Stand-up Comedy and Comedy in general is the ultimate form of free speech, because you go to poke holes in all the pretentious bubbles politicians and pundits and popes and pretenders try to float over our heads.
COURSE OUTLINE FOR STAND-UP COMEDY TRAINING PROGRAM
Here’s a comprehensive course outline for training a stand-up comedian. This program covers essential skills and techniques needed to develop, perform, and refine comedic material, connect with audiences, and build a career in comedy.
Course Title: Stand-Up Comedy Training Program
Duration: 8–12 Weeks
Course Objectives:
To understand the principles of stand-up comedy and comedic writing.
To develop and refine a unique comedic voice and style.
To master performance skills, including timing, delivery, and crowd interaction.
To learn techniques for handling challenging audiences and stage presence.
To understand the business aspects of stand-up comedy, including booking gigs, marketing, and professionalism.
Course Outline
Week 1: Introduction to Stand-Up Comedy
Overview of stand-up comedy and its evolution.
Famous comedians and analysis of different comedic styles.
Understanding the structure of a stand-up set.
Exercise: Watch and analyze stand-up routines to identify comedic techniques.
Week 2: Finding Your Comedic Voice
Techniques for discovering and refining your unique perspective.
Identifying your comedic style: observational, storytelling, self-deprecating, etc.
Developing a persona: deciding how much of yourself to reveal and how to present it.
Exercise: Write a short piece that introduces your comedic voice.
Week 3: Writing Jokes and Building Material
Joke structure: setup, punchline, and taglines.
Finding material in everyday life: observational humor and personal anecdotes.
Techniques for brainstorming and idea generation.
Exercise: Write five jokes based on personal experiences or observations.
Week 4: Structuring a Comedy Set
Building a setlist: arranging jokes and stories for maximum impact.
The anatomy of a five-minute set vs. a longer set.
Using callbacks, transitions, and punchline placement for pacing.
Exercise: Develop and perform a three-minute set for feedback.
Week 5: Performance Skills and Stage Presence
Mastering timing, pacing, and delivery.
Non-verbal communication: facial expressions, body language, and gestures.
Building confidence on stage and dealing with stage fright.
Exercise: Perform your set in front of classmates and work on physical presence.
Week 6: Audience Interaction and Handling Hecklers
Reading the room and adjusting to different audiences.
Techniques for crowd work and improvising with the audience.
How to handle hecklers and unexpected interruptions gracefully.
Exercise: Practice simulated crowd work and heckling scenarios.
Week 7: Refining Material and Adding Personal Touches
Editing and revising jokes for clarity and impact.
Adding details and personalizing content for authenticity.
Practicing delivery to emphasize your unique personality and humor style.
Exercise: Work on refining your five-minute set, focusing on pacing and transitions.
Week 8: Expanding Your Set and Creating a Routine
Building longer sets from shorter routines.
Incorporating callbacks and themes across multiple jokes.
Developing a consistent style that connects material across sets.
Exercise: Expand your set to ten minutes and practice for feedback.
Week 9: Recording and Self-Review
Techniques for recording performances for self-evaluation.
Analyzing footage to identify strengths and areas for improvement.
Building a demo reel to showcase your work for bookings.
Exercise: Record a set, review it critically, and implement feedback.
Week 10: Business of Stand-Up Comedy
Understanding the comedy industry and its career paths.
Networking and building relationships within the comedy community.
Marketing yourself: social media, promo videos, and developing an online presence.
Securing gigs, managing bookings, and building a reputation.
Week 11: Rehearsal and Final Feedback
Practice performing full sets with a focus on flow and consistency.
Integrating all feedback received throughout the course.
Working on the final showcase performance.
Exercise: Perform a final set in front of classmates for critique and improvement.
Week 12: Final Showcase and Graduation
Perform a 5–10 minute set in a live showcase environment.
Receive live feedback from instructors and peers.
Graduation and review of progress, along with next steps for developing a career.
Key Takeaways
By the end of the course, participants should:
Have a solid five-to-ten-minute comedy set ready for live performance.
Understand the core principles of joke writing, timing, and crowd work.
Be equipped with strategies for self-promotion and building a stand-up career.
Optional Modules
Advanced comedy writing techniques.
Exploring different genres (political comedy, satire, etc.).
Writing for different formats, such as sketch comedy or improv.
This outline gives comedians-in-training a roadmap to mastering the craft of stand-up comedy and lays the foundation for a successful career.
