“A Mile High in Laughter: My First Out-of-State Comedy Adventure”

There are moments in an artist’s life that feel like checkpoints — the kind that make you pause, breathe, and think, “Yeah… this is why I do it.”

For me, that moment came at the Colorado Queer Comedy Festival, my first out-of-state booking, held in the heart of Boulder at The Dairy Arts Center 10/4  and at the Creeptastic Creepatorium in Denver, 10/5.

I’ve been performing for years — cutting my teeth in the worlds of wrestling, acting, directing, improv, sketch— bringing humor into spaces that aren’t always built to hold it. My comedy started like most good stories do: in the middle of chaos. Between theatre gigs, teaching creative arts, and building spaces where laughter could live alongside healing, I learned that comedy isn’t just about punchlines. It’s about power. It’s about saying the quiet thing out loud and watching a room erupt in recognition.

Colorado Queer Comedy Festival was a whirlwind of that kind of power — joy mixed with truth, community wrapped in glitter, and a lineup full of comics who brought their full selves to the stage. The energy was electric. The audiences were rowdy in the best way, the laughs felt earned, and the connections were instant.

I got to share the stage with some incredible humans: @renqcomedy, @laughing.leoni, @eitancomedy, @dasouzie, among so many others who made the weekend unforgettable. From last-minute saves to spontaneous green-room Yap sessions, it was the kind of creative chaos that fills your lungs with purpose.

And it wasn’t just about the show. It was about being seen — as a Black, fat, queer, disabled performer who uses comedy as both mirror and megaphone. To be part of a festival where that was celebrated, not tolerated, was everything.

When I walked off stage that first night, my heart was pounding like it had just learned a new rhythm. I thought about all the spaces I’ve built and all the stages I’ve stood on — from movement classes to youth theatre, from community centers to comedy clubs. This one felt different. It felt like the next level of something I’ve been building all along: a career that blends comedy, truth-telling, and radical joy.

I left Colorado with my first comedy keepsake (thanks @min_lin_comedy), sore abs from laughing, and a notebook full of ideas for what’s next. Because if this was my first out-of-state show, it’s definitely not the last.

Comedy, for me, has always been about connection — turning pain into punchlines and truth into laughter. Colorado reminded me that no matter where I go, there’s a crowd waiting to laugh with me, not at me.

So here’s to the next stage, the next mic, and the next wild adventure. And to Colorado — thanks for the altitude, the attitude, and the unforgettable love. 🌈🎤✨ xoxo Roni 😈😘