Meet Kate Strobel

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kate Strobel.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Kate. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I’ve always been a very strange and performative person. I also struggle with anxiety and OCD, which makes me a total spaz when it comes to social interaction; I share way too much information with people I hardly know, which usually results in laughter on their end. In my mid-twenties, I came to accept this about myself, “I’m awkward, but I make people laugh and that’s actually pretty cool!” This led me to trying stand-up comedy for the first time in 2015 and well… it was a terrible experience! No one laughed and it was actually a very full room for an open mic. I didn’t even really tell any jokes, just talked about how afraid I am to ride my bike because it’s too nerve-wracking to say “on your left” to the people you need to pass. Yikes.

After that, I tried stand-up again only a handful of times in 2016 and 2017 as I really struggled with stage fright. When you’re a person that has been teased most of your life for being “weird,” it’s terrifying to go on stage and not know if the audience will buy into you and accept what you have to say, especially when you’re talking about personal stuff. Then the question becomes, “will they accept me as a person?” I worked past this fear by talking about it and writing jokes inspired by it, which has really helped me hone and develop my voice on stage.

I have always used my comedic voice to talk about my mental health. I will really talk about anything on stage, which usually helps me connect with the audience in a meaningful way. Talking with other women after a show who have had similar experiences or who are struggling with the same things–has helped me with self-acceptance and to remind myself that I’m not the only one dealing with life. Comedy can be really healing in that way.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I don’t think it’s possible for comedy to be a smooth road. You’re constantly trying to shove your ego away and accept that it’s natural to bomb, that you shouldn’t compare yourself to others, and that if you just keep working hard, you will find small tastes of success. And that also depends on your definition of success! It’s highly unlikely that I’m ever going to get a Netflix special. I can dream of that and there’s nothing wrong with setting the bar high for what you want to achieve, but a lot of those opportunities aren’t necessarily in your control. You have to love being on stage and the way it feels to make a real connection with people you’ve never met before. For me, being on stage is the only place where I feel totally free and I never want to part with that feeling.

Success for me is being able to support myself on comedy. I have worked a day job for the past eight years to try and pay my way out of debt so that my expenses are just rent and food. I had plans to leave that job behind this year, but COVID-19 has thrown a wrench into that and has devastated all performance-based industries. I think any day you’re able to create something funny or silly in the current state of the world is a huge win and helps people cope with what’s happening.

We’d love to hear more about your work.
I think I offer a unique perspective on stage. I am always honest, which ironically leads a lot of people to ask me, “whoa, none of that is true, right?” It’s all true! I am not someone who can really do observational comedy or write traditional joke jokes. I like telling stories about my life, my mental health, and the female experience.

My technique and delivery are pretty atypical for a woman. I yell a lot on stage and often get called “Samantha Kinison” by male comedic peers who are calling me a female version of Sam Kinison. I do it to play on the fact that men can often yell their way out of not having a punchline, but it’s also cathartic for me. Comedy makes women feel small in so many ways and it’s a space that has traditionally been dominated by men. A lot of the politics and sexual harassment female comics face make me want to scream, so my style is also a way of saying, “this is what I’m going through to be up here. Please listen.”

Contact Info:

• Email: strobel.kate@gmail.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katestrobes/?hl=en
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kstrobel
• Other: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KnvTCQ4AaNQ

Image Credit:
Hidden Vision Photography, From the Hip Photo, Andrew Bray Photography, Denver Local Tours

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