Comedian Dan Quinn really wanted to go snowboarding and hang out on the ski hills.
His need for a snowy vacation sparked the idea for the Snowed In comedy tour. He was going to perform in smaller clubs and bars near ski resorts, but when other comedians, like Craig Campbell, heard about the idea they wanted onboard and it started to morph into a larger event.
“The whole thing was my idea and my baby ... We didn’t know if anyone would show up. We did nine shows in the first year,” said Quinn.
This year the comedy tour is stopping in 45 cities across Canada.
Quinn is particularly excited to spend four nights at Whistler.
The tour stops in Nanaimo on Friday (Jan. 13) and shows at the Port Theatre at 8 p.m.
“It’s going to be a fun night out,” said Quinn. “All the guys are at the top of their game with over 20 years of comedy experience.”
The tour features Quinn, who won the Canadian competition at Just for Laughs and Best of the Fest at the Moncton Comedy Festival; Campbell, who is the former host of Ed the Sock and appeared on Michael Macintyre’s Road Show; Paul Myrehaug, winner of $25,000 at the Great Canadian Laugh Off and second place winner at the Seattle International Comedy Competition; and Pete Zedlacher, who is a five-time nominee and winner of the Canadian Comedy Award for Best Male Stand up.
Quinn was a fan of the TV show Seinfeld and Canadian comics who appeared on television.
“I was usually excited when a comedian came on TV,” said Quinn.
He didn’t start getting interested in telling his own jokes until high school. Quinn said it started because he wanted to impress a girl.
Tickets for Snowed In are $40, $30 seniors and $25 for students available by calling 250-754-8550 or online at www.porttheatre.com.
The evening consists of each performer doing about a 25-minute comedy act.
For more information about the tour, please go to www.snowedincomedytour.com.
arts@nanaimobulletin.com