Q: Where are the courses locations
A: Courses are held in :
Sydney HQ: Scruffy Murphy’s and Veriu Green Square Hotel Grad Night at BonkerZ Comedy Club
Q: We’ve heard after 12 years of training, Australia’s School of Stand up comedy is closing down, is this true and when?
A: Yes, the schools national classes will officially close Dec 2023!. Classes in NSW will continue in 2024
Q: For 2024 in Sydney, is the school doing anything special?
A: Yes, We’ve introduced a book early and save up to $200 deals for our Complete Industry 5 day or 5 week Course, starting from $299.99. Also when u book the Bonus Pack you’ll get Bonus Joke Writing tools for the first 5 students in each city to sign up. This Includes a Custom Joke Note Book and Pen set or a copy of our # 1 selling book “So U wanna Be a Stand up comic?”
Q: I’d like to take one of your courses, but I don’t have a lot of time to practice, write, rehearse etc. Would you suggest I still try to squeeze it in?
A: NO! You will be Rehearsing, Writing, Practicing and Performing every day (for 5 day course) and at least 4 – 5 times a week for the 5 week course ( once a week in class and 3 -5 times outside of class) If you don’t have time for this with your current schedule, we recommend waiting until you do. For example, just missing the 1st day of class or showing up without the 1st day homework assignment, will have you playing catch up for the remainder of the class. Once again, we recommend waiting until you have the time
Q: What are the Times and days of the courses?
A: Sydney: 4 or 5 Day Complete Industry Course – Sunday – Thursday, 6:30pm- 9:30pm / Friday- 7:30pm is the Graduation Ceremony @ BonkerZ Comedy Club. Scruffy Murphy’s, Sydney
Sydney: 5 Weeks / 1 day per week : Saturday, 1pm – 4pm / Friday- 7:30pm is the Graduation Ceremony @ BonkerZ Comedy Club. Scruffy Murphy’s Sydney Advance Course: 2 days (Sundays only- 4 hours each day)
Q: Are there age restrictions?
A: Yes. Sydney (Sat Class) + 18 / Sydney Evening Classes +14 (Grad nights are +18) Ages 14-17 Can do Theory in the evening class and receive a Certificate of Completion
Q: How many students do you take per course and why?
A: We only take 8 students per class. Yes, we know other schools pile them in, but for us, 8 gives all the students and the instructors, lots of one on one time, without losing that group feeling. Over the last 12 years, we’ve found this number to be just the right mix for classroom feedback, personal daily filming of routines, individual evaluations and for teachers to find out each student’s individual needs and requirements. We’re into quality, not quantity
Q: Is it possible to teach people how to be funny?
A: No, but we can help U find out if U are with several different methods plus help those who are already a bit funny, sharpen their skills to become even funnier!
Q: Some schools feature special guest comics that only show up to perform at Graduation. Does your school do that?
NO, at Aus school of Stand up Comedy, our students are the Stars in our graduation shows. Yes, some schools will offer a ” Special Guest Comic” who shows up only at graduation. Making the graduation more about the guest comics and less about the graduates. At our School, our special guest comics are also Instructors who work with each student in the classroom during the week, giving industry insight, pointers, tips, helping with sets, punchlines, timing, delivery etc. Yes, they also perform with the students at grad night as well but more so, to see the students put all their hard work in class, on stage in front of a live audience. Our special guest Comics and Promoter instructors, are also there to give feedback after the live performance and discuss their progress from the classroom to the stage. It’s actually hard to discuss a students progress from Day 1 to Day 5, if you have only met them for the first time at graduation. Once again, our graduations are not about “Special Guest Comics” performing on the night” it’s about the students who are the real stars. Our Main instructor is Donte D1, Founder of Aus School of Stand up Comedy, Owner of BonkerZ Comedy Clubs and Comedians R Us Hire Service in Sydney and author of the the books ” So you wanna be a Stand up Comic?-15 things to do before and during” and ” How not to lose Money at Comedy and Fringe Festivals”.
Q: Some other courses cost an arm and a leg. What is the cost of this course and what are the major differences?
A: We’ve been running our 5 week or 4/5 Day complete courses across the country since 2010 and our courses start at only $299.99. Enuff said!
