This Workshop will focus on what it takes to produce the best comedy show possible as well as how to be a great host/emcee at comedy shows and live events. The Workshop will end with students participating in all aspects of producing a live comedy show. Additionally, future hosting and producer opportunities will be available to those who show an interest and understanding of all Workshop information.

This Workshop will cover a variety of topics:

PRODUCING:

Scouting out and finding the perfect room for comedy
Booking your first show and hopefully many more!
Where to find talent
Organizational skills
Showtime – What’s all involved
Creating Promotional materials
Advertising / Ticketing

HOSTING:

The job of the host
How much time to do?
Crowd work. Where to start. Transition to material.
Material vs. crowd work. How much of each?
Introducing comedians
In between comedians
Hosting a regular show. New material. Current events.

Tom Riehl has been producing stand-up comedy shows since the early nineties. He currently produces the monthly Lass Your Aff Off! comedy show at the Z Playhouse in Mission Viejo. Most recently he was co-producer of Second Stage Stand-up at the Camino Real Playhouse (with longtime friend and comedian Ron Ruhman) which ran for 12 years, the longest running stand-up show in Orange County. In 2016, Tom began producing another monthly show, the original Lass Your Aff Off! at Adele’s at The San Clemente Inn. This show ran monthly for over 5 years. Tom is also the producer of Laughs for Leathernecks, an annual event held at the Irvine Improv benefiting the Dana Point Marines and their families, as well as co-producer of the Funniest Housewives Comedy Competition.

In addition, Tom also produces, as well as performs in countless corporate, private, and charitable events throughout the year.

Over 30 Years of Experience!

Tom’s first stab at producing comedy shows was in 1992 at the Holiday Inn in Laguna Hills, CA (now The Hills Hotel) after only doing stand-up for about a year. “The hotel was just down the street from my house, so one Sunday night I drove over and wandered in to the lounge area and noticed the place was empty at 7PM. The only person there was the bartender.”  The very next day Tom went back to meet with the GM and proposed a comedy night featuring different comedians each week. He would do it for $75 a show. The weekly show ended up running for 5 years, which even by today’s standards is a long run for a stand-up comedy show. Over those years Tom made many connections with comedians as well as had a place to perform each and every week.

Since that time, Tom has continued producing and performing in shows regularly. He understands what is needed to make a show great as well as what the audience expects. As Tom says, “I would never produce a show that I wouldn’t want to perform in myself!”