Interview with Liz Coin

Ahead of Lizzy Sunshine, I caught up with Liz Coin to talk about the themes at the heart of the production, the creative journey behind it, and what audiences can look forward to when the lights go up.

Lizzy Sunshine made waves at Edinburgh Fringe last year — what sparked the original idea for the show?

Well, strangely enough I was at a guided sound meditation at this funky warehouse event in Brooklyn. It got really long (and a little boring) so I escaped to a little side dressing room. It had a coat rack, a mirror, and a little couch that reminded me a lot of escaping from church to go play in the coat room as a kid. Inspiration struck and I just started playing, doing voices, and the show concept came - I didn’t have my notebook so I wrote a bunch of feelings and ideas down on paper towels (yes I still have them) that later became the crux of the show.

What themes sit at the heart of the piece?

Addiction. Toxic positivity and the pressure to put on a happy face. Loneliness. Authenticity. Family dynamics. Courage. Joy. Phew, that’s a lot of themes.

Have audience reactions shaped the show in unexpected ways?

The audience is EVERYTHING in this show. It’s a clown piece, after all, and clowns live and die by the audience. Every time an audience member comes up to me and says “this is my story too, I’m also sunshine” I feel so validated to hone the final monologue. I had an older woman give me an extremely long, knowing hug after a Fringe show….she didn’t have to say anything. I had a 12-year-old girl come to the show and she laughed really hard at something that now I know I can never skip. In Chicago I had an audience member who couldn’t blow bubbles with the bubble wand I gave him - it was so much funnier than when people DID blow the bubbles so now it’s in the show. The audience is my fellow cast member, they are #1.

How do you balance vulnerability with comedy?

Ah, yes, the tightrope of your own heartstrings! Comedy is the priority, vulnerability is the vehicle. When I’m extra honest, it’s extra funny and people relate and connect. I make sure to share personal details safely, change names from stories, and keep some things protected. I think the magic of my show lies within the tight-wire act between happy and sad.

How do you prepare before stepping on stage as Lizzy?

I call it “two snaps and feet on the floor.” Before every show I look down and notice my feet in my shoes and my shoes on the floor, then I do two snaps. Each snap are reminders that represent one thing no one can take from me, no matter how I perform or the show goes. I do it before any type of performance, audition, you name it! I learned it from a clown teacher, Tallie Medel. My two snaps are for “I am an artist” and “I am loved.” It’s a quick and dirty grounding technique that I love.

How has the show evolved since its Fringe run?

Oh my gosh it’s insane how much tighter it is. I’ve really "slaughtered my darlings,” as they say. The show is no longer marketed as a solo show, for one. This is a double act! We trick the audience into believing he will be there soon from the jump. It also has some new multi-media bits, a lot more audience involvement, and a clearer answer to what the show “would have been” if Lizzy didn’t have to do it alone. It used to be a bit more nebulous, now you know that this woman is giving the same presentation on The Power of Positivity that she and her brother have been giving in stuffy conference rooms and high school gymnasiums for years.

How has the development process been so far, and have some moments radically shifted from your original intentions?

The development of this show comes in massive crashing waves followed by long lulls. After last summer, I took a long hiatus before even thinking about Lizzy. I felt a bit of an aversion and like I wanted to let it rest - thank God I did. After about 5 month away, ideas started to crop up. I’d write them down in a note on my phone called “Lizzy Additions” and I kept compiling them until one day, during a snowstorm in NYC this year, I had a HUGE brain dump download to revise the script. I don’t know where the waves come from, but I’m glad they do.

What was the biggest challenge in staging this play?

The show has a “dressing room” where Lizzy goes “offstage” for some mid-show pep talks. Finding a way to demarcate and light this creatively has been a trick. Other than that, I’d say the amount of tech cues is challenging. I am at the mercy of the tech directors of different venues and have had a few horror stories (but mostly good!)

If someone could only take one feeling away from the show, what would you want it to be?

Hope!!!!!!!! You may think you are alone but you’re not, baby!!

What conversation do you hope this show starts?

I hope the conversation goes like this:

“You have to go see Lizzy Sunshine”

“Why, what’s it about”

“You just have to see it.”

One final question: why this show, and why now?

This show holds every ounce of creative, artistic juice I have, and now is as good a time as any.

Lizzy Sunshine heads to London this May before returning to the Fringe this year. For full performance dates and ticket information, visit the official venue website: https://www.lizcoin.com/lizzy-sunshine

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