Why do some comic performances remain funny across generations, and how does the camera transform the actor’s approach to comedy? In this acting course, students explore the craft, history, and cultural contexts of comic performance through scenes and monologues drawn from early film comedy, television classics, sitcoms, and influential comic performers. Through on-camera scene work, improvisation, clip analysis, and guided playback, students examine how timing, rhythm, physicality, character, and the camera shape comic storytelling across different eras and media. Students develop the skills of on-camera performance while considering how changing social and cultural contexts shape what audiences recognize as funny. By the end of the semester, students will have created a portfolio of recorded scenes demonstrating their ability to bring classic comic material to life with clarity, specificity, technical precision, and a sense of play.