Performing my own material can feel more tenuous because it requires a delicate balance between my roles as a writer and an actor/composer. At a certain point, I have to turn off my writer's mind and fully immerse myself in the performance as an actor. Otherwise, I risk not being present on stage. I strive to trust the work I've done offstage to avoid becoming hypercritical during the performance. This is where having a director like Timothy Near and musical director William Liberatore is invaluable. They both understand the onstage and offstage versions of me and help manage the more complex dramaturgical questions, saving them for when we can take the time to slow down and think them through. That being said, writing my own work has deepened my appreciation for the effort that goes into creating a play. I’ve become more empathetic towards the author(s) because I understand that writing and composing is a complex matrix of skills. It works best when the actor presenting the work fully commits to it. I work hard to give myself that same grace when I’m on stage presenting my own work.

I want audiences to have fun at my expense! But more than that, I hope they see themselves in my stories. We all have funny little idiosyncrasies, secrets, shame, and awkward moments we'd rather keep hidden. I aim to show the power of exposing those thoughts and feelings we're ashamed to admit. There's a profound freedom in revealing the truth, and I hope to inspire others to find that liberation as well.