The Search for NZ’s Best New Stand-up Talent is on!

The Search for NZ’s Best New Stand-up Talent is on!

THE RAW COMEDY QUEST
Various locations across NZ in February

Nearly every Monday since The Classic Comedy Club opened in October 1997, the mic has been open for Rookies. Over 800 Raw Comedy shows featuring upwards of 1,500 ‘would be’ comedians.

And a highlight of the Raw Comedy calendar is the annual Raw Comedy Quest – the search for the funniest new comedian of the year. In 2017 the quest for the newest comedy talent will be going further afield to even more New Zealand locations from February to April culminating on May 18th with the Grand Final at Q Theatre, Auckland.

In 2017, alongside the heats in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch, with plans to extend heats into Hamilton, New Plymouth, Tauranga, Napier/Hastings, and possibly Dunedin. With the expansion of the local pro-circuit, there are now venues in many of these towns with regular audiences and aspiring comedians.

In the past 20 years, there has been some dramatic changes in Raw comedy particularly with more women, and people of diverse ethnicities and back grounds coming through the Raw Comedy competition, showing the wide-ranging appeal of comedy and diversity of New Zealand.

Scott Blanks, the Godfather of The Classic, says “Maybe we will find some wilder people out there. Many of our most successful comedians started out in the provinces but had to come to the city to seek their fortune. Taking Raw Comedy to them may shorten up the journey.”

In 1996, the first “Raw Comedy Quest” was held at The Powerstation, with Paul Ego, Jesse Mulligan and Mike Loder as finalists. Interestingly, being named the overall winner of the Raw Comedy Quest is no guarantee of success with many ‘runners up’ enjoying more success. Major names in NZ comedy Urzila Carlson and Guy Williams were both runners-up in 2008. The 2007 runner-up Rhys Mathewson went on to enjoy comedy glory as a Billy T and Fred Comedy Award winner.

The Raw Comedy Quest evolved from the original Rookies Night at Kitty O’Brien’s Tavern in 1993. When The Classic opened in October 1997, Raw Comedy on Monday nights became a regular event. Wellington has been involved in Raw Comedy Quest since the early 2000’s initially sending one finalist and then 2 each year once their local scene grew. Wellington have enjoyed considerable success in the Grand Finals with a number of winners including Cori Gonzalez Macuer (2003), Jerome Chandrahasen (2004), James Malcolm (2014) and Lucy Roche (2016). Christchurch began hosting heats three years ago, and continue to produce fine comedy acts.

All semi-finals continue to be held at The Classic but, due to popular demand for tickets, the Grand Finals are now held at Q Theatre.

The Classic Comedy Club is celebrating its 20th Anniversary Year in 2017 with over 400 live events including the Raw Comedy competition.

RAW COMEDY QUEST
Dates: February - May 2017
Venues: The Classic and various clubs around NZ.
Programme to be announced on www.comedy.co.nz

THE 2017 RAW COMEDY QUEST CALENDAR
(more dates to be added in provincial areas)

Auckland Heats – Every Monday / 13 Feb to 24 April at The Classic

Wellington Heats – Thu 2 March at San Fran
– Every Thursday / 9 March to 6 April at the Fringe Bar

Christchurch Heats – Mon 27 March and Wed 29 March at the Darkroom

Christchurch Final – Sun 2 April at the Darkroom

Hamilton Heat – Thu 13 April at The Cook

Wellington Semi-Finals – Thu 13 and 20 April at the San Fran

Wellington Grand Final – Thu 27 Apr at the San Fran

Auckland Semi Finals – Mon 1 & 8 May at The Classic

National Grand Final – Thu 18 May at Q Theatre, Auckland

First Prize NZ$2000
Runner Up NZ$500
Plus The Glory, Plus Pro gigs

ends

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