The Secret to a Standing Ovation Isn’t the Trick: It’s the Build

A lot of people think a standing ovation is about the trick: the big reveal, the wow moment that makes jaws drop. But after doing this for most of my life, I’ve learned that it’s never just about the trick. It’s about what leads up to it. It’s the energy you build, the tension you stretch, the story you tell. That’s what really earns the ovation.

Sometimes it’s a volunteer who absolutely lights up the stage. Maybe they’re wildly expressive or just have this positive, magnetic energy that the crowd instantly connects with. Those volunteers create a shared moment that the whole room buys into. Everyone’s rooting for them. Everyone’s watching the story unfold through them.

The trick gets the applause. The build earns the ovation.

Other times, it’s about honesty. At the end of some shows, I’ll share something personal: something real. That shift from comedy and tricks into vulnerability catches people off guard in the best way. The wall between performer and audience drops. Suddenly, we’re not just having fun. We’re sharing something human.

That’s the build. And that’s what people respond to.

I structure my shows very intentionally. I want there to be a rhythm. I want people to laugh right away, to feel safe, to know I’m not there to mess with them. The opening is usually quick and funny: a bit that feels like a magic trick but reveals itself to be something else. It’s designed to lower defenses and get people on board.

What you feel before the trick makes the moment hit harder.

From there, I ramp things up. There’s a rollercoaster of reactions: moments with couples, kids, coworkers. The magic isn’t just in the trick. It’s in the laughter, the hesitation, the silence before the reveal. I love those quiet seconds right before something lands: the held breath, the “wait, what?” moment before the whole room erupts.

Every part of the show is there for a reason. It’s all building momentum. And when the final trick lands—especially if there’s a twist or a callback—that’s when the energy spikes.

Sometimes I follow it with a second surprise; a final punch after the punchline. That’s the moment people remember.

I didn’t learn this in a class. I learned it on stage: night after night, show after show. Reading rooms. Trying things. Watching what works. Earning those reactions the long way.

Because the truth is, the trick might blow minds. But the build: that’s what moves people to their feet.

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