Ready to take your comedy to the next level? Wit’s End Comedy Club is launching LOL 201, our very first stand-up class! Starting January 7th, this 5-week course meets every Wednesday from 5:30–7:00pm and wraps up with a live student showcase in February.
Led by seasoned comics Shawna Jarrett and Josh Bates, the class covers everything you need to shine on stage, including:
• The structure of joke writing
• Hosting skills and crowd work
• The business of comedy
• Professional headshots & a video of your “tight 5”
• A night to perform at Wit’s End!
This class is open to all comedians and improv performers (age 18 or older), but is especially designed for those who’ve tried an open mic and are ready to polish their game.
Tuition: $350 (Email us for scholarship opportunities)
**Space is limited to 12 students**
Email witsendcharleston@gmail.com subject line "LOL201" to save your spot!
LOL 101: Stand-Up Comedy Class at Wit's End
Ready to give comedy a try? LOL 101 is a practical, supportive introduction to stand-up. Across six focused sessions, you’ll learn how to turn your funny thoughts into a tight, confident set you can take to an open mic — without the guesswork.
What you’ll learn (and actually practice)
• Foundations of a Joke: Premise → angle → punch → tag. How to spot the “turn,” escalate, and end strong.
• Writing Reps That Work: Brain-dumping, idea mining, and fast drafting. Simple rewrite frameworks (CUT/KEEP/ADD) and when to kill a darling.
• Finding Your Voice: Point-of-view, specificity, and how to avoid sounding like your favorite comic.
• Set Crafting: Set lists, transitions, pacing, closing strong, and building a “tight 5.”
• Stage Presence & Mic Technique: Where to put your hands, working the mic & stand, eye lines, and body language that reads.
• Handling Nerves: Pre-set rituals, breathing, and how to channel adrenaline into timing.
• Crowd Dynamics 101: Reading the room, gentle crowd work, and de-escalating weird energy.
• Open-Mic Etiquette: How mics actually work, how to get up more, and how to get the most out of each rep.
• Recording & Reviewing: How to record clean audio/video, tag your own set, and keep a notes system you’ll actually use.• Professionalism & Next Steps: Submitting for shows, networking without being weird, and the do’s/don’ts that make you easy to book.
Weekly flow (what a typical session looks like)
1. Warm-Ups & Lightning Writes – short prompts to get ideas out fast.
2. Mini-Lesson – a focused concept (structure, tags, presence, etc.).
4. Rewrite Sprint – take notes, punch up, and try one variation again.
5. Action Items – clear take-home steps for the week.
You’ll get handouts and simple exercises so you always know what to work on between classes.
What you’ll leave with
• A reliable 3–5 minute set you can run at local mics
• A repeatable writing & rewriting workflow
• Tools to manage nerves and own the stage
• A plan for what to do next (mics, clips, submissions, goals)
Who this is perfect for
• You’ve never tried stand-up and want a safe, structured first run.
• You’ve done a few mics and want to tighten up, get consistent laughs, and build a real set.
• You’re a writer, actor, or improviser curious about translating your skills to stand-up.
Your instructor:
Shawna Jarrett — A sharp writer and club-tested performer known for clear, surgical tags and fearless presence. She’ll help you shape jokes that land.
Dates: Mondays, February 9 – March 16
Time: 5:30pm
Location: Wit’s End Comedy Club
Who can join: 18+. All experience levels welcome. Perfect for total beginners and anyone who’s only hit a handful of open mics.
Price: $175
Ready to join?
Email witsendcharleston@gmail.com with the subject “LOL 101” and we’ll get you enrolled. Spots are limited so we can keep feedback personal.
THE COMEDY HUSTLE: Turning Jokes into WORK
This class is for comics who are already writing jokes and doing mics, but are confused about everything that comes after.
Why am I not getting booked?
What do bookers actually care about?
Why are some people getting spots while others aren’t?
How do you stop guessing and start moving forward?
Bring all the comedy questions you’ve been afraid to ask. Nothing is off-limits. If you’re thinking it, someone else is too.
We’ll cover the unsexy part of stand-up: emails, showcases, etiquette, building trust, and how not to burn rooms you want to work again.
Taught by Josh Bates
Cost: $25 (includes a ticket to the Wit’s End Presents show later that night)
Date: March 1st
Time: 5:30PM
Location: Wit’s End Comedy Club
No gimmicks.
No hustle-guru nonsense.
Just the comedy.
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