Fredericton United Comedy Collective introduces new format.
Fredericton United Comedy Collective kicks off a new year of laughs at Wilser’s Room on Thursday January 7 with a new format organizers hope will better accommodate the growing number of the local and regional comics interested in taking the stage.
“We’ve had a high demand for spots on shows for a while,” said local comic Trevor Muxworthy, who has been involved with FUCC events since the beginning. “We’ve had a lot of new comics join the scene in 2015 and it is not uncommon for comedians from Saint John and Moncton to travel our open mic because the crowd is that good.”
The growing number of comedians interested in performing as part of FUCC’s monthly events has made scheduling lineups a bit of a challenge for organizers. To help accommodate this increasing interest in would-be/emerging comics, a new format is being introduced – the Bucket Show – something Muxworthy hopes will better suit the event’s swelling numbers.
“The idea of the Bucket Show came from an open mic that I performed at in Toronto,” he said. “Comics show up and throw their name in the bucket, everyone goes up and everyone wins. It was super fun. It adds an element of surprise because nobody knows when they will be going up until the host draws their name. At a regular show you can prepare because you know who is going on before you. Creating the lineup is the responsibility of the host but this way it’s up to random chance. It’s going to be fun to see how the audience and comedians react.”
Using the Bucket Show format, comedians who sign up in advance will ensure they receive a five minute set. Last minute additions that show up at the bar the night of the show will each get a three minute set. Shorter sets will allow help allow FUCC events to welcome more comics without increasing the length of the show, and those who register early get a longer set.
“Wilser’s Room is one of the best rooms for comedy in the Maritimes,” said Muxworthy, “and I want to put as many comedians on stage as possible.”
FUCC hosts open mic events on the first Thursday of each month at Wilser’s Room in The Capital Complex.
Appearing this week: Trevor Muxworthy, Ryan O’Neill, Jon Forward, Brian Godsoe, Mary Green, Jake Melanson, Jason MacLeod, Maggie Estey, Mark Harnett, Shane Ogden and more. The evening will be hosted by Vince Hoben.