Free set review
Send five minutes of tape. We'll tell you the one habit to drop first.
Online · New comics and working open-mikers
Write it, tape it,
Write it, tape it,
tighten it.
The joke that killed on Tuesday and died on Thursday usually lost six words and a beat. Tape tells you which ones — memory never does.
- 8–12weeks per program
- 48 hfor a tape review
- 8 maxin a live session
- $0set review
The programs
Four programs, and all of them start with writing
Stage time is where material gets tested. Writing is where it gets made, and most comics do far too little of it.
Joke writing
Finding premises worth the stage, building punchlines, and the tags that turn one laugh into three.
See the programThe tight five
Cutting, ordering and timing a five-minute set until every line earns its place.
See the programOpen mics & tape
Getting up regularly, handling bad rooms, and reviewing your tape without flinching.
See the programBuilding a set
Growing five to fifteen minutes, structuring a longer set, and preparing for showcases.
See the program
How it works
Tape every set, review it honestly
Comics remember the laughs and forget the silences. The recording remembers both, and in order.
Write daily
Ten premises a week. Most will be bad; that's the job.
Get up twice a week
Record every single set, including the bad ones.
Timestamped notes
Within 48 hours: where it dragged, what to cut, what to tag.
Plans
Pick your level of support
Month to month, cancel anytime. The 20-minute set review is free.
Writers' room
A weekly session punching up each other's material.
$29/ month
- One 90-minute live session each week
- Groups of 8 comics maximum
- Your material worked on every session
- Weekly writing prompts
- Replays for 30 days
Coaching essentials
A coach on your writing and your tape every week.
$99/ month
- Personal 8 to 12 week program
- Tape reviewed within 48 hours
- One 45-min session every two weeks
- Material edited line by line
- Access to all writers' rooms
Set intensive
For a showcase, a festival submission, or building fifteen minutes.
$179/ month
- One 45-min session each week
- Reviews within 24 hours
- Set built and ordered with you
- Submission tape prepared
- Access to all writers' rooms
Prices in USD. Cancel anytime, no contract.
How we work
A coach, not a booker
Next Stage books nobody, manages nobody and takes no commission. Be wary of anyone charging for stage time, guaranteed spots or representation — that's a well-known way to separate new comics from their money.
What we do is read your writing, watch your tape and tell you the truth about both. The material is yours, the choices about what you say on stage are yours, and so is the responsibility for them.
Frequently asked
The questions we get most
I've never been on stage.
Then the writing program first, and we'll get you to a mic within a few weeks. Everyone's first set is bad; that's not a reason to delay it.
Can you get me spots?
No. We're not a booking agency and take no commission. We'll help you find the mics in your area and be good enough that bookers notice.
How often should I get up?
Twice a week is a realistic floor if you want to improve. More if you can, and always recorded.
My jokes work at one mic and die at another.
Normal, and the tape usually shows a difference in delivery or pacing rather than in the room. That's exactly what tape review is for.
Will you write jokes for me?
No. We edit, question and punch up, but the material has to be yours or it won't sound like you on stage.
Can I cancel anytime?
Yes. No contract, no minimum term. Access stays open until the end of the month you already paid for.
Want honest notes on your five?
Send the tape. Twenty minutes of feedback, free and specific.