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Stand-up Comedy Lessons

15


15 per unit - Virtual OK - Posted Nov 01, 2016

Want to be more funnier? Not too hung up on proper grammar? I can teach you some of the basic structures and techniques stand-ups use to create routines, identify their best material, and perform in front of audiences. I can also help generate new material or polish existing bits. It takes a lot of effort to make it look effortless, and that's half the fun of it.

Stand-up is a fascinating art form, and it's neat to see a little of what goes on behind the curtain. Even if you never intend to go on stage (caveat: Everybody should get on stage at least once for the experience), I think that learning what goes into creating a piece greatly increases people's enjoyment of any art. Stand-up also teaches you to look at the world a little sideways, which is a fun perspective to try out from time to time.

Training & Qualifications


New York City-based stand-up and improviser
Ensemble Member of Awkward Face, House Team at Pan Theater - Oakland, CA
Trained at American Comedy Institute, Baltimore Improv Group, and Washington Improv Theater

Availability & Preferences


Afternoons or late night (after 10:00 pm) New York time generally works better for me.

Trading Preference: I’m flexible, just hit me up!

Reviews of Michael


Inactive User
Inactive User left review for Michael
Nov 27, 2017
We had a deal. I emailed him to set up a time to meet. Got no response after several days/a week, so I canceled the deal. Now a week later, and sti...ll didn't hear from him. No idea what happened to this guy.show more
Shelynn received unit of Stand-up Comedy Lessons from Michael
Apr 25, 2017
These puns are unreal!
Colleen received unit of Stand-up Comedy Lessons from Michael
Nov 27, 2016
Awesome chat with Mike. He's super knowledgeable, friendly, and encouraging!! 15 stars.
Michelle received unit of Stand-up Comedy Lessons from Michael
Dec 01, 2016
Michael and I chatted about the formula of comedy and he gave me a good framework to start. It was very beneficial.
Mike received unit of Stand-up Comedy Lessons from Michael
Nov 14, 2016
Michael has been a great mentor. He as given me some awesome ideas and put me in touch with some contacts. Awesome to have a new friend
Inactive User
Inactive User received hour of What's Artificial Intelligence? from Michael
Dec 29, 2017
I had a fantastic time talking to Michael about AI and data science. He had a lot of interesting insights about the industry and had very helpful advi...ce about how I can improve my skills and differentiate myself in the field. He is relaxed and easy to talk to. I'd highly recommending having a conversation with him about AI! Thanks Michael, I'm excited to talk to you again soon:)show more
Jul 26, 2017
Very helpful
David provided session of Free Share of Stock for Michael
Jun 28, 2017
Easy Peezy Lemon Squeezy Everybody Wins
Jun 01, 2017
Michael taught me Arabic for a lot longer than was expected, and I greatly appreciated it!
Jun 01, 2017
Very happy that I chose Michael to learn Arabic! He is easygoing and personable. He placed the lesson in context by a) asking why I wanted to learn it... so that he could teach me what was most relevant, and b) helping me understand how Arabic fit in the wider language world. We then went over basic greetings, extreme basics of how to gender words and negate sentences, this/that, and some basic sentence construction with possessives. Hope to repeat soon!show more


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About Michael Thorne

I make a living as a data scientist, kind of a mathier version of a software developer. I specialize in natural language processing and it's application to cognitive sciences. It's really cool math, w...hich I'm still deeply chuffed that I get to do everyday. I also like playing around with artificial neural networks and bioinformatics research. The nerd is strong with this one. When I'm not mathing for my bread, I perform as a stand-up / actor here in NYC. You may remember me from my break-out role as 'Scowling Guard #4' on Legend of the Seeker. I've since gone on to talk on film, which is good fun. I've had the chance to train at American Comedy Institute, National Institute of Dramatic Art (Sydney), and Barrow Group Theater. Improv performance has my heart, I was an ensemble member with one of Pan Theater's (Oakland) house teams when I lived on the West Coast. There aren't many rushes I've found like being on stage. I'm also getting used to being behind the camera, which is adding a completely new dimension to how I understand film. Plus I get to play around with an entirely new bunch of technology. In my once-upon-a time, I was a Navy cryptologist (where I picked up Arabic) and I spent a few years as an Analytic Lead for the Department of Defense out of Ft. Meade. Studied at Fordham University (B.S. Physics) and GalvanizeU (MS Data Science), I'm currently splitting my time between NYC and Boulder while trying to get used to all the fresh air in Colorado and the fact people let you cross the street here. Also blues dancing. All the blues dancing.show more

Open to other proposals
Michael Thorne is looking for:
  • Fun & Quirky
  • Learning
  • Experiences
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  • Entertainment & Performance
  • Music & Audio