I was a “Big Baby” about public speaking, let alone a comedy routine in front of strangers but Tom lead a group of comics & myself (I’m not funny) in creating a routine that “Rocked the House.” It was stressful but what an experience – a life changing exciting – check that “Life’s Bucket List” box, experience. Thank you Tom and new friends!!!

I loved the collaboration with working comics. It was a close knit group that got along really well. Tom has a knack for giving input and ideas and helping comics fine tune their material. Tom is very positive and upbeat and never makes anyone feel like they don’t belong. I’m glad this school exists and I’m proud to have gone through both the beginners class and the writers workshop. I am telling everyone I know about SOS and I hope it stays around for a long time.

I loved this class. Tom is an amazing teacher and his teaching methods really served to prepare us for our first performance. I would definitely recommend this class to anyone, especially those looking to have a blast while performing stand-up!

I had only two things left on my bucket list. Climb Mt. Everest or take a stand-up comedy class. Sure glad I chose the latter of the two. I thought it would be fun but it exceeded all of my expectations. The six weeks just flew by. Could hardly wait for the next class to begin.

Tom Riehl is a genius as a teacher, mentor and psychiatrist. If you ever wanted to know if you have the talent for stand-up this is the class for you. Want to know how to put a comedy routine together, set ups, punch lines —-this is the class for you. You have the magic formula. It works.

Stand-up comedy can be intimidating for those of us who are new to comedy. Tom creates a very supportive environment to help you gain confidence and get prepared for your first show. He teaches all you need to know, from comedy techniques, to how to write great jokes. He also gives great tips on how to take your set to the clubs.

I really appreciated the instruction on how to make your writing concise, relevant, and humorous. It was also a supportive environment to debut your material. This was a “bucket list” activity for me & I am so glad I took the class!