Standup 101 (Youth Online)

Stanley – Mon – Fri, Sept 21st – 25th, 5:30pm-6:30pm

Age Range: Grades 9 – 12

This class is a one-week course in which students will learn the basics of standup comedy, including timing, joke construction, perspective, and performance skills. The class will culminate with a virtual standup show for students to show off their incredible standup sets to their awesome friends and family!

CLASS 1: Telling Jokes That are Funny to You & Learning how to workshop

• Through in-class exercises, students will learn how to come up with ideas for jokes by exploring what makes them laugh and what stories they like to tell. Students will also learn how to give and receive notes from fellow classmates.

CLASS 2: Writing Our Very First Set & Performance Skills

• Students will brainstorm new ideas and learn how to take their jokes to the next level. This class will focus on turning small details into big laughs, Students will compile what we’ve written so far and brainstorm what is needed to transform it into a 3 minute set. Students will have time to write in groups, and we will also do exercises about how to perform virtually so our friends and family can hear us and understand what we’re saying.

CLASS 3: Timing, Workshopping & How to Not Just Read From a Piece of Paper

• Students will present their standup sets so far, and we will learn how to tweak the timing of jokes. Students will learn how to perform their sets in a way that is natural to them, learning that exact memorization is not necessary and holding your notes while you perform is always okay!

CLASS 4: Show Prep!

• In this class, we will finalize our show sets. Everyone will have a chance to practice and get super comfortable with performing. We will also discuss the logistics of the show and make sure everyone is excited and ready for the big show.

CLASS 5: The Big Show!

• Time to show off what we’ve learned! Students will each perform their self-written 3-minute sets to friends, family, and classmates!

About the Instructor: Shea Stanley is a actor, comedian, writer, and recent graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill. While there, she was president of comedy group False Profits, as well as I Just Said That, a comedy group dedicated to fostering the comedic talent of all marginalized genders. She has performed at booked shows throughout the Triangle and is currently a contributing writer for the online satire website Reductress. She’s also very fun and cool! (Right??) (Right!!???)

This class is conducted online! A computer with audio, video, and internet functionality is required. Student gives permission for The ArtsCenter and for instructor to use their image and comments in class recordings for promotional non-commercial purposes. Refunds and exchanges are not offered for online classes.

All ArtSchool registrations have a $3 processing fee added upon check-out.

ArtsCenter members receive 15% off of the cost of this course!