You also have the option of paying by PayPal’s 4 Pay or Wizit which allows you to split up your payments over 2 months.
All courses are transferable in 2024 (with minimum 1 weeks notice) to a different date in your local area or any location across the country.
Our online Intro to Stand up comedy course for $49 (limited time only)
Since 2010 we’ve trained over 1400 students in Sydney ,Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Canberra and Perth.
We know comics and those in the Arts, (more so than anyone else) have very little money, so we’ve designed several quality courses, that won’t send you to the poor house, before you even get started.
You’ll find that our prices are not only fair, but our courses run longer and are more informative. Trust me, you’ll make very little to no money in the beginning doing stand up comedy, so you might as well start saving now.
Our courses are taught every 12-14 weeks (Syd) Stand up comedy is 10% theory and 90% hands-on, so our students spend minimum amount of time, in the classroom and maximum time on stage perfecting their craft.
With our vast national comedy club, open mike venue info, we help you get on more stages, faster, across the country. Plus all graduates in all cities, get guaranteed spots in one of our Sydney Comedy Clubs year round plus Grad students who complete the full industry course, get to perform at all future graduation shows in Sydney, (Just give us a call and quote your student # we’ll slot u in the next graduation show! Easy! –New for 2023/2024)
All grad students across the country get the opportunity to become a part of BonkerZ Paid Comedy Circuit
Q: Some comedy schools offer to pay students to perform. Do you?
A: Sorry, no. It’s virtually impossible to train someone with little or no stage or comedy industry experience in 5 days to be good enough to be paid based upon current industry standards. Any organization that’s offering to pay you before they’ve seen your routine which at a minimum should be a solid, tested 15 or 20 mins is not preparing you for the real world of stand up comedy. Note, it normally takes someone just starting an average of 2 – 3 years before you see any money at all, sometimes even longer. Our students get paid in our clubs and I would suspect this would apply to any club, when they’ve paid their dues, hit the stages, perform in several different clubs for several months, fine tune their on stage persona, material, timing and delivery. Can this be done in 5 days? No way. We must confess, our school is not the easiest school on the scene, it’s probably just the opposite, in our opinion, easy doesn’t produce results. We don’t write your jokes for you or pull punches when you’re doing something wrong, all of our instructors want you to be the best, yes we make it as fun as possible but remember it’s not Club Med. Oh and we don’t pay you before you have the tried and tested skills that come with a bus load of live performances.
Q: The 5 week complete course sounds great, but I don’t always have a lot of time. Do you have something shorter or online?
A: Yes, for those who are short for time or just want to test the waters, you can purchase our online Intro to stand up comedy 101 course which covers the fundamentals of stand up comedy, writing tips and gives a quick insight into the industry. Or, you can try the 4 or 5 day, complete industry course, which covers it all in less than 1 week. Please note, of all the classes taught, the 4 – 5 day complete industry course is the most demanding. Our Online course is $49.00 and the 4 or 5 day Complete Course start at $299.99
Q: Some schools have well known guest comics perform with their students at graduation, do you?
A: Yes, but we go 1 step further, our special guest comic performers at our graduations are also instructors in our schools, they don’t just show up at graduation to perform with you, our instructors are with you from day 1 to check, train, answer questions and perfect your progress and routine, plus they put their money where their mouth is and perform with the students in our graduation show. That’s where our school differs from other schools and we wouldn’t have it any other way.
Q: Do you offer Private Tuition and advance classes?
A:. Yes. starting up again soon. We believe comedy is 10% theory and 90% hands on training. Our 4/ 5 day courses are designed that way. We update our curriculum’s every 3 – 6 months to keep up with the ever changing stand up comedy industry. Covering the who’s, what’s and where’s plus the do’s and don’ts.
Teaching stand up comedy shouldn’t and doesn’t need to take 6 or 10 weeks (The practical side is another thing). Listen, this isn’t rocket science. It’s Comedy!
Anyway, who wants to spend a lifetime in a classroom to learn something that is mostly learned outside of the classroom? We give you what you need to be the best, in the classroom, but you’ll only ever become the best , once you leave the classroom and we won’t hold you back !
New for 2023- Aus School of Stand up Comedy online “Intro to Stand up comedy 101” Course.
