ROOMS ROOMS ROOMS

The thing I like most about standup comedy is the fact that the "rehearsal" part of learning standup is actually performing. You can't possibly "practice" unless you are performing. It isn't like a sport where you have practice and then eventually a game. With standup, the practice is the game. The only thing that separates the levels of the performance or the "game" is the type of show you are doing. Maybe its an open mic or a showcase or a paid gig at the improv or the Baltimore Comedy Factory. So if the rehearsal is the performance its clearly tough to have lots of performances for people to rehearse. Every night of the week there is an open mic somewhere. I usually go to Soho and sometimes I get on, most times I hang out with other comics. Wednesdays I go to Dremos and Thursdays I go to Topaz or sometimes Bossa. If I get on stage at all 4 of those rooms, that is four rehearsal opportunities a week. I fully intend to pursue standup as a full time career and to be able to do so, I need to rehearse as often as possible. There are tons of great comics in DC that can't even get on stage 4 times a week and some are constantly shunned from certain open mics. The point? We as comics should be creating our own opportunites and not waiting for others to give us shows to perform on. If we as comics in DC quit viewing each other as competition and rather friends and coworkers we could give ourselves more opportunities. Too often I see new comics with such a competitive outlook on standup but there is no competition at all. We should be coming together to support each other. If we work as groups to create more rooms in DC, then we all as comics benefit on an individual level because we will be giving ourselves more performance opportunities. Tons of comics are already looking for new shows right now to create. Granted we may ask 100 venues and end up with only 2 but that is 2 more shows than we already have and that is a huge help, especially since there are newer comics all the time. Tyler Sonnichsen and Marshall Henry have put a room together in Old Town for Saturday nights at the Laughing Lizard Lounge. Right now this is a one time show but if we as comics (performing on the show or not performing on the show) show up to support it, the management will see this and perhaps give us more and more shows at this venue for saturday nights. We as a comedy community have to come together and support each others shows because we all will benefit in the long run. It takes some open mics months to really get legs and become a good venue. It is possible though and will only happen if we make it happen. If you are interested in pitching in on helping a new open mic or showcase along or if you have a venue suggestion please email me at rory@roryscovel.com and we'll get some guys on it. Running a room is a lot of work but if we divide it up it becomes a lot easier. By helping each other we'll be helping ourselves. -Dr. Phil