Fifteen to do battle for title of Dominica’s Champion of Comedy in first ever standup comedy competition, Laugh Out Loud Dominica

Fifteen (15) participants have been chosen and preparations are fully underway, for the first ever comedy competition to be held in Dominica, the “Laugh Out Loud, Dominica” Comedy Competition (LOL Dominica) set for Saturday August 27, 2022 from 8:00 p.m. at the Goodwill Parish Hall and online.

The full slate of competitors for the event comprises Michael Sebastien, Stanley “Son of The Saint” Stowe, Samson Charles, reigning calypso monarch, Jude “Jaydee” Delauney, Glennis “Wappo” Harve, Maggie “Pull the Plug” Peters,
Paula Celestine, Alix Pralong, a Dominican residing in Switzerland, Donavan “Dan Massive” Massicot, Emmanuel “Haxey Laff” Salamat, Lady Claudie, Eric Augustine, Matilda Popo, Desmond Clarke and Cornelius Marie.

The aspiring comedians have been working hard, crafting their material as they prepare to do battle for the title of Dominica’s Champion of Stand-up Comedy and cash prizes of $2500, $1,500 and $1000 for the three top winners.

LOL Dominica is organized by Laugh Dominica Initiative (LDI), still in the formative stages, which was created to address the current dearth of comedic and theatrical entertainment on the island. The event is coordinated by 2013 Golden Drum awardee for Literary Arts, Ian Jackson and organizers include the National Joint Action Movement (NJAM), Dominica News Online (DNO) and ComeSeeTv with support from Q95 Radio, EmoNews, songwriter extraordinaire, Pat Aaron and experienced theatre enthusiast, Delia Cuffy-Weekes.

“With COVID-19, Dominicans have been inside for the most part- isolated and longing for something fun to do,” NJAM member, Severin McKenzie, said while launching the event earlier this year. “Now that restrictions have eased somewhat, we can’t think of a better medicine than a dose of laughter to bring Dominicans together and make them feel good and uplifted in these trying times.”

LOL-Dominica organizers will pay homage, at the event, to the late Michael Bruney, Felix Henderson and Lawrence Brumant, three of Dominica’s most renowned contributors to comedy, and tributes will be paid to Alwin Bully for his role in the development of theatre in Dominica and Franklyn Moses for his tremendous contribution to stand-up comedy in this country.

One of the highlights of the event will be a guest performance by Gwoben, the popular character in the People’s Action Theatre radio serial of the 70s and 80s, Green Gold.

A wide cross section of the population will have the opportunity to view the show live in person at the Goodwill Parish Hall or to be part of the virtual audience by subscribing to the pay-per-view live stream on ComeSeeTv and DNO.

Tickets are available at $50 at the gate and $40 in advance from Bullseye pharmacy in Goodwill, Faith Restaurant on Independence Street (upstairs former location of Parade of Fashion and M.A.C services on Virgin Lane.

The show will also be available via Pay-per-view at 10 USD on ComeSeeTV and DNO.

It is intended that the Laugh Out Loud Dominica Comedy Competition will be an annual event where the winners will have the opportunity to participate in comedy competitions and shows outside of Dominica. It is also expected that material from the show will be edited for display on the various social media platforms and that the winner(s) will have the opportunity to produce advertisements and participate in one-off performances.

“There are high expectations for the emergence of a new crop of artists who can replace the fallen stalwarts of the comedy art form”, says event coordinator, Ian Jackson. “The population can expect a night of entertainment that Dominica has not witnessed in ages, a night of fun, relaxation, and laughter. Let’s make Laugh Out Loud Dominica a success.”