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C6 - The Oakville Beaver, Wednesday December 1, 2004 Oakville's Funny Lady Katie Crown wins award for making people laugh By Craig MacBride OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF Last week Katie Crown won the T im S im '; hn.M inuui-m .M il Fund Award, given out annually to the most promising up-andcoming comedian in Toronto, yet she still seems to have a hard time admitting she's funny. The facts are clear, though. Not only did Crown, who grew up in Oakville, win the award, she was the only person to ever be nominated twice in the same year. As well as for her individual act. she was nominated alongside her partners in the comedy troupe If micfc--Knork TW -hr^-Thwe) Comedy* "I have friends who won it. but you think, i 'm not in that league.'" she said, sitting in the Pic-A-Deli in Oakville Sunday night during a White Oak Folk Club show, where she was watch ing a friend perform. "You feel so weird and small, but it's great." Feeling small likely isn't strange for Crown. She is tiny, and it's difficult by looking at her to imagine her commanding a stage, and an audience, as well as she had to in order to beat out her competition. By speaking to her, though, you get a glimpse of some of the ingredients necessary for the cre ation of that sublime skill. She has a lot of energy, and you half expect that she has a real problem staying still too long, that it's something she's had to train herself to do, and that she's just waiting for a reason to explode out of her chair. She's also quite striking, with one of those very comforting, expressive faces and eyes like satellite dishes. Mix those things together and it's not difficult to see how Crown, despite her height, could have a huge and endearing onstage personality. It's her modesty that is most Ashlea Wessel · Special to the Oakville Beaver Practicing on the steel d ru m s are (left to right) W endell Jo h n . A nisha M oham m ed. Danielle Pitt and M adison O sborne. Rhythms of the Caribbean concert Dec. 12 (C o n tin u e d from page C 5) attend the classes. Both mother and son love the classes, but what Susan finds most rewarding is the education. "It's a good way of learning another culture." said Susan who is planning a Christmas get-away with the family to Puerto Rico, St. Thomas and Bahamas. "It would be nice if Will could play with the steel drum band on the cruise." Class instructor Albert John has been making and playing steel drums for 20 years. Invented in Trinidad and Tobago, John said the process of making a drum lasts a week. Each drum has to be skillfully cut and hammered and depending on the drum, there are 14 to 28 notes which have to be carefully indented into the metal. Once these notes are hit using a small wooden "mallet" with a rub ber end. it creates the distinctive notes that make many people think of tropical destinations. "People think of their holidays when they hear steel pan music. People are fascinated by the sounds steel pans produce. It's a happy tune. You can't be feeling down when you hear it," said Tyrrell. The Rhythms of the Caribbean concert will be held Dec. 12 at 1:30 p.m. at the River Oaks Recreation Centre. Tickets cost $10 and can be purchased by calling Veronica at 905-257-0581 or Pamela Chase at 905-827-4673. Christian Youth Choir concert Dec. 18 The Oakville Christian Youth Choir is putting on a free Christmas concert on Saturday. Dec. 18 at 7:30 p.m. Come! Let Us Worship the King is a concert and carol sing that will be held at Knox Presbyterian Church Sixteen. 1150 Dundas St. W. Admission is one wrapped toy for the Kerr Street Mission (mark child's age and gender for toy). The Oakville Christian Youth Choir is a nondenominational. community choir that is com m it ted to community service. For further information, call the choir manag er at 905-339-3363. Tim Sims Encouragem ent Fund aw ard-w inner Katie C ro w n ; Adam Brodie, Dave* surprising, though. She was so sure someone else Derewlany. Aaron Eves ancC was going to win the Fund that Crown have spent time since* she didn't prepare for it. even making a name for themselves itt! though all the nominees were the Toronto comedy community. " Making a name isn't e a s£ instructed to do so. "I really, honestly didn't think work, though, and it's why, afteC I'd win," she said, recalling her graduating earlier this year* acceptance speech. "It was a lot of Crown decided to put all her time'* me saying, `oh. man,' and talking and energy into comedy, a risky; about how my knees were knock venture defined by low pay andj hard work. ing together." it She currently lives in Toronto; To hear that acceptance speech, and to see the five nomi with fellow comedian Becky nees perform, watch The Comedy Johnson, who is half of the duo Network Cream of Comedy JM»-Guhra. a sketch/improv team that was also nominated for the showcase on Jan. I at 10 p.m. Crown, a T.A. Blakelock Fund. Crown moved in with Johnson Secondary School graduate, recently finished her degree at in May. and she's still living out of Ryerson University, in Radio and a bag so she can be at the epicen ter of Canadian comedy. Television Arts. It seems to be paying off. and It was while at Ryerson that she began performing in an annu winning the Fund, which includes al show, and it was after one of the opportunity to make a short those shows that she met the film film for The Comedy Network, is students, who would become her an exceptional and hard-earned partners in the comedy troupe break for the 23-year-old charac Knock Knock (Who's There) ter-based comedian, one that is Comedy! worth the sacrifice. Lucia · Hammer · Modea · Tru · Gollehaug · Geiger . Lucia · Nipon · Gerry Weber Hucke j ^ · 27th Anniversaty Sale I booties byR O B eez* Recommended Protective Secure Q | Wednesday to Sunday, December 1-5 r i ~T~ * Skid-resistant Safe C o m fo rta b le Entire Stock* excluding new spring arrivals I Q <q O A K V IL L E . Upscale Ladies (dear Reynolds St. at Lakeshore Rd. 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