Tips for running a great open mic *backed by science*
In a nutshell, pick a good room, amplify, get paid, don’t be a d*ck
Thank you for reading and subscribing to The Museletter. I started performing stand up in 2001 in NYC and 24 years later, I’m still rocking the mic. This blog is an archive of the knowledge I’ve gained, great people I’ve met, experiences I’ve had, lessons I’ve learned, and an attempt to share it all. I humbly ask you to contribute $7 per month to not only support this work, but also to provide a virtual service desk for all comedians who seek a hand and a little support along the way in this crazy scene. AMA, ask me for help, like the reader did who inspired this “Open Mic” post, and I will do my best to provide it. Love, your fairy god aunt of comedy.
Etc.: (This is the part where I talk about my stuff)
Note: The link function is broken for me on Substack right now. Just use Google for now. Annoying, I know. Sorry. I’ll add hyperlinks later.
Fri. May 23: The Bar and Company, Olyphant, PA.
Sat. May 31: Don’t Tell Comedy
Sun. June 1: Pocono Pride Festival
Sat. June 28: Pocono Underground Comedy, Yard of Ale, Stroudsburg, PA.
Me on stage, March 2025.
Just a few years ago, some cities still lacked stage opportunities where a newbie comedian could get on stage to flex and build their stand up skills. Still today, some smaller towns experience mic deserts, presenting a dearth of chances to work out their bits in front of an audience are limited at best.
What’s a comedian to do?
Might I suggest starting your own mic?
While there are some challenges to starting and running your own mic, the experience has almost all upsides.
There are many ways to approach this endeavor, but here are some tried and tested suggestions to help you run the best mic you can.
Pick a great venue
While it’s temping to say yes to the first or any space that will have you, (and you may not get to choose) try to pick one that offers the most benefits to your performers and audience. Some things to look for in a good room include comfortable seating with a good view of the acts, a stage, if possible, food and/or beverages for sale (or maybe you can negotiate a BYOB), amplification equipment and/or a sound person, good lighting, easy access to a restroom, a space where people don’t have to interrupt the flow of the show to enter or exit, and a certain je ne sais quoi—a vibe or umami to the room that will be inviting to both performers and guests. What did I leave out? What is something surprising that the room you use for your mic had? Share it in the comments or send it to me.
Ask for some form of pay
Call me crazy, but I think it’s important that most comedians get paid, yes, even one who runs an open mic. Performers at open mics, the jury is still out on. But anyone who does any skill at nearly any level gets paid for it. This endeavor is probably not going to make you rich (but it could!), yet it’s worthwhile to consider streams of revenue for a few reasons. One, it will keep you motivated and dedicated, and it’s a lot of work. Two, you’re worth it. Three, comedy is a business, and the sooner you start to create a business mentality around your performing, the better. So start with the mic. Can you trade your efforts for free food for yourself and a feature comedian? Can guests get a discounted drink? Can you collect a few dollars at the door from guests or take donations? Can you sell merch? Whatever it is, find a way to make a few bucks on the show.
Earlier I mentioned that I’m undecided on pay for acts. While it may not be efficient to directly pay comedians to perform on a mic, it is wise to think about ways to bring them to your mic. Comedians have more options than ever before. Why should they come to your mic? Maybe they perform free, get a drink discount, get a sticker. Maybe you share a bit of their set on social media or record their set for them. Helping a comic out on the way up now will pay in dividends later.
Promote your mic
Comedians need an audience, and mics are no different. While it’s worthwhile for comedians to attend mics and watch other comedians, I don’t believe that demanding comedians stay to watch the show is the right avenue. Taking about 15-30 minutes a day to post and promote the show is the way to go. Maybe it’s hanging posters around town one day, posting on social media the next, or getting a few friends on board to share the duties, even incentivizing them by paying them a portion of tickets they sell or guests they bring. Whatever system works for you, treat getting an audience to the mic like it’s your job, because it is.
Treat running a mic like you’d like it to treat you
Running a mic is simple: you get out of it what you put into it. If you don’t promote it until the day before the show, it’s not going to thrive the way it would if you put a little effort in every day. If you’re a jerk to performers or audience members, they won’t return. Etc., ad nauseam. Even worse, they’ll gladly and loudly and often tell people about what a terrible time they had.
