Sandra Shamas
Sandra Shamas is a Canadian comedian, writer, director, and producer who trained and performed with The Second City and Theatresports in Toronto before establishing a career as a solo theatrical performer. She is best known for her autobiographical solo shows, beginning with her 1987 Edmonton Fringe Festival debut "My Boyfriend's Back and There's Gonna Be Laundry," which toured nationally and later played the Old Vic Theatre in London. She won a Gemini Award in 1991 for Best Performance in Comedy and received nominations for both the Governor General's Award and the Stephen Leacock Award for her Laundry trilogy.
Recommended Reading
Books are ordered from the strongest direct connection outward to broader relevance.
The Second City Almanac of Improvisation
Anne Libera
The Second City Unscripted
Revolution and Revelation at the World-Famous Comedy Theater
Mike Thomas
Impro
Improvisation and the Theatre
Keith Johnstone
Funny on Purpose
The Definitive Guide to an Unpredictable Career in Comedy
Joe Randazzo
The Young Actor's Book of Improvisation
Dramatic Situations
Sandra Caruso; Susan Kosoff
Teaching Improv
The Essential Handbook
Mel Paradis
How to Reference This Page
The Improv Archive. (2026). Sandra Shamas. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://improvarchive.org/people/sandra-shamas
The Improv Archive. "Sandra Shamas." The Improv Archive, 2026. https://improvarchive.org/people/sandra-shamas.
The Improv Archive. "Sandra Shamas." The Improv Archive, 2026, https://improvarchive.org/people/sandra-shamas. Accessed November 6, 2026.
The Improv Archive is a systemically maintained repository. The archive itself acts as the corporate author.