour;
n Are transgender, gender fluid and/or gender non-binary;
n Are over the age of 50; and/or Live outside of British Columbia’s largest urban centres (specifically, live outside of Greater Vancouver, Greater Victoria, Kelowna, Nanaimo and Kamloops).
Understanding laughter is the best medicine, Blind Tiger Comedy attempts to spread the jollies far and wide to create space for marginalized voices in the industry. Now in it’s third year, The Welcome inclusion initiative began with an invitation to people who identify as women, trans and/or femme to try their first comedy class.
The next year——while in the throws of a global pandemic, Blind Tiger went online and invited Black, Indigenous and/or People of Colour to try get their giggle on.
But as The Welcome only runs during the summer, Blind Tiger Comedy has additional ongoing outreach efforts that aren’t tied to a certain calendar page.
To date, the comedy school has awarded more than $60,000 in scholarships to people of colour, LGBTQ+ students, and differently-abled students since 2019 through its Diversity and Financial Aid Scholarships. Their Women-Trans-Femme- and POC Nights have all sought to bring more diverse voices to comedy.
Welcome classes can be taken online through Blind Tiger Comedy’s Digital Comedy School or in-person through their new safety-first Fresh Air classes:
To register:
1. Check out which class you are interested in at our website at BlindTigerComedy.ca/classes. If you’re new to improv, we recommend Intro 1. If you’re interested in comedy writing, we recommend Sketch 1.
2. Fill out the quick and easy five-question checklist form.
3. Our amazing General Manager Sasha Mark (sasha@blindtigercomedy.ca) will be in touch within two business days to confirm your spot and answer any questions you may have.
The Welcome is about welcoming new faces to the school, and so this season is being offered to first time registrants who currently reside in B.C. All spots are first-come, first-serve. Available classes run on multiple days and are scheduled throughout the summer.
More information on Blind Tiger Comedy, visit their website at BlindTigerComedy.ca, or email any questions to the General Manager, Sasha Mark, at Sasha@blindtigercomedy.ca.
