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	"Helping Our Mental Health Community Help Themselves Through LAUGHTER, COMEDY & COURAGE"

2009 Comedic Mentor "BILLY MITCHELL

For the last two decades, Billy Mitchell has been entertaining audiences across Canada and around the world.

 This year he finds a new and very fulfilling role as instructor/mentor for the Comedy Courage Class of 2009.

“Making a audiences laugh is great, but when I was offered the opportunity to work with Comedy Courage, I really got excited!

This is a chance to help people make positive changes in their lives; a chance for me to use my skills for something other than just getting laughs” says Billy.

Billy will use techniques learned in acting school as well as comedy writing to fulfill the Comedy Courage mission of empowerment and awareness; breaking the stigma of what it means to have a mental health diagnosis and/or issues.

“For me, performing comedy has been a cathartic experience. Being able to laugh at my own mental health issues is very empowering. I will share that with all the 2009 students, as well as the audience."

Background On Billy

Billy was not always sure that he wanted to be a comedian. “I’d been a fan of stand-up since I was seven years old. In my late teens I started hanging around Punchlines and even did a little writing, but I didn’t get on stage.”

It would be almost ten years before the urge to perform got the best of him. In the meantime, he had embarked on an acting career; attending the Breck Academy for two years, then landing his first professional stage role in Accommodations. 

“I tried stand-up on a dare. I got a few laughs and found it very addictive. It’s immediate feedback. But, I really didn’t have an ‘act’ so I studied Comedy Writing at Langara College.”

Under Mark Dennison’s tutelage, Billy learned the art and structure of writing jokes. He took improvisation classes at Vancouver Theatresports and applied his acting skills to stand-up.

“I remember the first time I got paid for doing a set. Twenty-five dollars! I wanted to frame the cheque, but instead I think I squandered it on groceries.”

The next few years, Billy built his repertoire and refined his act touring Western Canada. He is a regular at Lafflines Comedy Club and has performed in every major comedy club across Canada and around the world.

In 1998 he traveled to Miami and Boston to host the “X-Files Expo”, performed at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival with Craig Campbell and Stewart Francis and was nominated for a “Best Actor Jessie Award” for his portrayal of John Barrymore in a Vancouver production of “I Hate Hamlet”.

Since then, he has focused on honing his clean comedy act for corporate audiences, fundraisers and service clubs.

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