Stand-up Comedy Course for Beginners

Find your funny and learn the fundamentals of writing stand-up comedy with our acting & performance short courses in Sydney!

Ever caught yourself thinking that an awkward encounter, everyday frustration or strange observation could make a good joke? In this beginner-friendly course, multi award-winning comedian Dave Crisante will introduce you to practical techniques for finding comedy in the world around you and turning your ideas into original material.

Through a series of hands-on writing exercises, you'll explore different ways to generate ideas, discover simple comedy frameworks and learn techniques for structuring jokes. You'll put these approaches into practice throughout the day, developing your own concepts into short pieces of comedy material and sharing your work with the group.

You'll also gain an introduction to the comedy scene in Australia, including how open mic nights work and ways to begin practising your comedy in a real-world environment. Whether you've secretly wondered what it would be like to try stand-up or simply want to explore comedy writing in a supportive setting, this course offers an accessible way to give it a go.

No previous comedy-writing or performance experience is required.

Learning outcomes

By the end of this Stand-Up Comedy Course for Beginners, participants will have developed practical skills and knowledge in areas such as:

• Using different methods to generate ideas for comedy
• Finding comedic potential in everyday experiences and observations
• Developing initial concepts into short pieces of comedy material
• Understanding several joke structures and comedy frameworks
• Applying different joke-writing techniques
• Writing a selection of original jokes
• Sharing and practising original material with others
• Developing an understanding of the comedy scene in Australia and how to get started at open mic events

Course content

What will be covered in this Stand-Up Comedy Course for Beginners?

During the course, participants will be guided through key concepts, techniques and approaches that typically include:

Generating ideas for comedy

• Exploring different methods for generating comedy ideas
• Finding inspiration in everyday experiences and observations
• Developing initial concepts into potential comedy material

Writing and developing jokes

• Exploring simple comedy frameworks
• Learning different joke structures and writing techniques
• Turning ideas into short pieces of comedy material
• Writing a selection of original jokes

Sharing your material

• Sharing material developed during the course
• Practising your comedy with other participants
• Exploring ideas and approaches through practical writing exercises

Getting started in comedy

• Gaining an introduction to the comedy scene in Australia
• Understanding how to find and join open mic nights
• Exploring ways to begin practising comedy in a real-world environment

Content may vary slightly depending on class pace, participant interests, and instructor approach.

Intended audience

Who is this Stand-Up Comedy Course for Beginners for?

This course is suitable for complete beginners who would like to explore the process of writing stand-up comedy and creating their own original material.

It's ideal for anyone who has wondered how comedians turn everyday ideas and observations into jokes, would like to experiment with comedy writing, or is curious about taking their first steps into the world of stand-up.

No previous comedy-writing or performance experience is required.

From SCC classroom to comedy stage

Former Sydney Community College student Lizzy Hoo went on to build a successful career in stand-up comedy. Read about her comedy journey and experience at Sydney Community College here!

Course venue

Rozelle Campus

2A Gordon Street, Rozelle NSW 2039 (corner of Gordon St & Victoria Rd in the grounds of St. Joseph's Church)

Course materials

What to bring to class

• A4 notebook
• Pen or pencil

Additional information

• Participants will have opportunities to share and practise material they develop during the course.