It had been way too long since I went onstage, so I went back to the Second City Training Centre. I just wrapped up stand-up comedy classes with a final show and it was the best thing I’ve done in a long time.
I loved attending arts camps growing up and learning about improv at Second City. My favourite memory at Second City was crawling beneath the stage and popping up. I’ve never had an opportunity to do that since then!
At that time, most camps focused on musical theatre and I’ve never been a singer or dancer. That was frustrating until I discovered Centauri Summer Arts Camp. I had a chance to act, direct and write outside! It’s really sad the camp recently closed because it was a special place.
I considered pursuing an acting career, but abandoned that dream in high school. Thankfully, I met a casting director who advised me to share comedic monologues in the future and that advice was top of mind during the pandemic. When I shared that story, I said the internet is my stage, but it doesn’t compare to the thrill of performing in person!
Sharing funny TikTok videos and Instagram Reels was good practice that reassured me thousands of strangers like my sense of humour. So, my goal for the class was to transition from virtual to IRL and get more experience performing in-person. I could’ve easily created a routine based on existing material, but I seized the opportunity to write new rants.
The stand-up comedy class also became a workout class! I loved walking on the waterfront and walking by Harbourfront Centre where I went for theatre camp. Of course, I also walked to the Eaton Centre. I always end up shopping there whenever I’m within walking distance.
When the final show arrived, I felt really comfortable and practiced anywhere I could. I hope everyone who saw me practising new French material by talking to a wall outside Winners (TJX) right before the show enjoyed their free preview!
I’ve been lucky to meet some of my favourite comedians, including Chelsea Handler, Eugene Levy, Fortune Feimster and Arthur Simeon. I also loved seeing the biggest stars in comedy at the Netflix Is A Joke Festival in LA. As I got ready to go onstage, I realized it was my first opportunity to try applying everything I’ve learned from studying celebrity culture.
That’s what made it fun! During glam the day before, I told my hairstylist about the full-circle moment and shared high-level plans for future topics. Then 5 minutes before the show started, I got mic’d up and felt like a Kardashian for the first time. Which was really cool because Kim’s success on SNL inspired me to do this.
As much as I’d like to say I’ve been practicing my whole life for this, I’m just getting started. My job hunt continues and I can’t wait to see what’s next as I navigate how to balance writing, performing, promoting and presenting online and offline.