From improv to sketch to stand up, there are many opportunities for people looking to get into comedy in Bloomington. But for an IU student or Bloomington resident still testing the waters, getting on stage and trying to make people laugh can seem pretty daunting. This is where open mic events come in handy. Local comedians said these low stakes events are a great way for new talent to get into comedy.
For both seasoned comedians and newbies, open mics have the appeal of being the perfect place to try out new jokes. Not every joke you write is guaranteed to be funny and for those looking to get into stand up professionally, having a well-rounded set of jokes you know you can count on is important. Most places that host open mic events will give you five minutes to try whatever material you want and it’s in these five minutes where newly written jokes can become a tried-and-true set.
Senior Jack Layden, a member of IU’s sketch comedy group Boy in the Bubble, is not new to Bloomington’s comedy scene. Layden has been performing stand up since his sophomore year at IU. After a couple of years performing around Bloomington, he’s become aware of the struggles that can come with open mics but also knows that those things don’t always have to be negative.
“It's pretty cool because it's, like, terrible, the bar cannot be lower,” Layden said. “But that just means that it's the optimal spot to try new jokes out. Because even if your new premise about police horses bombs, it can't be worse than whatever came out of the old retiree's mouth two sets ago.”
There are a few spots around town that offer open mics on a pretty scheduled basis. The most well-known one is probably The Comedy Attic, which offers a space for people to try out their jokes at 8 p.m. on Wednesdays. Comedians at The Comedy Attic’s open mics are given five minutes to do whatever original material they want but must email the venue first if they wish to perform.
However, The Comedy Attic isn’t the only place for people to try their hand at comedy in Bloomington. Teagan Hughes, an IU grad student and Bloomington comedian, has been to several open mic events around town. She recommended the open mics at Hoppy Wobbles, a 21+ establishment in downtown Bloomington and Cup & Kettle Tea Company, a small business in Bloomington, as good places for hopeful comedians to try out material.
Hoppy Wobbles hosts an open mic at 8 p.m. on Sundays. Unlike The Comedy Attic, no prior sign up is required for this event. This makes it a bit easier for those who are a little nervous about trying comedy for the first time.
Cup & Kettle Tea Company hosts a monthly open mic called a Come(d)tea Party, the next one will be at 7 p.m. Monday, March 31. The event, which fills up fast, requires those interested to sign up beforehand which can be done via Google form on their Instagram. However, according to Hughes, these monthly open mics are great for Bloomington residents of all ages looking to try out comedy on a smaller scale.
“It's really cool, it's a really, like, nice and cozy environment,” Hughes said. “And it's extremely welcoming. I would recommend it to anyone. If there's anyone who's interested in trying stand up, but finds The Comedy Attic slightly intimidating, I would perhaps tell them to go to Cup and Kettle first.”
Stand up can also be found on campus in the form of IU’s stand up comedy group, Ladies’ Night Comedy. Ladies’ Night is a group composed entirely of women and nonbinary comedians, and they perform stand up shows in the Radio Television Building a few times throughout the semester. While auditions for the group this semester have just ended, their next show is March 28 for those looking to see what the group's style of comedy is about.
Em North, a junior in Ladies’ Night Comedy, has been performing stand up for two years. While they haven’t performed at any of the open mics in Bloomington, they are well acquainted with the Bloomington comedy scene through their stand up in Ladies’ Night. North said that it was the combination of passionate audiences and comedians with varying styles of comedy and types of humor that made Bloomington so special when it came to performing stand up.
“I am constantly surprised by the talent in Bloomington,” North said. “It’s awesome to be in a town where I am meeting people funnier than me. There is a sense of camaraderie that makes it easy to go out and give it your all.”
IU senior and member of Backdoor Comedy, Logan Vaught, has been performing stand up since middle school and is well-versed on Bloomington’s comedy scene. He stressed the importance of pushing forward even if not every joke landed.
No matter how experienced someone may be, performing stand up can be a nerve-wracking task. Vaught said he thinks the important thing to remember when it comes to an open mic is that there isn’t anyone expecting you to be great. Like many things, stand up isn’t a skill that one tries for the first time and automatically excels at.
“People want to laugh, so an open mic is a great place to try out new material, see what works, and not take it too hard if things don't go 100% how you wanted them to,” Vaught said. “Bloomington is a town that is very open to exploration, one that celebrates art and artists. So, I find that audiences are open to hearing from new voices and are welcoming to new comedians.”
