Stand-Up 101 – Get on Stage
Some Tips On Overcoming Performance Paralysis
Pro-Tip: At the beginning of your set, take the mic out of the stand and put the stand to the side of the stage.
A lot of aspiring comedians hesitate to go on stage. Usually they are paralysed by some contradictory combination of high expectations and low self esteem. In this short essay, I will help you overcome these hurdles and start your path as a Stand-Up Comedian.
To Do Stand-Up, You Have To Go On Stage.
Stand-Up Comedy does not exist off the stage. Other forms of comedy do. But not Stand-Up. Without stage time, you are like a scuba diver without water. You may have all the gear, all the qualifications, all the know-how… but until you actually dive underwater, you’re not a diver. And until you go on stage, you’re not a Stand-Up Comedian.
Here are some pointers to help you get started.
Be Prepared
Most of the people that are afraid to go on stage are actually over-prepared. They think they can somehow think or write their way to the perfect first open mic set (Spoiler Alert: you can’t, Andrew).
But there are also those who think they can just wing it. They see established comedians make seemingly off the cuff jokes and think, hey, I can do that! If you belong to that group, chances are you did not have performance paralysis the first time you went on stage. You didn’t even know you were supposed to prepare! But maybe that set didn’t get the standing ovation you were expecting, so you’ve been putting off getting back on stage.
To prepare your set, think, talk to friends, write. Think about the funny things you and your friends laugh about, and what information strangers would need to laugh at them. If you’ve thought of jokes, write them down. If you have funny ideas, think of where the setups and punchlines in those ideas may be… A lot more can be said about the writing process, but for now the important thing is for you to have enough to go on stage.
Read out what you wrote and see if you can fill five minutes with it. If you don’t feel like writing everything down (though I suggest you do), at least prepare a beginning and an end.
Research Your Local Scene
The idea of going on stage becomes less daunting when you can specify when and where you will be performing. Google “Comedy in [your city]”, check Facebook events, ask around on Reddit. Odds are your search will lead you from the established names and venues to the up and coming comics and the less publicised open mic nights where they perform.
Go To An Open Mic Without Planning To Perform
Not a showcase, not a famous comedian’s hour, just any old open mic. Watch the performers. Instead of getting intimidated by the precision wit of a professional comic, you will witness the mediocrity of the average open mic-er. Squirm in your seat, gasp at what passes for humour, feel the uncontrollable urge to grab the mic from whoever’s on stage and show that you can do it better.
Going to a mic also gives you the chance to chat with the host and other comedians to find out when and where might be a good place to perform. Find out how to sign up, when to show up and how many minutes you get. Be aware, though, that some comedians (usually the less experienced ones) can be discouraging towards new people. So take anyone’s advice with a grain of salt, especially if they make getting an open mic spot seem as tough as booking a Netflix Special.
Make a written commitment
Email the host, sign up on the Facebook event page, write an affirmation for yourself. Anything that helps you externalise your commitment.
Plan Ahead
Don’t think of it as going on stage once. By setting out to go to multiple open mics in the coming weeks, it will make each individual one seem less intimidating. It will also drive home the fact that stand-up isn’t a matter of going on stage once, but an iterative process, where you repeat, refine and distill your jokes over time.
Remember nobody cares
This can be freeing. Especially when you love the art of comedy and think of the impact certain comedians have had on you, it can be daunting to think that you could do what they do. Well, put your mind at ease, you can’t do what they do. At least not right now. All you can do is take that first little step toward greatness. By going to an open mic and performing there this week.
Nobody became a great stand-up by not going on stage.
What are you waiting for?