Asian Canadians
can be funny too – and not just the butt of racist jokes.

10 years ago Joyce Lam got together with friends and
started the very first Asian Comedy Night, through Vancouver Asian Canadian
Theatre – which she founded.   Along the way VACT has received lots
of critical success and developed a loyal audience.  VACT is a pioneer in
pushing the opportunities for Asian-Canadian performerssuch as presenting the
classic Neil Simon comedy “The Odd Couple” with and almost all-Asian
cast, Asian-Canadian director and producers.

Check out the newest Asian Comedy Night event for January 6/7, 2009

For
Immediate Release

MEDIA RELEASE

VACT’s
10th anniversary celebrations kicks off with

two
All-Star Asian Comedy Events in early January

10th Annual Asian Comedy Night – and –
Etch-YOUR-Sketchoff,
January
7 – 10, 2009

VANCOUVER,
BC (December 7, 2008) – To celebrate 10 successful years as the city’s premiere
Asian Canadian theatre company, Vancouver Asian Canadian Theatre (VACT)
kicks off 2009 with two of its signature Asian comedy night events January 7 to
10, hosted by Tom Chin. First is the
return of its wildly popular Asian sketch comedy contest: Etch-YOUR-Sketchoff!#$%!!, where
amateur teams compete for applause and prizes on January 7 & 8. Following that on January 9 & 10 is the All-You-Can-Laugh: 10th annual Asian Comedy
Night, an all-star smorgasbord of North
America’s
best and funniest professional Asian sketch comedy troupes. Both productions are
at the Roundhouse Performance
Centre. Tickets are available online at www.vact.ca and at the
door.

Needless
to say, these 2 VACT productions provide a rare and not-to-be-missed showcase of
some of the best Asian comedic talent in North
America
– alongside nearly 50 of Vancouver’s up-and-coming Asian Canadian performers and
comedy writers, all on one stage.

The
Etch-YOUR-Sketchoff!#$%!! Contest
gives sketch teams 2 weeks to write and rehearse at least 2 sketches, one of
which must incorporate a creative element provided by VACT that each team will
choose at random. On the first night, January 7, each group will be given a
6-10 minute set to perform their sketches in front of a live audience, where a
panel of celebrity judges will award the winner the coveted RICE BOWL trophy from the Top 3. On January 8, in a 2nd performance, the
audience will be the judge and its winner-take-all for the cash
prize.

All-You-Can-Laugh:
10th annual Asian Comedy Night
is a gathering of 5 of the funniest Asian sketch comedy troupes from
North
America:
18
Mighty
Mountain
Warriors
(San
Francisco,
Los
Angeles),
Assaulted Fish (Vancouver), OPM (Los
Angeles),
The Kupps
(Toronto),
and Hopsing’s Offspring (Vancouver)
for two hilarious performances. Also performing is stand-up comedian Jeffery Yu. The VACT Asian Comedy Night
has been a sold-out event every year and the annual show has provided a rare
showcase for various Asian stand-up comedians and sketch groups from all over
Canada
and the US.
As a developer of new talent, VACT had previously incubated such successful
local Asian-Canadian sketch comedy troupes as HOT SAUCE POSSE and ASSAULTED
FISH.

For
more information please visit http://www.vact.ca.

Event #1 Details

Etch-YOUR-Sketchoff!#$%!!

@
Roundhouse Performance Centre

Davie
& Pacific
Blvd.,
Vancouver

January
7: The Rice Bowl Competition

January
8: The People’s CHOYS Award

Both
performances at 7:30
PM

$18
in advance, by phone (604) 713-1800 and online
(www.VACT.ca)

$22 at
the door

Event #2 Details

All-You-Can-Laugh:
10th Annual Asian Comedy Night

@
Roundhouse Performance Centre

Davie
& Pacific
Blvd.,
Vancouver

January
9 and 10

Both
performances at 7:30
PM

$22
in advance, by phone (604) 713-1800 and online
(www.VACT.ca)

$27
at the door

Ticket
Special: The Bundle of Laughs Deal

See
both shows and save! Great stocking stuffers! (Until Dec. 19)

$35
in advance, available only online (www.VACT.ca)

For
media access please contact Joyce Lam at the e-mail address or phone number
listed below, no later than January
2, 2009.

VACT
(Vancouver Asian Canadian Theatre) aims to produce quality plays in which
Asian-Canadians take on culturally or artistically significant roles. VACT works
to dispel Asian stereotypes by producing leading and/or supporting roles where
Asian-Canadians are depicted realistically in the performing
arts.