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My first foray into stand-up was… chaotic. I simply walked on stage and started talking.
TRUST ME, DON’T DO THIS.
I bounced between topics haphazardly, my jokes disconnected and rambling. It was like a comedic stream of consciousness with no direction. I was so disorganized, I even forgot some of my best written jokes! (Ever been stuck listening to a rambling story that loses you in the first minute? Imagine that feeling amplified for an entire audience over several minutes if you’re unprepared.)
I managed to get a few laughs, bless their hearts, but internally? Pure panic.
That’s when the critical importance of preparation hit me – and specifically, the need to craft not just individual jokes, but a cohesive SET with a clear beginning, middle, and end. Think of it as creating a setlist for your comedy album. An outline is your tracklist to comedic success.
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Here’s your guide to creating that essential comedic performance outline.
Why a Five-Minute Set is Your Comedic Cornerstone
The five-minute set is the bedrock of stand-up comedy. Most open mics allot around five minutes of stage time, and it’s also the standard duration bookers and producers use when evaluating your comedic potential through tapes. Your immediate goal should be to develop a “tight five” – five minutes of reliably funny, solid material that showcases your comedic persona and consistently lands laughs. While five minutes might feel like an eternity right now, with a structured outline process, it will come together more smoothly than you think.
As you gain experience, these five-minute modules can be combined and expanded, and before you know it, you’ll have a solid 20-minute set! That’s real progress.
Comedy Vocab 101: Key Terms for Set Construction
Let’s clarify some essential comedy terminology to ensure we’re all on the same page as we build your Comedic Performance Guide:
SET: This is your entire planned performance – a collection of jokes with a defined beginning, middle, and end. It’s everything you intend to say on stage. Non-comedians sometimes mistakenly call this a “skit.” Resist this urge.
BIT: An individual joke or a tight cluster of related jokes and tags all centered on a single topic. Think of it as a comedic building block.
CHUNK: A group of several BITS that all orbit around a larger, unifying theme or topic. Chunks give your set thematic structure.
So, to recap the hierarchy: a SET is composed of CHUNKS, and CHUNKS are made up of BITS.
Or, put another way: JOKES form BITS, BITS construct CHUNKS, and CHUNKS assemble into a SET.
Clear? Excellent.
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Crafting Your Comedic Performance: The 5-Minute Set Outline Template
Let’s get practical and fill in the blanks to structure your comedic performance guide!
- OPENER: Begin with something that immediately introduces you and your comedic persona. If you have a striking visual element – like vibrant hair, distinctive eyebrows, or, say, a parrot perched on your shoulder – address it immediately. Acknowledge the obvious right away, and the audience will quickly move past it and focus on you and your material. Make it personal and engaging from the start.
- CHUNK 1: Topic 1. Ideally, this should also be personal material to further establish your comedic voice. Let the audience get to know you and your perspective.
- BIT (funny – set up the premise)
- BIT (funnier – escalate the humor)
- BIT (funniest – punchline or comedic climax of the bit)
- CHUNK 2: Topic 2. No need for forced transitions between chunks. Comedy audiences are adept at following topic shifts. Simply launch into a new area.
- BIT (funny)
- BIT (funnier)
- BIT (funniest)
- CHUNK 3: Topic 3. This chunk can relate back to a previous topic for thematic cohesion, or it can be completely independent. Variety keeps the set dynamic.
- BIT (funny)
- BIT (funnier)
- BIT (funniest)
- CLOSER: This could be considered BIT IV D, but aim for a strong finish. Consider a callback to an earlier joke for a satisfying loop, or deploy your absolute killer joke – the one you know always crushes. Leave them wanting more.
Tips to Optimize Your Comedic Performance Outline
Remember, this outline is a guide, not a rigid rulebook. Your comedic voice is unique, so adapt it to your style. However, keep these tips in mind to maximize its effectiveness as your comedic performance guide:
- Chunk Quantity: Two to three CHUNKS is generally optimal for a five-minute set. More can feel rushed and overwhelming for both you and the audience; fewer chunks might lack variety and momentum.
- Building Humor: Within each CHUNK, structure your BITS to build comedic intensity. Start with the “funny” premise, escalate to “funnier” developments, and conclude with the “funniest” punchline or comedic payoff. This maximizes the comedic potential of each idea.
- Chunk Duration: Aim for each CHUNK to last approximately 90 seconds to two minutes. This pacing helps maintain audience engagement without overstaying any single topic.
- Save the Best for Last: Strategically place your most engaging, complex, or, to use a comedic term, “meaty” CHUNK towards the end of your set. End strong and leave a lasting impression.
- Memorization Aid: Using this outline structure isn’t just about performance flow; it also aids memorization. The logical progression of chunks and bits creates internal connections that make your set easier to recall.
- Open Mic Flexibility: Bring your outline to every open mic. Even if you get less than five minutes of stage time, you can easily pull out a single CHUNK and practice that section in isolation.
- Setlist Remixing: Once you’re comfortable performing your set in one order, experiment with rearranging it. You might discover new comedic gold simply by changing the sequence and perspective.
Consistent practice is the key to comedic growth. Remember, there’s no such thing as “perfect” in comedy! Embrace experimentation, refine your material, and most importantly, have fun with the process. Then, tweet us at @GOLDcmdy and share what you’ve learned – we’re always eager to learn from our community!
ELSA WAITHE, our founding instructor, is a stand-up comedian hailing from Norfolk, VA, now based in Brooklyn, NY. Her comedy blends lighthearted observations with insightful critiques on topics like homosexuality, race, and self-perception. She’s been featured on This American Life, hosted the monthly “Affirmative Laughter” comedy show, and regularly performs across New York City. Connect with her on Twitter: @elsajustelsa.
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Advice for comedians Bit Chunks comedians Elsa Waithe five-minute set How to outline Set
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