Meet Elizabeth Croydon of EC Does It Comedy in East Hollywood

Today we’d like to introduce you to Elizabeth Croydon.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Elizabeth. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I thrive when I am serving others and I am passionate about doing good in the world. I took the bodhisatva vow on my thirtieth birthday so when a friend asked me to drive their Porsche and puppy dog across the country to Los Angeles how could a Native Washingtonian say no? I walked onto the plane with a bikers bag containing a pair of jeans, two shirts, and my doc martens.

This was no bus. This was no disco. This was no bolt bus to New York, but I was treating it as though it were with every intention of returning after a week of saying hello to my friends at the Comedy Store who helped me gain ground in my lifetime quest to make movies and comedy, comedy and movies and jobs, jobs and comedy and movies, comical pastoral, pasterol historical comedic movies -whateveah – let their be jobs and art. “The earth without art is just eh” I thrive when I am serving others and I am passionate about doing good in the world. I like to be the sparkle in people’s China and the shine in their Japan as the Steely Dan Song goes.

Steven Brody Stevens without missing a beat wanted to know where I had been for the last eight years when I saw him at the Comedy Store. Memories that had been ripped from my soul’s quilt after a violent assault returned like a flash flood in a national park – suddenly and silently as if they’d been there along. Eleanor Kerrigan, Ryan O’Neil, Rick Ingraham, Erik Marino, Tony Hinchcliffe, had all been working on their craft when I left. When I returned with my second feature comedy “Underbelly Blues” out on Amazon Prime video after waiting six years for it to drop, I got drunk on the joy of seeing all their success and remembering everyone’s hard work and effort to get there. It was Steven Brody Stevens who wanted to know what I had been writing, was I still doing stand up, what movies had I made, why didn’t I move back – “Why should I move back?” I asked my old friend. “Move back. It will be more fun,” Brody told me. He was right. So much positive energy is swirling around Hollywood right now it’s invigorating taking in everyone’s talent and art. We all seem to be preparing for the “Soaring Twenties”. It feels like a great movement is afoot in Hollywood. Instead of roaring, a great artistic surge is getting ready to spread its wings and fly. With Brody cheering me on to stay just a little longer then a little longer than that, I would have never met Mia Mars, Al Bahmani, Lila Hart, Jay Light, Eric Abbenante, Michelle Parks, Anny Taormina, Victor Martinez Jr., Roger Lopez, Handren Seavy, Geoffrey Feldman, Kristen Lundberg, Rishi Arya, Carl Spitale, Rob Conroy, Mike Menendez, Alice Hamilton, Paul Naegle, Tijuana’s Lewis, Steven Marcus Releford, and a whole slew of new voices I hope to collaborate and work with including Vincenzo Carubia of Skiptown Playhouse.

Without Brody convincing me to stay past my birthday I never would have gotten up in front of Rita at the Improv, who I had tried to be seen by for ten years but alas the joke was on me. I worked diligently to finish what is my third screenplay and would be fourth feature narrative comedy. I started running a dirty little mic every Friday night at East Hollywood’s Sabor Y Cultura called E.C. Does it from 7-9pm where pros, beginners, and hobbyists meet to work new material and enjoy the laughter from Eaho’s community. It’s a free show that’s as bold as the Peerless Coffee that’s served. Sometimes network artists and lifetime legends pop in… other times a one time wonder flops so hard you’d think the were bellyflopping from the high dive. Brody asked if he could pop in..and just like Mary Poppins he quickly popped out of Hollywood’s chalk-drawn picture. I have not finished mourning the suicide of my friend Steven Brody Stevens. Of course, the only grief Brody would allow is good grief so I’ve dedicated my screenplay to his memory.

That screenplay has officially been selected for a table reading at Skiptown Playhouse International Film Festival this fall October 23rd to the 29th. I’m living in my car, serving Vincenzo Carubia’s summer musical “25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” as Stage manager under the direction of Aly Trasher, holding space for a morning mash up class called “Rise and Grind” Mon. Thru Fri. 8-10am, and cramming in all the stand-up comedy I can around town because tragedy is always there to bring you down. I believe in weapons of mass construction. The ladder of success was climbed wrong by wrong. It is through our foibles we find laughter and levity. Therefore comedy is always constructed whether it seems so or not. Amen and awomen. A choir of back up singers too if you can afford them.

