We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Saskia Bee. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Saskia below.

Alright, Saskia thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?

I have a fairly academic approach to most things. I was introduced to acting classes as a child, and I’ve always been a focused student. It made natural sense to pursue my creative interests throughout high school in classroom settings. Though I diverged from an artist’s path in my formal college studies, I stayed active in community theater. This is where a lot of my production experience developed.
Performing is one thing, but the intricacies of a live theatrical production is it’s own world. People having a depth of passion paired with a strong work ethic are the ones who make magic happen, and I thrived on being part of the execution of their vision. I also saw the time commitment, the emotional investment, and the constant penny-pinching due to financial constraints such endeavors entailed. I was no longer in a classroom setting, but this was its own sort of “on the job” education. It drove my decision to place my effort elsewhere, ultimately resulting a long hiatus from the performing arts as anything more than a patron.
The opportunity to pursue theatre more seriously was outweighed by practical concerns of financial stability; thus, my creative identity took a backseat. I rediscovered it when life slowed down enough. My husband and I had achieved the stability we prioritized early in our marriage, so my long-dormant performer-self re-emerged when I found – what else – a class for stand-up comedy. I had always been curious to try stand-up, and quickly realized it’s my true creative identity.
Seven years later, I’m still doing it, now employing all those years of production experience in my own shows.
I could have learned more, started sooner, and worked faster at it, but I’d have potentially been sacrificing homeownership, vested retirement, and a healthy marriage along the way. I seldom feel like I have obstacles in life; just choices. Every decision made to this point has brought me to a place where I can now focus on creative pursuits.
Education has always been my bottom line because we are always students in this life.

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

I’m the Talent Pollination Specialist for Crack Ups Comedy Night which is just my fun way of saying I connect people. I serve a lot of roles within Crack Ups: workshop moderator, social media manager, producer, director, booker, the list goes on – but the thing I’m really good at is facilitating communication for all these moving parts. Like any professional, I represent different things to different people. Three years ago, before I became involved in Crack Ups, I was just a comic seeking stage time with producers who weren’t total scumbags. Maureen Lombardo, the founder of Crack Ups Comedy Night, had the right idea. After attending her open mic workshop, I was hooked, and our partnership evolved from there.
To her, I’m the impassioned business partner who shares a love of comedy and a desire to see it done right.
To workshop participants, I’m an engaged peer with a specialized insight into how they can reach whatever comedy goals they set, whether career-minded or hobbyist.
To venues, I’m the person you trust to book shows that will drive traffic to the venue’s business without alienating their customer base.
To comedians on Crack Ups’ shows, I’m the point of contact for practical matters like call times and social media promotions.
It’s a lot to juggle, but it boils down to connecting and communicating. I’m proud to be part of the Crack Ups Comedy Night brand because it represents the idea that we can foster community among creatives in a way that also serves the businesses giving us these cherished opportunities for stage time. If we set an example of professionalism, it elevates the entire scene.

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

The obvious answer is GO TO SHOWS and contribute to the economy of whatever paradigm is giving artists creative opportunity. Pay for the ticket. Buy the two item minimum. Make the donation. Whatever it is, that’s the whole reason they’re open to begin with; so unless you’ve got a charming and fully staffed establishment to present shows yourself at whatever price point you deem reasonable, give into the idea that these artists are operating within a system that requires a little bit of buy-in from their patrons. Prioritize this sort of entertainment in your own budget, and encourage others to do the same.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

I would love to see Phoenix shift the comedy culture here to being more professionally-minded and more creatively constructive than any other city’s comedy scene in America. A nationally touring comedian once referred to the Phoenix scene as “immature” and that really resonated. For our proximity to major entertainment markets, there seems to be a dearth of opportunity to grow and nurture one’s comedy skills here locally. There’s no shortage of open mics, but spots exceeding 10 minutes in length are few and far between. There’s also a divided sensibility about what’s appropriate onstage or backstage behavior. I tend to err on the side of professionalism, and I want to cultivate that expectation among other comedians here. There are still too many insanely talented people on the sidelines because they don’t feel empowered to speak up when things don’t feel above board. Requiring a little more of one another as humans goes a long way in building sustainable relationships within comedy circles, and that ripples out to the venues and audiences they play.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://sites.google.com/view/saskia-bee-comedy/home
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beesaskia/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/beesaskia
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3ZoR8p98GUhcMngnQ3Rb8g

Image Credits

Wolf Brown