How it started
When Stephen Campbell, a comedian and social entrepreneur, and his wife moved to Austin from New York following the 2023 Writers Guild of America strike, he was searching for a place to showcase the “deeper” narrative comedy he was interested in.
“I was going to a lot of breath work and yoga classes, and I just remember seeing the transformation that people would have when they walked in to when they walked out, feeling lighter and just feeling more compassionate,” Campbell said. “[I felt] like, ‘Shoot, I really wish that I could put together a show that had that same effect on people.’”
He was introduced to Sam Pullen, a trauma-informed yoga teacher and therapist, and they built Stand Up Comedy, Sit Down Yoga, a show that combines comedy and storytelling with meditation, yoga and breath work.
How it works
Shows take place at rotating yoga studios in Austin, including Flow Yoga in North Loop and Westgate, and Third Eye Meditation Lounge. The recurring Friday night time slot allows attendees to drop any stress they may have from the week prior.
The show begins with breath work led by Pullen, followed by 20 to 25 minutes of stand-up comedy that Campbell said comes from a place of “figuring it out.”
Pullen will then lead the group through a chair yoga session, Campbell will perform another stand-up set, and the show ends with a sound bath meditation.
The impact
The goal of Stand Up Comedy, Sit Down Yoga is to move people from a place of fear toward love through its segments, like the chair yoga, which can help the audience move and “shake loose,” or the stand-up that helps people feel less alone.
“Different people's brains work in different ways,” Campbell said. “The inside of my head is a punk rock show, right? It's just constant chatter. And so meditation is the only thing that I've found that kind of gets me to one channel and gets me to a little bit more peace internally. [The show’s] elements are put together deliberately to improve the audience's mental health.”
Stand Up Comedy, Sit Down Yoga also does corporate workshops and special events.
Also of note
Campbell said they are working on other projects to reach more people, including a men’s mental health group, additional comedy shows and turning Stand Up Comedy, Sit Down Yoga into a touring show or streaming comedy special.
“We want to give a very ... low-friction way for people to start to experience this stuff,” he said. “And we try to make it as simple as possible so that people can bring it to their own life.”
A schedule of upcoming shows and more information on corporate wellness events can be found on Stand-Up Comedy, Sit Down Yoga’s website or Eventbrite.
