if you go
if you go
Event: Her Night Out
Time/date: 4-9 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 21.
Site: Grand River Center, 500 Bell St., Port of Dubuque.
Cost: $50 for general admission or $550 for a girlfriend table.
Lisa Lane has a hearty remedy for the hardships that life can dole out: Comedy.
“It became something I was obsessed with when I needed a place to put my pain,” said Lane during a phone interview. “My father had died from dementia. The COVID-19 pandemic hit, and I lost all work. I was aging and became an empty nester. I got divorced at age 50 and re-entered the dating scene. Now, I’m a newlywed. For me, comedy has become a kind of therapy.”
Based in Denver, Lane’s journey into motherhood inspired her to pen two books for parents — “Teenagers Suck: A Memory Book for Parents During the Awkward & Awful Years” and “Beyond Mama Bear: How to Survive the Balancing Act of Parenting Teenagers.”
She also is a comedian, touring throughout the country with the Moms Unhinged comedy show, which headlines female-focused events, in addition to being featured on Netflix’s “How to Build a Sex Room.”
Additionally, Lane has been featured as voice over artist, an emcee and a keynote speaker for a variety of events.
She will appear as part of Her magazine’s annual Her Night Out, set for 4 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 20, at the Grand River Center, 500 Bell St., in the Port of Dubuque.
Included will be grand prizes from Riddle’s Jewelry, door prizes from each local vendor, shopping, a fashion show, dinner and a cash bar.
The theme for this year’s event is “Wedding Crashers,” and bridal attire is encouraged, with prizes for the best dressed individual and group.
Tickets are $50 for general admission or $550 for a girlfriend table.
Although Lane’s background and training is in acting — her early career teaching high school — comedy was something she stumbled into by accident as a culmination of her experience as a writer, teacher and performer, cutting her teeth by taking part in Denver’s vibrant and active open mic scene.
“I was naturally a funny person, but I never imagined myself getting into comedy,” she said. “I did a lot of serious, dramatic acting. It’s different because at the end of play, you get your applause. For a comedian, you’re putting yourself out there in a different kind of way. You have only a few seconds to tell a story and get the laughs. But if we don’t laugh, we cry. When you think about it, comedy has a history that goes back to court jesters, who were there to shine a light on darkness.”
Lane described her show as one where women — and men — of all walks and stages of life will be able to relate.
“I like creating a hopeful message for people to walk away with,” she said. “Whether or not you’re a parent, on the prowl in the dating scene, happily married, divorced or dealing with aging, there is something everyone will be able to identify with. Women’s events are especially enjoyable because it’s a sisterhood. We tend to feel better being in each other’s presence, celebrating our womanhood and realizing we’re often walking a similar path of life. I’m looking forward to that.”
More than anything, Lane hopes to inspire levity through life’s experiences.
“It’s hard being human,” she said. “But something always comes out of that pain and that struggle. We keep surviving, and life keeps writing the jokes. Comedy brings together everything. The challenge is in where to find the funny. And for me, life has kept providing a whole new source of comedy. That’s been a great joy and a gift for me to be able to share, especially with other women.”
Megan Gloss writes for the Telegraph Herald.
