YouTube star Julie Nolke brings one-woman live sketch comedy show to Hollywood Theatre
'I was seeing in the comments that it seemed like a no-brainer to make the second, then the third, and then it kind of just became this series that people wanted,' said Nolke about the series that was produced in 2020-22.
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Whether she is talking about quitting drinking and having to 'raw-dog social interactions' or explaining that her toddler is 'unhinged,' Nolke's videos are timely, funny and completely relatable.
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'When it comes to the content of my videos and what I'm going to make something on, it's usually my daily lived experience,' said Nolke, who is the mother of a two-year-old son. 'The hope is that if I keep it as authentic as possible, then other people will relate to it.'
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When Nolke and her husband began their online journey 10 years ago, they found themselves having to explain to people what it is they did. There were always plenty of questions.
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'I think most people understand what that is now. It was, 'I'm a YouTube creator,' and they'd go, 'Wait, what is that? How do you make money? What is that like?,' ' said Nolke. 'Whereas now, it's so much more in the zeitgeist.'
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In those early days, the YouTuber creators were often thought of people who were unable to make it in the traditional entertainment business. Nolke happily reports that view is very outdated.
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'Now, I think people are understanding. 'Oh, the people who turn to YouTube are the ones that had the get-up-and-go drive. They had that innovation. They were creative, and they just wanted to make stuff well.' And you also bring an audience with you,' said Nolke. 'They didn't want us before, and now they do. The last word is always good.'
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After a decade of creating content, Nolke encourages actors to embrace the platform as well as other social-media sources.
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'I would say, if anybody is trying to get into the acting industry, you should be making stuff for online platforms,' said Nolke. 'You should be making TikToks and Instagrams or YouTubes. The barrier for entry is so low, and it's just such good practice for your craft.'
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While the comments sections on her videos are alive with feedback and questions, Nolke noticed she began to see followers as numbers and realized she still very much needed live artistic interaction in her life. That's what prompted her to write her comedy show.
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'There's still a disconnect between you and the (online) audience,' said Nolke. 'I had a bit of reality check with myself and realized I've clearly had some disconnect. So, I thought I'd love to go back to my roots, go back to theatre, actually meet the real people who are behind these numbers. And that's what kind of prompted the writing of the live show … It's so fulfilling.'
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Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
