A show that works at home is the start of one that works in the next town, but that town’s audience starts from zero. Pick towns inside a drive you can sustain, find a local producer or comic who knows the room, count the trip’s costs before you say yes, and keep a scorecard for each town.
Where you are, the tests for the next stop, and the steps between, in the order most comics take them. The steps are the Career Field Manual's; mark each one as you go, and the day goes in your passport.
These are the tests for the next stop, from its buyers’ own published rules where one exists. Tick each one when it’s true for you.
0 of 4 true
16 steps in 5 parts, from the Career Field Manual. Each has its “done when”, a D.O.C. tool for it, and your status, note and target date; star up to twelve for your 90-day plan.
From the Career Field Manual: Route the road, not the poster. In the D.O.C. book: topics 197–233 and 314–347.
Route the road, not the poster · road-01
Towns you can reach and come home from on show night, or with one night’s stay, where a room or a producer already runs comedy.
Done when Verified opportunities and reasons for each city.
Route the road, not the poster · road-02
Done when Complete legs including home and return.
From the Career Field Manual: Choose help when it solves a problem and Find and pitch the right rooms. In the D.O.C. book: topics 290–313 and 143–196.
Choose help when it solves a problem · team-01
In a new town the partner is often a local producer or comic who already runs a show: they know the room, the night and the crowd.
Done when A map of buyer, host, producer and promoter roles.
Find and pitch the right rooms · bookings-03
Done when A dated first-party booking requirement record.
Find and pitch the right rooms · bookings-04
Tell a producer what you bring: your show, the crowd it draws at home, a recent clip and the dates you can be in their town.
Done when Three concise, different pitches.
Find and pitch the right rooms · bookings-05
Done when A list showing sent, replied, follow-up, declined.
From the Career Field Manual: Route the road, not the poster, Get paid. Keep records. and Produce your own night. In the D.O.C. book: topics 197–233, 314–347, 234–289 and 258–289.
Route the road, not the poster · road-03
Done when A route with confirmed dates distinguished.
Route the road, not the poster · road-05
Share the car and the bill with a comic you trust, the split agreed before the first mile.
Done when A documented split and responsibilities.
Get paid. Keep records. · money-09
Set the least a trip must leave you after miles, a room and meals, and turn down dates below it unless you’ve written down why.
Done when A written threshold with explicit exceptions.
Produce your own night · produce-04
Done when Who sells, refunds, markets and settles.
From the Career Field Manual: Route the road, not the poster. In the D.O.C. book: topics 197–233 and 314–347.
Route the road, not the poster · road-04
Done when Rest plan and latest safe departure time.
Route the road, not the poster · road-06
Done when Items verified before departure.
Route the road, not the poster · road-07
Done when Show advance and load-in instructions.
From the Career Field Manual: Turn one good night into a return and Route the road, not the poster. In the D.O.C. book: topics 348–366, 383–399, 435–455, 197–233 and 314–347.
Turn one good night into a return · audience-06
Done when Actual sales or attendee data, where shared.
Route the road, not the poster · road-08
Done when Post-tour reconciliation, not ticket gross.
Route the road, not the poster · road-09
One line per town, the night of: the paid count, what it left you, who signed up, and whether to go back.
Done when Actual draw, attendance and net by town.
Habits, not a timetable: the atlas has no stopwatch. Keep these going, and the proof for this stop builds up week by week.
Each buyer's published rule, quoted from its own page, checked on 10 November 2026. They differ, so send each one what its page asks for, and read the page again before you send.
A Cleveland producer’s rules for a comic who wants a set: a recent five-minute video, credits that aren’t open mics or contests, a short bio and your dates in Cleveland.
A high-quality video of a recent five-minute set
open mics and contests do not count
Your available dates in Cleveland
Henceforth Comedy’s page ↗ · checked 10 November 2026
Shows in several regions; the trip’s costs are the comic’s.
No, all travel, lodging and food is the sole responsibility of the performer.
Please make sure your audio and video quality are good before submitting.
Comic Cure’s page ↗ · checked 10 November 2026
A club in Eugene takes shows produced elsewhere when the show has a record: previous shows, promo reels and the numbers.
Do you have an established comedy production you'd like to bring to Lexy's?
