Sidney residents will have two chances to catch top Canadian comedy right in their own backyard this September, as the Mary Winspear Centre adds Brent Butt and The Improvisers to its summer lineup.
The Improvisers take the stage on Friday, September 11, 2026 at 7:30 p.m., with doors opening at 7:00 p.m. Tickets for adults are priced at $55. Two weeks later, on Friday, September 25, 2026, Brent Butt performs with special guest Damonde Tschritter. Tickets for that show cost $60, and the evening starts at 7:30 p.m. as well, with doors at 7:00 p.m. Both performances happen in the intimate Charlie White Theatre at 2243 Beacon Avenue.
Brent Butt is the familiar face behind the hit CTV show Corner Gas, which earned an International Emmy Award nomination. The Saskatchewan-born comedian was honoured with a Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2013 for his contributions to community and country, and his 2023 debut novel Huge became a number one fiction bestseller in Canada. Opening for Butt is Canadian Comedy Award nominee Damonde Tschritter, whose credits include over 40 film and television appearances and the HBO feature The Making of A Comedy Special with Conan O’Brien.
The Improvisers bring together some of Canada’s best spontaneous comedians, including Roman Danylo, creator of The Comic Strippers; Peter Oldring, co-creator of CBC Radio’s This Is That; Richard Side, the mind behind CBC’s The Debaters, who once won a world improv championship alongside Colin Mochrie and Ryan Stiles; Chris Casillan, a two-time Canadian Comedy Award winner; and Pearce Visser, a veteran improviser with over 35 years of experience. Many of these performers have also toured with The Comic Strippers since 2011. The group builds every show on the spot from audience suggestions.
The 310-seat Charlie White Theatre features plush velvet chairs and four wheelchair-accessible spaces, offering an unobstructed view no matter where you sit. Both shows are restricted to audiences 18 and older. Having professional comedy acts perform in Sidney means locals can skip the drive to Victoria and enjoy the laughs close to home.
