Professional Improvisation That Will Make You Laugh, Cry and Think.

Monkey Toast is an improvisational theatre company that was founded in Toronto in 2003 by Second City Main Stage alumnus, David Shore. Over the past 21-years we’ve called 8 different venues our home, won 6 Canadian Comedy Awards, made thousands of locals laugh, impressed our corporate clients and even expanded into the UK. Our one goal has always been to put the best group of improvisers together in order to put on the best possible show.

We hope that you’ll come out and see why Now Magazine called us “…the best comedy deal in town.”

Here’s some of the shows that we currently and used to produce in Toronto:

An Evening of Improv with The Monkey Toast Players

This is a version of our original show that started it all back in 2003. Each show we bring together six of Toronto’s best and most experienced improvisers. Based off an audience suggestion, our monologist will tell a true story from his life for the cast to use as a springboard to their improvised scenes. The show then goes back and forth between monologues and improv.

We’ll be doing three pop ups of this show at Comedy Bar on Bloor on Saturdays, January 11, February 15 and March 22nd. All shows start at 7pm and tickets are $25.  Click here for tickets and more information.

The Improvised Talk Show (currently on hiatus)

This is our flagship show and it takes place monthly at the Social Capital Theatre, 154 Danforth Ave, 2nd Floor. Each show we interview two different celebrity guests. After an interview segment, our hilarious host, David Shore, throws the focus to the Monkey Toast players who then use the interview as a springboard for their improvised scenes. The show then goes back and forth between interview and improv.

You can see come clips from The Improvised Talk Show by clicking here.

The Panel Show Podcast (no longer in production but episodes are available wherever you get your podcasts)

Each month, we bring together two real journalists and two improvisers in character to talk about real world issues and topics. Featuring Andrew Coyne from The National Post & CBC’s At Issue plus a rotating roster of Toronto based journalists. Past fake guests (those portrayed by the improvisers) include; William Shatner, Mort Sahl, Bane (from Batman), Stephen Dion, Bradley Cooper’s character from A Star is Born, Kevin Pollack, and two Sean Connerys (one show, both improvisers were Sean Connery).

The Arkin and Friends (currently on hiatus)

In 2003, Second City alumnus and soon to be Academy Award winning actor, Allan Arkin, came to Toronto and ran a 3-day improv intensive. This class was both life and career changing for many of its participants, including Monkey Toast founder, David Shore. In 2016, just before moving back to Toronto from the UK, David had an idea on how to turn one of the exercises that Mr. Arkin ran during the intensive into a new improv format. Upon returning home, David began work-shopping the idea with the Monkey Toast Players and thus created, The Arkin.

Each month we welcome one of Toronto’s top stand-up comics to join us and perform an opening set (they fully make up the “friends” part of the show). Then the Monkey Toast Players come out and perform The Arkin. It all takes place at The Crow’s Theatre, 345 Carlaw Ave.

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