Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Chase O’Donnell. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Chase, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What was one of the most important lessons you learned in school? Why did that lesson stick with you?

I studied theater at UC Santa Barbara. It isn’t known for it’s theater department, but the lessons I learned there have proven to be what’s gotten me ahead in my comedy career. Because there were only 11 of us in my BFA class, we each received plenty of undivided attention and had ample opportunities to perform. But the most important lesson I learned was how to create my own work. The theater department had a huge focus on creating material and theater pieces. By senior year, we each wrote a 30 minute one person show. It was a culmination of everything we’d been taught about creating something from scratch. By time I graduated and went into the real world, I felt very comfortable making things on my own. When auditions were slow (Which was always) I felt like I had this special tool I could pull out of my back pocket. I didn’t need to wait for someone to tell me I was cast in something. I had the confidence to cast myself in whatever I could think up. Ever since I graduated, I’ve always had projects going. Whether I’m writing a screenplay, putting on an off-broadway comedy show, or performing stand- up, the entirety of my career has been made up of creations I’ve made myself. And for that, I will always be grateful for my time spent in the little theater department at UC Santa Barbara.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

Hi I’m Chase! I’m a stand up comedian. I have always loved comedy with all my heart. Making people laugh was always a highlight of mine growing up. Somehow, I turned it into a career and for that I’m very grateful.

I grew up dancing from a very young age, which got me hooked on performing. I went to a performing arts high school where my focus switched to acting and singing. I thought I was going to be a broadway star… very quickly I learned I couldn’t belt a high C. But what I could do, was make people laugh. After graduating with a degree in theater, I started getting up on stage and doing stand up open mics. Eventually, I got to the point where I didn’t feel like throwing up from the nerves, and now here we are 10 years later! I try to incorporate all of my skills from dance to playing guitar into my act.

Besides performing live, I love that technology has made it so easy to create and post material from our phones. I’ve had so much making sketches and videos for the gram and the tok. My favorite series is called “If Musicals Were Real” where I call out the absurdity of musical theater performances. My stand up special “People Pleaser” is out on YouTube and received praise in the New York Times. If you have 30 minutes I’d love you to check it out.

My sister and I also have a podcast called Inspired and Tired where we chat each week about tools on how to stay creative and make art even when we’re feeling blocked.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

A lesson I’m unlearning to this day is that age is just a number. I grew up believing you had to be young and beautiful to “make it” in the business of entertainment. I even had agents and managers confirm that and say I was getting too old when I was barely 25! I’m in my 30’s now and have so many goals still left to accomplish. It’s easy for me to say, well I’m too old for this and too old for that. I know it’s silly, but it’s something I’ve really had to work on. I’ve had to change the paradigm in my head, and tell myself that I can accomplish whatever I want at whatever age I’m at!

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

I would say my goal has changed in the recent years driving my creative journey. I used to want to be the best. I wanted to get noticed for the effort I was putting into my art and recognized for the comedy I was making. That took a toll on my mental health. A career in the arts is so unpredictable. You can’t base your worth on whether or not people like what you’re making. Especially, with everyone having their own opinion on the internet, it becomes exhausting trying to please everyone.

I’ve since changed my outlook on creativity. I now see it as an exchange with the universe. I view writing material as a way to see what the universe or source or whatever you want to call it, wants to say through me. It’s made the process a lot more fun and rewarding!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.chaseodonnell.com
• Instagram: chase_Odonnell
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@ChaseandLondon

Image Credits
Devyn Leone Steve Nguyen