HONORA BAY—Retired teacher Charles Adam embarked on a new career as a standup comic following his career at Manitoulin Secondary School. Even a diagnosis of Parkinson’s Disease did not sway him from his new vocation, he just incorporated it into his act. Mr. Adam has since climbed the laughter ladder to some pretty impressive heights since his onstage debut at Sudbury’s Crown of Comedy in 2015—including being invited to a recent onstage stint at the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research fundraiser held at Jokers Theatre and Comedy Club in Richmond Hill.
Mr. Adam has also appeared at Yuk Yuks NTS in Ottawa and the Thunder Bay Comedy Festival. He went on to win the ‘Drop the Mic’ competition at the Timmins Comedy Festival. Perhaps the most poignant of his gigs was being invited recently to perform at the Michael J. Fox Parkinson’s Foundation fundraiser at Jokers Theatre and Comedy Club in Richmond Hill.
A note from Marc Price, comedian liaison for the Parkinson’s fundraiser speaks volumes about his performance at that particular venue. “Dear Charlie, I hope this letter finds you in good health and high spirits. I wanted to take a moment to express my deepest gratitude for your incredible performance at our show in Richmond Hill. Your talent as a comedian is truly remarkable and it was an absolute pleasure to have you join us. But beyond your undeniable comedic skills, I wanted to acknowledge your strength and resilience. Your journey with Parkinson’s is an inspiration to us all. Your ability to persevere and continue doing what you love is truly commendable. Thank you, Charlie, for sharing your talent with us and for reminding us that laughter knows no boundaries.”
“It was an amazing experience,” said Mr. Adam of the experience of taking part in the show.
Along his comedy journey, the budding laughter mechanic has made many connections in the industry—and Island comedy fans will be all the better for it come the end of May as Mr. Adam is producing a show on Manitoulin.
No stranger to Manitoulin stages, Mr. Adam has, in fact, performed at a number of venues on the Island, but if you missed those you will have another opportunity come May 31 at The Anchor Inn as he will be performing along with three of his comedic colleagues: Dan Allaire, Lewis Hill and Clint Gibbons.
Dan Allaire has made the rounds in clubs and venues in Ontario, Quebec and Nova Scotia over the past eight years, including headlining Yuk Yuk’s in Ottawa–performing at their clubs in Toronto, Oshawa, Niagara Falls and Halifax as well as various ‘On Tour’ shows. Mr. Allaire recently showcased for the ‘Just For Laughs’ festival and entertained at HumourFest in Quebec City as well as the Portland Maine Comedy Festival.
Lewis Hill comes with an “energetic and interactive style,” bringing “the party to every show!” His humour is both self-deprecating and quite deprecating, but he does it “with a big smile on his face.” Mr. Hill has also been known to pull out the guitar and play a few hilarious tunes.
Clint Gibbons has been honing his craft as a stand-up comic for over a decade. A Northern lad originally from Sudbury, Mr. Hill took his talents to the National Capital region in 2017. Since then, he has been a fixture on the local scene. Whether he’s on stage at Yuk Yuk’s or on tour with Triple Jack Comedy, Mr. Hill has delighted crowds with “his ability to poke fun at himself and the absurdity that surrounds him,” pulling his humour from his daily life as a comic, father, husband, IT professional and hater of pickles. In 2022, Clint returned to Sudbury to record his debut album ‘There Were Hundreds, Maybe Thousands’ (available on all streaming platforms). He is also the cohost of the acclaimed podcast ‘Get Us To The Show.’
