Today we’d like to introduce you to Angelina Martin.
Hi Angelina, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Hi, I’m Angelina and I have a lot of jobs. I’m a comedian, actor, producer, and writer, among other things. Primarily, I am a comedian and I mostly perform stand-up though I also do improv and I’ve dabbled in sketch comedy as well. I love comedy though I didn’t always want to be a professional comedian. As a child, I didn’t even know that this was a job. From a young age, I yearned to be an actor and writer. As a teenager, I added director and film producer to that wish list. I became obsessed with comedic tv shows and movies, especially Saturday Night Live, 30 Rock, and Arrested Development. I started researching a lot of my favorite funny actors/writers/directors and discovered that a great deal of them got their start in comedy. I started attending shows at my local improv theater in Ventura, California. I started taking acting classes and writing scripts. When I was 18, I started taking improv classes here in Austin at The Hideout Theatre and when I was 21, I finally did my first open mic. I fell in love with performing comedy in a way I didn’t expect and what was supposed to be a stepping stone onto another career became my passion and livelihood. For the past 9 years since I started stand-up, I’ve dedicated the bulk of my waking hours to it. At first, this looked like going to open mics almost every single night and bombing repeatedly. It was extremely humbling which is something that I love about stand-up, it has the ability to boost your ego tremendously and to knock the wind out of you, all in the matter of hours or minutes sometimes. I’ve performed on thousands of shows (and opens mics) in the past decade. I’ve acted in a handful of films and I’ve had my writing published in dozens of magazines. I’m proud of what I’ve accomplished so far but I’m hungry. for so much more and I believe that I’m just getting started still.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It’s definitely has been a tough journey. The arts pay so little and it can be demoralizing, especially in comedy where it’s almost standard to live in poverty for a decade before you have a chance of making a living wage. It’s been taxing on my mental and physical health and the rampant misogyny and other forms of bigotry that run rampant in this industry have also made me want to quit at times, particularly at the beginning. However, once I started making friends and getting booked more, it made me want to continue. For me, stand-up is really addicting, despite all of the drawbacks.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’m most known for and proud of being a stand-up comedian. I’m known for hosting and producing comedy shows like Buzzkill at The Buzz Mill, Slide in the DMs, High Priestess ATX, Garage, Good Time Club, Cackle Shack Comedy, and many others over the years. I think what sets me apart from others in my field is my ambition, energy, heart, and candor. I like to have a very full plate and keep a full calendar. I’m very aware that a lot of success in comedy relies on maintaining momentum so I try not to slow down too much in terms of my production though I’ve realized it’s also important to rest and have balance in my life. By heart, I mean that I’m passionate about my values and my community. I want my stand-up and my shows to feel fun and funny above all else but I also want them to reflect my inclusive principles. That’s why I like to do fundraising shows for various socialist organizations and book diverse line-ups. And by candor, I do mean that I will say anything that I’m thinking onstage, no matter how gross or personal- that last part is probably why I’m not everyone’s cup of tea but I’m perfectly okay with that! As I grow older, I want less of a divide between my stage persona and my real personality. I just want my comedy to be honest!
What would you say have been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
I’ve learned that you have to be confident to the point of delusion if you want to be successful comedian. You have to believe you’re talented and destined for big things even when there is zero evidence supporting this theory. And I’ve learned that you shouldn’t write your set list on your hand because it looks unprofessional and you might wake up with an unwanted face tattoo of a dirty word and not find out until you get to your barista job.
Pricing:
- $18 presale tickets for Slide in the DMs (1st Saturdays of the month at Fallout Theater)
- $free Buzzkill at The Buzz Mill (every Wednesday at 9pm)
- $8 presale tickets for Garage (every Thursday at Fallout Theater at 8:30pm)
- $20 tickets to see me headline The Velveeta Room on July 11th and 12th
- $free Cackle Shack Comedy Open Mic (every Monday at Lustre Pearl East at 8:30pm)
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/angelinamartin
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/angelinajmartin/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AngelinaMartinComedy/
- Twitter: https://x.com/angelinajmartin
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@angelinajmartin
- Other: https://www.thevelveetaroom.com/shows/angelina-martin/5b0e6429-c625-40fc-b37c-3a5195e7cd6c
Image Credits
Ashlee Pryor-Pitluk
