Tag Archives: Pat Thornton

Industry News

CTV Comedy Channel orders original comedy series, Acting Good

From a media release:

As announced today from Content Canada’s Digital Summit, CTV Comedy Channel has ordered the all-new original scripted comedy, ACTING GOOD, loosely based on the life of stand up comedian Paul Rabliauskas (THE STAND UP SHOW WITH JON DORE). Produced by Kistikan Pictures Inc., the series was co-created by Rabliauskas, who is also set to star in the series, Amber-Sekowan Daniels (DIGGSTOWN), Eric Toth (STILL STANDING), and Pat Thornton (FILTH CITY). The hilarious 10-part, half-hour comedy follows self-conscious and gullible Paul (Rabliauskas), who falls flat on his face in the big city and tries to slip back into life on his fly-in rez as if nothing happened. But his eccentric family is having none of it. ACTING GOOD is set to shoot on location in Manitoba early next year, with production and additional casting details to be announced in the coming months.

ACTING GOOD is set in the fictional fly-in reserve of Grouse Lake First Nation in Northern Manitoba, a community that lives by its own set of rules. The series is inspired by Paul Rabliauskas’ own isolated reserve of Poplar River First Nation, and the family and friends that inhabit the community. Pat Thornton, Amber-Sekowan Daniels, and Eric Toth are co-writers for the series along with Rabliauskas.

This all-new comedy series joins Bell Media’s robust 2021/22 development and production slate that includes drama series SULLIVAN’S CROSSING and LITTLE BIRD, as well as scripted comedy series DU ME A FAVOR and LETTERKENNY spinoff series, SHORSEY.

ACTING GOOD is produced by CTV Comedy, in association with Kistikan Pictures Inc. Producers are Tina Keeper (Kistikan Pictures) and Jennifer Beasley (Buffalo Gal Pictures) with Phyllis Laing (Buffalo Gal Pictures) as Executive Producer. Amber-Sekowan Daniels, Pat Thornton, and Eric Toth serve as co-showrunners.

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Featured, Sunnyside

Smart and silly Sunnyside returns to City

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Sunnyside is back, and Sundays on City will never be the same. Sandwiched between American fare Bob’s Burgers and Brooklyn Nine-Nine, the ribald sketch comedy series co-created by Gary Pearson and Dan Redican returns for smart and silly second half of Season 1.

Back for more hijinks are established characters like the trio of Meth Denise, Meth Kimmie and Meth Georgette, Shaytan the demonic barista, Molly the virgin and put-upon husband Graham alongside new creations like the Punching Priest (Rob Norman, who drills those who use the Lord’s name in vain and their cell phones in church with a boxing glove) and Dixon (played by Pat Thornton), who is tasked with buying tampons for his wife. It’s a job given many men, but there’s a twist to it in that strange place called Sunnyside: a war has broken out on the streets and Dixon dodges bullets on his way to the store.

Sunnyside_cast

“There is a war going on and nobody knows why,” Kathleen Phillips says with a laugh. The writer, actor and comedian who portrays memorable ladies like Denise, Molly and Carla, explains the bigger picture storylines for the remaining seven episodes include a volcano eruption, the Second Coming of Christ and the Rapture. Originally ordered for six episodes, Rogers greenlit an additional seven instalments, meaning Phillips, Thornton, Norman, Redican, Pearson and fellow cast Alice Moran, Kevin Vidal and Patrice Goodman headed back to Winnipeg. As Phillips explains, that meant returning to a familiar setting with established characters they could complement with new ones and plunge everyone into more outlandish scenarios.

“There’s never really a time when we say, ‘That’s too crazy,'” Phillips interjects. “If anything, we say, ‘That’s not big or weird enough.'” And while the cast may suss out who the characters are in the writers’ room, Phillips divulges the series’ hair, makeup and wardrobe team play an integral part in helping shape Sunnyside’s citizens.

“It informs everything,” she says. “Sometimes you see the script and you don’t know who the character is because you haven’t had time to sit down and figure out the nuances until you have the costume and the wig on and you’re walking to set. And then you have it.” Aside from Sunnyside, Phillips can be seen reprising her role of librarian Miss Terdie in Season 5 of Mr. D when it returns to CBC in January, and most Thursdays at Comedy Bar where she appears in the Laugh Sabbath comedy collective. Also on tap? She’s working on Filth City, a feature film from LaRue Entertainment headed to Super Channel in 2016, filming her own short film and appearances slated for the Guelph Comedy Festival on Oct. 3 and the Cream of Comedy’s 20th Anniversary show on Oct. 22.

Sunnyside airs Sundays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on City.Facebooktwitterredditlinkedinmail