Today we’d like to introduce you to Katie Balen.
Hi Katie, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Hi VoyageLA! The first play I ever auditioned for was our school play Annie in third grade. And although I practiced “Tomorrow” nonstop, one night, my mom got a call on our house phone saying I didn’t get the lead. I was devastated – like, full-on sobbing. Instead, I got cast as Tessie, one of the orphans whose only line was saying “Oh my goodness! Oh my goodness!” over and over again. I had no idea at the time, but she was actually the comic relief of the show.
Shortly after, my mom took me to see the Nutcracker at our local theatre (shoutout to Yorktown Stage). During the intermission, she leaned over to me and said, “They do a summer camp here – want to try it?” I’ll always be grateful for that moment. It changed everything.
From there, I met a voice teacher, who introduced me to an acting coach, who introduced me to casting director Jen Rudin — who just so happened to be casting Mary Poppins on Broadway. With no professional experience, I started touring the country with Mary Poppins at age 11. It was surreal. One time, our cast was featured as the musical guest on The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien. Now of course I realize I had met one of my favorite comedians. At the time, I was just like, “Whoa, this guy’s really tall.”
For years, my parents drove me into the city every week for auditions, classes, and rehearsals. I would do my homework in the car a lot. When I was 14, I auditioned for a Nickelodeon sketch comedy pilot — their attempt at a Gen Z version of “All That”. The show never aired, but flying to LA for a screen test taught me two important things: I loved playing weird characters, and I loved comedy.
Every day in the 8th grade, I’d come home, microwave popcorn, and watch Saturday Night Live on Hulu. I originally tuned in because One Direction was performing (again, I was in the 8th grade), but I ended up binging the show all the way back from 2012 to 2009. A couple years later, my mom saw a class called “Improv for Teens” at a theatre called Upright Citizen’s Brigade in New York. Basically, I fell in love. And I think it’s so cool that my mom supported my interests so early on. Shoutout to moms!
That same year, I booked a lead role in an Amazon pilot called The Interestings, based on the novel. I played the younger version of the main character, who, interestingly enough, finds her way into a friend group by being “the funny one.” Although it never got picked up, the character did wear a red curly wig – so I guess I got to live out my Annie dreams after all.
After high school, I moved to New York to study acting at Pace University — the kind of program with a long name (BFA in Acting for Film, TV, Voiceovers, and Commercials) where I got really good at rolling around on the floor and unpacking childhood trauma. But in all seriousness, it’s where I started to shift from just being a professional actress to being an artist – learning under some really inspiring teachers.. While I was there, I also got super into improv: I took classes at UCB and ended up leading our college team, which mostly meant running rehearsals, organizing shows and trying to be funny on purpose.
I graduated in 2020—yep, that 2020. About a month into the pandemic, I just wanted to make my friends laugh during such a weird and scary time. So I made a little spoof of the show Tiger King on Instagram, and did an impression of Carole Baskin. A few friends encouraged me to post it on TikTok, and I didn’t think much of it, but the next morning, I woke up to find it had gone viral. People I didn’t know were reaching out from everywhere – exhausted ER nurses on the frontlines of covid, US soldiers stationed overseas. It was totally surreal, and made me realize that my comedy isn’t just about expressing myself – it’s about connecting with people and helping them feel a little lighter, even for a moment.
That video was the first time I realized I could write, direct, produce and edit my own comedy and have it actually connect with people. After years as an actress giving my power away to casting directors, agents, and gatekeepers, this creative freedom wasn’t just a better fit – it was healing.
Ever since I visited LA with Mary Poppins, I knew I’d end up living here. So in October 2020, I packed two suitcases and moved to Burbank – no job, no real plan. Just some great friends, a family who believed in me, and oh yeah, a raging pandemic.
In 2020, with comedy opportunities scarce because of the pandemic, I took a chance and started doing stand-up and clown work – “two things I thought I were never cut out for.” It pushed me to be bold on stage and taught me not to apologize for my voice or the stories I want to tell. That experience gave me new confidence and helped me grow as a performer in unexpected ways.
In the years since, I’ve been building my creative home in LA – joining The Pack Theater, writing and performing sketches every month, and finally finding confidence in my voice. I’m now preparing to debut my solo show Mayor of Nothing at the Hollywood Fringe Festival this June, and I couldn’t be more excited to share it.
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?
While I was at college, I developed a chronic pain condition in my pelvis that I later found was connected to stress and trauma. It was tough – physically and emotionally. Some women with this condition don’t make it through because the mental toll is so heavy, and I completely understand why. At the time, there wasn’t a lot of popular research on it, and one doctor even suggested surgery. But deep down, I knew that wasn’t the answer. It felt like my body was trying to tell me something. Instead, I dove into learning how to manage my stress and relax my body in new ways. It was a slow, challenging process, but I ended up healing myself by listening to my body and mind. That experience taught me how important it is to truly commit to yourself, be honest about how you feel, and never take your health for granted. It also showed me the power of self-love and self-advocacy, which has helped me not just in healing, but in my work and relationships too. I ended up making a short film about it called “Hellbent”, and I shot it all on my iPhone. It my first time directing anything.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Right now, I’m gearing up to do my solo show, Mayor of Nothing, at the Hollywood Fringe Festival. It’s a dark comedy about a woman running for mayor of a town that doesn’t exist. At its core, it’s about desire and delusion—two things I think a lot of creatives in LA learn how to balance. The process of making this has been so terrifying and exciting. It feels like the most “me” thing I’ve ever made. If anything, I’m just grateful for the chance to grow as an artist and comedian – and to share this story with my friends and the people who’ve supported me along the way.
Also, every month, I write and perform sketches at The Pack Theatre. I’m on a house team there called Yuppie. My comedic style centers around eccentric characters and insane social situations. I’m also super proud of the following I’ve grown on TikTok and being able to connect with so many people. I love making people happy and feel grateful to have done that.
I’d like to think what sets me apart is a mix of grit, humor and heart. I’m not afraid to share the messy or real parts of life. I think being an only child made me fascinated with observing human behavior and how people tick.
What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
Over the next 5 to 10 years, I think theatre – and live performance in general – will make a big comeback. After so much digital isolation and AI panic, people are craving real, raw human connection and visceral experiences. This feels especially important for young people who’ve never known a childhood without screens. We’ve become so numb from digital technology and social media that my hope is theatre can continue to awaken us and bring us together in new ways.
At the same time, we’re already seeing a major shift in power from the big studios to individual creators. The more complete and original your idea is as a creator, the more influence you’ll have when studios come knocking. Actors, in particular, are playing closer to themselves now, especially with platforms like TikTok giving rise to new kinds of talent. It’s becoming crucial to have a strong sense of self and a unique voice to stand out and bring something authentic to a project.
I also think we’ll see more people prioritizing the environment they’re creating in – working with people they trust, respect, and actually like being around. When everyone feels safe and seen, the work gets better. I love watching shows where you can tell the cast and crew genuinely enjoyed making it. That energy is contagious, and providing that sense of connection and trust for an audience is more important now than ever.
Pricing:
- Tickets for Mayor of Nothing at Hollywood Fringe – $12
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katiebalen/
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@katiebalen?si=_uefJxWTcKswiKMc
- Other: tiktok.com/@kbalen?lang=en and tickets to my solo show Mayor of Nothing at Hollywood Fringe, June 14 and 29 https://www.hollywoodfringe.org/projects/11715?tab=tickets
Image Credits
Jasper Lewis, Jay Ragland, Ian Zandi, Ben French, Ryan Lee Clemens
