The Civic Theatre and Melbourne International Comedy Festival are on the hunt to find Wagga Wagga’s funniest teens

For the third consecutive year, Wagga Wagga City Council’s Civic Theatre has partnered with the Melbourne International Comedy Festival to present Class Clowns.

This one-of-a-kind, national secondary school comedy competition is open to people aged 14-18 (years 9-12).

Each year hundreds of teens participate in Class Clowns across the country – discovering and refining skills in writing and performing comedy. The competition takes it outside of the classroom or lounge room to a wider audience, encouraging teens with talent to unleash their comic voice.

Past participants have gone on to be funny as a career, with alumni including Joel Creasey, Josh Thomas, Tom Ballard and Neel Kolhatkar.

The Civic Theatre has organised for local comedian Dane Simpson to hold a free workshop on Wednesday 27 February at 4pm. Dane will work with participants on their ideas and pass on his tips and tricks for a side-splitting performance.

On Friday 15 March, participants with participate in another workshop with a professional comedian provided by the Melbourne International Comedy Festival to put the finishing touches on their act. Once everything is fine-tuned, the final performance will take place in front of friends and family in the upstairs foyer at the Civic Theatre.

The winner will progress through the heats to go on to a State Final, where they’ll be in the running to secure a place at the National Grand Final. Finalists are then flown to Melbourne to perform for a chance to win a $2500 prize package at the National Grand Final during the Melbourne International Comedy Festival.

Visit the Civic Theatre website for more information.

MEDIA OPPORTUNITY

What: Launch of Wagga Wagga heats for the Class Clowns competition
Who: Local comedian Dane Simpson, Kildare Catholic College students and Civic Theatre Marketing & Education Officer Cassandra Reardon
When: Wednesday 20 February, 9.40am to 10am
Where: Kildare Catholic College Drama Room – enter off Edmondson Street (carpark in front of the boarding school).