Joel Kim Booster

professional level, I was like, I'm not going to be competing with people who could actually blow the roof off this place. Yeah, you're like, this isn't my team. As a young person, as a 20-something and trying out for Broadway roles, you're only ever going to get cast in the ensemble. And that's if you can dance. And I was like, so I'm fucked. So I went back to school. Oh, drop that dream.

And so I went back to school and I, um, changed my major to playwriting.

And so I went back to school and I, um, changed my major to playwriting.

Um, because I was like, you know, I've always been interested in writing as well. And I, um, had started to write like, uh, plays that I would direct at school in the student theater. And that's, and it just felt more sort of, um, I don't know, gratifying to me in a lot of ways. Because I did my first one and everyone was like, wow, that was so great.

Um, because I was like, you know, I've always been interested in writing as well. And I, um, had started to write like, uh, plays that I would direct at school in the student theater. And that's, and it just felt more sort of, um, I don't know, gratifying to me in a lot of ways. Because I did my first one and everyone was like, wow, that was so great.

And no one had ever reacted to me that way after seeing a performance of mine.

And no one had ever reacted to me that way after seeing a performance of mine.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. No, honestly. And so for the rest of school, I was doing that. I was still taking performance and acting classes and stuff like that, but just sort of dropped the dance and the singing.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. No, honestly. And so for the rest of school, I was doing that. I was still taking performance and acting classes and stuff like that, but just sort of dropped the dance and the singing.

and um and was just writing and like i went i moved to chicago because my first full-length play right out of college was being produced as a part of the fringe festival out there which was cool and i just stayed and there's a there's a really vibrant like storefront theater scene in chicago it's really amazing and um the more i got successful in the scene in the theater scene in chicago

and um and was just writing and like i went i moved to chicago because my first full-length play right out of college was being produced as a part of the fringe festival out there which was cool and i just stayed and there's a there's a really vibrant like storefront theater scene in chicago it's really amazing and um the more i got successful in the scene in the theater scene in chicago

The more frustrated we get, because, like, I would be doing these, like, really, like, indie, like, plays, like, at, like, 60-seat theaters. Yeah. Getting paid, like, 25 bucks a performance, like, that kind of thing. Yeah.

The more frustrated we get, because, like, I would be doing these, like, really, like, indie, like, plays, like, at, like, 60-seat theaters. Yeah. Getting paid, like, 25 bucks a performance, like, that kind of thing. Yeah.

But then as I slowly started to, like, get, you know, more successful in that area and get called into, like, shows at Steppenwolf or The Good Men or something like that, like, the big theaters, this was, like, hmm. 15 years ago. Like, so it wasn't, we were not having the conversations about diversity and casting that we're having now.

But then as I slowly started to, like, get, you know, more successful in that area and get called into, like, shows at Steppenwolf or The Good Men or something like that, like, the big theaters, this was, like, hmm. 15 years ago. Like, so it wasn't, we were not having the conversations about diversity and casting that we're having now.

And so the more higher up the parts that were, the less interesting they became. They became more about like, just like caricature-y and like just not interesting parts, you know? And so I was working on a play called Five Lesbians Eating a Quiche as a writing assistant. It was an original play and it's exactly what it sounds like. And the comedian Beth Stelling was starring in that play.

And so the more higher up the parts that were, the less interesting they became. They became more about like, just like caricature-y and like just not interesting parts, you know? And so I was working on a play called Five Lesbians Eating a Quiche as a writing assistant. It was an original play and it's exactly what it sounds like. And the comedian Beth Stelling was starring in that play.

And she's, like, a pretty big comedian, especially if you're a comedy nerd, like, right now. And she was the one who was, like, you know, you write and you perform. You should try stand-up if you're really frustrated with, like, you know, the parts that you're getting called in for. She was, like, you can just, like, do it yourself. And she was the first person who suggested that.

And she's, like, a pretty big comedian, especially if you're a comedy nerd, like, right now. And she was the one who was, like, you know, you write and you perform. You should try stand-up if you're really frustrated with, like, you know, the parts that you're getting called in for. She was, like, you can just, like, do it yourself. And she was the first person who suggested that.

And, like, up till this point, like... I didn't know that standup would be like a place for me. Cause like when I was in high school, like the biggest name in standup comedy was Dane Cook and no disrespect to Dane Cook made me laugh, but like nothing about what Dane Cook was doing said to me, Oh, this is for you. You know? And like,