Everyone:

Be a courteous audience member. No heckling or harassment of the performers. Keep your phone on silent, including any alarms, and limit phone use.

Be kind and respectful. This is a creep-free zone. Bigotry of any kind may result in a ban from the show.

Tip your bartenders and venue staff for their hard work!

No audio/video recording performers without their consent.

If you post pictures of the performers or the show on social media, please tag them, Half a Mind Comedy, and atac in your post.

Performers:

Arrive on time and check in with the host(s) before the show begins. If you don’t show up, your slot may be given to another performer.

Be prepared, be weird, and be original! The more you stay true to yourself, the better your performance will be.

Please stick to the five minute time limit. We highly encourage timing your set as you practice.

Your host(s) will be there before the show if you have any questions or just want to come say hi! We would love to meet you!

Does atac offer lessons for those trying to learn or hone their standup comedy skills?

I’m so glad you asked! Experienced comedian and comedy instructor Kathe Farris is teaching three 6-week standup comedy courses at atac in a safe, inclusive, and welcoming environment. It's hard to get started in comedy, and it's even harder to keep going. The course begins by learning the basics and formulas of standup comedy and ends with the development of a 5-minute set that reflects your unique comedic style that you can perform at the open mic!

How much time do I get on stage?

Up to five minutes. We highly encourage practicing your set with a timer so that you don’t cut into your fellow performers’ time. And keep some buffer time in your set for all the laughs you’ll be getting :)

What do I do if I’m late or can’t make the show?

Things happen! Take a deep breath! It’s ok!

If you’re running late, let your host know asap and they will move you to the end of the list.

If you know you can’t make the show, please remove yourself from the list before the show so other performers can take your slot.

If you miss the show without doing any of the above, you won’t be able to sign up online for the next show.

Is there a way I can still perform if I didn’t sign up online?

Yes! There may be a couple extra slots to sign up in person if time permits.

There will also be a lightning round towards the end of the show. Comics can put their names in a hat, and if their name is pulled, they get the chance to showcase their best 60 seconds of comedy. Please keep these 60 seconds distinct from the jokes in your main set if you have already performed that day.

Ok but seriously, what topics are off the table?

Half a Mind Comedy truly believes that no topic should be off the table between adults at our shows. Comedy is deeply personal and can be an incredibly healing way to discuss dark, painful, or controversial subjects.

It is important, however, to be mindful of who the subject of your joke is, whether you are punching up (at the powers that be) or down (on marginalized groups), and whether your jokes may be hurtful to someone who hears it.

We understand that people make good-faith errors in judgment, but outright cruelty or bigotry of any kind (racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, ableism, etc.) will not be tolerated and may result in a ban from the show.

My question or comment wasn’t addressed in the FAQs! What should I do?

You can message the producer and main host of the Half a Mind Comedy open mic, Shruti, on Instagram at @half.a.mind.comedy or email her at shrutitellsjokes@gmail.com.

For venue questions, please contact atac at info@atac160.org or call at 508.405.3787.

We’ve tried our best to tailor this open mic to your needs, so please let us know what we’re doing right and how we can improve.