Anything can happen with improv. One minute you’re hosting an interview and the next, you’re breaking up with your boyfriend Joe because his Rottweiler ate your daughter.

That’s the sort of chaos and hilarity that’s sure to ensue on Thursday, June 29th when klusterfork entertainment brings a star-studded cast to Market Hall Performing Arts Centre in downtown Peterborough for an evening of improv comedy.

“School’s Out!” will see klusterfork co-founder Linda Kash welcome comedy duo Naomi Snieckus and Matt Baram back to Peterborough for the first time in years. The couple first met while working at Second City Toronto before starting not-for-profit theatre company The National Theatre of the World. They’ve since spent more than 10 years doing improvised shows through their company and have travelled extensively for international festivals.

Also joining the line-up are performers local audiences will be familiar with from klusterfork’s “Impros vs Joes” series at the Gordon Best Theatre, including Janet Van De Graaff, Mark Rostrup, and Kerry Griffin (who also appeared in “April Fool’s Gold,” klusterfork’s improv comedy show at the Market Hall last spring).

A portion of the ticket proceeds from “School’s Out!” will go to the Canadian Mental Health Association Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge’s Change the Cycle campaign to raise funds for its Garden Homes project, which aims to will provide affordable small homes for vulnerable people at risk of homelessness. On June 24, the organization is hosting a cycling fundraising event beginning in Nicholls Oval and proceeding along the Rotary Trail.

Advance general admission tickets to the June 29th “School’s Out!” show at 8 p.m. cost $30, with assigned cabaret table seats going for $40, available in person at the Market Hall box office at 140 Charlotte Street from 12 to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday or online anytime at tickets.markethall.org. Tickets can also be purchased at the door for $35.

Like klusterfork’s previous Market Hall shows, including last year’s “April Fool’s Gold” and 2020’s “It’s Winter! Still,” this year’s production is a celebration of a time of year.

“June always felt like the beginning of summer to me,” Linda Kash tells kawarthaNOW during an interview where she was joined by Matt Baram and Naomi Snieckus. “All of our classes have stopped, so School’s Out! just feels like a celebration of a few amazing semesters at klusterfork.”

“But also parents and people are done with the routine of school, and it’s time to have a glass of wine and laugh and just celebrate the beginning of summer break.”

Kash, who just finished a production of Casey and Diana in Stratford, co-founded klusterfork alongside Pat Maitland and Ian Burns in 2019. In addition to live performances, klusterfork produces entertainment industry workshops led by other Second City alumni and local comedians.

One such instructor and “School’s Out!” performer, Janet Van De Graaf will be playing bass beside Blair Packham (lead vocalist and guitarist of 1980s Toronto rock band The Jitters) as he makes his klusterfork debut with a special half-time show. Peterborough musician Danny Bronson will provide the improvised score for the evening.

Kash explains that “School’s Out!” will kick off with some warm-up games to “demystify the audience,” before heading into long-form improv for the second half of the show.

“It sort of makes them feel at ease, while giving them a taste of what it is like to think on your feet so that, when they see the long form, they’re like ‘oh my God, how do they do that?'”

An example Kash provides is the word-by-word game, wherein each participant says one word, building on the last, until a story is created. Anything can happen — like losing both your daughter and your boyfriend because of his man-eating Rottweiler … apparently.

For his part, Matt Baram says these games not only help the audience understand the spontaneity of improv, but they symbolize how the performers must work together to make engaging comedy.

“It shows that spontaneity can happen with togetherness, and we call that ‘Bringing a brick, Not a cathedral.'”

Baram explains that improv performers must bring only a piece of the comedy and trust their fellow performers will feed off of it. “You don’t have to carry the whole story by yourself.”

Kash adds that a main rule to think about when performing improv is that “improvisers don’t lie.”

“Everything you say to another character is the truth,” she explains. “I can’t block your lie because if you say there is a unicorn flying around, then that’s the truth. The best improv allows for the truth to be told, however crazy the logic is. So every offer is welcome, and that just makes for considerate improv.”

After the warm-up comes the main act. During the long-form feature, the performers will improvise storytelling based on pieces of information provided by the audience. Audience members will be rolling in hysterics, as nobody can really predict the sort of antics that will ensue.

The last time Baram and Snieckus performed in Peterborough was at a fundraiser in honour of Kash’s late husband Paul O’Sullivan, a highly respected and accomplished actor and improv performer. In 2009, O’Sullivan and Kash founded the Peterborough Academy of Performing Arts, where Kash continues to teach young children the art of improv.

Though Baram and Snieckus often frequent their cottage in Apsley, the Toronto-based duo has never performed at the Peterborough’s Market Hall. Kash assures them Peterborough has a “great” and “comfortable” audience for improv.

“Anything can work if it’s a supportive environment, and if (audience members) know their job is to not only support but to engage and to give good, positive suggestions,” Baram notes.

Kash adds that an ability to adapt to the audience is the beauty of improv.

