We were lucky to catch up with Genesis Sol recently and have shared our conversation below.
Genesis, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?
Witty Titties has been so amazing to work on. I feel so privileged to have created such a supportive community of women and to see them grow their confidence. Comics have come up to me and thanked me because Witty Titties was their first ever open mic and now they’re performing at The Comedy Store and the Improv. Hearing that is so surreal, it’s been such a rewarding experience.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
I’ve been in the entertainment industry since I was 5 years old, either acting, singing, doing standup or performing in some way.
In 2021, I started Witty Titties, an open mic for women only. It quickly gained traction, attracting talented comedians, ranging from seasoned professionals to emerging stars. Then it expanded from the open mic to sold out shows featuring amazing headliners, as well as drag queens and burlesque performers.
The audience that comes to shows are made up of men and women of all ages who also come watch the weekly open mic. We’ve been fortunate enough to work with different sponsors, including Benefit Cosmetics, who provided free makeup to give away to audience members. Audience members will always receive something a little extra with every ticket purchased. It’s been exciting to feature such talented women.
Going to a Witty Titties show is like experiencing complimentary drunk girls at a nightclub bathroom. It’s gonna be fun, positive, hilarious, and a little raunchy.
Looking back, are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?
Obviously I wish there had been a place like Witty Titties for me to grow as an artist. I always felt intimidated at most open mics, there wasn’t a welcoming air to encourage comics to try new things. At most mics, there seems to be this unspoken pressure to always do well in front of your peers. That’s not the case at WT, I see comics come back time and time again and try things they’ve never done anywhere else, like characters or crowd work or on the spot improvised bits.
These sites to a good way to find open mics near you: https://thecomedybureau.com/, https://badslava.com/ and https://www.freemics.com/region
But the best resource is always other comics. Go talk to comics at mics and shows and ask them what mics they’re going to, where they like performing, and if they’d like to get together to write. I also really encourage taking a reputable standup comedy class to learn basic joke structure, but more importantly, to make friends with other new comedians. I recommend Pretty Funny Women, taught by Lisa Sundstedt, and Tao Comedy, taught by Bobbie Oliver.
Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?
To provide a space for women to shine and feel comfortable enough to say what they actually want to say. I want Witty Titties to be a place where creatives can take risks and build community. It’s lonely doing stand up comedy and I found that I’m the most successful when I’m hanging out with other comics and focussing on the grind together.
Eventually I want Witty Titties to be an internationally recognized brand, with chapters in cities all over the world, providing open mics and shows in their communities. I want women of every background to feel empowered to not stay quiet and bring their truth to the stage. I want Witty Titties to be a place full of girl’s girls, where the key is to lift other women up, because there is space for everyone at the top. I want WT to be a resource for funny people and a place of escape for anyone who wants to have a laugh.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.wittytittiescomedy.com
- Instagram: @wittytittiescomedy
- Facebook: facebook.com/wittytcomedy
Image Credits
@jamesriosstudios @christameola