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Whats Inside
Medill junior Ryder
Chasin to host The

CATS
Blackout for Fall
Quarter
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Adaptation of The
Great Gatsby focuses
on characters internal
shame
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N
Grounded focuses on
female empowerment,
human empathy
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COMEDY
Ali is a superstar because she made this page
wowow
entertainment

felt like maybe my voice didnt fit in I didnt

By JENNIFER HEPP
daily senior staffer
@jenniferhepp97
For recent graduate Sarah Sherman, leaving
Northwestern was what finally liberated her
comedy.
Sherman currently participates in a monthly
stand-up show she created, Helltrap Night-
mare, which is held at The Hideout, an inde-
pendent comedy and music venue in Chicago.
And after just a year as a full-time stand-up
comedian, she was voted the best stand-up
comic in the Chicago area by the Chicago
Reader.
Shermans comedy is hyperactive and pro-
fane, oftentimes breaking the fourth wall and
addressing the audience as if she would her
friends.
Sherman said the themes she explores in
the performances often involve body image,
which she highlights via the use of visual art
arts &
know what I was capable of at Northwestern.
Theres a lot of grime and gore in my (work)
that isnt totally in the Northwestern aesthetic.
Sherman said Chicago gives comedians room
to explore their craft in a way that cities like
New York and Los Angeles, where the popula-
tion of striving comedians is larger, cannot.
Sherman still considers her recognition by
the Chicago Reader an unrealistic title based
on how new she is to the scene, but she said
she is working hard to certify it, trying to find a
balance between writing, performing and taking
time for herself.
For a while, I had a show mostly every
night, Sherman said. I learned the hard way
that you dont get to write when youre doing
that.
At Helltrap Nightmare, Sherman performs
stand-up by herself, but also aims to incorporate
some of her friends, like fellow comedian Wyatt
Fair (Communication 15), whom she called one
of the funniest people on earth.

components. Fair, one of Shermans closest friends from

What I found out starting do stand-up is
there arent a lot of female identifying stand-
ups, and there is not a lot of minority stand-ups
on large enough platforms, Sherman said. I
have used stand-up to explore my own problems
being a woman I have grown up with society
telling me that my body is a certain way.
Sherman said Chicago turned out to be a
supportive community for the type of work she
wants to do, but this type of creative freedom
was not as available for her in the NU comedy
scene.
Overall, the kind of energy of the school
wasnt very compatible with mine, she said. I
A&E
Northwestern, is also trying to break into the
Chicago comedy scene. Although he does not
see Chicago as a gateway into the mainstream
comedy scene, he said everyone working in the
city is essentially taking their first step in the
genre.
Theres a little bit more freedom in Chi-
cago, Fair said. There is such a huge inde-
pendent comedy scene here but its not as if
these people are going to put you on a sitcom.
Fair added although attending and per- sketches and performing improv.
forming at different open mic nights helped Like Fair, fellow stand-up comedian David
introduce him to the comedy scene in Chi- Brown (Communication 16) said he also regu-
cago, he has become more interested in writing larly attends open mic nights, where he sees a
lot of other people trying to do the exact same
thing hes trying to do. Brown said its important
that the Chicago comedy scene is developing
new, young talent.
While thats the biggest problem, its also an

asset in that people will give you information,

Brown said. People will (tell you about) the
shows that theyre doing, or things that theyre
working on. Its kind of a like a little mini col-
lege experience in that way.
Brown said Chicago is also generally cheaper
than living in bigger entertainment hubs such
as New York City or Los Angeles.
However, many people eventually move out
there to pursue greater opportunities and more
acting-based gigs, Fair said. He said Chicago
does not restrict him to fit into any sort of mold,
allowing him to work just for the sake of his
own craft.
A lot of people use (Chicago) to try ran-
dom stuff and get their legs under them and
meet other people trying to do the same thing,
Brown said. Ive really found that to be true.
Comedy is an essential part of a citys enter-
tainment industry because people get to take a
break away from their daily routines. Fair said
being provocative or saying unexpected lines
becomes part of the experience for the audience,
who question what will happen next.
By freaking people out, were bringing them
adrenaline, this sort of roller coaster feel, Fair
said. No one actually knows whats gonna hap-
pen next. Making people laugh is of course the
goal.

jenniferhepp2020@u.northwestern.edu