Jamie Denbo's career in comedy, improv, acting, and writing and producing was shaped by her early life misdirection and heavy duty self-criticism, as well as honing her improv skills at a Renaissance fair and her coming-of-age at the original UCB Theater.
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Quick takeaways
Finding solace in improvisational theater validated the guest's choice to pursue a career in performing arts despite uncertainty in college.
Embracing unexpected opportunities, such as working at a Renaissance fair, can lead to unique experiences and insights into different layers of humanity.
Drawing from personal experiences, the creator of the show American Princess explores themes of identity, self-discovery, and the clashes and connections between different forms of entertainment.
Deep dives
Discovering Theater: Transitioning from High School to College
During high school, the podcast guest had a passion for theater and was involved in the theater program at her school. However, when she entered college, she felt lost and unsure of her path. She found it difficult to connect with her classes and felt confused about whether she should pursue a vocation or focus on filling her head with philosophies. This uncertainty led to feelings of depression and a lack of direction.
Experimenting with Improv
Despite her struggles with college, the guest found solace in improvisational theater. She joined an improv group and connected with like-minded individuals who enjoyed the freedom and creativity of the art form. This experience sparked her love for performing and validated her choice to pursue theater, even if she wasn't sure about her academic courses.
Summer Stock Auditions and Renaissance Festivals
After college, the guest continued to pursue her love for performing by auditioning for summer stock theater companies. While she didn't have much success with traditional theater auditions, she unexpectedly received a callback for the Sterling Renaissance Festival. At first, she mistakenly believed it was a Shakespearean festival, but upon arrival, she realized it was a Renaissance fair. Despite the confusion, she decided to embrace the experience and worked at the festival, learning about a different layer of humanity and engaging with a nomadic community of performers.
Navigating Uncertainty and Self-Reflection
Throughout her journey, the guest grappled with a sense of not feeling good enough and constantly questioning her path. She faced the pressure of comparing herself to her academically successful friends and feeling lost in her own choices. Despite these challenges, she persevered, continued to explore her love for theater, and eventually found her way to success.
A Jewish American Princess Goes to the Renaissance Festival
The show follows the story of a Jewish American princess who, after her wedding goes awry, ends up at a Renaissance festival and decides to stay. She navigates the world of the fair and experiences a culture clash between her privileged background and the offbeat characters at the festival. The show explores themes of identity, self-discovery, and finding one's place.
The Unconventional Path to Show Business
The creator of the show, who has personal experience working at the Renaissance festival and theme parks, shares the inspiration behind the series. She discusses her unconventional path to show business, starting with her time at the Renaissance festival, working in theme parks, and eventually joining the Upright Citizens Brigade in New York. The show draws from her personal experiences and portrays the clashes and connections between different forms of entertainment.
Jamie Denbo’s life and career would not be the same were it not for her job at a Renaissance fair. Her future in comedy, improv, acting, and now writing and producing might not have taken shape if she didn’t mistakenly audition for a gig she didn’t understand. Jamie tells Marc how early life misdirection and heavy duty self-criticism changed course thanks to the honing of her improv skills at the Ren-Fair and her coming-of-age at the original UCB Theater. They also talk about Ronna and Beverly, why she doesn’t want to do on-camera work anymore, and how she turned the Renaissance fair experience into a comedy series, American Princess. This episode is sponsored by the Netflix podcast I Hate Talking About Myself, Turo, SiriusXM, and Allbirds.