Marla Lukofsky is a pioneering stand-up comedian in Canada, renowned for her signature piece 'The Wizard of Oz' in 3 minutes, which she performs with remarkable accuracy and speed.
At the age of 16, Marla began her career in cabarets and nightclubs, initially as a funny folksinger and eventually focusing on stand-up comedy, becoming one of Canada's most popular headlining comedians in the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s.
The Toronto Star described Marla as "A captivating storyteller with lightning-quick comic timing," while The Globe and Mail referred to her as "A suave, stylish comedian." Eye Magazine dubbed her "The Mini Mistress of Mirth."
Over the past 40 years, Marla has performed her stand-up routine in major cities across Canada, the United States, England, and Scotland, and was the first female comic to headline at Yuk Yuk's in Bermuda.
Marla has also represented Canada at the International Comedy Festival and Mayfest Festival in the UK, and was a headliner at the Molson Canadian Comedy Relief Festival in 1990.
As an actor, Marla has starred in films such as 'Honeymoon', 'Young Again', and 'Zero Patience', as well as numerous TV shows like 'The Twilight Zone', 'Seeing Things', 'T&T', and 'Doc'.
In addition to her stand-up comedy and acting career, Marla has also worked as a writer and columnist, appearing on shows like CBC's 'Midday' with Valerie Pringle and Keith Morrison, CBC radio's 'Basic Black' with Arthur Black, 'The Vicki Gabereau Show', and 'Fresh Air'.
Marla has shared the stage with notable comedians like Jim Carrey, Howie Mandel, Kenny Robinson, and Sherri Shepherd, and was a proud member of Second City for a brief period.
Marla's voice can be heard on various cartoon series, including 'Pecola', 'Fugget About It', 'Rupert', 'Alf Tales', and 'The Care Bears' as Good Luck Bear and Playful Heart Monkey.
As a powerful keynote speaker, writer, and cancer survivor, Marla's one-person show "I'm Still Here...and so is my Hair!", about her breast cancer journey, received rave reviews across North America.
Marla has also published articles and essays in various medical journals, including 'Cell2Soul', 'International Journal User-Driven Healthcare', 'Online Journal of Community and Person-Centered Dermatology', and 'Health Story Collaborative'.
Ms. Lukofsky has two TEDx Talks to her credit, one in Toronto and the other in India, and has an active YouTube and TikTok page, continuing to make people laugh wherever she goes.
In 2015, Marla turned her attention to singing Jazz, combining her unique sense of humor with her smooth jazz styling, and appeared at the TD Toronto Jazz Festival to a sold-out crowd in 2016.