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 would liken my road to the one less traveled; a wild ride with Mr. Toad speeding drunkenly through winds and willows of the Baja mountains… me clutching to my prayer beads and hippie hat in the passenger seat gonzo with the wind. I liken my ride to kissing a handsome gruff man with thick whiskers and talented lips – I love it, but I got brush burns that confess my passion. When the flash flood came at night that one May 2nd in the unlit part of the National Park, did I struggle? There was no time to struggle. There was only time to calmly say goodbye to my laptop, video cameras, still camera, all my documentary footage of my first attempt at running for US Congress, my campaign receipts, my Shakespearean screenplay, props, bullhorn, all prior videos of my stand up comedy, and whatever else I lost that night – I try not to think about it just like I tried not to think about the possibility of brushing up against a dead intern buried in the flood waters as my hometown, D. C. is known to produce.

D.C. stands for Duck and Cover. It is that philosophy and literal practice that has saved my life numerous times in situations of official protest and in the private struggle an outspoken woman goes through to be taken seriously. I have been assaulted, groped, and harassed more times than I care to count by people in and out of power. I have experienced as many concussions as a quarterback I’d guess. I only watch football to objectify men’s bodies. I don’t really know the stats. I do know that being a good artist has in it the same relentless struggle as being a good athlete. A comedian or actor can give off in a single performance as much adrenaline as a marathon runner does training in a month. My feet have not run a track but I have remained dedicated to my path. I have walked a life immersed in the service of the arts for over thirty years.

When I have struggled with my own considerations of consciously taking my own life, it is my message that prevails. It was my message that compelled me to exit my car when I did in the flash flood, it was my message that kept me from giving up when the partner of the multi-million dollar development office walked up behind me, grabbed and shook my tits , then promptly threw me from my ocean view office for smashing his fingers between my chest and the desk as a response to his assault on sovereignty over my body. I’ve lived in my car, worked two jobs. I’m living in my car again. Have I compromised my message? No. Have I stopped making the art I want to see this earth? No. I respect the love I have for myself and I respect the love I have for the world and all I want to do is to guide people to finding their own love and respect and maybe a little divine comedy along the way or at least the tools to construct their own punchline.

EC Does It Comedy – what should we know? What do you do best? What sets you apart from others?
I’m a stand-up comedienne and movie producer. I’ve appeared on ‘The Tonight Show’ w/ Jay Moore, ‘Last Comic Standing’ And National Lampoon’s short-lived “Master Debaters” I am an award-winning producer taking small roles in the comedies I produce “Washington Interns Gone Bad” is available in chapters on YouTube and to this day I believe Senator Rick Santorum still curses my existence for that no budget virgin venture. “You Or I “ is the first English language comedy made for the Nollywood market by Saidi Balogun which I helped produce. It may or may not be solely in the hands of movie pirates at this point – I don’t know – I had a friend kidnapped and held for ransom in Nigeria so I’m not pressed to chase my movies success down. “Underbelly Blues” is available on Amazon Prime Video.I learned a LOT being one of the first producers on board and taking the role of Madame X – a Jewish mother dominatrix whose dialogue I completely improvised. Encouraged to direct, I made the award-winning short “Baristo” in exchange for a cottage refuge in Taos, New Mexico. Michael Levy, Beverly Hills public relations guru has boasted that I am more creative than Bob Dylan. I will hold off agreeing with him until my “Mel Brooks school of Comedy” movies win me the Nobel Peace Prize. My shadow side dabbles in politics behind the scenes on campaigns that don’t want my public persona attached to it, but I am genius constructing messaging, strategy, outreach, and relationships. I’ve not stopped writing since I learned how. I am grateful I forgot my bad high school poetry on the top of my car one night after some good Chinese food and tea.

I am most proud of making Life Magazine with Cheech and Chong. I became an advocate for cannabis in my twenties running the first medical buyers club in NYC. Voted most likely to succeed graduating from a school for delinquents and being asked to tell some jokes and present Cheech and Chong the Trailblazing award on behalf of the Marijuana Policy Project was a dream come true. Although being damed a “Master Debater” in the name of “Animal House” 25th anniversary by National Lampoon could arguably be my greatest achievement yet in comedy. I can improvise an entirely structured climatic arc in bastardized Shakespearean lingo and makeup jazz lyrics with right jazz musicians when the moon is right and Dr. John or Ella Fitzgerald are looking to possess someone. My peers have called me “The Janice Joplin of Stand Up Comedy.” I teach in way given to me by my Aikido instructors- neither to hold myself above someone though higher ranked or place myself below someone.