New for 2023- All Grad students who complete the full industry course, get to perform at all future graduation shows in their local city (Just give us a call and quote your student # we’ll slot u in the show! Easy! )
Q: What happens after graduation? Most schools give u a piece of paper, a few free tickets and kick u out into the streets.
A: Well so do we (ha) – just kidding! All of our Full course completing graduates have the option to perform live a minimum of 2 – 3 times in front of mostly sold out crowds. 1 in front of friends, family and the general public at our graduation ceremony (optional, a nearly always sold out event) There they will be filmed and a Free professional DVD (on USB) made of their performance. We don’t post our graduates performing on line, those in the industry know, this dates their material instantly, which means if it’s their funniest joke, it instantly becomes old. Plus 2 more live gigs in our established and MasterCard Selected Sydney Comedy Clubs plus all future graduation shows in all cities and in several recommended comedy clubs across the country. We believe in placing our students in one of our live Sydney shows or if in other cities, or just a professionally run comedy venue near you.
Our policy is 5 Days / 5 weeks of training and 2 weeks of helping to launch your new career or hobby (Syd). No other school can offer you all this ! (Note: The Optional DVD, Graduation and Work experience does not apply to our Intro to stand up comedy course)
Q: If I’m not sure if Stand up Comedy is for me, Do you offer any insight into the industry that I can read prior to signing up or going on stage or even something not so full on to start?
A: Yes, we suggest reading our book “So you Wanna be a Stand up Comic?”– 15 things to consider before and during. It will give you insight from a comic and club owners prospective or try our online Intro to stand up Comedy 101 Course
“Unlike our members of parliment, you get to the point! From what I have read so far is going to make me a more polished comedian!” K. Whelan NSW
Or, if you want to produce your own Comedy, music, art, dance, circus or kids show at a Comedy or Fringe Festival, we suggest our latest book:
“How not to lose money at Comedy and Fringe Festivals”
Q: How important is it to attend all classes?
A: Very. All work experience after you graduate, bonus live gigs and your certificate of completion, all depend on you attending every class and on time. Missing a single day, not completing the final exam or being late more then 30mins for the duration of the course, will make you ineligible for work experience, grad certificate and bonus live gigs. Plus because we don’t just run the school but are also promoters of several comedy shows across Australia, your attendance record helps us determine your future gigs with our company
Q: Some schools show former students performing live on Utube or Google, why doesn’t Australia’s School of Stand up comedy do that?
A: Most experience comics and schools would never put up a comic’s routine on google for 2 main reasons. 1. Unless you’re a big named comic with several 1 hour DVD’s for sale in stores or online, whatever you show, immediately becomes old, worn out and not usable very fast. If comics try using the material live, lots of people will go “Oh yeah, we already saw this routine or heard this joke on google” and 2. Hopefully the routine or jokes you see on Google are the comics best material, if it’s not, it could damage the comics career before he or she, even gets started. Video footage (Unless you’re an established comedian like Seinfeld, or Eddie Murphy) really doesn’t give you the same feeling as a live performance. So it’s for these reasons, Australia’s School of Stand up Comedy, doesn’t place it’s students performances on Google and never will.
Q: Any success stories?
