Stand-up curious? Stand-up Boot Camp is a 7-week intensive course where beginning level students will learn the fundamentals of stand-up comedy, exploring joke structure and style, developing their comedic persona, and crafting a 5 minute set to be performed at the culmination of class.
Throughout the course, students will attend open mics and showcases (3 comp. tickets included w/tuition), and perform at one of the open mics prior to the final class, where they will receive teacher feedback and integrate it into their class performance.
Time and Location: Wednesdays from 19:30-21:30 at Ynspire Studios (Av. del Marquès de l’Argentera, 19)
First Class: 18 September
Final Show: TBD
Tuition: €220 (€200 early bird discount until 1/9)
Instructor: Luke Messina
Syllabus for Stand-up Bootcamp
Classes 1-2: Developing Your Comedic Voice
In the the first two classes we will analyze classic and contemporary styles in comedy and comedic archetypes as we begin to craft our own stage personas and identify our comedic voice. For writing, we will focus on storytelling in the form of short personal narratives, finding the humor within these stories, and revising them in order to highlight the strongest bits.
Classes 3-5: Jokes Writing and Stage Presence
For weeks 3-5, we will explore different types of joke structures. During this time, we will generate the majority of the material for our sets, complete with teacher feedback and peer-to-peer revisions. Lastly, we will utilize physical and vocal exercises to better connect to the audience when onstage integrating mic techniques, movement vs. stillness, and voice modulation in ‘act-outs’. During this time, students will try some of their material at an open mic and receive teacher feedback.
Classes 6-7: Honing our Sets, Crowd-work & Hecklers, and Final Show Prep
Our goal here is to polish our sets by editing out unnecessary info in our setups and punchlines and letting go of jokes that aren’t connecting. After making some changes, we will create a setlist, placing our bits in a specific order to create cohesion and get the biggest laughs. Lastly, we will briefly address the unexpected onstage through ways to deal with hecklers and a bit of crowd work techniques.
Assessment and Evaluation:
- Participation in class discussions and activities
- Completion of writing assignments and comedic exercises
- Progress in developing and refining a stand-up comedy set
- Performance in the final showcase
Required Materials:
- Writing materials (notebooks, pens, etc.)
- Access to a recording device (smartphone, camera, etc.)
- Open mind and a sense of humor
Prerequisites:
No prior experience in stand-up comedy is required. Enthusiasm, creativity, and a willingness to learn are essential.
Note:
This syllabus is a general guide, and adjustments may be made based on the specific needs and progress of the class. Students are encouraged to actively participate, support one another, and embrace the journey of finding their comedic voice.
key was working together with other colleagues to share and learn about each one’s set. That was what
motivated me and push me throughout the class – Pablo
safe environment, it does give you a kick to get to know a bit of the technicalities behind standup, but also
how the scene works in Barcelona. Better than that, just Luke’s guidance and support – Felipe
lots of trial and error, and a lot of encouragement from like minded people to get you ready for your first
stand-up comedy performance. -Ostap
the same things. It was fun, casual, inquisitive and just a very gentle low pressure to be funny introduction
into the world of comedy. Would recommend it to anyone who wants to understand the idea of what
makes something funny better. -Maria