The U’s Stand-Up Comedy Club offers open mic opportunities in the Union for anyone on campus.
Founded by four aspiring student comedians in 2013, the club offers weekly shows Mondays at 7 p.m. in the Union Theatre (room 288). Jonathan Falconer, a senior in pharmaceutical chemistry and one of the founders of the club, describes the open mic as “funny … most of the time.”
A typical show consists of “pre-game” music playing as students trickle into the theatre. Most of the audience members are actually the performers for the night. Students should know that upon entering, they will be asked when they want to come up on stage. Content at the Stand Up Comedy Club is not censored. And a wide array of topics are discussed every week.
Amerah Ames, a junior in film and a frequent performer, described the club as “an intimate mic without a lot of judgement.”
An unspoken rule exists amongst professional and aspiring comedians that comedy can’t be taught. Her first week at the club Ames was invited to perform but declined and said she would return with material the following week. She has continued performing for over a year now and has gone on to do routines and shows in various locales around the Salt Lake Valley.
“If you want to do comedy, then start doing it,” Ames said.
The club is a forum for students and community members to try their hand at making some laughs. It has a fluid structure and additions to the line-up are accommodated throughout the night.
Concerning new comics, Falconer said, “If you can handle long, awkward silences, then come on out.”
He estimates that more than 50 different comedians — students and community members — have performed at the Monday open mics since it began. In their efforts to create more of a comedy community on campus, the club also has plans to show short films produced by students and feature full-length films in the future. Open mic night on Mondays will possibly see the addition of improv games to allow other forms of comedy to be a part of the weekly show.
@BeauHart13