Producing a show means the room, the comics, the crowd and the money are yours to arrange. Agree the deal in writing with the person who can say yes, confirm the lineup and its pay before you announce, budget for a small crowd, and settle the night on paper before you go home.
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
17 steps in 4 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: Produce your own night and Choose help when it solves a problem. In the D.O.C. book: topics 197–233, 258–289 and 290–313.
Produce your own night · produce-01
Get the yes from the person who can give it, in so many words: the venue’s manager, its booker or whoever runs the room.
Done when Venue terms and authorized contact.
Produce your own night · produce-02
Done when Running order, set lengths and show type.
Produce your own night · produce-03
Work it at a small crowd first: the room’s terms, the ticket platform’s fees and the comics’ pay, with a few seats sold, then with half.
Done when A scenario that can withstand low sales.
Choose help when it solves a problem · team-07
A room may ask for a guarantee or a ticket buy to hold the night: know exactly what it is, and pay only what’s written down.
Done when Documented checks before paying any fee.
Produce your own night · produce-04
Who sells the tickets, who handles refunds, who promotes, and when you settle: rooms differ, so get each answer in writing.
Done when Who sells, refunds, markets and settles.
From the Career Field Manual: Get paid. Keep records. and Become the comic rooms trust. In the D.O.C. book: topics 234–289 and 400–434.
Get paid. Keep records. · money-01
Each comic’s slot, minutes and pay, in a message they answer, before you announce the lineup.
Done when A saved agreement or confirmation.
Become the comic rooms trust · pro-02
Done when A note for rooms with different expectations.
Become the comic rooms trust · pro-06
Done when Know who has authority and where to get help.
From the Career Field Manual: Produce your own night and Turn one good night into a return. In the D.O.C. book: topics 197–233, 258–289, 348–366, 383–399 and 435–455.
Produce your own night · produce-05
Done when Dates, partners and materials.
Turn one good night into a return · audience-02
Done when A poster, feed caption and venue-approved photos.
Turn one good night into a return · audience-01
Done when A date page with no phantom ticket links.
Turn one good night into a return · audience-03
Done when A consent-based signup process.
From the Career Field Manual: Become the comic rooms trust, Produce your own night and Get paid. Keep records.. In the D.O.C. book: topics 400–434, 197–233, 258–289 and 234–289.
Become the comic rooms trust · pro-03
Done when Travel, arrival, set list, sound and exit.
Produce your own night · produce-06
Done when Show-day checklist and responsible people.
Produce your own night · produce-07
Settle before you leave: the paid count, comps, fees, the venue’s share and each comic’s pay, on one sheet you both agree.
Done when Real settlement with ticket and cost totals.
Get paid. Keep records. · money-05
Done when Sample invoice and current expense ledger.
Produce your own night · produce-08
Done when A written go/no-go decision.
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 ticket split with no rent: up to 50 tickets, generally, at a price you set. The venue takes the first dollars of sales, which producers guarantee ($75 on a Sunday to Thursday evening), and the rest is split 50/50.
We offer a ticket split and sell up to 50 tickets, generally, and you set the ticket price.
No rental or up front costs are involved.
The first $75 in ticket sales goes to Q.E.D. The remainder is split 50/50.
Q.E.D. Astoria’s page ↗ · checked 10 November 2026
A flat rent instead of a split: after the rent, the ticket sales are yours. For now it books monthly regular runs.
we offer a flat rent rate and you keep 100% of ticket sales after that
Currently, we only have availability for monthly regular runs.
The Lincoln Lodge’s page ↗ · checked 10 November 2026
The concept, the room you want and your marketing plan, and whether you can buy $200 worth of tickets to hold the space.
What's the name of your show and the concept?
What's your marketing plan?
Are you able to buy $200 worth of tickets to hold the space?
Flappers Comedy Club’s page ↗ · checked 10 November 2026
Places that publish how a producer’s show 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 routeAstoria, NY · Produce a show · Form
Tell it about your show or event through the form on its page. Its baseline for new shows and producers: a ticket split with no rental or up-front costs, up to 50 tickets, generally, at a price you set; the first $50 to $125 in sales, by night, goes to Q.E.D., producers guarantee that amount, and the rest is split 50/50.
Worth knowing. It asks its producers not to produce or regularly host other shows in Astoria within two months before or after their Q.E.D. show.
Checked 10 November 2026Published routeChicago, IL · Produce a show · Form
Its show submission form, linked from its own site: what the show is and why it’s unique, a one-off or a regular run, the theater size you want and your availability. Its theaters rent at a flat rate, and you keep the ticket sales after that.
Worth knowing. Its form says that for now it has room only for monthly regular runs, not weekly or daily shows.
Checked 10 November 2026Published routeBurbank, CA · Produce a show · Form
A proposal for a show you produce: the concept, the room you want, your audience and your marketing plan.
Worth knowing. The form asks whether you can buy $200 worth of tickets to hold the space: know the terms before you agree.
Checked 10 November 2026Published routeNew York, NY · Produce a show · Pitch
Pitch a whole show of 60–90 minutes: Caveat mostly hosts comedy that is smart, nerdy or informative. Not a route to a guest spot.
Checked 10 November 2026Check its own page firstLos Angeles, CA · Produce a show · Pitch
The venue’s own Show Submissions page holds its form for pitching a show; open it to see what the form asks before you pitch.
Worth knowing. The form is drawn by the page’s script, so what it asks can change without the page saying so: read it the week you pitch.
Checked 10 November 2026Rooms publish different deals. Q.E.D. Astoria’s baseline is a ticket split with no rent, and producers guarantee its first $50 to $125 in sales, by night. The Lincoln Lodge rents at a flat rate, and the ticket sales after that are yours. Flappers’ producer form asks whether you can buy $200 worth of tickets to hold the space. Any other room: ask, and get it in writing.
In writing, before you announceQuestions for the venue before you agree · 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: A comedy night at [The venue]: [Your show's name] Hi [The venue's contact], I'm [Your name], a stand-up from [Your home town]. I'd like to produce [Your show's name] at [The venue]: [The show, in one line]. The night I have in mind is [The night you want]. I'll book the comics, promote the show and run it from the doors to the last act, on time. Before anything is announced, I'd like us to agree in writing who sells the tickets, how the money is split or what the rent is, what the room provides, and when we settle. Could we talk this week, at a time that suits you? Thank you, [Your name]
Subject: [Your show's name], [The show's date]: your spot Hi [The comic's name], You're booked on [Your show's name] at [The venue] on [The show's date]. [Arrival and show times] Your set: [Their set length, in minutes] minutes. Your pay: [Their pay, and when it's paid]. The room's rules: [The room's rules: content, age, recording] Could you reply to confirm? I'll announce the lineup once everyone has. Thank you, [Your name]
1. Who decides about the room, and who will be there on the night? 2. Is it a rent, a ticket split, a minimum or a guarantee? On which money: gross ticket sales, or after the fees? 3. Who sells the tickets, on which platform, and who sets the price? 4. Who handles refunds, comps and the guest list? 5. What does the room provide: sound, a mic, light, a door person, staff? 6. How many seats, and how will they be set out? 7. What are your rules on content, age and recording? 8. When do we settle, and how am I paid? 9. What happens if the show is cancelled, by either of us?
[Your show's name] at [The venue], [The show's date] Capacity: Ticket price: Paid tickets: Comps and guest list: Refunds: Gross ticket sales: Ticket fees: The venue's share or rent: Comics' pay: Promotion and other costs: Left over: Agreed by [Your name] and [The venue's contact], the night of the show.
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 1 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 what producing your own show takes, read How do you produce your own comedy show?.
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