There will be plenty to celebrate when the women of Girls Nite Out return to the stage at Market Hall Performing Arts Centre in downtown Peterborough on Friday, January 16. Not only will the comedy troupe be kicking off their 20th anniversary year, but they will also be marking a milestone birthday for special guest performer Linda Kash.
Featuring an all-star lineup of Elvira Kurt, Jennine Profeta, Diana Frances, Karen Parker, and musical accompanist Jordan Armstrong, Girls Nite Out is an all-female comedy ensemble that was originally conceived by Profeta — a Second City alumna and Bobcaygeon resident — and Sarah Quick, artistic director of Bobcaygeon’s Globus Theatre, where the show was first performed during the professional theatre company’s second season.
Since then, Girls Nite Out has toured across Canada — including regular annual performances at Globus Theatre — with a revolving cast of Canadian Comedy Award Winners and CBC comedy regulars, including Profeta and most recently Kurt, Frances, and Parker.
Profeta found that, early in her career, she would frequently be asked if women could be funny — despite a long tradition of acclaimed female comedians beginning with the likes of Ethel Merman, Lucille Ball, Carol Channing, Phyllis Diller, Joan Rivers, and Carol Burnett.
“We don’t have to answer that question anymore, but (Girls Nite Out) is what happens when you have a room full of mostly women and you take away the element of the guys — because comedy is historically very patriarchal,” says Profeta.
“It’s different, but I think what we’ve discovered is just more loving and there’s more heart to it when we remove that element of making it very male-centric. The guys are welcome to come, but they have to join us on our ride rather than us hitching on to theirs.”
Over 20 years of doing Girls Nite Out, the women have toured across Canada to much acclaim. Though the show has taken on various formats over the years, it now follows a structure with Kurt doing a stand-up routine to warm up the crowd before she is joined by the other women for various improv games. In the second half, Kurt hosts a “talk show” inviting audience members to share their stories.
“I think we very quickly learned that people love the improv, and they love when they can see themselves on stage,” Profeta says. “That’s something we definitely gravitated towards and have shone more of a spotlight on.”
With the whimsical and spontaneous audience participation, no two shows have been the same over the past two decades. This, Profeta says, is one of the reasons for the show’s longevity and why audiences return again and again.
“The people that come out and the stories they share — they’re the ones that make it interesting and dynamic every time,” Profeta says. “We just love our audience. We love the women that tend to come out to this thing. A lot of times we get people that we wouldn’t expect to be so open and sharing, but I guess a glass of wine will do that for you.”
Though the women of Girls Nite Out have acted out improvised versions of humorous audience anecdotes, they have also heard intimate stories of grief and illness from audience members.
“I think for a lot of people that come and join us on stage, there is a bit of a therapeutic element,” Profeta explains. “We’ve had a lot of women on stage that have been recently widowed, and it’s their first time out of the house and they just want to talk.”
While the goal is to find humour and make people laugh, Profeta notes Kurt always takes “such good care of people” when they join the comedians on stage.
“It’s really wonderful to be sitting on the other side of the stage and just watching her sit with people and having a moment, acknowledging them and what they’re going through, and still finding the funny in a way that is not offensive or alarming. It’s just very healing — it’s very healing for all of us.”
Though Profeta knows some audience members may be anxious about being “picked on” during a stand-up comedy show, there’s nothing to fear when it comes to Girls Nite Out.
“We poke fun, but it’s not about making fun of anybody or making somebody look bad,” Profeta says. “When people come to the show, they want the spotlight on them and they know we’re going to take good care of them.”
“It’s great to have that element of fear just removed from the equation. Our comedy can be something very different. It’s not about being mean — it’s being positive and celebratory as opposed to taking people down.”
For their official 20th anniversary celebration, Girls Nite Out will be returning once again to Bobcaygeon to kick off Globus Theatre’s 2026 professional theatre season on Friday, May 8. While details are still being finalized, Profeta says there are some very special surprises in the works for that show.
“I’ve always wanted to extend an invite to anybody who’s ever performed under the Girls Nite Out banner to come and join us, so we’re putting the word out,” she says. “We’re not sure how many or who (will respond), because a lot of our performers have gone on to work in Los Angeles or abroad.”
Among others, past performers include comedian, actress, and musician Lauren Ash, who is best known for the role of Dina Fox in Superstore, Ashley Botting, who writes for This Hour has 22 Minutes, and Kristeen Von Hagen, who is a comedy writer with credentials including writing for Michael Bublé at the Juno Awards.
Profeta adds that her own husband Dave Pearce — a comedian, writer, and improv artist known for co-founding Slap Happy Improv and writing for CBC and who is a regular performer at Globus Theatre — likes to point out that he was also a Girls Nite Out performer, when he stepped in for a scheduled female comedian when she was unable to go onstage at the last minute.
Well in advance of the spring show at Globus Theatre, Girls Nite Out will present “Winter Extravaganza!” at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, January 16 at Market Hall Performing Arts Centre in downtown Peterborough.
Along with being the first show of their 20th anniversary year, “Winter Extravaganza!” will also mark the January 17 milestone birthday of acclaimed Peterborough actor, director, comedian, and improv educator Linda Kash, who has been a regular Girls Nite Out special guest over the years.
“We love Linda, and we know Peterborough loves Linda,” Profeta says. “She’s such a great performer and teacher and she gives so much to the community that we wanted to have an opportunity to celebrate her on stage as well.”
“She’s just such a great person and she’s such a great community builder, so she just fits in really well with all of us and it just makes it so much more fun and more special to have her here.”
Tickets for the January 16th Girls Nite Out comedy show at Market Hall Performing Arts Centre are on sale for $39 ($29 for seniors and $24 for students) and can be purchased online at www.markethall.org.
VIDEO: Girls Nite Out 2025/26 Promo
