One Woman Show Stopper: Julie Brister

By Halie Rosenberg

Meet Julie Brister: a very talented actor, teacher, and writer! Last year, Julie wrote a one woman show called “Fat Parts.” Julie wrote the first draft of this show in the So You Want to be a Writer class with Aaron Henne at Writing Pad. She has been performing "Fat Parts" to sold out performances at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre over the last 9 months. This January, she also performed the show at San Francisco’s Sketchfest, one of the country’s top comedy festivals!

Julie says, “I'd known tons of people who'd done solo shows over the years, and the thought of doing one myself thoroughly terrified me.” Julie started looking for writing classes to help her develop her show online. When she came across Writing Pad, she got “jazzed.”

"I liked that at Writing Pad, there were people working on different kinds of things - memoirs, poetry, novels. One lady in my class was working on a self-help book. I found that more inspiring and interesting than if everybody was wanting to wag their neuroses in people's faces on stage like me." Julie also raved about the gourmet desserts offered in the class. Her favorite treats were the home-made gingersnap ice cream sandwiches and Adel’s sticky toffee pudding.

Julie used the writing prompts and workshopping feedback in her Writing Pad class to sculpt her characters and develop the story arc of her show. “If it weren't for the Writing Pad and the helpful, positive, constructive feedback I received from Aaron, Marilyn, and the entire group, I undoubtedly would have flung the script for my show across the room a long time ago and never picked it up again." Julie loved the class so much she now calls herself "a Writing Pad evangelist - spreading the good word about the classes and Adel's wonderful food to everyone interested in becoming a better writer."

For more information on Julie, go to her performer page at the Upright Citizens Brigade. If you have a chance, we also recommend that you go see her show at UCB. It's a terrific show!

Also, please let us know if you have a recommendation for our next Writing Pad Awesome Alum!