A Fourth Alternative to Comedy Club “Pay to Play” and “Bringer” Shows
Greetings, my fellow stand-up comedians, improvisation performers, comedy magicians and other persons of infinite jest. Wow! Where in the world have I been? My last post was eight days ago. The past week has been (Never say, “has been” to someone my age) an insanely busy one. More about that later. I do remember that our recent theme has been looking for alternatives to comedy club owners and managers who employ “pay to play” (i. e. five bucks to get on stage) and “bringer shows” (bring at least five friends for three to five minutes of stage time). The options I have offered so far include: (1) Performing at retirement centers and senior centers where you can get thirty to sixty minutes of stage time per gig (and, possibly, getting paid rather than paying to perform), Renting your own venues and putting on your own shows, and using atmosphere performing (also known as “table hopping” or “strolling entertainment”) as a means of getting paid to showcase your ability and availability to perform on stage.
Today, Let’s focus on the comedy clubs who do not charge a fee for stage time or expect you to pimp out five or six of your friends (So the club owner or manager doesn’t have to pay for advertising) in order to get a few minutes of stage time. In a recent email from Dave Schwensen, Author of several very helpful books including “How To Be A Working Comic” (I have a signed copy – More on that later), I learned of a very benevolent individual, named Slava Yaryshkin (I think he might be Irish – lol), who is trying to help us all get more stage time. Slava is endeavoring to list all open mics, both music and comedy, in the United States, on his web site at www.badslava.com. This free tool is a definite “must use” for any comedian, singer, or band seeking an audience to perform for. I have already found eleven “open mic” opportunities (and spoken to six people to confirm days and times), in Columbus, Ohio, that was not aware of. Thank you, Slava, for your willingness to share the results of your hard work. And, thank you, Dave for passing on this wonderful resource. Please note, this effort of Slava’s is a work in progress. You should check the site, www.badslava.com, at least weekly for updates in your area. By my count, we now have least four alternatives (and numerous options within each alternative)
to the “pay to play” and “bringer show” comedy clubs. So, if you’re not out there performing your comedy routines on a regular basis, whose fault is it?
Now, for the reason (One of them, anyway) I have been too busy to write a blog post since last Wednesday. I spent last Saturday attending a Stand-up Comedy Workshop (always keep learning) at the Improv Comedy Club in Cleveland, Ohio (A 140 mile drive from Columbus, but, well worth the trip). The instructor, Dave Schwensen, an author, comedian, speaker, and a long-time comedy club manager (Dave is the only person who has managed the Los Angeles Improv, the New York Improv, and now, the Cleveland Improv) is able to approach the business both the comic’s and the comedy booker’s points of view. For someone who has worked with many of the comedy greats of our generation (Jerry Seinfeld, Jay Leno, Ray Ramano, etc), Dave is very down to earth and approachable (He even signed my copy of “How To Be A Working Comic”).
Dave limits size of the twelve hour (Noon to 4:00 p.m. for three Saturdays) workshop to ten people, in order to provide the perfect mix of individual and collective instruction. My classmates include a magistrate, a truck driver, a college student, a former college activities director, a snow removal specialist, and a former stripper turned born-again Christian (The Lord really does work in mysterious ways).
Last Saturday, we were each paired with another group member for some onstage improvisation a la “Whose Line is it Anyway?” It was a lot of fun and a fantastic way for the beginners (not the grizzly, old dudes, such as yours truly) to ease into their first time on stage. Then we each had about ten minutes on stage to try out some of our original comedy material in front of Dave and the group. I don’t know why, but, I’m always more nervous with a small group than with a large crowd. But, once I got past the first couples of jokes, it was like shaking hands with an old friend. There is nothing, in the world, like making people laugh. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
The next two Saturdays will consist of more time, on stage, trying out material before a captive audience of Dave and the other comedians. Then, the Wednesday after the last Saturday (January 25th at 7:30 p.pm.), we’ll be performing our routines in front of a live audience (I wanted a “dead audience” but we weren’t able to dig one up) at the Cleveland Improv. If you’re in the area, I hope you’ll come out and see us. While I have given numerous performances at private, corporate, and civic events, I’m a bit new to the comedy club scene. I’m really looking forward it. But, for now, our homework is to write new stand-up comedy material and, then, to write, write, and write some more. Hence, the reason it has been eight days since my last post.
