Comics join for Douglas Park School

LAUGHING: Douglas Park School is hosting an auction and comedy night as a "fundraiser with a difference" at King Street Live on September 3. PHOTO/SUPPLIED

A trio of award-winning Kiwi comics are helping Douglas Park School stage a fundraiser with a difference early next month, says event organiser Catherine Cockeram.

Mrs Cockeram, who is a member of the Friends of Douglas Park School Association and has two children at the school, said she struck upon the idea for the Stand-Up Comedy Fundraiser and called in a favour from friend and comic actor Cohen Holloway.

"We didn't want to hold just another quiz night, and this was a way to make it a fundraiser with a difference," she said.

Holloway is an award-winning actor and comedian, who is a regular on the Kiwi comedy circuit and on the big and small screen in New Zealand, appearing in Pulp Comedy, FaceLift, Short Poppies, and Pirates of the Airwaves on television and in feature films including Eagle vs Shark, Boy, and as a Swearwolf in What We Do in the Shadows.

He will be joined on stage by comedian Vaughan King, who is an award-winning veteran of comedy in New Zealand. King has been twice nominated for a Billy T Award and has amassed five New Zealand Comedy Guild awards.

Rounding out the trio at the fundraiser will be Brad Zimmerman, a national finalist in the New Zealand Raw Comedy competition and comic who has worked a stand-up routine throughout New Zealand and the UK.

Mrs Cockeram said the comedy evening had already won "heaps of community support" and businesses from Wairarapa and beyond, some from as far away as Napier, also had donated items for an auction to be held on the night, and Masterton's King Street Live "coming to the party" as a venue.

The funds raised will go toward sports and outdoor adventure equipment for the school, she said.

The Douglas Park School Stand-Up Comedy Fundraiser will be held at King Street Live on September 3 from 6.30pm. Tickets are available for the charity event from the Tranzit offices in Queen St and the Douglas Park School office. For more information call Karen at 02102286476 or Jayne at 3775356.