What sets me apart from others is my singularity of voice. What is more important, I think, is what makes me a part of others. My service to the arts in my desire to create jobs for artists through storytelling and movie making makes me a part of this great artistic surge in Hollywood getting ready to soar into 2020 and beyond. My message of self-respect and love makes me a part of every human’s heart hoping to unfold in a story being told. I believe in the low budget comedy screenplay high return box office philosophy. I’m a prophet looking for a profit. I will either take my stand with an entire movie cast or I will stand alone in a spotlight and deliver the same message of love and self-respect.

What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
I think I may be most proud of the moments in my career where I have failed greatly and continued. At the beginning of my career, I talked John Xereas into letting me open for Dave Attel. I not only bombed the audience as hard as a catholic school delinquent in a water balloon fight, I ran the light for seven minutes accidentally all the while praying for lightening to strike me. I was so bad I experienced some kind self-critiquing Tourette’s syndrome for six months afterwards and I couldn’t look the booker in the eye for nine months, but I kept going. When I blew the Ann Frank audition in elementary school speaking in a Monty Python accent and standing on one foot (nerves) I kept going. I have been through self-loathing. I have survived slings and arrows of others loathing me, and I have continued. I will not relent. I am most proud though of the moments I have accomplished with a team.

Every movie I make or work on is a dream. There was a power outage in Taos, New Mexico the night before we shot “Baristo”. All of my actors found their way to my home and slept on my kitchen floor joyfully to be on set on time. There have been times people have laughed in my face and hoped for my failure, and they wound up laughing with me at my success. I’m proud of that. I’m proud of the times I failed due to my own shortcomings, and I was able to correct myself and rise to my responsibilities. When I asked for a million dollars from an investor and got my first yes… I was very proud of that. It doesn’t matter that the director settled for less money because he was afraid of paperwork. I am hoping the moments I am most proud of have yet to come. I hope they come with the success of many other people for the benefit of many others inspiring them to their own success and sense of victory.

I might be proudest of graduating from a high school of juvenile delinquents valedictorian with a high b average and buzzing the principals hand with a buzzer strapped to me as I sported dangly eyed Groucho Marx glasses. My mother is probably prouder of other things I’ve done like leading an anti-terror demonstration for Secretary Norm Minetta showing people how to disarm someone peacefully without a weapon. That both George Carlin and Robin Williams showed their kindness and took the time to encourage me gives me vigor. I’m actually most proud of my latest screenplay. I’m looking forward to the table read during the Skiptown International Film Fest .Tomorrow I will be proud of remembering to brush my teeth and coming to rehearsal with head screwed on correctly. I’m also incredibly proud to be working with Michael Canaan on getting his vision for his Global Super Hero Initiative off the ground. In fact, every ticket purchased for Skiptown Playhouse’s “25th Anniversary Putnam County Spelling Bee” donates a portion of the ticket cost to his charity globalsuperheroinitiative.org.

Pricing:

• Rise and Grind morning mash up classes for actors, comics, performers, and speakers 8-10am $30 per class call 3016550997 Skiptownplayhouse.com
• 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee August 1-16th $15 Skiptownplayhouse.com
• October 23rd thru 29th Skiptown Playhouse International Film Festival sSkiptownplayhouse.com
• E.C. Does It – Comedy Show/open mic at Sabor Y Cultura free w/ cafe purchase
• Underbelly Blues Free with Amazon Prime Video membership

Contact Info:

• Phone: 3016550997
• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: Elizabeth Croydon
• Twitter: @ecroydon

Image Credit:
Top Photo of Elizabeth Croydon with Lila Hart by Scott Raineri, Photos by Jennifer Fearington, EC Does It graphic by Al Bahmani, Cast Photo of Skiptown Playhouse Cast and Crew with Michael Canaan of Global Super Hero Initiative by Michelle Parks

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