A: Oh yea baby. Graduates Jamal Abdul (Winner Bondi Comedy Competition) Michele Betts ( Semi-finals quest for the best and winner Comedy Court competitions, Performed Adelaide Fringe 2011/2012, picked up by A-List Agency), Andrew Barnett (Regular at Sydney Comedy Store), Ivy Latimer, Billy D’arcy and Katie Burch (2011/2012/2017 Graduates), were ALL finalists in the NSW Raw Comedy competitions and ALL featured on the televised National Grand Finals. The Very funny “KABBA”, he has performed in Sydney, Adelaide and Melbourne Festivals and is a corporate favorite. WAKA (Toured and performed Japan and Australia) Other graduates have gone on to win 20 local and national comedy competitions and perform at every Comedy and Fringe Festival across the country. Some graduates like “ Joe White” have headlined and tour each major Australian city plus toured and performed in Canada. He now teaches at another Melbourne Comedy school, which was also started by one of our former students, he’s also appeared on Aus Got Talent and is a regular at Melbourne’s largest comedy club “The Comics Lounge”. Another of our graduates, “Kevin Mcisaac”, has gone on to do several TV Commercials like Dimetapp and KFC and Frida Deguise, one of Australia’s first female Muslim comedians, who now has her own traveling solo show and is a member of the New Fat Pizza TV Show. We’ve also been asked to supply comics and audiences for ‘Minute to win it’, Just for Laughs, Dave Hughes TV Show, ‘Family Feud’, ‘The Observer Effect’ (SBS) ‘Studio 10’ and recently at Fox Studios at new comedy show on Amazon Prime and so on and so on. Heck, we’ve even trained one of TV’s Housewives of Melbourne (try to guess which one)
Bill Ledingham (Selected and performed on Aus Got talent 2013) and in the 2013 Comedy on The Rox’s ” Quest for the best” stand up comedy competition, we had over 20 graduates compete, of that 20, 6 made it to the semi-finals and 3 made it into the finals plus lots of our students have performed at the Laugh Garage, Comedy Store, Boat shed, Australia’s Got Talent and many many more Comedy Venues! Our graduates are the NEW who’s who on the comedy scene and this didn’t happen overnight, it involves lots of stages, lots of practice, lots of time and a boatload of determination.
Hey, don’t just take our word for it, in class you can check out the DVD footage of our graduates in action across Australia! Plus because we promote several comedy nights each week, and not just 1, we also give our students the chance to Host or MC some of our promoted comedy shows across Sydney (if u got what it takes). Not many people can do both, (Host and Stand up) but if you can, and we believe (after several live performances) you got what it takes, we put you to work. No other school can offer you that.
Q: In regards to the stand up comedy industry, what else can the courses offer me?
A: Lots! Our name says it all. Australia’s School of Stand up Comedy is the most respected School in the industry. This didn’t happen overnight, in 2021 we celebrate our 12th year of professional training across Australia. Yes, we know there are a lot of schools with weird sounding names, but don’t be fooled, there is only 1 professional Aus School of Stand up Comedy. We help and encourage all of our graduates to net work and support each other after the course finishes. We give u fast insight into other open mic, stand up comedy nights, in Syd, VIC, Qld and SA and how to get in to them. We’ve also started getting first hand industry information before it gets main stream and also asked to supply comedians and audience members for numerous shows such as TV pilots for overseas and local comedy and games shows such as ‘Minute to win it’, Just for Laughs, Dave Hughes TV Show, ‘Family Feud’, ‘The Observer Effect’ (SBS), A new TV show on Amazon Prime (LOL) and ‘Studio 10’.
We point U in the right direction for stand up competitions that will give you stage time in a positive environment like Raw Comedy and explain why u should avoid comps like Australia’s Got Talent who haven’t worked the bugs out yet (But they are getting there).
We have been asked to supply comics for filming, Plus we’ve had 4 film directors and 2 film producers, sit in, interview and even film some of our students for up and coming projects. On occasion, International Comedians Stop by the courses, to give the students worldly insight into the industry. For example, for our 2016 Melbourne course, International Comedian “Tanyalee Davis” stopped by to answer question and talk about the industry. She even took time from her Melbourne Comedy Festival Show, to see the students perform at their graduation. Sometimes it not a matter of just free tickets to a show, or standing on a stage where a star has stood, that, for the most part, won’t help your career.
To truly get better and be the best, you need industry insight, respect in the industry, variety of comedic styles and locations and lot’s and lot’s of on the job training.
Q: Who are the instructors? What experience do they have?
A: All of our instructors are hand selected because of several factors. Great communication skills, insider experience, festival experience and a deep passion to assist and help those just starting in this industry. Yes we are aware of our competitors who say “This instructor or that instructor is not funny”. First of all that’s pretty selfish, Comedy is subjective. Just because they don’t think someone is funny, doesnt mean others agree. Bottom-line is we’ve seen and heard all of our instructors perform, we’ve witness audience reactions and watched how these instructors have conducted themselves off the stage. To be a great instructor involves much more than just being able to tell jokes. Your instructors are Donte D1 (USA) and/or other super talented and funny guest instructors such as Oliver Phomanavah (Asia/Syd), Christina Van Look, Sam Menzies, Michael Connell, Arron Pratt ( VIC/QLD), Robbie G (VIC), Cy Fahey (ACT) and special guest instructors in Adelaide Gerry Masi, Kim Le and Marc Ryan. Combined, They have over 60 years of Stand up comedy, competition, promotion, Comedy Club ownership, marketing, corporate and stage experience. and to make our courses fun and informative, our instructors have experience not only in Australia, The UK and America as well. Giving you the best of all industries. This of course is because comedy styles in the USA are different than those in Australia or the UK, We believe students should know not only the differences of doing stand up from state to state, (some of our instructors are from and have performed in USA, SA, QLD and Vic) but also what to look for and prepare for in other countries. We don’t just train you for 1 location locally, we train you for hundreds of locations around the world.