“It’s different from a play or stand-up because if (we) read the audience and sense they are smarter than we thought — or maybe they’re here because they want to talk about racy things, or they’re political — then we can change the show and tailor it to them. For a play, you’ve already set your course — you have to say the lines and follow the material — but we’re adaptable.”

Naomi Snieckus, in comedic style, compares improv to running a buffet.

“If we gave you a buffet of different food and notice you really like Szechuan chicken, we can serve that up,” she says. “We can get some Szechuan going because we know you like that. And if you say ‘I’m not keen on the bean sprout’ then, okay, let’s not do any more bean sprout tonight because she’s not into it.”

“We will do whatever you want,” adds Kash. “We will serve up whatever you want, because maybe we’ve never tried that and we’re all really greedy for that laughter.”

Snieckus agrees entirely.

“I feel like the laughter that brings us together is like my religion,” she says, adding she wants to share her religion.

For more information about klusterfork, visit www.klusterfork.com or follow them on Instagram and Facebook.

kawarthaNOW is proud to be a media sponsor of klusterfork entertainment’s “School’s Out!”.

Every Thursday, we publish live music events at pubs and restaurants in Peterborough and the greater Kawarthas region based on information that venues provide to us directly or post on their website or social media channels. Here are the listings for the week of Thursday, June 22 to Wednesday, June 28.

If you’re a pub or restaurant owner and want to be included in our weekly listings, please email our nightlifeNOW editor at nightlife@kawarthanow.com. For concerts and live music events at other venues, check out our Concerts & Live Music page.

With the exception of karaoke, we only list events with performing musicians. Venues may also host other events during the week (e.g., dancing, DJs, comedy shows).

The Peterborough Folk Festival has announced acclaimed Canadian indie alt-rockers Broken Social Scene will be the Saturday headliner for the 34th annual music festival taking place on August 19 and 20 at Nicholls Oval Park beside the Otonabee River.

Formed in Toronto in 1999 by Kevin Drew and Brendan Canning as a basement recording project, Broken Social Scene became a musical collective with a revolving roster of members including musicians from Metric, Feist, Stars, Apostle of Hustle, Do Make Say Think, KC Accidental, Emily Haines & The Soft Skeleton, Amy Millan, and Jason Collett.

Drew and Canning recorded and released the band’s debut album Feel Good Lost in 2001. Their material was almost entirely instrumental, so they brought in musicians from Toronto’s indie music scene to expand the lyrics and vocals in the band’s live shows, along with core members Justin Peroff, Andrew Whiteman, and Charles Spearin.

In 2002, all of the musicians from the live show helped record the band’s second album, the Juno award-winning You Forgot It in People, which the band celebrated last year with a 20th-anniversary vinyl edition and tour.

In 2005, they released their self-titled album, earning the band their second Juno award for Alternative Album of the Year. Subsequent releases included Broken Social Scene presents …, two albums in 2007 and 2008 featuring the solo efforts of Drew (Spirit If) and Canning (Something for All of Us) assisted by fellow Broken Social Scene members, along with 2010’s Forgiveness Rock Record, 2017’s Hug of Thunder, and 2019’s two-volume EP Let’s Try the After.

During their career, Broken Social Scene have performed multiple times on Late Night with David Letterman, Late Night with Conan O’Brien, Late Night with Stephen Colbert, and Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.

VIDEO: “Halfway Home” – Broken Social Scene

Broken Social Scene’s evolving sound over the years has been described as everything from alt-rock to baroque pop and noise pop to experimental rock and soul music. However, one thing has remained constant: at the end of every show, Drew tells the audience to “enjoy your lives” — a call to action to get out there and be part of your own social scene.

Broken Social Scene’s appearance at the Peterborough Folk Festival will mark their first-ever performance in Peterborough.

“Inclusivity, belonging, and community are at the heart of Peterborough Folk Festival,” says Ryan Kemp, the festival’s artistic director, in a media release. “I can barely express how thrilled we are to have this iconic Canadian band take the main stage as the Peterborough Folk Festival 2023 headliner on August 19th.”

The 2023 Peterborough Folk Festival kicks off with ticketed concerts on Thursday, August 17th at Market Hall Performing Arts Centre and Friday, August 18th at the Gordon Best Theatre, followed by an admission-by-donation weekend of music and more on Saturday, August 19th and Sunday, August 20th at Nicholls Oval Park.

The festival has already announced renowned Canadian singer-songwriter Loreena McKennitt will be the Sunday headliner, with Juno award-winning children’s music duo Splash’N Boots also performing on Sunday.

“We’ve been building momentum with our festival partners, sponsors, and volunteer-run board to create a memorable event for everyone in Peterborough and across the region to enjoy,” Kemp says.

VIDEO: “Cause=Time” – Broken Social Scene

“It’s incredible to have this come together with the announcement of these fantastic performers,” Kemp adds.

Organizers will be making additional announcements during June, including the complete line-up of performers and the festival’s annual emerging artist.

For more information about the festival, including how to get involved as an artist, volunteer, or vendor, visit www.peterboroughfolkfest.com.

kawarthaNOW is proud to be a media sponsor of the 2023 Peterborough Folk Festival.