Competition

THE CLASS CLOWNS COMPETITION

In Term 2 the Class Clowns competition will be come to a town near you, with local heats running into state finals and then the national Grand Final being held in Melbourne in September at the Malthouse Theatre!

Entry is open to all students in Years 9 to 12 or between 14 and 17 years old. A 5 minute routine is all it takes and everyone is welcome: standup, music, sketches, physical comedy…anything that’s going to make us laugh!

Previous Clownists are now writing for T.V, radio stars, touring internationally or on the Comedy Festival Roadshow, and appearing in solo Festival shows of their own.

To download a registration form for a Class Clown heat near you –right here!

COMPETITON PERFORMANCES

If your students can’t perform in the competition they will no doubt enjoy watching their peers perform just as much, from the audience. Class Clowns gigs are a thundering, foot-stamping cacophony of teenaged glee and a real joy to watch unfold.

Class Clowns heats and finals are often free, or at most have nominal ticket prices only. To check out the 2010 Class Clown dates right here!

DETAILS

Class Clowns is the Melbourne International Comedy Festival’s national comedy competition and mentoring program for young people at high school aged between 14-17 or in Years 9 -12.

At a Class Clown gig, students who have prepared up to 5 minutes of stand-up, comedy, a group sketch, musical parody, or something else in between, participate in a rehearsal with a professional, practising comedian, before presenting their act at a real, live, public performance.

The performance is judged – and the winners of these local heats go forward into state finals, and the winners of each state are flown to Melbourne in September to perform at the National Grand.

The Grand Final winner receives $1000 cash for their school and a $1000 budget to buy themselves something nice too!

Registration and Preparation

Participants sign up for a local heat! (To register, right here!)
Participants prepare their acts. This happens before Class Clowns hits town. You can do almost anything: stand-up, sketch, physical theatre, musical comedy, clowning, whatever feels good. Please keep in mind that Class Clowns is not a circus competition – pure acrobatics or stunts probably won’t get too far.
Confirmation of your registration and specific instructions about the heat will be sent to you by your local co-presenter.

Local workshops and heats

You attend the workshop in which you’ve registered. (To register, right here!)
At the workshop a professional, practising comedian will run through each act, offering tips and advice.
After a break of varying duration (at some venues it’s lunch, in others it’s the weekend) your act is showcased at a public performance.
The Local Heat is a publicly ticketed event, often in the evening at a performing arts centre, compared by the workshop host. An Expert Panel of Judges selects a Heat winner.

State Finals and National Finals

Heat winners then go through to the State Final in their capital city, and the winner of each State Final goes through to the National Final in Melbourne.

VICTORIA

4 May Geelong

4 May Bendigo

7 May Warrnambool

8 May Melbourne

10 & 11 May Melbourne

12 May Melbourne VIC STATE FINAL

ACT

10 June Canberra*

12 June Perth*

16 June Adelaide*

TAS