Poster

C is for Comedy and Cancer

On Tuesday evening, thirteen women came together at Hugh’s Room to tell a few jokes at the expense of cancer.

The “C” Word came together when six women took a stand-up class at Second City eighteen months ago. When Daniela Saioni, the show’s primary organizer, realized there weren’t many women-only comedy shows, she decided to put one together. “A lot of comedy rooms program only one woman per show. It was a struggle to get stage time,” she said. “We realized if we wanted to perform we would have to create our own show.”

When they decided to make the show a fundraiser for charity, it wasn’t long before they settled on supporting cancer research. Cancer had somehow affected all the women, whether they lost a close friend, relative, or survived the disease themselves. After some research, the beneficiary organization seemed obvious: Gilda’s Club.

Read more on the  Torontoist website.

The Poster

Comics Kick Cancer to the Curb with The ‘C’ Word

Toronto, ON – The ‘C’ word. Some people cringe when they hear it. Others cover their ears. And there are those who are absolutely horrified by the mere mention of it. Yes, we’re talking about cancer. But on January 19, a Toronto comic and her female cohorts want to make the ‘C’ word stand for something else: Courage. Creativity. And most of all: Comedy.

The ‘C’ Word, a benefit for Gilda’s Club Greater Toronto, is a night of stand-up comedy featuring seasoned pros alongside up-and-coming comics from the StandUp For Your Sisters troupe. The title of the show was inspired by the experiences of comedian and organizer Daniela Saioni during her bout with cancer earlier this year.

“For my 40th birthday I got cancer,” Saioni says. “I’m a comic, so my natural instinct was to make jokes about it – but when I did, I got heckled. Even friends and family were uncomfortable discussing it.”

Last year’s inaugural event, StandUp For Your Sisters, was a sold-out success and raised more than $7,400 for Gilda’s Club. This year’s event has become more personal for Saioni, who credits Gilda’s Club for helping with her successful recovery.

“It was humbling having to turn to the charity I fundraise for to get help,” Saioni says, “I’m so happy to be able to give back to Gilda’s Club by doing what I love – making people laugh”.

With The ‘C’ Word’s diverse line-up of comics, there will be plenty of laughs, with topics ranging from sex to ethnicity, relationships to careers and much, much more. Since last year’s event, the Sisters have spent lots of time on local comedy stages and their acts are better than ever.

“People from last year’s audience still stop us in the street to quote their favorite jokes back to us,” Saioni says. “This year, we’ll give them even more to talk about. It’s a great night to come out and stand up for your sisters, mothers, daughters and friends. And laugh in the face of cancer.”

When: Tuesday, January 19, 2010 at 8:30 p.m. (Dinner and silent auction at 6pm)

Where: Hugh’s Room, 2261 Dundas Street West, Toronto

Who: Hosted by Martha Chaves (Just for Laughs, Something About Martha)

Featuring Jo-Anna Downey (CTV’s Women of the Night, YukYuks), Special Guest Sandra Battaglini (Canadian Comedy Award winner) and StandUp For Your Sisters

Tickets: $25 in advance (available at www.hughsroom.com), $30 at the door

All proceeds from tickets sales and silent auction will go directly to Gilda’s Club.

For a list of comics, bios, photos and quotes, visit The Press Room at http://www.thestandupsisters.com.

About Gilda’s Club

The mission of Gilda’s Club is to provide a meeting place where men, women, teens and children living with cancer, as well as their families and friends, can join with others to build social and emotional support as a supplement to their treatment of choice. Gilda’s Club is a non-profit organization where there is no cost to members. For more information about Gilda’s Club, please visit their website at http://www.gildasclubtoronto.org

For more information or to schedule an interview, contact Bonnie Dean at media@thestandupsisters.com or 647-377-4317.

The ‘C’ Word

StandUp For Your Sisters presents The ‘C’ Word, an evening of stand-up comedy to benefit Gilda’s Club Greater Toronto. The show will take place on Tuesday, January 19th, 2010 at Hugh’s Room. A silent auction will be held in conjunction with the show where audience members will have the opportunity to bid on several beauty, entertainment and luxury items provided by our generous donors. All proceeds from the silent auction and ticket sales will go to Gilda’s Club. Last year’s show raised $7,400 and we’ve been working hard all year long to raise the bar for the 2010 show. If you’ve never been to a StandUp Sisters event, our show stands apart from others for two reasons: the comics are all women over the age of 25 and the majority have only been doing stand-up for about a year. When you throw in some of the most hilarious comedy veterans out there, it makes for a great night. Just ask anyone who attended last year’s show!

We call the new show The ‘C’ Word because one of our comics had a brief stint with cancer this year and discovered that she couldn’t even say the word without upsetting someone. She will speak frankly on cancer, but the jokes overall touch upon every “c” word you can think of – careers, children, compliments, cougars. The Sisters have gained a lot of experience playing comedy clubs across the GTA and beyond, growing as comics and developing new material we can’t wait to share with you! And we’re thrilled about our celebrity host this year, Martha Chaves; it’s really hard for us to think of anyone more hilarious in this country. If you’ve never experienced Jo-Anna Downey, who is closing out the show, you are in for another incredible treat. We’ve even got an amazing Canadian Comedy Award winner, Sandra Battaglini, making a guest appearance. Great comedy for a great cause – that’s what The ‘C’ Word is all about.

Media Release

Female comics do it standing up… for Gilda’s Club

Toronto, ON – On January 27, some of Toronto’s funniest new “chicks with shticks” are putting on a comedy show guaranteed to titillate your funny bone. And raise money for a great cause.

