Her parents and siblings were forced to leave the country a year later and they have since lived in Guatemala City, Guatemala. Martha eventually became a Canadian citizen and has lived here most of her life feeling uprooted, cold and confused about her identity (which, incidentally, is what makes her a true Canadian!).

She began her stand-up career in 1993 in Montreal and, considering her background and her existential angst, this was the only career in which she could thrive.

Now based between Toronto and Ottawa, Chaves is one of the top headliners at Yuk Yuk´s Komedy (www.yukyuks.com) clubs across Canada and is also a favourite at the Comedy Nest in Montreal. She has been nominated for six Canadian Comedy Awards in the category of Best Female Stand-up, and won a Soul’d Award in the same category.

Martha has appeared in numerous festivals around North America and countless humanitarian fundraising events. Her stand-up TV credits include her gala appearances in the Montréal Just for Laughs International Comedy Festival (where she has been featured not less than ten times), and her national comedy specials “COMICS!” on CBC and “Something about Martha” on CTV and The Comedy Network. She has made multiple appearances on the CBC Radio’s Madly off in All Directions, Accent on Toronto and The Debaters, and was a staff writer for The Toronto Show and Prime Tonight with Eric Tunney.

Chaves is multilingual and is one of the few comics in the world that has the rare gift of doing comedy in a second, third, and a fourth language. She has entertained audiences from every culture and background on stages all over the world, including the U.N. Peacekeeping Troops in the Middle East, Germany and Alert.

Martha has been the opening act for such Latin luminaries as Gloria Estefan at the Molson Amphitheatre in Toronto (1997) and Tito Puente at the Club Metropolis in Montreal (1996) and the award-winning poet-novelist, her compatriot Gioconda Belli, at the Teatro Nacional de Nicaragua (2005)

She has shared the stage with Brett Butler, Margaret Cho, Wendy Liebman, Chris Rock and Wanda Sykes, among others.

In her film and TV career she has worked with Oscar winners like Denzel Washington (John Q) and Whoopie Goldberg (Strong Medicine) .She also worked with Portia de Rossi (American Prince), Chris Rock and Wanda Sykes (Down to Earth), and with award winning directors like Nick Cassavetes and Jim Sheridan.

A veteran of the Toronto comedy scene, Jo-Anna who is affectionately referred to as “mama” hosts two successful weekly shows. Her interactive style, encouragement of audience participation, and her quick wit, will shock and delight everyone in the room.

Jo-Anna has been seen on CTV, CBC, The Comedy Network and The Discovery Channel. She has also been heard on various radio programs, including most recently, CBC The Debaters.

Past performances include, The Upside Down Widow, 2005 Chicago Improv Festival and Hangin with Jesus, Toronto Festival of Clowns 2007. She is one-half of the comedy prank duo, the drug and alcohol awareness task force, was part of the 2005 Toronto production of the Vagina Monologues with Shirley Douglas and Rachel McAdams and Bellweather’s 2007 production of Mambo Italiano.

Some favourite credits include: Tony n’ Tina’s Wedding (Hoarse Raven Theatre, Vancouver), Talking With… (Gastown Theatre, Vancouver), Beauty and The Beast (Globe Theatre, Regina) and the one woman show See Bob Run (Globe Theatre, Regina/25th St Theatre, Saskatoon/The Warren, London, UK).

She is a graduate of the Second City Conservatory program in Improvisation and was a cast member of Theatresports at the Bad Dog Theatre (2006). Becky started stand-up comedy in the summer of 2008 and has performed at stages in and around Toronto, including Eton House, Spirits, AltDot Comedy and at Absolute Comedy featuring headliner Steve Levine.

Shelley has made people laugh her whole life. She grew up in Houston,Texas and got her BA in theatre/communications. In Canada, Shelley has been seen on the Slice Network’s show Party Mamas. She has also been seen performing with The Oakville Players, The Hamilton Player’s Guild, and Theatre Burlington. She will soon be a graduate of Second City’s conservatory program and looks forward to making as many people laugh as possible. Laughter is what brings people together in love! So laugh and love!

After surviving life in a small village with a highly dysfunctional family Heidi turned to stand-up comedy as a form of therapy.

When not performing, Heidi enjoys swing dance, hula-hooping, and judging people.

She began doing stand-up in the summer of 2008 and has since performed in four provinces. She was recorded for XM radio and produces this and other female-centered comedy events, including a monthly stand-up room in Toronto called West End Girls.