Stand-up, Improv, and Sketch Comedy: What’s the Difference?

Comedy
Written By Riley Smith

If you are interested in comedy, as a performer or as an enjoyer, you’ve probably heard of sketch comedy, improv, and standup.

But how do these forms differ? And if someone is a “comedian,” does that mean they’ll be good at all three?

There are clear-cut differences between the three forms, and yet most comedians will try out all three during the course of their careers. This is because the fundamental principles of humor are at work in all three.

Yet, most comedians you talk to will probably have a favorite which becomes more apparent as they become more skilled. This is because each style of comedy works out slightly different skills and generally appeals to different personality types.

Let’s explore what makes these three forms of comedy different, so you can pick your favorite or explore all three!

An Important Disclaimer

Comedy is flexible. Shows vary widely and people combine different forms to make new things, and that’s awesome.

The definitions below are given to help you know the usual differences between the forms, but that doesn’t mean any of these “standard practices” can’t be flipped on their head to make something totally new!

Stand-Up Comedy

Action shot of me performing stand-up live. I have more recent proof of my comedy competence in my stand-up playlist on my personal channel.

Stand-up Comedy is so-called because of how it is usually performed: standing up, alone, in front of an audience.

In its usual form, a stand-up comedian will prepare enough jokes to fill a predetermined timeslot. The comic does not get any prompts from the audience. The comic sets up all of their jokes and provides all the punchlines on their own, usually based on what they planned and practiced in advance.

Know the Lingo: You’ll hear comedians talk about having a “tight five.” That means five minutes of solid jokes that are well-paced and usually successful that they can perform when needed.

Stand-up comics are also generally not playing fictional characters. They are performing as themselves, even if it is a heightened version of themselves.

An exception to the rule

Some stand-up comics will do something called “crowd work,” where they ask the audience questions and interact with them, often coming up with jokes on the spot.

But even with crowd work, a standup comic comes prepared. For example, a comedian who asks, “Where are you from?” might have a joke they always say to people from Texas.

Considering stand-up comedy? I have five quick and easy tips to help you at your first open mic night!

Examples of stand-up comedy

Netflix has A LOT of stand-up specials available to watch as examples, so if you are interested, take the time to explore different people and watch as much as you can.

Here are three clips from some of my top picks. They are not kid friendly!

As you can tell, these three people have very different styles and focuses, but all three have big personalities. Stand-up is about finding your comedic persona (often similar to the real you) and bringing it to life!

What is Improv Comedy?

Improv comedy is short for “improvised” comedy, which means it is made up at the time of performance. There is no script.

Usually, improvisers are not flying totally blind. They have some kind of structure in mind, and most improvisers who perform for a live audience have practiced together.

If this sounds a little vague, that’s the beauty of improv. The structures vary widely.

For example, two improvisers might play a “game” that has defined rules that both they and the audience know, such as No Questions, a common improv game where the first person to ask a question loses.

Or, you might have an improv duo with no pre-defined rules, who simply starts with a suggestion from the audience of a setting before jumping into an hour-long set of scenes.

Know the Lingo: There’s one thing that every improviser has heard so much, it’s basically a meme... “Yes, and…” This is a basic improv principle and it includes two things: 1. Agree with what your partner says, and 2. Add something to it.

If you’re interested in improv, here are 5 improv comedy books you should read! The first recommendations are great for beginners.

The only thing that has to be true to make it “improv” is that the dialogue must be improvised, AKA made up on the spot.

Because it’s all beautiful make-believe, improvisers are usually playing fictional characters, although there have been forms that bend this boundary.

Examples of Improv Comedy

The best way to really get a feel for improv is to go to a live show. It’s always better in a theater as part of an audience. So go get you some tickets to an improv theater near you! Most cities will have at least one or one in a neighboring area.

Live shows aren’t always feasible though, so here are some great online examples of improv. These are generally PG but probably not kid friendly examples.

Improv is my favorite comedy form because of the spontaneity. It feels like magic to get up in front of people, no script, and make them laugh. And it’s easier than you’d think… Once you take a few classes!

