How to Perform at a Comedy Club Open Mic

For those who are just starting out in comedy, the open mic at a comedy club is your best opportunity to hone your craft. An open mic refers to a night at a comedy club when the stage, and the microphone (or mic), is open to anyone. However, there are usually more people who want access to the open mic than there are available spots.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• Access to a comedy club with an open mic
• Comedy monologue
• Thick skin

1. Find out when your local comedy club hosts an open mic night. Find out what time the sign-up for open mic is, as this will obviously be earlier than the start of the show. Find out how long your monologue is expected to be--often an open mic monologue is 3 to 5 minutes long.
2. Attend a few open mic nights as an audience member to get a feeling for what the night is like and to confirm that this is a tool that will work for you.
3. Talk to some of the performers at the open mic. Ask them for any advice they might have on how to get stage time. Do you need to show up even earlier than the announced sign-up time? Is there a line of hopeful comics waiting to sign up?
4. Practice your monologue multiple times before you attend the open mic night. Make sure your routine is as good as you can make it and that it will last the appropriate amount of time. You may want to try out your routine on some friends or family members. Be open to their input.
5. Show up at the comedy club at the appropriate time. Be prepared to wait and be willing to accept that you may not get a spot every time you show up.
6. Perform your comedy monologue, paying attention to how the audience reacts to each joke. Make mental notes to consider dropping those jokes that don’t get a laugh. Pay attention to what kinds of jokes seem to work best for you.

Tips & Warnings

• The audience at an open mic night is usually more forgiving than the typical comedy club audience (although not always!). The host, or MC, will announce that this is a night for new comics starting out or more established comics who are trying out new material. Keep this in mind if you are feeling nervous about your performance.
• If at all possible, do not bring notes up on stage with you. Memorize your routine, keeping notes in your pocket only for an emergency (such as if your mind goes blank). Comics who read from notes on stage show a lack of professionalism.
• Exhibit self-confidence on stage. If you didn’t think you were funny, you wouldn’t be trying out a routine at an open mic. Make sure the audience can tell that you know you are funny.
• Don’t be thrown if a joke doesn’t receive a laugh. Many nervous beginning comics will apologize for a joke not getting a laugh. Don’t comment on the lack of a laugh, just move on to the next joke.
• Don’t let a bad performance intimidate you from trying again. Many successful comedians had shaky beginnings. Use a bad performance as a learning experience. What can you do different next time?
• Some open mic nights draw very small crowds. While a small crowd may mean the night is not as fun, make sure you still do your set. Nothing beats stage time for improving yourself as a stand-up comic.
• If you do not get a spot on a particular open mic night, do not make a fuss about it. If you are noticed making a fuss, the club owner may make sure you don’t get stage time next week either.
• Follow all the rules of the comedy club. If you are asked to not use certain curse words in your act, do not use those words. Do not stay on stage longer than your allotted time. Violating the comedy club’s rules will ensure you are not given any future stage time…and you certainly won’t get booked as a paid comedian.
• Never tell an audience that something isn’t funny, as it shows a lack of professionalism. If something isn’t funny, the audience will know it without you pointing it out.
• Do not show anger if the audience does not laugh at your monologue. They are under no obligation to laugh at your material. It is the obligation of the successful comedian to make the audience laugh.

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