Read MoreStop and smell the roses – - and enjoy the jokes, too – - Live, love, laugh – - Then do it all over again.
In the words of comedian Lewis Black, “We don’t celebrate holidays anymore. We just seem to enjoy announcing their arrival.” Lewis has a point. Some of the stores in my area (Columbus, Ohio) had some of their employees setting up Christmas displays at the same time the store’s other employees were putting away the Halloween display. So much for Thanksgiving! And the retail stores are not alone in their zeal to herald the coming of each new holiday without allowing time to properly observe the previous one. From restaurants to car dealerships, every business outlet seems to be in an all-fired hurry to ring in the next holiday with an enormous “deal of the century” sale.
And, apparently, entertainers are no more immune to this holiday heralding hysteria than retailers. I say this because the Linkedin group for stand-up comedians’ question of the week is, “What are your career goals for the coming new year?” Well, in the spirit of “if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em” I have been considering what I would like to accomplish both personally and in the comedy business during the year 2012. Not unlike a lot of people, I would love to lose some weight (about 40 pounds) next year. Toward that end, I have pledged to eat less and exercise more during 2012. I would also like for music to be a bigger part of my personal and professional life. So I have purchased a guitar and will be starting lessons soon. My hope is to write and perform comedic song parodies (always giving credit to the writer of the original lyrics). I would also like to travel more. At this writing, I am completing my passport application with the intention of visiting Costa Rica next summer. And, like most people these days, I wouldn’t mind earning a few more of those little green pieces of paper printed by the Treasury Department (to help pay for the guitar lessons and the traveling).
Mostly, I have to say, I would like to make more people laugh and make people laugh more. This will mean writing and performing a lot of new material, which I really enjoy and look forward to. And, I would like to spend more time laughing (and not just at myself).
Here’s to the coming year, and surviving the last thirty-nine days of this one.
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She who laughs last – - Is, apparently the deepest
As I have mentioned before, I belong to several Linkedin discussion groups which cater to live stage entertainers. Some of these groups deal specifically with comedic performers (comics, ventriloquists, comedy magicians, physical comedians, pantomime artists, comedy jugglers, comedy writers, sketch comedians, etc.) while others are open to members of the entertainment community at large.
The question of the week, from a group for stand-up comedians and humorous speakers, is whether men or women are a better comedy audience. I would have to say, it really depends on two rather obvious variables: The particular genre of the comedy material and how it is presented.
In both my personal and professional experience, it’s easier to get men to laugh. Men respond more easily to hack jokes and sight gags (remember, men are more prone to react to visual stimulation). As a comedy variety artist who has been married twice (each time to a different woman), I have observed that women, having a more sophisticated comedy palate, will barely roll their eyes at the aforementioned light effort type of comedy that seems to elicit belly laughs and knee slaps from their male counterparts. They will, however, laugh harder and longer at the more deep structure type of comedy (relationship scenarios, storytelling with a decent plot and well developed characters, etc.). One might say that women respond to comedy in much the same way they respond to sex. It may take some time and effort to get women going. But, once you do, they will laugh much, much longer and much, much harder than men.
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Stand-up Comedy is Alive and Well in Central Ohio
Last night, my beautiful wife, Cheryl, and I ventured from our home in Westerville, Ohio to the nearby metropolis of Delaware, Ohio. The reason for this sojourn was to enjoy dinner and a live comedy show at the Delaware Moose Lodge on Sandusky Street. After chowing down on fried chicken(everyone received exactly one half a chicken), baked beans, cabbage slaw, a roll, and cake, we sat back to enjoy the three Ohio comedians who had come to entertain us.