Links to previous shows
Promo reel(s) from the actual production
Lexy’s Comedy Club’s page ↗ · checked 10 November 2026
Places that publish how a comic from out of town gets in, each checked on 10 November 2026. Save one to your booking desk to keep its status, a follow-up date and a note. 62 places in all, on the Career Atlas →
Published routeCleveland, OH · Independent show · Email
A high-quality video of a recent five-minute set and your credits: festivals, clubs, television and other professional bookings.
Worth knowing. It can’t answer every submission; send again after 90 days with a new video.
Checked 10 November 2026Published routeDenver, CO · Independent show · Email
Shows at craft breweries across the Denver metro area, with comics from across the country: email your name, a submission tape and the dates you’re looking to be booked.
Checked 10 November 2026Published routeEugene, OR · Produce a show · Email
For producers with a proven show concept, an established audience and a track record: a show description, promotional images, a promo reel from the actual show, links to past shows, attendance and ticket sales averages or reports, your website or EPK, and the dates you want.
Worth knowing. It is building a permanent home in Eugene; for now its shows are pop-ups.
Checked 10 November 2026Published routeFlorida, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Texas · Show / roster · Form
An online form to be considered for its shows in several regions, and a way to update your video link later.
Worth knowing. Dates for particular events on the page may be past ones.
Checked 10 November 2026Published routeHouston, TX · Independent show · Form
Its contact form has a choice for “comedian looking for stage time”.
Worth knowing. It has many requests for a few spots a show.
Checked 10 November 2026Published routeCorpus Christi, TX · Independent show · Form
Its booking form has a choice for “comedian looking for stage time”.
Checked 10 November 2026Published routeHouston, TX · Independent show · Form
Apply to work with it: one to three video clips (YouTube or Vimeo) and your experience.
Checked 10 November 2026Published routeDayton, OH · Independent show · Form
A form for comics in the Dayton and greater Miami Valley scene: tell it about you and add a clip of your work, to be kept in mind for future shows.
Checked 10 November 2026Published routeNew York, NY · Independent show · Form
Producers of a showcase at St. Marks Comedy Club; the site’s “Comics: Submit Tape” link is the way in.
Checked 10 November 2026None of the producers on this page publishes what it pays a visiting comic, and Comic Cure’s FAQ says travel, lodging and food are the performer’s own. Ask, get the answer in writing, and count the trip before you say yes.
In writing, before you travelQuestions for a partner in another town · Road Maps: the Math of a Gig, with your own numbers · Get Paid, Get Back: the deal in writing · The IRS on gig work ↗
Fill in what you know once: it fills every note below and stays on this device. Anything left blank shows in [brackets], to fill in by hand.
Subject: [Your show's name] in [The town you're visiting]: [The dates you can be there] Hi [The producer's name], I'm [Your name], a stand-up from [Your home town], where I produce [Your show's name]. [One line on your show's crowd] I'd love to bring a show to [The town you're visiting], or do a set on yours, on [The dates you can be there]. I'll promote it to my own list and share the poster and clips. A recent set: [Your clip's link] My credits, as they are: [Your credits, as they are] Would either work for you? Thank you, [Your name]
1. Which room, which night, and how many seats? 2. Who sells the tickets, and at what price? 3. How is the money shared, and on which money? 4. Who promotes, and from when? 5. Who's the audience, and what's the content rule? 6. Who hosts, and how long is each set? 7. Is there a room for the night, or is the drive home mine? 8. When and how do we settle?
Subject: Thank you, [The town you're visiting] Hi [The producer's name], Thank you for having me at [Their venue]. [One line on how the night went] If the night worked for you too, I'd like to come back [The dates you can be there]. And if you'd ever like a spot on [Your show's name] in [Your home town], I'd love to have you. Best, [Your name]
Tick each piece when you have it: the day goes in your passport with it. The passport keeps your whole career's record on this device, to download, print and review once a year.
Nothing yet: your status changes and ticks appear here, each with its day.
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The buyers' rules are quoted from each buyer's own page, checked on 10 November 2026. A buyer can change its rules at any time, so read its page before you send anything.
By D.O.C. Editorial. This is one stop of the Stand-Up Career Atlas: your own shows, stop 4 of 5. It's a way to plan, not a promise of bookings: it gives no expected years, its only figures are the ones buyers and venues publish on their own pages, and the buyers' rules are theirs. For how ticket sales grow city by city, read How do comedians grow ticket sales city by city?.
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