Everything Is Already Something Week 33: Laying Down Banana Peels

Allison Page is a trap.

Someone or other has created a monster. I’m the monster. I might also be the creator though, so it’s like…I’m both Frankenstein’s monster and Dr. Frankenstein himself…Dr. Monster.

In the three weeks since I became Co-Creative Director at Killing My Lobster (a 17 year old sketch comedy company never before headed up by a female Creative Director) I’ve really surprised myself. Mostly in the good way. I can be a pretty self-deprecating person. I mean, it’s comedy, that’s what we do. But I’m having this sudden disgusting burst of…of…oh god…pride? How awful.

As an actor, you only have to own your performance. That’s all you’ve got control of, and everything else – though noticeable to you – isn’t your job. As a writer, you write. But as a Creative Director? There’s a lot of shit going on there. A lot of moving parts. They have to be lined up and organized and figured out and manipulated into something that makes sense. It’s tough cookies.

Allison’s first blasphemous Killing My Lobster show

Ever since I was laid off from my job January 31st, I have been doing whatever I want. That’s not always as great as it sounds, but taking on serious responsibility? That sounds…like a lot of work. I mean, it IS a lot of work. A lot of work that other people will be paying attention to and very likely judging. Definitely judging. Harshly, harshly judging. Somehow, I’m doing it anyway. The judging part hasn’t started yet, but the work part has – and I’m LOVING IT. Maybe what I’ve needed all along is some real responsibility to someone or something other than myself.

At heart, I’m a dreadfully lazy person, which you know if you’ve ever tried to get me to go out on a Saturday night – good luck. But the difference here is that comedy is my passion. I eat and sleep it. I pour it on my mashed potatoes and form it into little snowmen. It’s often the only thing I care about (I mean, I also love my mom), so I guess that’s why I’m willing to crank it up a notch right now. This company comes with a lot of history and all I can do is try to make it the absolute best it could be.

Which means that right now – I gotta go. I have a giant audition to schedule, paint colors to choose, and banana peels to lay down on the road to laughter.

Slippery when wet.

Allison Page is a writer/actor/comedian/creative director. You can follow her on Twitter @allisonlynnpage