Class Act is a South African reality competition television series produced by Curious Pictures and OwenKessel in which contestants from around the country attempt to win a contract with a top actor's agent, an eight-week course at the New York Film Academy School of Film and Acting and a role in a television commercial.
Class Act premiered on SABC1 on Saturday 13 March 2010, at 18h30. See "Seasons" below for seasonal broadcast dates and times.
Season 2 premiered on SABC1 on Saturday 23 April 2011, at 18h30. There are 13 weekly hour-long episodes in the second season, as well as seven half-hour results shows which broadcast on Mondays, from 30 May.
Synopsis
Every aspiring actor and actress dreams of their big break, their chance to shine, to find that perfect role. Imagine this paves the way to becoming South Africa's next leading man or leading lady.
Class Act offers South African acting hopefuls the opportunity to attain their dream of becoming the country's hottest new acting talent.
On the casting couch for Class Act, the high-profile judges include South Africa's leading actors' agent, Moonyeenn Lee of MLA; Rapulana Seiphemo – well-known film and television actor seen in Jerusalema and Generations – and Tendeka Matatu, well-known producer and director (Season 1 only).
Sitting in the directors' chair is Tim Greene, an accomplished South African film director. In addition, each week sees a celebrity judge joining the casting coach.
Kenneth Nkosi, who has acted in high profile movies such as Jerusalema, Tsotsi, and more recently, White Wedding, hosts the show.
Ten aspiring actors - the best of the auditionees - come to Johannesburg for the Class Act Workshop. They attend, among other things, acting, gym, comedy and fight classes, including appearing in the weekly show.
Every week they act their hearts out in mini-movies. Their talent is assessed by a panel of respected film professionals and a local big-name director who has a movie script that needs a leading man.
They receive honest and ruthless feedback from the three judges and a guest judge on the casting couch and then the viewers at home vote for their favourite actors every week.
The actor with the lowest votes every week "hits the cutting room floor" and is eliminated from the show. South Africa votes for their favourite contestant via SMS.
In each episode the judges choose their Class Act of the Week. This award gives the actor immunity from being eliminated for that round.
Then South Africa votes by SMS for their favourite actor every week until only two remain - one man and one lady (there was only one male winner in the first season). They are The Class Act and the film world opens up to them, with an agent to give their career a jump-start.
The series is filmed at Sasani Studios in Kew, Johannesburg.
Winners
Season 1: Sdumo Mtshali
Season 2: Tumie Ngumla and Abdul Khoza
Links
Season 1
Coming Soon: Class Act
Class Act Auditions: Goss & Vid
Snaparazzi Gallery
Meet The Top 10 Class Actors
Denzil Ditched From Class Act
Class Act: The Cool Episode
Class Act: The Comedy Episode
A Chat With Tim Greene
A Chat With Moonyeenn Lee
Class Act: The Heist Flick Episode
Class Act: A Bit Of A Disappointment
At Home With The Class Act Guys
Class Act: The Film Noir Episode
A Chat With Terry Pheto
Class Act: And Then There Were FIVE ...
Class Act: The Villain Episode
A Chat With Fana Mokoena
Class Act: The Action Episode
Class Act: The Most Interesting Elimination
Class Act: Episode 11
A Chat With Barry Ronge
Class Act: The Final 2
Class Act Leading Man: Sdumo Mtshali
Season 2
TVSA Blogger Is A Class Act!
Class Act 2: How To Win The Show
Class Act 2: all the audition details
On location with Class Act's Donovan Marsh
Class Act Valentines Surprise
Class Act Fancam Invades The SAFTAs
FanCam: The Exclusive Club For TV Fans
Tumie and Abdul are Class Acts
Seasons
Series exclusive to SABC1
Season 1
Premiere: 13 March 2010 | Finale: 5 June 2010 | Saturdays, 18h30
Season 2
Premiere: 23 April 2011 | Finale: 16 July 2011 | Saturdays, 18h30 / Mondays, 18h30