Sometimes it seems like there's not many comedy auditions out there, so when this project came along I was excited that it was in sketch comedy format. Each episode was only a few minutes in length and each actor had the opportunity to play several different characters, which is always good for an actor's demo reel.

When the cast met at the first read through, we all clicked immediately and rehearsals became a collaborative and trial by error type of process.  The director was very open to our suggestions and let us add our own comedy flare.  This show aired on OMNI Television and has since been broken into short, educational scenes that still play periodically before and after regular programming.  A special thanks to the producer Lorne Gross for making this experience a memorable one.  You can check out more of his work at www.showflicks.com.  I have also written a few articles for the website, which you can find in the comedy section.

Synopsis

"WORD ON THE STREET" is a fresh, hip and entertaining show that teaches English idioms and expressions. Awarded the OMNI Documentary and Drama fund, the show will air on OMNI nationally in prime time in 2009.

This show conveys the use of English idioms with humor, a modern style and a particularly Canadian outlook on multiculturalism. Set in Toronto's Kensington Market, the program features a cast of characters with Kensington's special outlook on life and unique diversity.

The program is composed of a group of short comedy sketches segments, each with a particular English idiom as its theme in actual use.  The sketches are introduced and brought together by the programs hosts, in Mandarin Chinese.   The sketches themselves, portraying English idioms will be in English with Chinese subtitles.

At the same time, the program's appeal is a universal one.  Millions in Canada, North America and around the globe are working hard to learn and use English.  But rarely do they learn the idiomatic expressions heard so often in the media, at work and in everyday life.  When they do learn English, its almost always through painfully boring textbooks.

Here comes WORD ON THE STREET –a fun, hilarious and engaging way to learn English expressions and the key to communication and our flourishing diversity.

Cast

Shantelle Canzanese

Sarena Parmar

Vivian Cheung

Geoff Hendry

Mitch Risman

Phil Calautit

Lorne Gross

Behind the Scenes Photos