Some notes on producing your own comedy show

Do what you must to get as much quality stage time as you can

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• Coffee and Comedy show Fri. Jan. 25 | EventBrite

• New joke: A job AI won’t take (yet) | Instagram

• Pocono Underground Comedy show Sat. Feb 15 | Details TBA

I honestly can’t count how many comedy shows I’ve produced over the years. I learned early on that if I wanted to have lots and lots of stage time, it’d make sense for me to start producing shows. While I can see the benefits to never, ever producing a comedy show, I reap the countless benefits of being a regular show producer.

Here are a few benefits:

• can trade stage time

• can ingratiate yourself to other comedians who you want to get to know

• can earn money performing

• can have regular stage time

• can build up a regular local fan base

• can ingratiate yourself to a business or company who you want to get to know

• can be “doing something” (instead of doing nothing)

• can develop business skills

• can experiment in creative ways…

• is that enough?

A nice piece of press stemming from a show I didn’t have to produce

Here are some of the (hypothetical) drawbacks:

• you don’t really want to be a producer, you want to be a famous comedian

• people ask you to book them who you don’t want to book and you don’t want to be mean / make enemies in comedy

• the show might not make that much money and you have to pay people out of your own pocket

• you might have to book, produce, set up, break down, etc. the show

• you aren’t really a business-minded person, you’re a comedian, so you’re bad at producing shows and never get good at it because you don’t care

• you piss off a business owner and then they tell other business owners not to let you do shows there

• did I forget any?

From producing literally, without exaggeration, over 1000 shows in New York City, in Los Angeles, in Europe, in major cities across the U.S. and Europe, tours and an ENTIRE COMEDY FESTIVAL, I have, unfortunately, learned how to produce a pretty good show.

Here are some of my secrets / pieces of advice:

• Get really good at comedy so that other people will produce most of your shows.

• Don’t worry if you do have to perform shows; comedians will do whatever they can to get stage time, so do what you must.

• If / while you MUST produce your own shows:

  • Be honest / kind / put your whole heart into it (people can tell if you aren’t / don’t, and it affects the kind of audience you draw, and whether or not people come back and what they tell others.

  • Hire the absolutely best comedians that you can.

  • Hire a barker to help promote the show. Pay them.

  • Pay everyone, tip the wait and bar staff.

  • Make and hang posters, pay for online advertising.

  • Befriend the owner of the club. Make sure they know the show’s value.

  • Negotiate a small portion of bar sales, ask to keep 100% of the door, negotiate zero rental fee in exchange for bringing in a lot of people who will eat and drink there.

  • Try to negotiate free food and/or drinks for the comedians.

  • Ask them to leverage their social media accounts to help advertise. (Businesses often get highish social media followings, just because.)

  • Partner with a business that you LIKE.

  • To bring in extra money, do a raffle, offer VIP seating or other perks, ask for tips at the end of the show, and set up a merch table.

  • Always record and take photos of the show to promote on social media.

  • EventBrite is the current go-to ticket vendor, but they charge an almost 20% fee per ticket, so try to find another way to sell advance tickets.

  • Subscribe to Jessica Delfino’s Museletter for $7 / month, and get personalized phone calls to talk out your challenges, as well as free access to my

    Fill The House PR video that shares all my best tips on how to promote shows, yourself and whatever else you want to promote.

    Daily Musings:

    • Seth Meyers in the news | Deadline

    • Damn! Free SNL 50th Anniversary Tix | Today

    • R.I.P. David Lynch | Rolling Stone

So long for now.