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Congrats on getting signed! Tell us a little bit about your writing background?
Thank you! I started writing in earnest at my little conservative Christian college as a means to address institutional issues. After seeing how simple sketch comedy could activate a community, I decided to pursue playwriting with an emphasis on social change. I spent four years in Chicago running an arts program for underserved teens and soaking up the improv scene at night. After touring with The Second City and putting up a bunch of my own shows, I moved to LA. I’m so fortunate all the projects I’ve worked on in film and TV have aimed to be similarly progressive.
You signed with a manager an Anonymous Content, can you share what the process was like? What confirmed for you it was the right fit?
After we connected, Joey sent out my materials to a few companies I was interested in. When I heard this person from Anonymous had liked my first sample, I asked a couple friends if they knew her. She came with rave reviews! We met, she read a few more samples, and then we met again to discuss our work and communication styles. Before I even started the hunt for reps, I made a literal list of what my dream manager would be like and how our relationship would operate. I knew she was the right fit because she checked every box.
Who are your writing influences?
Issa Rae! Insecure is incredible television, and her journey to making it is rife with useful professional nuggets. Lindy West and Mindy Kaling! Their frank but sincere femme-specific humor opened the door for me to write vulnerably. Liz Cackowski! A master of heartfelt yet zany characters.
You describe your work as “cheery bubblegum pop with dark existential undercurrents” (brilliant), how do you try and infuse that in your material?
I think we write what we are, and I am a generally upbeat person who also regularly despairs because our society is deeply flawed. Telling stories that honor that dichotomy is important to me. Leading with sadness can overwhelm audiences, so I tend to present the comedic characters first and slowly uncover troubling motivations or circumstances later. Joy on top, substance on the bottom. So, yeah, I write yogurt parfaits.
Other than getting signed, what's jazzing you right now?
Last fall I had the privilege of working as the onset writer for Amy Poehler’s new feature MOXIE. The movie is about a group of high school girls forming a feminist club together. It dropped this week and quickly shot to the number one spot on Netflix. I’m pretty jazzed about the positive teen response so far!
How did you get connected with Joey and Roadmap Writers?
Another group I’m part of, Untitled Ladies Script Club, did a crossover panel with Roadmap Writers. It was a super informational, inspiring event, so I became a fast fan of Roadmap and Joey.