Popular Jamaican comedian Dale Elliott Jr. kicks off world tour at Algonquin Commons Theatre
Jamaican-born actor and comedian Dale Elliott Jr. says the crowds here are so receptive, he specifically chose Ottawa for the first stop of his international Son of an Immigrant tour.
“At the start of my last tour No Hard Feelings, I did it in Ottawa,” said Elliott during an interview with the Algonquin Times. “It turned out so well, I told myself I’d start here.”
The May 16 show at the Algonquin Commons Theatre had the crowd in a frenzy as Elliott cartwheeled onto the stage before landing a backflip. People were excited and joyful, enjoying an evening filled with tears and laughter.
“It was my first comedy show ever, and I was not disappointed. Dale seems very genuine and told stories that we could all relate to as Caribbean kids,” said Triston Douglas.
Tifanni Kenny, the theatre bookings coordinator, explained how organizers were able to bring the entertainer back to Canada.
“I actually saw Dale perform at Yuk Yuk’s in the west end last February. I asked how to connect with his manager about future bookings and mentioned the Commons Theatre. Once I had the right contact, I kept an eye out for his next tour, and here we are,” said Kenny.
“It was a real full-circle moment and a proud one for me. I’ve been a fan of his for a long time, so having him come to our theatre was definitely a personal and professional highlight.”
Elliott began his career in comedy through social media. Growing up, he would share videos of himself mocking his grandmother online. Many people, he said, felt they could relate to his stories and they loved the content.
“I’ve always loved figuring out how to make people laugh, since I was a child to now,” said Elliott. “ I also need you to feel my pain. I need you to understand me. I need to bring you on the journey with me.”
Elliott doesn’t just make people laugh. He starred in the award-winning Netflix movie Sprinter where he played a Jamaican teen burdened by an unstable father and an unruly older brother, trying to conquer circumstances by focusing on track and field. He’s also dabbled in music, and his single Lover Boy is available on all streaming platforms.
Elliott’s determination to succeed helps him keep focus.
“Perseverance and never stopping. I believe in creating my own opportunities,” said Elliott.
Elliott, who is now based in Los Angeles, has a platform called ElliMedia that runs his creative projects in podcasting and producing.
”I have an LLC and my touring company, so I was like, look, I’m gonna start my own podcast. I lease a studio, and I bought a bunch of equipment to be able to shoot my own specials,” said Elliott.
Elliott’s team releases a new podcast episode every Monday and Thursday on his YouTube channel, Dale Elliott TV, which has 126,000 subscribers.
If you missed the show at Algonquin College, don’t be bummed. Elliott returns to Canada for more appearances this year in Halifax, Vancouver, Winnipeg, Edmonton, Calgary, Montreal and Toronto between September and November.
Tickets for his upcoming shows are available on Ticketmaster.
