We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Courtney Scheuerman a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Courtney thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

The most meaningful project I’ve worked on is my one-woman show, Holding Court. It was born during a time when life came at me like a wrecking ball — and not in the fun, “Miley Cyrus swinging on it” kind of way. More like, “surprise! Here’s a life implosion you didn’t order.”

I was in that glorious stage of questioning everything — my career, my choices, the suspicious amount of hummus and sugar snap peas in my fridge… Instead of hiding, I decided to do the most terrifying thing I could think of: tell the truth out loud on a stage. Every messy, ridiculous, heartbreakingly human part of it.

It’s meaningful because it taught me that vulnerability isn’t weakness — it’s a damn superpower. When you stand up and say, “Here’s my chaos, and I’m still standing,” it gives other people permission to do the same. And if you can make them laugh while you’re doing it? Even better. I learned that courage doesn’t always look like a battle cry. Sometimes it looks like bad lighting, flop sweat, and trusting that your story matters anyway.

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 Courtney — an actress, comedian, and storyteller who believes that the messiest parts of life make for the best material (and usually the loudest laughs). I grew up glued to the stage, the kid who would turn a family dinner into a full-blown one-woman show if you gave me half a breadstick and a spotlight. Performing wasn’t just a passion; it was survival — a way to turn chaos into connection.
That passion took me to UC Berkeley, where I earned my degree in Theater. From there, I jumped headfirst into the industry, working in film and television, hitting the standup comedy circuit, and even touring internationally to entertain our troops (yes, I have t.alked about my dating life on a military base. No, I’m not sorry).
Acting, comedy, writing — for me, they aren’t separate disciplines; they’re just different ways of doing the same thing: telling the truth in a way that makes people feel less alone. Whether it’s a late-night comedy set, a dramatic TV role, or my one-woman show Holding Court, my work is all about capturing the beautiful chaos of real life with heart, humor, and a little bit of edge.
What sets me apart? I don’t show up pretending to be perfect. I show up as a full human being — funny, flawed, fierce — and invite people to do the same. I’m not interested in polished facades. I’m interested in the beautiful wreckage underneath — because that’s where the real connection lives.
I’m most proud of creating work that makes people feel seen. Whether it’s someone laughing so hard they snort in the third row, or someone telling me after a show that they felt less alone — that’s the magic for me. That’s the reason I keep getting up there.
At the end of the day, I want potential followers, fans — even innocent bystanders — to know this:
My work is here to entertain you, yes, but also to witness you. To remind you that your story — however ridiculous, heartbreaking, awkward, or extraordinary — is worthy.
And if we can laugh about it together along the way? Even better.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

Pivoting isn’t always a glamorous “aha!” moment. Sometimes it’s more like realizing you’re halfway up the wrong mountain… in Crocs!
For me, the big pivot came after almost ten years of doing stand-up comedy. I loved the adrenaline, the connection, the way a perfect joke could light up a room. But over time, I started feeling like I was speaking in punchlines when I really wanted to be telling stories. I wasn’t just craving laughs — I was craving depth. (And maybe, selfishly, a little less heckling from drunk dudes in cargo shorts.)
That’s when I decided to create my one-woman show, Holding Court. My first time truly writing and performing something that was mine from start to finish. No permission slip, no gatekeeper. Just me, the stage, and a lot of “well, here goes nothing” energy.
That show reconnected me to my first love — acting. The kind of performing that lets you rip your heart out, duct tape it back together, and offer it to an audience still beating. Creating my own project wasn’t just a pivot — it was me grabbing the wheel, rerouting the GPS, and driving straight back to who I was always meant to be.
Honestly, it’s the best wrong turn I’ve ever made.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

One of the biggest lessons I had to unlearn is the idea that I need everyone to like me.
For a long time, I treated likability like a full-time job — smiling, smoothing things over, shrinking parts of myself so I’d fit better into other people’s comfort zones. Spoiler alert: it’s exhausting, and it doesn’t work anyway.

The truth is, I’m not for everyone. None of us are. People connect with what feels real and relatable to them — and sometimes, I’m just not their flavor. Maybe I’m too bold, too emotional, too much of a weirdo. (Honestly? I’d rather be too much than too beige.)

It took some hard-earned experience — and a few spicy social media comments — to learn that someone not liking me isn’t a crisis. It’s not even personal. It’s just chemistry. Or taste. Or maybe they’re just having a bad day and decided to take it out on my bangs. Either way, it’s not my problem to solve.

Learning to stop obsessing over the one person in the back row with their arms crossed — and instead focusing on the people leaning forward, nodding, laughing, connecting — changed everything for me. It freed me up to be bolder, funnier, more me.
Because the truth is, you can’t be unforgettable and uncontroversial at the same time.

And honestly? I’d rather be unforgettable.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.courtneyscheuerman.com
• Instagram: @courtneyscheuerman
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/CourtneyScheuerman

Image Credits

Photographs (some) by Connor Clayton Photography