Opening. The opening of a stand-up set often dictates how the show will go. Start with a great joke to get the audience laughing from the first line. Bits. Bits are what comedians call jokes. Every bit has a setup detailing the characters and situations they’re in and a punchline. The punchline—or conclusion—is the funniest part of the joke and almost always goes against the audience’s expectations. Transitions. Transitions are short conversational bridges that connect one joke to the next. Closer. The final joke in the show. It might be a callback—a reference to an earlier joke. Wrap up your set with a solid close that leaves the audience laughing.
