Today we’d like to introduce you to Inessa Frantowski
Hi Inessa, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I was born in Russia, but I technically only lived there for 2 days. My Mom is Russian and my Dad is Ukrainian and they are both artists and heavily influenced my style. I grew up in Toronto, Canada. Technically Streetsville, Mississauga. Shout out to the Bread and Honey Festival! I have a funny family. My older sister used to organize shows for our parents. And I’d do impressions of neighbors and celebrities. My teen years were filled with “hanging out by the river”. And “hanging out at Tim Horton’s”. I copied SNL characters with my friends Scott and the Lauras, there were 3 Lauras. I still didn’t really imagine myself doing comedy as a career, but decided to apply to one University for Drama and thank goodness I got in. Had time to grow and expand there. Then, as I was waitressing to pay student loans, a friend came in and told me about the Second City. I didn’t know you could learn comedy like that. I auditioned for their Conservatory. From there, I met, friends and future comedy partners and was a founding member of a sketch comedy troupe, The Sketchersons, where we wrote a new show with a guest host every week. That gave me so much stage time, writing practice and was a great way to meet other people, including many of my mentors, like Scott Thompson. That led me to my first agent, and then film/tv gigs, including Cock’d Gunns and The Amazing Gayl Pile. Eventually I joined the Second City mainstage in Toronto and then following a bunch of other great Canadians, I moved to LA. Here, I’ve taken the same approach. I started performing at UCB and the Groundlings, doing stand-up and focused on building a community. Most of my gigs since then can be traced to those first friendships in all those theaters. Upcoming, I have been invited to join the Groundlings Sunday Company and I am pitching a TV show that I’m very excited about. But as much as I’m excited about the next thing, I always make sure I love what I’m doing now.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Oh it’s been an absolute nightmare along the way! Years and years of fear and self doubt. I tortured myself and have been consistently my worst critic. It took so long to believe I could do it. I got into comedy thinking “maybe this way I can get old and it won’t matter what I look like as much”. I then learned that it was important to be a creator in some way. If you’re always waiting on someone to “pick you”, it puts you in a very vulnerable position where you’re powerless. Now, if I don’t book any auditions, I can do stand-up, I can write my own show, I can create the thing that doesn’t exist yet. With time and wisdom, I learned to appreciate simply that I’m in the game! I’m trying. That’s all I can do. Now, I get excited about every step. Every perk. Every party. Every line. Every laugh. Every single thing I do. You have to. The toughest part, when I was young, was figuring out how to pay the rent and still audition and perform. I always have many jobs and they come and go. I used to be terrified about paying the rent. But, after a bunch of years of the rent somehow getting paid, you learn to trust yourself more. Now I have empirical scientific data that proves that I can do this. That helps.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I’m an actor turned comedian. I started in sketch and then moved to improv, stand-up but am generally known for characters. I did Just for Laughs, New Faces: Characters, and I’d say my characters are known for being both vulnerable and unhinged. Dating in LA for 10 years has made me….vulnerable and unhinged. I loved playing Renee on the….ahem….International Emmy nominated series….and cult favorite, The Amazing Gayl Pile, where I re-visit one of my early inspirations, Home Shopping! I was very inspired by Home Shopping Hosts as a child. I love big hair, statement jewelry, and a lot of light chat. I love Catherine O’Hara and how she creates characters hair first! Love me a lot of look! Love me a character that is absolutely OUT TO LUNCH AND LOOKING GOOD DOING IT! I also love heart. Comedy that can also break your heart. What I think I’m best at is connecting with the audience. We need each other.
If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
You must never ever ever give up. That might be it. Or most of it. You have to fail and have a laugh about it. It’s all part of it. If you never fail, you’re playing it too safe. But have a laugh about it. It’s the material, it’s not YOU. The material you can always improve. Stay loving. Remember the audience is just there to have a good time, so keep it fun. If you prioritize having fun, the audience will have fun, and now we’re all laughing. Keep making friends organically wherever you go. You never know who you know. But mostly, never give up.
Pricing:
- I am available for private coaching/workshops. DM for info.
- Book me at your club!
- Set me up with your kind friend.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://inessacomedy.com
- Instagram: @inessacomedy
- Youtube: @inessacomedy
Image Credits
All the photos are by:
Shawheen Keyani
@shawheenkeyani
shawheenkeyani.com
Except the 2 pictures of me in the silver sequins are courtesy of:
The Amazing Gayl Pile, LaRue Productions
