Interview: Gail Tierney and Paola Sanchez Abreu Talk Sketch Comedy

Gail Tierney recently produced the sketch show Nearly Dying with co-writer (and best friend) Paola Sanchez Abreu on the mainstage at Brooklyn Comedy Collective. The incredibly funny 25-minute segment took the audience on a wild ride full of dark humor revolving around the anxiety of almost dying. The most ridiculous scenarios were presented on stage, turning something normally seen as morbid and scary into downright hilarious. Now, the two will be holding an hour-long sketch show in January, bringing more laughs during a much longer set.

We sat down with Tierney Abreu to talk about sketch comedy, the challenges in this type of performance, and what we can expect to see from them next year.

How did you both get into sketch comedy? Was it something you always wanted to do?

Gail Tierney: I started training at The Second City during high school and then completed their conservatory after undergrad. I feel like I seriously dated theatre, but sketch is my forever boo. Saturday Night Live (SNL) is a love language in my family. And I've had a thing for wigs since birth, so I really do think we're a match made at the center of the multiverse. Plus, I've always preferred team sports.

Paola Sanchez Abreu: Growing up I hated comedic genius: Spongebob Squarepants, MadTV, SNL... as a seven-year-old, I thought my cultural sensibilities to be far above the simplicity of laughter. My twenties really made me tired of being serious, and I'm playing catchup on all the comedy and play that I missed out on during my childhood. Personally, I think it's easier to laugh when hope is questionable and you understand that life stays pretty hard and sad.

Who or what are some of your inspirations in comedy?

GT: Commedia dell'arte, trauma sustained from the medical-industrial complex, absurdism, the comedy that emerges with a language barrier, dads, really all dads, my fellow chronically ill and disabled pals, all those cutie "witches" that got burned at the stake for being too sexy, unflinchingly smart, and invested in their own pleasure, cartoons, personality hires, pop culture, and then, of course, the cascading effects of the climate crisis.

PSA: Veggietales. Silly Songs with Larry really imprinted in my brain- it still makes me giggle endlessly to this day. Also humans; I also did lots of Commedia and physical comedy in my acting training which really led me to be delighted by all human people. We are so weird, and I want us all to be laughing in the community and hugging each other forever as the world burns.

What was it like to produce your very first sketch show Nearly Dying? What were the inspiration behind the show and the themes? Any challenges along the way?

GT: Paola and I have been friends and collaborators for a decade. Like many great ideas, this one grew from a shared giggle at a dinner with a good glass of wine. Paola got married to the most delightful person during this creative process, and I lived the full plot of a rom-com, processing my emotions about the wedding and the shift in our friendship between writing and producing the show. The theme was the easiest part to determine- we have a shared core talent of transforming pain into laughs. Producing this show was like making eye contact with that one classmate when you're not supposed to laugh because it would be inappropriate, but you look anyway.

PSA: Well as Gail mentioned, I was in a whirlwind of life events right when we got the news that we got a 30-minute slot at BCC. So I give so much credit to Gail for the producing aspect of the show. I spent the summer punching up ideas with Generation 180's Climate Comedy Cohort, so collaborating on our script felt natural, and easy. It was one of my favorite things I've done with my bestie. Gail and I have spent so much time in existential bliss- in other words, we are obsessed with talking about what death and life are. Between Gail's experiences with nearly dying and my experiences with some of the closest people around me nearly dying, our show title and theme came about very easily. As far as challenges go, fitting in rehearsals and writing sessions in between me being a wedding diva was so so so so much fun.

You have a new 60-minute show coming up in January. How will this be different from Nearly Dying seen in the fall?

GT: Our first show at BCC was a "WOOF" or a shortened workshop version of a piece in development to flesh out the idea. In January, we'll feature all new writing for the full-length version of the show's concept.

PSA: It's going to be a full 60 minutes, baby! We are working on new pieces for the show now, with some potential fan-favorite reappearances... but you'll just have to come and see to find out!

What do you hope the audience will take away from your new show?

GT: I hope they'll all be breathing when they leave (fatalities would squash the vibe), but just barely because they're wheezing from laughing so hard. So many things are on fire right now it's impossible to process it all. History and my own fecking traumas have shown that absurdity, queer joy, and laughter abs can help make everything a little bit better.

PSA: Honestly, I hope that everyone learns to laugh a bit more about our existence. I hope our audiences learn how to talk about death and living with more levity and honesty. I hope that people who are grieving or ill can find some community in our audience. But most of all, I hope that people laugh so hard that they wee a teeny bit in their pants- life is short, laughter is magic, and undies can always be washed.

Anything else in the works you can tell us? How else can people find you and stay up to date on your latest shows?

GT: Follow us on insta! @gailtierney and @mmm_pao and then come check out Nearly Dying at Brooklyn Comedy Collective (167 Graham Ave, East Williamsburg) on Friday, January 20th @ 7 pm. We're also currently building relationships with writers, actors, and directors for the future of this project, so if you'd like, you can reach out at gailtierney4@gmail.com. We have a soft spot for bisexuals, but we welcome all kinds of death-obsessed goofs.

Photo Credit: Giovanna Kupiec