TORONTO, Ontario — (CANADIAN CHRISTIAN NEWS SERVICE) — Bob and Jane Cates of Cambridge, Ontario have been named Best Variety Act in Canada by the top comedy organization in the country. The Canadian Comedy Awards, which presents awards in many categories including, Best Stand up Comedian, Best Improviser, and Best Television Performance awarded the “Comedy in Motion” show top honours for their clean, funny and mind blowing variety show.
The husband and wife duo perform their show at corporate dinners, banquets and gala special events, as well as headline on cruise ships. In addition, as Christians, they perform many shows at churches, ministries, and family events. If the event is an outreach Bob often speaks after the show, sharing the Gospel.
As a former Canadian Juggling Champion, Bob doesn’t just tickle the audience’s funny bone as he jokes all the way through the show. He makes sure they see some seriously amazing tricks as well. Their show includes advanced juggling, wild unicycling and balancing skills, black light laser effects, Chinese Yo Yo routines, illusion and an insane 24 plate spinning finale (using real breakable plates) that you will remember for a long long time. They are one of the few acts left in North America performing authentic plate spinning – their signature piece. The Comedy in Motion show is like a cross between Jerry Seinfeld and Cirque du Soliel, and involves a great deal of physical skill which has taken years to hone. Overall, the show is very fast paced, highly interactive and uses situational comedy and advanced skills to keep audience members of all ages on the edge of their seats right to the very end.
In 2016, Bob was awarded National Entertainer of the Year at the Canadian Event Industry Awards after four previous nominations. The Canadian Event Industry Awards are widely acknowledged as the pinnacle mark of professional achievement, and the highest honour a Canadian event professional can earn. This recognition has pushed their corporate bookings to an all time high with shows at banquets, galas and conventions with audience sizes ranging from 250 to 1000 people. Bob was also twice named “Best Entertainer of the Year” at the Molson Canadian F.E.O. Awards. He won the Most Difficult Trick Award at the RIT New York Juggling Festival and has been a special guest performer at the Israeli Juggling Convention and several National Youth Conventions in the Canada and the United States.
The Cates homeschool their 8-year old son and bring him to most gigs and consider him a “Jr. Roadie.” “While there are challenges,” Jane says, “Being able to travel and perform as a family has allowed us to experience some great places together. In the last few years we’ve been able to see South Korea, Bermuda, Panama, Hawaii, and even Saskatchewan in the winter! Dare to Dream.”
While many of their shows are for private events, you can catch them June 16 in Cambridge at Take a Ride for MacKids event, http://www.takearide.ca/index.phphosted by Reids Heritage Homes in support of McMaster Children’s Hospital and the Caring for Little Kidneys campaign.
They will also be performing for the City of Grande Prairie Alberta’s Canada Day events, as well as every Tuesday night in Muskoka this summer at Bayview Wildwood Resort