On the Mainstage:
WEG
from Velvet Duke Productions
Written by The Velvet Duke, Performed by Jinesea Lewis, Joshua Mayo, and The Velvet Duke
An emotional vampire and their collaborators plan to go to bat against Van Helsing and the Tiki Torch Troop convoy, but first they need community donations of emotional lifeforce. A sketch comedy show that won’t gaslight you about being in your feels.
Genesis of the Show:
The power and purpose of “woke” continues to be appropriated, diluted, and misused. After a recent viewing of a “not good” Dracula movie, I decided to experiment with this specific monster metaphor as a space to poke fun at Ottawa’s continued anti-people political environment. Unrelated, I wanted to work on a comedic project with friends.
The Velvet Duke (they/them)
… is a multi-award winning, producer-creator of WEG, All Request Radio, (Re)Tired Magical Black Man, Djinn Joint, and Personal Demon Hunter. They are the 2023 IBPOC Emerging Artist laureate (Ottawa Arts Council) and have won awards for their creativity and accessibility advocacy. In addition to facilitating workshops around the world, they’ve mentored producer-creators through Youth Infringement Festival and Toronto Fringe Festival. Most recently, they workshopped Nick Gray’s “The Last Supper”.
Jinesea Lewis
… is multi-talented tv/film and theatre actor as well as improviser, stand-up comedian, sketch comedy artist. With 7 years of performing experience, Jinesea can be found on the Amazon Prime, The Oprah Winfrey Network, Bell TV and the Hallmark Channel.
Joshua Mayo
… is an improv, sketch and standup comedian based in Ottawa, Ontario. He currently performs and produces through Hot Pot Comedy, a collective dedicated to using improv as a vehicle for telling stories from the perspectives of first-generation Asian immigrants. He has performed on various stages and at different festivals throughout Ottawa, Montreal and Toronto. Joshua is also an improv coach, and a facilitator for the Improv Embassy, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to teaching comedy in Ottawa.
Premiered October 12 - 14, 2023.
Festival artwork by Sage Hartly