What is Sketch Comedy?

Evidence of me doing sketch comedy. I was a raccoon, and I loved my trash can. Both me as performer and me as character loved this trash can.

Sketch comedy is humorous writing in the form of “sketches,” or short scenes. The exact length is debatable, though I think most people agree that a scene over 30 minutes is pushing it.

On average, a sketch will be 3-5 minutes, maybe getting up to 10 or so on the longer end.

Know the Lingo: Sketches can also be much faster than this, only one to three lines. These are called “blackouts” because the lights go out quickly after one joke.

Sketches are prepared in advance. They have scripts that are written down and rehearsed.

Like improv, the performers are usually playing a fictional character, rather than themselves. I have seen sketch comedy that takes inspiration from real life, but you’re not onstage as yourself, you’re onstage as a character.

Know the Lingo: The end of the sketch is often called a “button,” meaning it’s the thing that closes or shuts the sketch. This name is also a great reminder that the best buttons are usually short, fast, and simple.

Does sketch comedy sound interesting to you? In this video, I break down the structure of a sketch, so you can start piecing together your funny ideas and turn them into full scripts!

Sketch comedy is usually performed with other people. You can do monologues, but those are more rare than sketches with at least two comedians.

In fact, sketch comedy is usually such a collaborative effort that not many people call themselves a “sketch comedian.” More often, you’ll hear people talk about “sketch comedy troupes” who put out work, rather than an individual writer.

Examples of Sketch Comedy

The most famous example is probably SNL, so you should probably watch some of that. But here are some other suggestions for the weirdos I like. These aren’t underground or unpopular by any means… They’re just not SNL.

These examples are not kid friendly!

I’m picking my favorites here and being pretty biased, so explore more sketch comedy troupes to find the style that clicks with you.

What’s the difference between stand-up, improv, and sketch comedy?

To sum it up quickly…

Stand-up Comedy:

  • Performed alone (usually)

  • Material prepared beforehand (usually)

  • Comedian is performing as themselves, not a fictional character

  • Sometimes involves audience interaction during “crowd work,” but mostly the comedian is responsible for all of the content

Improv Comedy:

  • Performed with others (usually)

  • No material prepared beforehand

  • Comedian plays fictional characters (usually)

  • Involves audience interaction (usually)

Sketch Comedy:

  • Performed with others

  • Material prepared beforehand

  • Comedian plays fictional characters

  • Rarely involves audience interaction

Which comedy form is best for me?

My suggestion will depend entirely on your experience level! You never really know what form fits you best until you try.

For beginners…

In this video, I talk about the top comedy schools and give honest reviews, so you can pick which one you’d like to try! Many of these offer online options, so you don’t have to be in LA, New York, or Chicago.

If you are interested in performing comedy, but don’t have much experience, I suggest starting with an improv class and then branching out into the other forms.

Improv will teach you confidence, teamwork, and listening, all of which are immensely important to comedy in general.

Improv can be very addictive, but if it’s not for you, don’t worry! Spontaneous teamwork doesn’t always appeal to everyone. Try improv first, and then make sure you try one of the other forms after you’ve gained some confidence in improvisation.

If you’re more experienced…

I strongly suggest trying everything at least once. If you’ve been doing stand-up for a while, take an improv class. If you’ve only ever improvised, try sketch comedy.

Dabbling in other forms will strengthen your work as a comedian overall.

And you never know! Some people do one form for years and then realize they actually enjoy something else a lot more.

How to find your first comedy audition

If you are interested in comedic acting, we have a guide to take you from finding the audition to preparing with confidence and doing your absolute best at the audition itself.

Auditions are hard to find, and even if you do find one, a bad audition can wreck your confidence for good.

We’ve felt that sting of rejection, and seen our friends abandon their dreams because of it.

With the steps laid out in this guide, provided by full-time actors and comedians, you can build confidence, find great auditions, and become a fulfilled, growing, working actor.

Get your guide now and start on the road to your comedy dreams!

Riley Smith
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