Becoming a Stand-Up Comedian: Getting in Front of Bookers

This column is aimed at readers who have established their act, done the open mike scene, and are looking to move up to MC or feature work. Each level has different requirements, and generally different methods of being booked; let's start at the MC level.

Getting Booked as an Emcee

At many clubs, the emcees are all locally based; clubs don't have the budget to pay for lodging for an MC, and thus use a roster of local comics to fill the opening slot. If you have a local club, your best path to MC work is usually to become a regular at the club's open mike night (and to become one of the best, most consistent comics on the show). If your club doesn't have an open mike night, ask about setting up a guest set - an unpaid, short set during a regular show (usually mid-week or Sunday). If you impress the booker there, you may be able to get MC work at the club.

Some rooms, including top chains such as the Improvs and Funny Bones, will bring in MC's on a regional basis. Pay is usually pretty low (in the range of $200-$300 for the week) and often times you will be sleeping on the couch, while the headliner and feature use the other two bedrooms in the apartment many clubs rent for their comics. That said, it will give you an opportunity to work, and after a few MC sets, you can hope to impress the booker enough to be brought in as a feature.

Bear in mind that at the MC level, many clubs - particularly locally owned, independent rooms - are simply looking for an emcee who won't "break the show". They're looking for you to be professional, to do the annoucements as instructed, to do the introductions as requested, and usually, to do "clean", or non-offensive, material. If you're funny, that's only a bonus.

Sending in press kits or tapes for MC work is almost always a waste of time; few clubs watch tapes for their middle acts and even headliners. MC selection is something that the overwhelming majority of bookers simply don't spend a great deal of time on. Your best bet is to spend as much time at the club(s) as possible, establish a relationship, and be a consistent and professional comic when you get on stage.

Getting Booked as a Feature