“I think my comedy is bleeding into other traditional forms of art—morphing into performance art. At least, that’s where I want to live. I want to be a comedic artist.”
If you live in Brooklyn, watch Comedy Central digital shorts, or are an attentive fan of comedy, then it’s likely you’ve come across the work of Natasha Vaynblat. After getting her start as a teacher, Vaynblat quickly began taking improv classes at The Upright Citizen’s Brigade Theater, and has created all manner of shows, from her one-woman educator character showcase, UCB: United Federation of Teachers, to Joke Thief, a show that explores joke ownership and delivery in the shell of a stand-up show. Currently, Vaynblat works at Comedy Central as a creator, writer, actor, and creative consultant, with a primary focus on her popular web series, Your Worst Fears Confirmed. Outside of this, she’s a major player in the Brooklyn comedy world, and like many other comics, is trying to figure out how to carve out a path in a world without a direct route to fame and success. What’s impressive about the work she does comes from the craft of her jokes, which are tight and quick, without seeming superfluous or forgettable. Right before her most recent show, NatashaWearsClothes, a pop-up gallery show that distilled characters down to short audio monologues, we spoke by phone about everything from her early days of doing improv at The University of Virginia, to how comedy has changed over the last few years.
—Eric Farwell
THE BELIEVER: You’ve been at UCB for how long now?
NATASHA VAYNBLAT: I started taking classes in 2010. I was on Lloyd Night, Harold Night, Maude Night, and on the weekend with What I Did For Love. I taught sketch and improv classes there as well. Hot damn, nine years!
BLVR: I know that seeing Death by Roo Roo [a legendary improv troupe featuring Anthony Atamanuik, Joanna Bradley, Liz Cackowski, Jackie Clarke, John Gemberling, and Neil Casey] at the festival was the comedy event that changed your life. I’m curious about where you saw them.
NV: When I saw Death by Roo Roo, it truly felt like seeing a rock n’ roll show, I was blown away by how brave they were and how clearly they knew all the rules but weren’t worried about them. When I found out they were based in NYC at UCB, I knew I had to go there.
BLVR: how big of a difference is it between what you did at UCB, and your experience at UVA?
NV: It was huge, because at UVA we were just leading ourselves and guessing. But...
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