Invest in decent (or any) equipment
If the venue doesn’t have equipment, get some. Mic, stand, a small amp and a light will do for now. Gear isn’t too expensive or hard to come by. Comedians have few tools in their trade, and one is a mic. Make sure you have one, and that it works.
Develop guidelines
Will your show be free? Do you intend to charge comedians? (I don’t encourage that practice.) How much time will comics get? (5-6 minutes is about right.) Will there be games, breaks, special guests, prizes, snacks on the tables, trivia between acts, or some other elements to make the show different? (I recommend.) Will the show go all night or have a cut off time? (Cut it off!) Is there a sign up sheet or can comedians book a spot in advance? (I encourage implementing both strategies.) Is it a mixed mic or comedy only? (There are pros and cons to each version.) Whatever the rules to the mic are, try to answer as many questions (for yourself and for your guests) in advance, be fair, do it the way you’d want to see it done, and put as much of your heart into it as you can.
Try not to censor
I believe in letting comedians do their thing. In shows I’ve run, I try to never censor comedians, even if I don’t love why they’re saying. If you fear offensive acts, screen and book in advance. Or, sit back and let the magic unfold, understanding that sometimes magic is messy, and sometimes fate takes the wheel with its own set of unplanned consequences.
Find a niche
Whatever your quirky angle is, lean into it as hard as you can. Maybe everyone performing has to wear a hat. Maybe you host your mic at an ice cream bar. Maybe your mic is as cut and dry as the day is long. Whatever you decide, do it with gusto! You may experiment a little at first to find the right niche, but don’t experiment too much (unless that’s the niche) because people are by and large simple folk and get confused easily.
Reap the benefits
There are so many benefits to running a great mic. You can and will hone your skills, profit monetarily or via in kind services, make friends (and maybe some enemies if you do it right!), learn, have fun, and develop a little community around your show, among other pluses, with a few minuses, like, you will allot time to that project, it might cost you more money than you make, and there will be times when you don’t want to be there, but you have to. Ultimately, running a mic is good fun and a great experience for anyone who is willing to step up to the mic.
A case study
Anyone who knows me has probably at one time or another heard me talk about The Bowery Poetry Club. During my formative years as a comic, I attended a weekly mic there called Show N’ Tell. It was held in the awkward time slot of Mondays at 10 p.m. by two deliriously zany comic actresses dressed in alt universe super hero outfits who went by the stage name, The O’Debra Twins. I, and everyone who met them, fell in love with them immediately. What was not to love? The mic cost $3 to attend. Performers put their name into a bucket, and the looooong line up was drawn out at the top of the show.
“The O’Debra Twins” Tanya Ritchie and Diane Langan (R.I.P. Diane) from Tanya O’Debra’s Instagram page
A character and addition to the show in his own right, a giant yet gentle gay poet named Moonie tended the bar, pouring strong drinks. The show, which kicked off with a featured opening act, invited every kind of performer and did not censor, or disappoint. A scantly clad Scandinavian woman smashed cakes into her own face. A middle aged Asian man danced and poorly but enthusiastically sang karaoke with wild abandon. I never really saw any rules implemented or censorship involved except for when a man took out his penis and began to try to rub it on people. But ultimately, the show was a hodge podge of stand up, music and poetry, interspersed with random art, beauty and (often wonderful) weirdness. Celebrities even regularly took to the stage, some years before they were known names, including Eric Andre, Hannibal Burress, Kristen Schaal, Reggie Watts, Jim Gaffigan, Jonathan Ames, and many more. It drew in a huge crowd of people every week, and ran until 2 a.m.
If you’re going to run a mic, do it like that—make it memorable, unique, special, beautiful, wild, and something people will talk about over a decade after the last name is drawn out of a hat.
What is the best open mic you ever attended, and what made it special? Need help picking a venue? Want a sample pitch email to send a club owner? Want me to ‘be your manager’ and help you negotiate some pay? Write in, baby, that’s what I’m here for.
Daily Musings:
Badslava | THE open mic clearinghouse
Bowery Poetry Club | Still doing it
Tanya O’Debra | Instagram
Til next time, friend-o.
Thanks!!