Jill Young is really good at firsts

In my first few months of living in Los Angeles, I was desperate for community. I, being the introvert that I am, timidly took myself out to various queer events hoping to make new friends. I found myself one day sitting alone at an industry event hosted by the Connie Norman Empowerment Center. Drink in hand, I was trying to drum up the courage to say hello to someone. Much to my gratitude, a blonde dyke sat down next to me and took the task out of my hands. 

This beautiful savior was none other than the incredibly talented Jill Young. They introduced themself to me, asked if they could sit at my table during the event, and told me a little about themself. “Oh, I’m an actor. I write some stuff, too,” they said, humbly. At the time, I had no idea I was chatting with one of the funniest people I would ever meet. So, when they invited me to a comedy show they were performing in, I was terrified. I showed up to the Broadwater preparing for the worst. Nothing like a bad set to kill a budding friendship. Much to my relief, Jill absolutely slayed. Their taste and their timing was impeccable, and I didn’t stop laughing for even a moment while they commanded the stage. 

I’ve been friends with a few clowns, so I’m no stranger to the scene. I’ve been to more than my fair share of comedy shows and clown showcases. They’re not always packed with winners, let me tell you. Every once in a while, however, there is a performer that stands out amongst the rest. They split your sides, and you leave the theater laughing at their jokes for weeks. This performer, more often than not, is named Jill Young. 

One year later, I’ve seen Jill perform in countless comedy shows. I am a HUGE Jill Young fan. Not just because they’ve become such a dear friend, but also because they’re one of the most talented people I’ve ever met. They’ve produced a brilliant solo show directed by Calliope Weisman that premiered in the Hollywood Fringe Festival in June, 2023. They’ve joined a clown troupe called the Non-Semble, and hosted an event produced by Jacket-Off aptly re-named the “Jill Off Show.” Not only are they hilarious, but they’re whip-smart. Sitting down with Jill to talk about their creative journey has been such a gift.

Emma Standerford (ES): Is this your first time doing an artist spotlight? How does it feel now that you’re at point in your career where [doing interviews] is a thing?

Jill Young (JY): It feels really good! It makes me really happy. I’m really excited about where I’m at with my art right now. It means a lot for you to be interviewing me!!

ES: So… When did you first perform, like, when did you first step foot on stage?

JY: (In the voice of a broadway diva) Baby, I was born on the stage! — Um, my first play was called “School Days” and I was seven. It was about fish going to school. I took it VERY seriously.

ES: Of course.

JY: My grandpa took me to a production of Annie Get Your Gun when I was three and a half. Then I went home and recreated the entire musical on repeat for the next year. So I was VERY excited when I finally got to do a play.

ES: So Annie Get Your Gun was the first play you ever saw?

JY: Yeah, and then I got to be in it when I was in fifth grade. I got to be Annie. VERY big moment. And the daughter of the director of that production, stay with me here, is Calliope who directed my solo show!

ES: Speaking of your solo show, is this the first time you’ve had a full one-act solo show performed? How does that feel?

JY: Yes! It feels a little crazy, but it feels really good. It’s not scary to me at all— well, I mean it was when I was developing it. But it doesn’t feel overwhelming. I really enjoy doing it. 

ES: So your director Calliope— you two have obviously known each other for a really long time now. You’re both in your mid twenties doing your first solo show together. How has that creative, working relationship grown over that time?

JY: So we did go to elementary school together. We were friendly and knew each other, but we weren’t super close back then. BUT! A year ago, almost exactly, I ran into her at a comedy show along with another old classmate, Tanner. We got drinks after the show and caught up with each other. Calliope and I started chatting about how I have been doing a lot of comedy and was wanting to develop a solo show. She said she had been directing a bunch of shows!

ES: Wow! Serendipity!

JY: I know! She had been looking to direct a solo show written by someone she trusted and wanted to work with and I had been looking for a director I trusted and wanted to work with… It just perfectly fell into place. She’s this super brilliant, organized, talented director with so much passion and commitment. She’s really become one of my dearest friends. If you’d told me five years ago that I’d be working with Calliope Weisman I’d be like… “that’s kind of random” but okay! And now she’s one of my favorite people.

ES: The way that the two of you work— it does really read like the two of you have had this creative partnership for ten years because it's so cohesive. I’m kind of shocked to know it was sort of a random—

JY: It was a first for us! It’s our first collaboration. 

ES: YES! Wow, tying it all together. But that’s really special. So first collaboration with Calliope… who it seems might be a continued collaborator on future projects…?

JY: Yes, we’re working together on planning where the solo show is going next year. We’re both hoping to take the show to Edinburgh, fingers crossed. 

ES: So first foray into a solo show… first time at the Hollywood Fringe Fest as well… Do you have any advice for people who struggle with trying something for the first time? When you’re in the throes of “maybe I’m not going to finish this project” is there something you rely on to push you through to the end?

JY: You can always say it was your first time! Then it's almost more impressive to say you did it even if it didn’t turn out perfectly. There’s so much you learn from doing something for the first time that the product almost doesn’t matter. It's all about the process. If you’re having thoughts like “I hate this play I’m writing,” or “I hate this song I wrote—'' it doesn’t even matter if it's good. Finishing it to the end is the reason you’re doing it; to learn what it's like to finish something. Then the second thing you make, you’ll have all that knowledge. You’ll be starting from somewhere solid instead of starting from scratch.

ES:  That’s a good way to get over that fear of failure. Is there a time where you tried something and failed really hard?

JY: First of all, I love that question because I have a very weird relationship with failure. I love it and I’m trying to love it more. A big tenet of clowning is setting yourself up to fail so that you can challenge yourself to climb out of it. When you do something good, people like you. When you do something shitty and then you win them back, people like you more.

ES: So true. 

JY: So a lot of what I’ve been studying in comedy recently has been “how can you do the opposite of everything you’re supposed to do to get people to like you and then win them back?” Which is fun because it makes you feel like no matter what you do, you can always get yourself back out of it. The real art isn’t NOT failing, it's coming back up after you’ve failed. 

ES: That’s really beautiful!

JY: One of my goals is to be more comfortable with failure. I think a lot of times, if I sense I’m gonna fail I’ll just pull out. Or I’ll reframe it in my mind so it doesn’t feel like a failure? — Or maybe I’m just perfect.

ES: I think maybe— what if you’re just perfect??

(We both laugh).

ES: So Jill, what do you have coming up next?

JY: I have a lot of things lined up. I like to have a lot of things going on because inevitably a few things won’t pan out. First thing is that I’m continuing my solo show in the coming year. By the time Fruitslice is published I’ll know if I’m doing Orlando fringe or not. I’m planning on doing Edinburgh. I applied to a few festivals and if it gets in I’ll be going to San Francisco or New York. I’m working on developing a show with my friend Geri [Courtney-Austein]. We have a few character/clown duo bits we do. We’re making that into a bigger show, it’ll be very audience involved. Very clowns. It's a lot about childhood, specifically girlhood. I’m also developing a monthly comedy show with another lesbian called “Dyke Dynasty'' and we’re gonna have a lot of dyke and dyke-adjacent artists and comedians and performers come on for it. 

ES: Booked and fuckin’ busy, man!

JY: Booked and busy! 

ES: Okay last question. What’s your favorite fruit?

JY: Watermelon.

ES: Done!

JY: Done. Easy.

You can find Jill Young on Instagram @jillisyoung and at their website jillkyoung.com