Laugh Lounge Audition Report

Last night was my audition show at the Laugh Lounge. It was definitely a long shot audition. Laugh Lounge doesn't have as many shows. So they don't have as many spots. And it's very competitive.

I know a number of comics who have gone for this audition and none have been passed. So I didn't really expect to pass myself. But it's was a chance to be seen by management, to get on their radar and to get industry feedback. So I was determined to put my best stuff forward, to give it my all and to enjoy myself.

I've made some major changes to my industry audition set since my Stand-Up NY audition a month ago. I took out the royal wedding joke. It's a good joke. But it has become dated and it's not about me. So it really shouldn't be in an audition set. I always knew this. I just didn't have anything better to use instead. Now I do.

I had planned for a while to replace the royal wedding joke with the 80s jokes. But lessons I've learned from blogging about that bit changed my mind.

One of the notes I got a month ago was "too much Mormon" and "too regional," meaning mainstream audiences don't get some of the references. I agreed with this completely.

So I took out some of the longer and more obscure ex-Mormon jokes. This made room for two totally new bits that have been doing really well, "People and Their Passwords" and "Gay is Trendy".

These changes have brought balance to the set. I have always wanted to feature three themes in my comedy: gay, technology and ex-Mormon. These are, after all, things that define me and make me unique. They are what make me stand out from the crowd.

The audience was small, 10 people with modest energy. My set went pretty well. But I felt my performance was a notch down from my Stand-Up NY audition last month.

I was getting good laughs. But rather than having a conversation with the audience (which is what most modern comics strive for) it had a bit of the feeling of me talking and them watching. They were enjoying watching. And I was enjoying talking. I didn't quite establish as much of a connection as I've had with other audiences. It just didn't quite feel ... hmmmm ... personal, perhaps.

I attribute this to two things. Because about half of the set was new material, I was in my head a bit. Not a lot, but a bit. And second, it is oh, so difficult to establish this connection with the audience in only five minutes. I find that even just a seven minute set is substantially easier than five minutes. But the mark of a good comic is that he can establish a connection immediately, no matter the length of the set. This is something I've known for a few months and have been striving to achieve.

The books I've read and coaches I've had all recommend a strong opening joke that can get a strong laugh quickly. The audience is always worried that a comic might suck. Showing them that you don't suck allows them relax. Which, in turn, allows the comic to relax. This is one of the keys to beginning to establish this connection. And so the opening joke is actually more for the comic than for the audience.

I did not pass the audition. But like I wrote, I didn't expect to. I actually consider last night to have been a smashing success. I was using it as a dress rehearsal for my next Stand-Up NY audition in a month. Stand-Up NY has more shows and more spots to offer. So I've got a better chance there.

After the show I met with the owner, Delilah, for feedback. I found her to be very pleasant and extremely helpful. I felt we had an excellent rapport. She had so many positive things to say that I feel like a bit of a braggart publishing them all here. But I've worked hard and I've earned this praise.

I'm blessed with a good memory for words. So here are the highlights, as best as I can remember.

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DELILAH'S NOTES

You're a good writer. You understand the setup and the punch. Some comics' writing never gets as good as yours.

You clearly have a brain in your head. Your comedy is intellectual. That's an advantage and you should continue to use it.

You know what you want to talk about. You have good themes. It's very good that you have thought about what themes you want to use and the balance between them. You've had this particular upbringing, gay in a religious environment. And you've decided to use it which makes you different.

You're confident in your sexuality. And I don't mean gay.

Lots of comics don't know who they are ... straight comics. They're not confident in their sexuality. I see them and wonder, are you the good girl or the slut? Are you a man's man? Who are you?

You clearly know who you are in life. And you have to know who you are in life before you can know who you want to be on stage.

Your performance needs to catch up to your writing. Hanging out up here at the bar, I've seen you show more personality than you showed on stage. You were a bit timid on stage.

I'd like to see you be more biting and perhaps more flamboyant. I'd like to see you use your intellect more. You've got it. Use it. Think, "larger than life."

But, no one can tell you who you should be on stage. That has to come from you.

You're still figuring out who you want to be on stage. This will come naturally over time.

The computer jokes are good but maybe went on a little long. Choose the strongest ones and cut it down.

(And I've saved the best for last ....)

[once you've grown some more] I'd put you in a gay show. But I'm looking for black comics who can play a white room. I'm looking for gay comics who can play a straight room. I want to have a good mix of different comics.

I think you could have crossover appeal.

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!!! WOW !!!

That last comment has me doing little victory dances! I'm delighted! I'm ecstatic! It is absolutely what I want and the goal I've been striving toward.

I do gay shows occasionally. Hey! I love the gays! But 95% of the rooms I play are 90% straight. I write to a straight audience.

When I started this, I said I wanted to talk to straight people about their sexuality from a gay point of view. I said I wanted to show them that we're all pretty much the same. Lust is lust. Selfishness is selfishness. Love is love. And ex-lovers all say the same stupid stuff.

Now I'm mostly still working on writing about myself, telling my story. But I've started writing material toward this goal of making the audience relate to my sexuality, even though I'm gay and they're mostly not. The "Gay is Trendy" is a bit about that.

As with my Stand-Up NY audition, the feedback was overwhelmingly positive and encouraging. And the constructive criticism was very helpful and not particularly surprising.

Delilah said she'd see me again in 6 months ... which is industry code for "we like you, kid, but you're not there yet."

Regardless, this experience has been energizing. I reaffirms that I'm on the right track. I know what I'm doing. I know where I'm going.

Man oh man do I love this!

Damn the torpedoes! Full speed ahead!