One of the region’s leading comedy writers, actor and producer is urging budding new talent to put pen to paper and submit an entry into the fifth Sketch for Sammy comedy writing competition.
Kim Tserkezie whose leading acting roles include Obsession, a short film funded by BFI Network and made on Tyneside, and Lodger, a sitcom pilot she wrote which featured at the prestigious BBC Salford Sitcom Showcase, is keen to promote emerging North East comedic talent through the competition.
Kim and her company, Scattered Pictures, is currently developing comedy screen projects in collaboration with top UK indies including BBC Studios, IMG Productions and Seven Seas Films. These showcase local talent including comedy actor and comedian Louise Young, who is a past recipient of a Sunday For Sammy grant, and “I Daniel Blake” actor, singer and writer, Kema Sikazwe.
Kim who last year was on the jury for the BAFTA Comedy Award, will be one of the judges of Sketch for Sammy alongside fellow comedy writer Elliott Kerrigan (Boy Meets Girl) and Chairman of the Sunday for Sammy Trust, Tim Healy. The winning sketch will be considered for inclusion in the 2020 Sunday for Sammy show.
New comedy writers from the region have only until the closing date of Tuesday 1stOctober to submit their sketches which should be no longer than five minutes. A short-list of six finalists will be created and comedian and comedy writer Jason Cook will help polish the scripts to performance level at a specially arranged mentoring session.
The final will take place on Sunday 27th October at 3pm at The Irish Centre in Stowell Street, Newcastle. The six shortlisted sketches will be performed by a company of professional actors and the writer of the winning sketch will receive the Clement and La Frenais Comedy Award. In addition to the six competing sketches, there will be stand-up comedy, music and a guest appearance from the highly-rated young comedy company, Your Aunt Fanny who themselves recently benefitted from a grant from the Sunday for Sammy. Trust.
Ends
The competition is open to anyone aged over 16 years old. To enter the competition send your sketch to info@sundayforsammy.org by Tuesday 1st Oct.
Tickets for the final at the Irish Centre are free and can be obtained by contacting julieclay@blueyonder.co.uk
Photo Caption. Kim Tserkezie (Paul Stephenson)
www.sundayforsammy.org www.mawson-wareham.co.uk
For further info contact Ray Laidlaw on 07710 596 749 – ray@lindisfarne.co.uk
PR by Highlights PR Contact Keith Newman 07814 397951