Now in its seventh year, the Annual South African Savanna Comics’ Choice Awards (Savanna CCA’s) will be the biggest – and farthest reaching – yet. For the first time, the pinnacle comedy awards event in South Africa will expand to include all African countries – a first for the industry.
Held under the banner of “The Freedom of Funny”, the Awards will celebrate the power that humour has to break down barriers and open borders between African countries and encourage the free flow of comedy talent.
This freedom is the cornerstone of comedians’ ability to make people laugh – and to make a living. This is the freedom they have (and need) to create, to express and to poke fun at the serious and often silly side of everyday life.
“This theme was chosen after the success of last year’s theme – ‘For The Love Of Laughter’. We saw a really good reception by the South African public to a more accessible, upbeat theme. Not to say we won’t take a darker turn down the road again, but for now, while the country navigates a tough period – we felt it would be great to celebrate positive aspects of comedy again,” says John Vlismas, Savanna CCA co-founder.
With its expansion into Africa, the style of the Savanna CCA’s this year will be contemporary and premium African design work, the inclusion of all previous winners in a collage that resonates unity and the strong image of a young comic hoisting Waldo aloft in a gesture redolent of Madiba – the Savanna CCA’s will use the 2017 campaign to celebrate the coming together of a family of Comedy Artists across Africa. This year with a new director, script, cast and venue, the Awards will again be an exceptional and highly entertaining event.
2017 categories
The Savanna CCA’s has expanded to 11 awards (the largest to date), and recognise outstanding talent across a range of categories:
· The Savanna Newcomer Comic Award.
· The Intermediate Comic Award.
· The Comics’ Pen Award.
· The Lifetime Achiever Award.
· The Flying Solo Comic Award.
· The Non-English Comic Award.
· The Nando’s Best Friend of Comedy Award.
· The Breakthrough Award.
· The Savanna Pan-African Comic Award.
This award will go to the comic on the continent (excluding South Africa) who has contributed the most to the African comedy industry, as voted for by his or her fellow African and South African comedians.
· The Audience Choice Award (the only category in which the public can vote).
· The Savanna Comic of the Year.
Put these dates in your diary!
Over the course of five months the Savanna CCA’s will be rolling out the yellow carpet at a series of events that will be the highlights on the comedy calendar.
Sunday 28 May: Savanna Newcomer Showcase at The Soweto Theatre.
Wednesday 12 July: Press Lunch and Nominee Announcement. Public voting opens for the Audience Choice Nominees at 5pm that day. Venue to be confirmed.
Wednesday 16 August: Grilling of a Lifetime.
Saturday 9 September: Savanna Comics’ Choice Awards 2017 will be held at The Lyric Theatre, Gold Reef City, Johannesburg.
The only category in which the public can vote is the Audience Choice Award. Voting for that category opens on Monday 22 May and closes on Thursday 25 August. For details on how to vote, visit www.comicschoice.com.
The best awards have the best partners
The Savanna CCA’s would like to thank all its partners for championing comedy talent and for helping to make the Awards possible. First and foremost, to long-term partner, Savanna Premium Cider, which is sponsoring the Awards for the sixth year running. This year we welcome Nando’s as an award sponsor, and thank media partners VUZU AMP Sunday World and Kaya FM 95.9.
For information on and to buy tickets for SA’s premier comedy awards event to be held on 9 September at the Lyric Theatre at Gold Reef City, visit www.comicschoice.com.
Press Statement
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