The Beaverton Punch Up

Saturday, April 22
10:45AM – 11:45AM
John Bassett Theatre

Join showrunners Jeff Detsky and Luke Gordon Field as they lead a table read and punch up session of a script from the second season development room of the COMEDY NETWORK’s hit satirical news series, THE BEAVERTON. Jeff, Luke, and their writers room will take the stage to offer an inside look at the punch up process, how their scripts are crafted, and the brutal gauntlet of beating jokes until a sketch delivers on its salient satirical promise. See how some of Canada’s top comedy writers are taking on the task of speaking truth to power in our politically charged times, while cracking plenty of dumb jokes along the way.

Jeff Detsky is a television writer/producer. His work has been broadcast on channels and platforms as varied as HBO Canada, the Comedy Network, City, CW, DirecTV, PBS, TVO, YTV, Teletoon, Netflix, and Comedy Central (well, Latinoamerica… but still, pretty cool). He got his start as a Writer’s Assistant on the Dreamworks animated feature OVER THE HEDGE, and has written for award-winning series CALL ME FITZ, SEED, and ODD SQUAD, among others. He currently serves as head writer and showrunner on THE BEAVERTON for The Comedy Network and Pier 21. The hit satirical news series’ first season received 4 CSA nominations, and a glowing review on his Mom’s Facebook page. Jeff is a graduate of Ryerson University and the Canadian Film Centre. But don't hold that against him

Luke Gordon Field is editor-in-chief of THE BEAVERTON website, as well as co-creator, writer, and co-executive producer of THE BEAVERTON television series. After attending Upper Canada College, undergrad at Queen’s University and law school at Osgoode Hall Luke took the next logical step: becoming a stand-up comedian and comedy writer. As a stand-up he has had the pleasure of touring all over Canada (and very specific parts of America), playing NXNE, JFL42 and Sketchfest, and working with amazing comedians like Wyatt Cenac and Maria Bamford. His greatest passion remains THE BEAVERTON, which he has run since 2012, helping the site become the culturally dominant media empire it is today. He knows an absurd amount of trivia about William Lyon MacKenzie King and would be happy to tell you some if you’ll listen.

A graduate of the University of Toronto, Jacob Duarte Spiel narrowly avoided a career as a scientist to pursue comedy instead. He began writing for The Beaverton website in early 2012 where he became a senior staff writer and editor. More recently, he contributed material to THE CANADALAND GUIDE TO CANADA. He now works as a co-creator and writer on THE BEAVERTON television series, which he’s heard is great but hasn’t gotten around to watching yet.

Most recently, Emma has had the pleasure of co-anchoring THE BEAVERTON for Comedy Network. Past credits include: MR. D as Nisha, the most recent cast member of the ROYAL CANADIAN AIR FARCE, SAVE ME, THIS HOUR HAS 22 MINUTES, GEORGE STROMBOULOPOULOS TONIGHT / CBC.  3 WAY (NOT CALLING) / TIFF, MATCH GAME, SPUN OUT, POP QUIZ, JFL ALL ACCESS / Bell Media. VIDEO ON TRIAL,  MTV Live / MUCHMUSIC. LA COMPLEX and DEGRASSI / CW. Emma was a featured writer / performer in the SKETCH COMEDY PROJECT with NBC Universal. Emma has been nominated for a Dora Award, The Tim Sims Encouragement Fund Award and a Canadian Comedy Award.

Allana is a member of The Second City National Touring Company, and is a two-time Canadian Comedy Award nominee & past winner of the Tim Sims Encouragement Fund Award. Most recently, her solo characters were featured in both the Toronto Sketch Comedy Festival and Montreal Sketch Comedy Festival’s Best of the Fest shows, and earned her a spot in JFL42’s New Faces Character showcase. She can be seen every Sunday in various wigs performing with some of Toronto’s finest up-and-coming comedic talent with the award-winning troupe, The Sketchersons, as well as with troupe, Panacea (Top 10 Comedy Shows of 2015, NOW Magazine & Torontoist). Allana can be seen as beauty expert, Amber on Season 1 of THE BEAVERTON. She also teaches in the Second City Youth & Teen program and Adult Writing Program.

Miguel Rivas is the co-anchor of THE BEAVERTON, Canada's newest, satiriest new satire. He is a founding member of the Canadian Comedy Award winning sketch super troupe Get Some as well as Canada's dark-comedy darlings, Tony Ho. He is also the co-creator and co-host of the long-running, Canadian Comedy Award winning show Rapp Battlez. Miguel also has a small child and is just so very, very tired all the time.

Alexander Saxton is a writer and co-creator on the TV show THE BEAVERTON.  He is a senior staff writer and editor for thebeaverton.com, and has contributed to CBC Comedy and The Canadaland Guide to Canada (Published in America).

Best known for her work in live sketch comedy, Jocelyn served as the head writer of the Canadian Comedy Award-winning sketch comedy revue Sunday Night Live with the Sketchersons for two years. She has worked on a variety of television projects, including the upcoming girls action series MYSTICONS. She also regularly performs in shows around Toronto, and was recently named by Torontoist as a local talent to watch out for.