One Line Premise

One Line Premise with Kevin McDonald

Class Description


Join Kevin McDonald of the Kids in the Hall for a one day workshop on sketch comedy! In this three hour workshop you will write, brainstorm and talk about sketch comedy with Kevin! At the end of this class you'll learn how to take a simple premise and develop a fully outlined sketch.There is no prerequisite for this workshop, but you must come with a simple premise idea. Kevin's example: "What if a guy was $10 short of being a millionaire." We'll explore everyone's ideas (for about 10 minutes each) and discuss how to develop them into sketches. At the end of the class, Kevin will pick one premise and together the class will outline the entire sketch!

Instructor: Kevin McDonald

Comedian, actor, writer and director Kevin McDonald founded "The Kids in the Hall" with friend Dave Foley, after they met in Toronto at Second City, and the television series ran from 1988-1995. In the troupe's television series and stage shows, he portrays several popular recurring characters, such as the King of Empty Promises, Sir Simon Milligan, and Jerry Sizzler. McDonald went on to appear in a variety of films including Boy Meets Girl, Lilo & Stitch, Lilo & Stitch: The Series, and Epic Movie. On television, he has appeared on The Martin Short Show, Ellen, That '70s Show, Seinfeld, Friends, NewsRadio, MADtv, Arrested Development, and Corner Gas. McDonald has also done voice work for various animated series, including Nickelodeon's Invader Zim, The Angry Beavers, Catscratch, and Clerks: The Animated Series. He also played an imaginary friend named Ivan in the episode Sight For Sore Eyes on Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends, appeared in the music video for "Roses" by Outkast, and made an appearance in Tim and Eric's Awesome Show.

In 2006 McDonald hosted a CBC Television special, featuring several of Canada's best-known sketch comedy troupes. "Sketch with Kevin McDonald" won a Canadian Comedy Award (Best Taped Live Performance - The Minnesota Wrecking Crew). He was recently at the Just for Laughs Festival with the reunion of Kids in the Hall, and also with his show "Hammy and the Kids" with Craig Northey, based on his two dysfunctional families, his father ("Hammy") and the Kids in the Hall, as well as "Death Comes to Town" on CBC.

Full Session Schedule


Session Schedule*

  1. Aug 27, 2023, 12:00pm - 3:00pm
    at Magnet Theater
    (254 W. 29th Street)
This class does not have a show/performance