We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Ariel Kagan. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Ariel below.
Hi Ariel, thanks for joining us today. We’ve love to hear an interesting investment story – what was one of the best or worst investments you’ve made? (Note, these responses are only intended as entertainment and shouldn’t be construed as investment advice)
Honestly the best investment we have made as a group was our time, we are never wasting our time when we are putting it towards our comedy club. We just believed in ourselves as comedians and thought the only way to be better was to get on stage more, and that has lead to a small business with endless potential of what it could mean in our lives.
We started as a one off show, that sold out. We put on a second show. It sold out. We put on a third and you guessed it, it did ok. But we knew we were on to something. Bubbies Boys Presents was born, A Toronto based production company run by 2 friends & comedians Ariel Kagan and Brandon Sobel. This led to running 4 shows around the city, and it became apparent a home for our curated comedy shows. Christie Pits Pub gave us a home and we opened Backroom Comedy club in Feb 2022. We run 2 shows a night, 5 nights a week.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
Both of us were individually in the music industry before starting our own comedic journeys (separately) in 2012. Ariel was in South Africa while Brando was in Hamilton.
Unannounced to Ariel himself, his friends threw his name in “the bucket” at a local open mic. When called up, Ariel did well enough to be asked back for comedy night by the venue’s booker. He hasn’t stopped since.
Like all aspiring Canadian comedians, Brando used his network to book himself at the local Yuk Yuk’s. Using every stage available to prepare, Brando delivered (enough audience members) to be asked to return. The rest is history.
After running their own live-comedy productions, and working with the industry’s top professionals for nearly a decade (individually), Brandon and Ariel joined forces in the summer of 2019 establishing @bubbiesboyspresents in Toronto.
The boys hit the ground running successfully selling out two out-door productions at 420 Cannabis Court for 120+ people per event. The success of these shows had multiple venues (Freeplay, The Parkdale Hall, Snakes and Lattes, etc.) reach out and book the boys for weekly events across the G.T.A. Using this momentum (and to help with confusion) the boys decided to find permanent residency.
Backroom Comedy Club opened February 2022 at 814 Bloor W (in the downstairs of the Christie Pits Pub) in Toronto with a MONEY BACK GUARANTEE on all shows. Specializing in a “New York style” of comedy experience where audiences see more acts doing less time than at other establishments. Our focus is on community and development moonlighting the city’s next big up-and-comers, as well as spotlighting the best, brightest, and most vulnerable comedians in the country!
By creating this “comedy gym” @backroomcomedyclub has become a development ground for the present and future of Canadian comedy. Sports have minor leagues and now so does stand-up comedy!
The sixty seater stage allows comedians the chance to prepare for much larger clubs and theatres. This model has already proven successful allowing acts like club owner @brandojokes to go from semi-professional show-runner and host to most recently a theatre and comedy club headliner.
In as little as eighteen months, the boys have built a stomping ground that’s open 5 days a week. Wednesday through Sunday with two shows, 8 and 10PM. There are MIDNIGHT shows Friday and Saturday. There are different language shows EVERY Saturday at 6PM (including Turkish, Mandarin, Spanish, Hindi, and French), as well as comedy classes in the works for fall.
The boys have also taken the time to create online content featuring your favourite local comedians. Available now on whatever platform YOU use, these clips come out multiple times daily and include stand-up, sketches, snack reactions, club promos, streeters, “would you rather”s, and so much more.
So go watch, like, support, follow, and remember tell two friends to tell two friends about @backroomcomedyclub
Is there mission driving your creative journey?
There is only one way to get better at stand-up comedy; Stage time. So we built our own stage.
We are two guys from two different parts of the world with one similar (life experience and) goal; (Premature at birth, raised Jewish, both of our father’s had cocaine addictions, etc but most importantly) to be the best comedian(s) possible.
We’re not in competition with each other or anyone else, we just know that stand-up, like anything, requires practice to become permanent and there are no shortcuts. Things of value require discipline and need to be thoughtful throughout the process.
We only have two rules. One for the club and one for the business. The rule for the club is no intent. We don’t censor or restrict anyone but WILL NOT tolerate hate from either performers or audience members under any circumstances.
…and our one rule for the business; Friends first.
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
Many people don’t know this but we opened up another location before our current one. We ended up spending all of our money (that we raised over our first thirty-six months of business) for one, one-hour long show.
With many top tier comedians still booked, and tickets already pre-sold we had no options but to move forward. We had no backup plan and limited funds, and honestly we didn’t think we had the energy to continue. That’s why having two of us is so important. We traded the workload, being positive, (and the depression) back and forth until we were both back on our feet. In ten days we gained enough momentum to be where we are today. Now one and a half year later, with so many renovations and upgrades, we couldn’t be happier with our location, owners, and staff!
We are aware no one has asked for our advice, but work hard, stay positive, be consistent, keep your head down, and spend money. That’s how you win!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.backroomcomedy.com
- Instagram: @backroomcomedyclub
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/backroomcomedyclubTO
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/backroom-comedy-club
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@backroomcomedyclub
- TikTok: @backroomcomedyclub
Image Credits
@bubbiesboyspresents