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

Liz, appreciate you joining us today. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?

On New Year’s Day 2024 I felt a SHIFT. Just a quiet, internal decision that it was time. I didn’t know quite for what, so I started journaling. Eight days later I taught an improv class for a group of corporate folks looking to build connection in New Jersey (classic) and after the session my co-teacher and I went on a little walk. We stopped inside a book store and I felt called to buy this notebook. He told me I should try “The Artist’s Way” and I said I’d Google it.

That night I was invited to see a one-woman show performing at Caveat in NYC. During this person’s show, I admittedly zoned out. I dissociated, left the city and wandered into the world of What Would I Do If I Did A Show Alone Onstage for An Hour. The show ended and I zoomed home in a gust of creative wind.

The first page of that notebook says “2024. Welcome to the Show”

In the coming months after that night, I started The Artist’s Way. I signed up for a “solo show” class and submitted my one-woman show to a comedy festival that happens every New York in April. I didn’t know what my show was yet, but I knew it was happening. I was accepted to the festival, I started writing. I started playing. I met with a comedian I admire, Tim Murray, who helped me develop and believe in my project.

A few months later I’ve performed a “mini version” of the show and the theater asked me back for the full run. I get booked for a week of shows in Denver. I finally quit my other day job (being an assistant at an event company) and I’m a free agent with no money and a SHOW, FOLKS!

I performed the show in New York twice before taking it back to my hometown in Iowa to perform for the community that raised me. The first real money I made from the show was from my beloved directors, Dino and Tina Hayz, at The Center for Living Arts in Rock Island, Illinois.

I’ve doubted the show and myself many times. Specifically at the most recent performances in NY and Minneapolis, where all of my tech went wrong and I felt like I’d lost the core of the show. Despite my doubts, I submitted my show to 9 venues at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. I have never been before, I have no real money, but I know I will be there this summer and I will figure it out.

Leap and the net will appear. See you at Gilded Balloon Patter House for my run of “Lizzy Sunshine” in Edinburgh this August!

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I’m Liz and I’m a lunatic! Ever since my first sketch comedy cast “The Laughletes” at age 13 in nowhere Iowa, I’ve been locked in. I grew up in a wonderful community theater “cult” and have always dreamt of big cities, big characters, big career swings, and big audiences.

I feel lucky to have had so many opportunities at a young age – I’ve been “yes, and-ing” since 16. I am a proud graduate of Northwestern University, a school I chose in part for its nearness to The Second City. I was determined to finish their Conservatory Program before I finished undergrad, and I did!

Along with performing, I’ve always loved public speaking and teaching. I held the role of International Thespian Officer with the Educational Theatre Association. I created my own workshops on Improvisation, Leadership, and Arts Advocacy that I taught for hundreds of students and teachers at theater conferences in over 10 US states. I was 18 years old and learned SO much that I still use today when facilitating improv training sessions for companies nationwide.

In 2019, I was nominated by my advisors and peers to give the commencement address at Northwestern University. I gave a speech for 22,000 people on Ryan Field and it was the coolest thing in the world! In 2020, I created my first company – Almost Funny, bringing trauma-informed, HIPAA-certified improvisation workshops into substance abuse rehabilitation centers as a complement to in-patient and out-patient therapy. I whole-heartedly believe laughter and connection are the best medicine!

I moved to New York in 2022 and took a leap of faith. You gotta be REALLY BRAVE to do this work. I believe you must jump and the net will appear – it always does! I did The Artist’s Way, quit my “day jobs” and shifted my focus on fully being an artist – writing every day, performing as often as possible, and taking classes when I need a push.

Now I have an agent, a show nearly every night, a tour on the books, and a fire in my belly (that’s always been there, but now I intentionally fan it daily). I am most comfortable in a wig or a mustache, clowning around. Check out my fun internet bits like “Subway Dad” or “TSA Lady.” @lizcoin

I’m lucky to have performed on stages such as The Second City, The Denver Center for the Performing Arts, The PIT, UCB, Caveat, and Magnet Theater. I tour the states with Broadway’s Next Hit Musical and am headed to Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2025 with my solo show “Lizzy Sunshine.”

For booking and collaboration inquiries, reach out — I’d love to hear from you! www.lizcoin.com

Any resources you can share with us that might be helpful to other creatives?

I wish I read “The Artist’s Way” by Julia Cameron WAY sooner. That book is magical…for anyone. Especially people who doubt they’re an artist at all – you are! Creativity is the natural order of things. The 12-week process helps you clear away the messy fears and emotions surrounding your innate creativity. It genuinely changed my life, I can’t recommend it enough!

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

I was living in Chicago, performing some and auditioning infrequently. I stumbled upon a “day job” as an operations manager for a tour company. It was fully remote and I thought, great! A flexible job I can do while I pursue my craft. It turns out even the most “flexible” job can fully consume your life if you let it. I had a boss who was hard to keep happy, and suddenly I was working more and more, forsaking performance opportunities, until I found myself moving to New York City to be the executive director of the company branch we were starting there. WHAT?! I completely lost sight of this being the “day job,” as many blocked artists tend to do. I let all of my time and energy go to making the company money, to complaining about this or that, to being busy and nothing else.

Part of me liked this – well if I stay here and work all the time it’s no wonder I’m not performing, I have no time! If only I had time, I’d say while actively choosing to avoid. The fear of doing what you really want to, dare I say what you are MEANT to be doing, will drive you insane. Or worse, numb.

When this job became untenable with a very toxic boss and working environment, it was time to pivot. I am not meant to be doing this, and I will lose myself if I stay. My hair was falling out, I didn’t recognize myself.

The Universe enters stage left: three days after I left that company I found a new apartment to sublet in the city, a week later I was offered a new job teaching improv, and a month later I was taking improv classes getting involved in the comedy community.

It turns out that taking the “safe” route will kill you when you’re meant to take the crazy route. Have you considered the Universe wants you to do the thing you want to do? That if your gut is leading you there, you ought to listen? I thought if I chose a destination that sounded good/safe/financially stable and followed the pre-trodden path to it, I’d be happy and okay. NOPE. I remind myself God loves improv, God loves artists, God loves me. The Universe is inherently on the side of creativity, so don’t hide from it.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.lizcoin.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lizcoin
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lizzycoin
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/liz-coin/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@liz-coin

Image Credits

Joshua Going, Noah Friend, Luke Stage