Stop Producing Comedy Shows that Suck

Comedy is hard. But producing comedy shows is the type of torture you shouldn't wish on your worst enemy. There are so many steps to producing a show. You have to find the venue, book it, make sure there is working equipment, confirm the bookings, make a flyer, advertise, deal with last minute venue requests, drop-ins, drop-outs, the waitstaff's needs and protocols, the actual show, and cleaning up after. So when comics show up late or come too early there are issues to deal with. Then there is the dreaded fear of ticket sales sliding for no reason or the embarrassing possibility the mic goes out. If you run a show or want to, you find yourself always fighting an uphill battle. If you currently run a show or are thinking of running a show, here are a few simple guidelines to make it the most successful it can be. And if you're a comic, then keep these things in mind as you navigate from show to show so you aren't the reason it gets dropped.  

Make Sure You and the Venue Are On the Same Page
Too often a show producer, aka the go-to person for a show, doesn't go over the expectations with the venue, and before the first show is over, the next one is canceled. This can include a clear start time, if there is a budget to pay, what the cut of the door is, the drink or food discounts for talent, and how many waiters and bartenders will be there.

So many times, I've seen a show producer deal with a manager upset that there aren't enough people, or the venue won't turn off the music or TV's, becoming a huge distraction for the comics and crowd. Most comedy clubs don't have that issue, but they will cancel shows if ticket sales aren't solid. At one room I run, if we do an off night, we tell the comics, if we don't sell at least 20 tickets within two days before, the show is canceled so the venue can call off unneeded staff and bartenders.

And when I need to cancel, I do. And it's that type of communication that allow the venue and I to continue having off night shows occasionally. 

By having expectations explained and met, the show will last longer at that place. So comics, when you ask to do a drop in, which bumps the show another ten to fifteen minutes, keep in mind, you are creating anxiety between the venue and the producer.         

Don't Beg People To Stay and Watch 
One time I did a show where after the headliner finished the room turned into an open mic. The headliner killed it. Everyone applauded. The host got up and said, "The show is over, but we have an open mic if you want to see more comedy." Guess what? Everyone left. And the open mic comic on the stage was begging them to stay to hear his jokes. Within five minutes, the room was empty (with 7-8 comics waiting to get up) and he was forced to try jokes to a bustling crowd on their way out. It was sad. Almost pathetic. And when a producer has a low turn out and tries to wrangle people up enjoying dinner or walking down the street (we call that barking), they are no better. 

We cannot beg people to watch our art. Either you did a good job marketing the show or you didn't. And sometimes it's your fault and sometimes it's bad luck. But you don't beg people. Because they will feel free to heckle, to walk out, and to get easily offended. Too many people have had their evenings ruined by a surprise comedy show. One time I was walking in equipment and heard a guy go, "Crap, it's comedy night. Let's go!" Less is more in this situation. A willing crowd of six is better than a held hostage, guilted group of twenty.   

Be Clear With Comics on Expectations 
I'm a bit of a control freak. So when I'm booked on a poorly ran show, I usually have to remind myself that most people are incompetent at their jobs, and why would a comedy person be any different. Yet, setting up the comics with clear expectations is how you get the results you want from a professionalism standpoint. Producers should do the following things through an email or DM chat:

• Send a flyer with address, date, start time, cost and lineup 
• Have a call time 
• Have a start time 
• Tell them how much time to do
• Send a ticket or RSVP link 
• Discuss any show restrictions in material  
• Tell them if they can leave after their set
• Be clear on payment and stick to it 

If you are a comic, feel free to ask these questions a day before if they haven't freely given this info to you. 

When I show up and ask when I'm going up, and the producer says, "I don't know, and can you do more than ten minutes? Everyone is running late." I know this is going to be a s**t show. Listen, I can make the best of a bad situation, but I'm not doing this again at this stage in my career. 

If you are a comic, don't even bother giving them advice. If they are this incompetent, they wouldn't understand it anyway.

But when a producer acts all stressed, it is because they just thought shows magically happen, when in fact, they are produced. And giving comics clear instructions - in writing - can solve a lot of those worries.    

Get a Good Host Who Can Set the Tone 
Maybe the greatest sin any producer does is put a rookie up to host, creating a dead room. Shows shouldn't get progressively better. The host should get them going, the middles should maintain momentum, and the headliner should be able to kill it at the end. A host has many jobs. They might have to give some announcements, collect intros, and do minimal time in between if the previous comic bombs. Hosts are a representation of your show. In fact, many audience members assume the host booked the show. So when you book a rookie or a bad crowd work guy up front, the crowd is going to think that's you (and if it is you, then maybe don't host). 

Hosts should be aware of what is going on, letting comics know they are next, etc. If your host is all about themselves, then they won't keep the energy up, and you as the producer will be trying to explain to other comics and the venue owner why the show went long or ran out of steam.     

Less is More in Booking the Show
When starting a show, I always encourage people to start slow and build out. So start with a monthly or quarterly show first. Then if you see there's a need, expand as needed. If you can consistently get a number that makes you and the venue happy, then keep it there. Building out a show is a marathon, not a race. If you book too many shows, you'll only find yourself trying to fill a room that might have a limited number of fans. 

When booking a show, try to limit the show to 5-7 TOTAL comics when running a show. No one likes these 10-14 comics doing five minute sets, from the crowd to the comics themselves. I like giving away 15 minutes to 5-6 comics so they can have time to get in a groove. This usually comes out to a 90 minute show. A shorter show can also make the venue more relaxed, out of fear of having to keep staff later than planned. I've lost shows because comics wanted to run more time and the 90 minute show went over to 120 minutes, and they had to pay the staff time and a half for staying late.

People are usually fine with a shorter show if it's funny. They want a longer show when the comics are actually famous. That's why some of these headliners can do an hour and half in the Belly Room and get away with it. So when a non-famous comic asks to do a drop in, all they are doing is prolonging a show that most likely no one asked to go longer anyway. 

The only exception to the 15 minute sets is when you have someone who is not ready. If you have "development" spots on your shows, then they should be 5 minutes max. As a producer, you can't put someone on who sends the show off the tracks just to fill time or swap show favors with. In this case, give the remaining ten minutes to a more establish comic on the lineup. 

​Final Thoughts
Remember that when you are running a show, you are asking everyone involved to give you their time. The comics. The crowd. The venue. Don't waste anyone's time. If you keep that in the back of your mind, and not treat producing like a vanity project, you'll do fine. 
Running a show is hard. I've ran shows in clubs, bars, patios, country clubs, corporate venues, parking lots, churches, and colleges. While every show is it's own beast, you should be committed to excellence, demanding more of yourself than the talent or venue. But if you can get the pre-production down, you usually find the night of the show works itself out as it should.