A six-week seminar series on the art of stand-up comedy, hosted by Ottawa’s Absolute Comedy, will be returning this January.
The course will be taught by Pierre Brault, a veteran comedian and instructor who has lead several similar classes in the past. It will cover material such as crafting jokes, overcoming stage fright and developing an on-stage persona.
The course is designed for students with a variety of stand-up experience, ranging from newcomers looking to fulfill a personal goal to semi-professional comedians looking to improve their skills. A well-developed stand-up set can land a comedian on televised comedy shows, podcasts and in the headlining spot of poster printing campaigns promoting live performances.
Brault’s classes have proved popular in the past, with some students maintaining an ongoing connection through social media and taking the class multiple times. They have also helped to sustain Absolute Comedy during a period where it has been unable to hold regular live shows.
The classes are held on club grounds, with masks and social distancing to be enforced, allowing students to experience a real stand-up stage, although they may move online depending on safety guidelines. The classes have been featured on the CBC and other local media.
The “Stand Up Comedy Class” series will launch its next semester on January 4, with classes being held on Monday nights until a culminating online show on February 8.
