If you’re a health care worker or first responder, a free show in Collingwood will hopefully bring a smile to your face.
The Yes Men Improv Comedy Troupe will be performing on Aug. 26 at New Life Church in Collingwood in a show exclusively for health-care workers, first responders and their families to bring some laughs after four years of dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic.
Show organizer and Wasaga Beach resident Kathryn Kelly was inspired to do something following her experiences working at Bay Haven Care Community in Collingwood as a screener throughout the pandemic.
“I didn’t know a lot about what these workers were were going through except what I saw on the news during COVID,” said Kelly.
When it came time earlier this year for a return to normalcy, and the home had workers tearing down the screening system, Kelly was moved by what she saw.
“The emotion I saw was crazy. Laughing, crying, anger. They lost people during COVID. It just gutted me,” she said.
After speaking with her husband Neil Crone, she suggested he bring his three-man comedy show to town to give back to the workers who were going through so much.
“I asked him if they could do a show for them and their families,” she said. “I just want to make them laugh.”
The Yes Men Improv Comedy Troupe consists of Canadian comedians and Second City alumni Crone (Murdoch Mysteries), Patrick McKenna (The Red Green Show) and Kevin Frank (Lady in the Water).
“Collectively, the three of us have been working in Canadian show business for the last 35 years,” said Crone. “We’ve been doing the show for years now. No two shows are the same and it’s completely improvised.”
“It’s quick, fun and fast, and we just have a ball,” he said.
This marks the first time the show will be taking place in Collingwood. New Life Church has donated the space for the show free of charge.
“We love doing the show. It’s a joy for us. This is near and dear to all of our hearts. We’ve all had medical scares and these are the people who are always there for us. We jumped at the chance to do it,” said Crone.
Kelly says she hopes the show will give local health-care heroes a break from the stress that sometimes comes with the profession.
“I hope they walk away feeling happy and they’ve laughed their butts off. They get to forget about life for a minute. They need that reprieve,” said Kelly. “These guys have gone through so much. We owe them. They saved our lives.”
If you’re a healthcare worker or first responder, free tickets for the 18-plus, two-hour show can be reserved here.
