Templates
Comedian Technical Rider Template (What to Include and What to Skip)
A technical rider is a one-page document that tells the venue exactly what you need to do your job. Comics at every level should have one. If you don't, the venue will assume you don't need anything — and on the day, you'll discover the mic is a $20 lapel and there's no monitor.
This template is built for the working-pro level (3–10 years in). Touring headliners have longer riders that include hospitality, security, and travel preferences. Beginners shouldn't have a rider at all — show up with the gear you need.
What goes in a rider, what goes in the contract
People conflate these. The simple split:
- Contract: anything financial or contractual — fee, deposit, cancellation, travel reimbursement, recording rights.
- Rider: anything technical or operational — mic, monitor, lighting, green room, what you need on the day.
A rider is shorter than a contract. It's also less negotiable in tone — it's a list of what you need, not what you want.
The template
TECHNICAL RIDER
[Your name]
[Your phone] / [Your email]
For all questions on this rider, contact:
[Booking agent or your direct line]
1. STAGE & SOUND
- Wired handheld microphone (Shure SM58 or equivalent)
- Microphone stand (with boom or straight, both fine)
- Monitor speaker, audible from stage at performance volume
- Sound check completed at least 60 minutes before doors,
OR 30 minutes before performance, whichever is earlier
- One person from venue available for sound check
2. STAGE & LIGHTING
- Stage or raised performance area, minimum 6' wide × 4' deep
- Single light source on performer
- Ability to dim audience lighting to ~30% during performance
- No moving or flashing lights during the set
- No projector screen visible behind performer
3. ROOM
- Audience seated and facing the stage
- Bar service operational but quiet during performance
(no shaker noise, no loud orders during sets)
- Doors to kitchen / lobby / restrooms closed during performance
- No sound bleed from adjacent rooms
4. GREEN ROOM
- Private space available 30 minutes before performance
- Bottled water (4 bottles)
- Light snacks (chips, fruit, or similar)
- Wi-Fi password if available
- A door that closes
5. RECORDING
- No video or audio recording without prior written permission
- This applies to venue staff, professional cameras, and audience
members where enforceable
6. INTRODUCTION
- Performer's name spoken clearly
- One-line intro maximum: "Please welcome [name]"
- No long stories, no list of credits, no "this person is hilarious"
7. TIMING
- Performance starts at agreed start time, +/- 10 minutes
- Performer will not go on early if previous slot ends early —
please hold the audience
- Performer will end at agreed time
If any item on this rider cannot be met, please contact us at least
72 hours before the event so we can make adjustments.
— [your name]
What to add (or remove) by event type
For corporate events: add a section on dress code expectations and pre-event briefing.
8. PRE-EVENT BRIEFING
- 20-minute call with event lead, completed 7–14 days before event
- Audience size, demographic, agenda, and any topic sensitivities
to be shared by Client at this time
For weddings: add a "do not joke about" sub-section in the briefing item, plus a 15-minute on-site walkthrough before the set.
For comedy clubs: usually no rider needed — clubs have a standard setup. If they don't have a monitor, accept it; clubs are clubs.
For colleges: add a section on merch table location and post-show meet-and-greet expectations. College touring riders also typically include vegetarian meal options and a dressing room with a mirror.
What's reasonable, what's diva
A few specific items, with the spectrum:
| Item | Reasonable | Borderline | Diva |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bottled water | Yes, always | — | — |
| Specific bottled water brand | — | At headliner level | At working-pro level |
| Snacks | Yes (modest) | Specific snacks | "A platter of organic dried mango" |
| Wi-Fi | Yes | — | — |
| Locked dressing room | Yes for headliners | At feature level | — |
| Driver to/from hotel | Yes for non-local headliners | Local working pros | — |
| Specific brand of microphone | At headliner level | Working pro | Beginner |
| Pre-show meal | At touring headliner level | Working pro | — |
| No flash photography | Yes | — | — |
| No phones at all | At touring headliner level | Most events | At every event |
The rule: ask for what you genuinely need to do your job well. Not what you've seen other comics' riders ask for. Comedy bookers compare riders, and "asks for the moon" is a small but real factor in re-booking decisions.
Things to remove from the standard template
If you're working below the headliner level, take out:
- The specific brand of microphone request (Shure SM58 is universal — every venue has one)
- Lock-and-key dressing room requirements
- Driver requests (Uber works fine)
- Anything about specific catering
Each of those is reasonable at a certain level. Including them too early in your career signals "this comic thinks they're bigger than they are."
Most underrated rider item: "Bar service operational but quiet during performance." Cocktail shaker noise is the single most common ruin-er of a set. Most venues will happily comply if you ask.