StandUp For Your Sisters, a benefit for Gilda’s Club Greater Toronto, is a night of stand-up featuring 12 female comics who are making a name for themselves on the stages of Toronto’s comedy scene. Hosted by one of Canada’s funniest women, Elvira Kurt (popcultured, The Tonight Show), and headlined by Dawn Whitwell (Girl School, The Jon Dore Show), the event promises a night of great comedy to beat the winter doldrums.

StandUp For Your Sisters initially began as a way for a group of burgeoning comedians, most of whom have less than six months’ experience, to showcase their comedic talents in a scene still dominated by male comics.

“On any given night at most of the ‘mainstream’ open mics, you’re lucky to see even one woman in a lineup of ten comics,” says organizer Daniela Saioni. “Yet, when we do play these clubs, we usually do well. Maybe it’s because more than half the audience are women. So why the lack of stage time? We decided to make our own.”

But the jokes aren’t all about sugar and spice. “Oh, some of us do get raunchy. But when a woman in her thirties does a joke about sex, it tends to resonate with the kind of truth that incites wine-through-the-nose laughter,” Saioni says.

The women decided to donate any proceeds to charity and Gilda’s Club was the obvious choice: they have all been touched by cancer in some way and thought it would be fitting to honour a charity named after the late comedian Gilda Radner – a woman who helped clear the way for women in comedy.

StandUp takes place at Hugh’s Room, a 200-seat venue located in the heart of Roncesvalles village. Tickets are only $20, with all proceeds going to Gilda’s Club. A silent auction will also take place and includes donations by Roots and Alliance Films.

With this much estrogen-fueled comedy, it’s a great night to come and stand up for your sisters, mothers, daughters and friends.

About Gilda’s Club

The mission of Gilda’s Club is to provide a meeting place where men, women, teens and children living with cancer, as well as their families and friends, can join with others to build social and emotional support as a supplement to their treatment of choice. Gilda’s Club is a non-profit organization where membership is free. For more information about Gilda’s Club, please visit their website at www.gildasclubtoronto.org

For more information or to schedule an interview, contact Bonnie Dean at by email or 647-377-4317.

StandUp Write Up at WOMAN.ca

By Si Si Penaloza, Editorial Director, WOMAN.ca

On January 27 2009, some of Toronto’s funniest new “chicks with shticks” present StandUp For Your Sisters, a benefit for Gilda’s Club Greater Toronto. This inventive night of stand-up features a dozen female comics making a name for themselves on the stages of Toronto’s comedy scene. Hosted by one of Canada’s funniest women, Elvira Kurt (popcultured, The Tonight Show), and headlined by Dawn Whitwell (Girl School, The Jon Dore Show), the event promises a night of great comedy.

WOMAN.ca is already standing by with the applause-o-meter. We love that, despite the sheer plucky gut it takes to stand up in front of an audience – much less try to make them laugh – this group of comic kamikazis …

Read the full article at WOMAN.ca.

StandUp Sisters in The Bloor West Villager

“Real women. A real cause. Real funny.”

Comediennes, daughters, sisters, wives, girlfriends, mothers and survivors – some of the city’s funniest “chicks” – are joining forces to raise funds for Gilda’s Club Greater Toronto.

StandUp For Your Sisters, taking place at Hugh’s Room Jan. 27, features 12 comics who are making a name for themselves in Toronto’s comedy scene. The show is hosted by Elvira Kurt of popcultured and The Tonight Show fame and is headlined by Dawn Whitwell, known for Girl School and The Jon Dore Show. Not only is it for a great cause, but it’s also a great way to chase away the winter blues, said organizer and up-and-coming comic Daniela Saioni, a Lansdowne Avenue and Bloor Street West area resident.

Read the full article at Toronto Community News.

StandUp For Your Sisters ’09 Event Press Release

Event Press Release

Inaugural comedy event raises more than $7,000 for Gilda’s Club

StandUp For Your Sisters a standout success amid recession, cold weather

Toronto, ON – If laughter is the best medicine, the crowd at Hugh’s Room found the cure for the winter blues on January 27, 2009.

StandUp For Your Sisters, a benefit for Gilda’s Club Greater Toronto, drew more than 200 comedy fans to the Roncesvalles-area bar on a cold Tuesday evening. The sold-out inaugural event raised $7,396.17 from ticket sales, silent auction bids and cash donations.

Hosted by Elvira Kurt and headlined by Dawn Whitwell, StandUp For Your Sisters was created as a showcase for the talents of a group of burgeoning female comedians.

“The evening was a huge success,” says Daniela Saioni, who not only organized the event but also performed. “The biggest lesson learned was that Toronto does welcome new talent and laughter is recession-proof.”

Despite their limited experiences on the comedy stage, the budding comics received an uproarious response from the crowd.

“It’s been way too long since I’ve laughed like that,” said crown criminal lawyer Lisa Joyal, who was in the audience. “Comics make a real difference in our lives and I think that message really hit home for me last night.”

Elana Shapiro, Development Associate of Gilda’s Club, was very impressed with the calibre of the event.

“The comics were talented, the enthusiasm and excitement in the room was incredible and people gave with their hearts,” said Shapiro. “The money raised from this event will help Gilda’s Club accept more families and continue to offer the extensive program of support and networking groups, lectures and workshops and our social activities.”

With the rapturous reviews and huge outpouring of charity, the StandUp Sisters have already started making plans for their second annual event.

“We are pumped to put on an even better show next year,” said Saioni.

About Gilda’s Club

The mission of Gilda’s Club is to provide a meeting place where men, women, teens and children living with cancer, as well as their families and friends, can join with others to build social and emotional support as a supplement to their treatment of choice. Gilda’s Club is a non-profit organization where membership is free. For more information about Gilda’s Club, please visit their website at www.gildasclubtoronto.org.

For more information or to schedule an interview, contact Bonnie Dean at media@standupforyoursisters.com or 647-377-4317.

Gilda’s Club Newsletter, March 2009