The opening act, Mary Miller from Johnstown, Ohio performed wonderfully original, interactive, observational comedy about women and men and then played the guitar and sang a number of hilarious parodies of old songs like the Bonanza theme song. She can actually play the guitar, has an excellent singing voice and is insanely funny. We will be seeing and hearing more from the multi-talented Mary Miller.
The middle act was a bit weak. A forty-something comic (whose name I can’t remember) from Akron who would have been more suited for a college age audience. He spoke so fast that, at one point, I almost asked if he had a bus to catch. Not necessarily a bad comedian. But, not a good fit for last night’s audience.
The headliner, Mike Conley may have been 50 years old, heavy (okay, he’s fat), bald and only 5’4″, but, as my fifth grade teacher used to say, “never judge a book by it’s cover.” From the moment he took the stage the comedic energy he exuded was like nothing I had ever seen before. Earlier this year, I saw Lewis Black in concert in Eric, Pennsylvania and, I have to say, Mike Conley was not only funnier, but much more animated. There were several times, during his performance, when I was actually laughing so hard that I couldn’t breathe. My wife said she hasn’t seen me laugh that hard in a very long time. And she’s right. The comedy gods have given us a very special gift in Mike Conley. His perfect comedic timing, his voice inflections and facial contortions, the energy of a young Don Rickles, his impressive physical and verbal improvisation were something to see. He is truly a comedian’s comedian. I would gladly have paid the whole ticket price just to see Mike Conley.
Cheryl and I had a wonderful time. After the great meal and superb stand-up comedy, we laughed and farted all the way home.
Read MoreBringing The Vaudeville Style Variety Show Back To Life In Columbus, Ohio
Since setting up a page called “Performers At Large” on meetup.org and joining several groups for comedy entertainers via Linkedin, I have made some very interesting new friends in the entertainment business. Bob Abdou is a ventriloquist who is planning to open a new theater in the Clintonville section of Columbus, Ohio. Bob comes to us from New Jersey by way of Texas. Don’t worry, he’s much better at making people laugh than he is at map reading. Bill Gladwell is a hypnotist, dating coach, and self-described professional mingler who lives in Central Ohio, but performs all over the country. Leo Bowers is a Columbus based musician who has just completed his latest CD. Leo is also a member of several meetup groups for musicians and singers. Kyle Kissell is a storyteller and performance artist who entertains audiences under the name, “Kyle the Unnecessary.” Don’t let the stage name fool you. Although still quite young, Kyle is a savvy, veteran performer who should never be under-estimated.
My plan for 2012 is to rent numerous venues and, in the words of Mickey Rooney’s character, Andy Hardy, “Hey, Kids! Let’s put on a show!” I’ve already seen Bob Abdou perform comedy magic, ventriloquism, and stand-up comedy at Eldorado’s Bar and Grill on South High Street in Columbus, Ohio and he did a great job. Now, I just need check out Bill (if we can get him to stay in Columbus long enough), Leo, and Kyle’s work and give them all a chance to watch me doing what I do (stand-up comedy, comedy magic, physical comedy, pantomime, sketch comedy, motivational speaking). Then, we can start scheduling vaudeville style variety shows featuring whomever is not already scheduled to perform somewhere else.
We will start with small, inexpensive venues like fraternal organizations and, after establishing a loyal following, move to small theaters, and finally to large theaters around Ohio and surrounding states. My plan is for each of us to share equally in the expenses, work, and of course in the profits.
Any stage entertainers (comics, magicians, singers, dancers, jugglers, etc.) out there who would like to “get in on the action” can contact me by telephone at 614-891-7393 or send me an email via this web site. I won’t promise it will be easy. But, I think we’ll have a lot of fun and even make a few dollars doing something we all love.
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