Even before the future of Just for Laughs Group (JPR) is sealed, ComediHa!, which covets the comedy giant, is ahead of its rivals and finalizes the organization of a summer comedy festival in Montreal, has learned The Press.
The Quebec-based company must announce its colors this Wednesday, according to sources close to the matter, but who are not authorized to speak publicly.
It was not possible to obtain the names of the headliners of the event on which ComediHa! is banking. However, the entertainment specialist is planning around twenty indoor shows at Place des Arts, as well as around ten free outdoor events at Place des Festivals. The shows presented do not result from the canceled Just for Laughs programming, we were told.
At the time of writing, it was not possible to contact the president and CEO of ComediHa!, Sylvain Parent-Bédard.
The financial package of the operation, which should oscillate around 11 million, has not yet been finalized, but The Press learned that the Quebec Ministry of Culture and Communications is in discussions with other institutional partners to financially support the ComediHa! initiative.
An announcement should be made later, in the coming days.
In 2023, JPR had obtained around 3.3 million in government subsidies for the organization of its high mass of humor – its last before placing itself under the protection of the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act (LACC). At the time of its debacle, JPR announced the cancellation of its festival and expressed the hope of relaunching it in 2025.
PHOTO EDOUARD PLANTE-FRÉCHETTE, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES
Sylvain Parent-Bédard, founding president of the company ComediHa!, based in Quebec
According to our sources, ComediHa! will go ahead with its comedy festival regardless of the decision of the PwC controller. Could his initiative be seen as a maneuver to tip the scales in the sales process? Questioned on this subject, the office of Minister Mathieu Lacombe did not wish to comment on the ComediHa! proposal. in the context of the sale of Groupe JPR.
Just before the end
The announcement of ComediHa!, which celebrates its 25th anniversary this year, comes just two days before the deadline for submitting final offers as part of the JPR sale process, sheltered from its creditors since March 5 last.
Initially scheduled for last Monday, the deadline was pushed back to Friday. Everything indicates that the winner should be identified by the controller PwC next week.
1er last May, The Press revealed that a tandem formed by Cirque du Soleil and KOTV, ComediHa! as well as Groupe Entourage are the Quebec options on the table to acquire JPR. Two other contenders from outside Quebec are also in the running.
Read “Three Quebec options for Just for Laughs”
A sign that JPR wanted to avoid falling into oblivion with the Legault government, its executive president and chief financial officer, Alain Boucher, had recently questioned the Minister of Culture and Communications, Mathieu Lacombe.
A relaunch of upcoming activities is very possible, without forgetting that it could be possible to hold a [festival d’humour] this summer, but above all to restart full operations in order to come back very strong in 2025.
Alain Boucher, executive president and chief financial officer of JPR, on April 29 in a letter obtained by The Press
The missive reminds the Legault government of the importance of its “support” for the “relaunch of the largest humor festival in the world”.
ComediHa! – which has counted Quebecor as a minority shareholder since 2018 – has already resumed production of the musical Waitress, initially produced by JPR, in the wake of the group’s financial difficulties. In Quebec, the company already produces a comedy festival, ComediHa! Fest-Quebec.
Mr. Parent-Bédard’s group planned this comedy festival during the dates left vacant by Just for Laughs (JPR), which has been entertaining the metropolis for several years during the last two weeks of July. According to our information, the festival concocted by ComediHa! will take place from July 18 to 28.
Tourisme Montréal has always relied on a continuous flow of festivals during the summer period. In the continuum of major festivals, Just for Laughs takes place after the Francos (June 14 to 22), the Montreal International Jazz Festival (June 27 to July 6) and Montréal Complètement cirque (July 4 to 14). It overlaps with the Nuits d’Afrique festival (July 9 to 21) and precedes the August festivals such as Fierté Montréal, Osheaga, ÎleSoniq and LASSO.
The story so far
March 2018: ICM Partners – now owned by Creative Artists Agency – buys JPR.
May 2018: Bell (26%) and Groupe CH (25%) become shareholders.
March 5, 2024: JPR protects itself from its creditors and cuts 70% of its workforce, or 75 positions. The Just for Laughs/Just for Laughs festival is canceled.
May 10, 2024: Submission of final offers as part of the JPR sales process