International Comic Guests and Instructors:
Tanyalee Davis (USA) .Several USA TV shows, a documentary + Apollo Theatre UK. Stopped by the Melb Class 2016 for Q&A and pointers. She also stopped by their graduation show to offer support. You go girl!
Oliver Phommavanh, Author, Teacher and Winner of the Quest for the best $5,000 stand up competition, Comedy Court stand up competition and has performed at nearly every comedy club in Sydney and a few in Melbourne and Adelaide. He’s also a member of the A-list comic squad and currently appears on the Footy Show as a sometimes guest street interviewer. He also helped create the early course curriculum. Sydney
Robbie G – Melbourne. Raised in a deep Southern Italian Calabrese family, that respect meant everything. A fluent italian speaker touches on cultural aspects of being italian and the humorous side of life which makes for interesting comedy material. 11 years of hitting the comedy pavements, running shows and comedy workshops, has certainly earnt the respect by his peers. Robbie believes that comedy is all about taking the audience on that journey to make them forget about the problems of life.
“When I make people laugh, well…… it just doesnt get any better than that!”
Mark Ryan – Adelaide.
Kim Le –
Michael Connell, currently resides in Darwin. He’s performed all over Australia plus NZ, UK and Ireland. You may have caught him live on TV’s “Rove” and “The Foosy Show” or you just may have his CD or DVD. He’s a winner of the Campus Clowns and Class Clowns Competitions plus headlines his own shows at the Melbourne Comedy Festivals. Now based in Brisbane, Michael bring his unique style and knowledge of both Brisbane and Melbourne’s, comedy scenes to our brisbane courses.
Aaron Pratt (Brisbane), started performing stand up comedy at the ripe age of 32 in September 2012, shortly after he realised that his life was more like a sitcom than reality. His unique humor was forged in the fiery pits of South Auckland (aka Mordor). This 6’2”, 180kg, Polynesian powerhouse will bring the house down, the structural support beams and any other aspect of the establishment not rated for his big laughs or excess body mass.
A sometime surprise guest instructor is Donte D1 from USA. He’s performed at the Comedy Store and Comedy Act theatre in Los Angeles, The Long Beach California Comedy Festival, Joe Behars and Sandy Hackett’s Comedy lounge (Las Vegas Nev) At the age of 15, he was one of the first acts to perform at the newly opened improve in Las Vegas (That’s him in the photo, handsome kid). He went on to produce two Stand up Comedy nights in Las Vegas (Comedy at the Cal and Comedy in the Raw at Doc and Eddies nite club.)
He was the creator and executive producer of Australia’s only patented live audience digital voting stand up comedy show and competition (Comedy Court) Plus he has created and produces other shows such as Quick, Some Comedy Quick , Comedy for lunch, Bonkerz Comedy Clubs, Fast $100, BOGOF Comedy Tuesdays, $10 Dollar Comedy Clubs and is a promoter for City of Sydney RSL. Sutherland Entertainment Centre, Hard Rock Cafe and Riverside Theatre in Parramatta. He’s also the founder of Australia’s School of Stand up Comedy (Syd, Melbourne, Adelaide, Canberra and |Brisbane) His current comedy club ” BonkerZ” in Sydney was the only comedy club in Australia, selected by MasterCard for it’s 2015 Mastercard Priceless Campaign
Sam Menzies, “The Mad Man of Comedy” is a regular on the comedy scene, when Sam hits the stage, the energy in the room goes up 10 notches. His style and energy is a wake up call in class and on stage. Catch him where ever you can, but be quick. Sydney