Trying out your stand up comedy skills for the first time can be down right terrifying. Focus on doing your best and having some fun, and take a look at these Seven Easy Tips for First Time Open Mic Comedians.
1) Prepare yourself—write some jokes, locate an open mic, and tell your friends to come enjoy some laughs.
2) Sign up—locate the sign up sheet and put your name down. Here’s a couple quick side-tips:
- Remember the name above yours
- Ask who the host of the show will be
- Introduce yourself and tell the host it’s your first time doing comedy (if you’ve got a unique name—help them learn it).
3) Rules—Ask the host about the amount of stage time each comedian gets to be on stage and how to know when you’re supposed to be done.
- Each comedian is given an allotted amount of stage time. Comedians are given a ‘light’ this indicates the comedian on stage has less than a minute to finish their jokes.
- Acknowledge ‘the light’ by giving a subtle signal to the host like pointing or nodding your head.
4) More rules—ask the host if there are any language or content restrictions (it’s rare, but some establishments do ask performers to reduce explicit language and content).
5) Before and after your set—remain respectful to other performers and enjoy the show.
6) After the show—hang out and introduce yourself to other performers.
7) The last piece of advice will be—throw away your nerves and enjoy your experience!
Now check out Milwaukee Open Mic’s list!