The past week of Saskatoon comic Mitchell Doran’s life has been something out of a movie. He recently arrived home from the Montreal Just for Laughs Festival, where he was featured as one of the ‘New Faces of Comedy’ alongside several other up-and-coming comics. “I was happy to go out there and represent Saskatchewan and step out on that stage and really show people we have a strong scene here,” he explained. “We have strong comedic voices. And I think I showed I belong there.” After a recorded audition tape and showcase alongside other comics at Saskatoon’s Art Bar, Doran received the big call at the end of June. “I got a phone call from Just For Laughs while I was working at [Jim Pattison] Children’s Hospital. So I had to sneak away to a supply closet and take the phone call. And I wrote everything down on the side of a cardboard box. And then I ripped the cardboard box in half and shoved it in my scrubs.” Doran says while his makeshift notes were crafty, he did have to follow up with organizers to confirm the details that didn’t make it onto the cardboard box. “I had to send an email right away being like, so is that a fever dream?” After confirming the phone call was in fact not a fever dream, Doran had to continue on with his life and job as a NICU nurse without sharing the big news. “It was strange to have this what felt like monumental news and then just have to keep it secret and hidden, which as a comedian, I’m an over-sharer. So that was even tougher.” The Saskatoon-born comic says stand up comedy wasn’t a skill he initially intended to pursue. It began as a hobby the NICU nurse took up at the suggestion of his friends. “I loved comedy for so long as a fan, but I never thought of it as an option or an opportunity. People would tell me ‘you should do standup comedy’, and then eventually I just went to an open mic here in Saskatoon and got the bug, kept going and going, had some really gracious people that were able to put me on their show.” Download the CTV News app to get breaking news alerts sent to your device Doran recently went on tour with Saskatchewan’s Kelly Taylor, who has been featured by Just for Laughs on several occasions. Doran says the support and mentorship of other comics in the province has been instrumental to the success he’s seeing now. One of those comics, Dakota Ray Hebert, has completed the ‘Just for Laughs hat trick,’ performing in Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver. Hebert says while she was excited to hear about Doran’s opportunity, she wasn’t surprised. “I knew it was just a matter of time when I first saw him. I just was blown away by what he was doing,” Hebert said. Upon learning about Doran’s invitation to the comedy festival, Hebert shared she was happy to see her friend receive recognition for his talents. “I was like, freaking out....that’s what New Faces is for...it feels a little bit like Willy Wonka’s golden ticket. You know, you’re just like, oh my God, we’re Charlie and we got picked here in Saskatchewan.” Hebert says there are pros and cons to being a comedian in Saskatchewan. While the opportunities might be less abundant than in larger centres, the province does help comics improve their skills. “We get a lot more stage time here. So you’re able to work your material faster and get it sharper. There’s a lot more opportunity to go to smaller communities where they’re starved for entertainment, to actually put on shows, to get audience members to figure out if you’re actually funny or not.” Both comics emphasised there’s plenty of talent to be found in Saskatchewan’s comedy scene, but there’s a need for more places like Art Bar, which feature that talent. “Places like this are important because it gives a chance for the community to grow, to become established and to take chances, learn, just try stuff, and then also be an affordable venue for comics to rent when they’re ready to just give it a try and headline if they want to be doing the independent route,” Hebert said. Hebert hopes Saskatchewan might host a comedy festival in the near future. As for Doran, he’s excited to perform more stand up shows in the coming months. “This is new waters now. I’ve always had to kind of push to get any type of booking or show, and now I have people that are wanting to put me up. So that’s a whole different experience for me.” Doran says while comedy has a special place in his heart, his day job serves as an important grounding point. “I also work as a nurse, so I’ve never taken myself too seriously because I’ll go do a show, and the next day I’m working with people that are saving lives and doing really important work. So it’s always helped me to keep comedy in perspective and be able to bring some fun and joy to the stage and remind myself not to take myself too seriously.” Doran says he’s excited for what comedy may bring in his future - and has even hired a manager to help guide his career.
