Been considering stand-up comedy? Wanna know where and how you can hone your skills? Get stage time in front of crowds both large and sparse? Perform at a Comedy Club for all your friends and family? Travel the World and become a star? This is a good place to start.

What you need to begin your journey is at least five minutes of what you consider to be your funniest and most original material. Doesn’t matter if it sucks, just put together five minutes. You’ll find out on stage what’s worth keeping and what blows. Once you’ve practiced it to death in front of a mirror, it’s time to try it out on the open-mics!

There are several open-mics in Reno where locals and visitors alike are welcome to perform. The one’s on this list center around stand-up comedy and solo performance. Not to say there isn’t a variety, but this is where Reno Comedy happens.

Sunday 9:00pm – The Biggest Little City Club
Many a fledgling comic has started here at the BLCC. The show is strictly open-mic comedy. It is hosted by the winner of last year’s Coors Light Open-mic Night Comedy Contest – Rob Gregory and Reno favorite John Ager.

Monday 8pm – The Java Jungle
Comedy, Poetry, Spoken Word and more at the hottest coffee house open-mic in town! A very sober and attentive crowd packs the place every week!

Tuesday 9pm – Spread Peace Cafe
Located at 50 N. Sierra St. Ste. 106 (right next to the ole bridge pub)
The Newly opened Spread Peace Cafe will be having an open mic night every Tuesday at 9pm.
Interested in performing? Contact Yvette Horn at funnyrenodiva@yahoo.com

Wednesday 10pm – 3rd St. Bar
Weekly Comedy Competition! Every week local comedians compete in a contest to see who is the funniest of the night! (Doesn’t hurt to bring some cheering friends) Winner gets a bar tab and a 15min spot the following week!

If you want to compete, call Wayne Walsh at 775-815-1672

Thursday 9pm – Great Basin Brewery in Sparks
The Great Basin Open Mic night takes a break every summer during the Sparks Farmers Market. See you next winter!
The longest running comedy open-mic in the area! For well over a decade this room has been the place to see comedy in Sparks. Hosted by Lake Tahoe’s favorite headlining comic Rowie.

Friday and Saturday you ask? It’s all about the clubs. With live professional comedy 6 days a week, you have plenty of opportunities to watch the Pros at Catching a Rising Star at the Silver Legacy and the Improv at Lake Tahoe. These two clubs are considered to be some of the best in the entire world! Though neither has an open-mic, both are places worth visiting as often as you can. Great place to take a date too!

Here are some tips to make your journey into stand-up just a little less painful. Consider it etiquette among those without shame…

1. Stick to your time! Whether you’re given 5, 7, 10, 15 minutes, whatever, do not go over. One mistake a lot of new comics make is they search for that one last laugh to close on. All this does is anger the people allowing you on their stage. Next time you can close strong. Go over your time and you might not get a next time.


2. Respect the light. Most hosts will shine a light (or wave their cell phone) when it’s time for you to wrap it up. When that happens, give them a look to acknowledge it and do your last minute or so of material. If they don’t know you’ve seen it, they’ll shine it until you do. Acknowledge it the first time so the host is happy and the constant angry lighting doesn’t mess up your act!


3. Expect to Bomb. Stand-up Comedy is tough. Just because the crowd didn’t laugh (doesn’t mean they didn’t like you) or because they didn’t like you (means they didn’t like you) there is no reason to have a bad attitude. Nothing is worse than a new comic who whines about how bad the crowd is. Usually it’s the amateur material that’s the problem. Without an honest crowd, we’d never know what’s relatable and funny. It’s about having fun. Make sure you at least do that!


4. Hang out with other Comedians! Serious comics write together, attend comedy classes and workshops, support each
   other’s shows and just generally enjoy like company. The best way to be involved in the local scene, and make connections to advance your comedy career, is to spend time around your fellow comics. Comedy can be lonely, believe me, Comics are approachable! (Even the famous ones.)


5. Show up! If you’re not bringing down the house your first couple times out, don’t just give up. There are millions of tips and guidelines available to improve you as a comedian. Show up consistently to the rooms and you’ll probably start learning them! It’s really about having fun, when you’re having it, the crowd will too!

P.S. Don’t forget to learn from other people’s mistakes. Here is an example of BAD standup comedy.

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