Meet Ceara O’Sullivan, a woman of many, many talents. You may know her as your Orientation Leader, your Courage-to-Know TA, a director of My Mother’s Fleabag, or maybe from her starring roles in many BC Theatre productions. Ceara does it all—and makes it look easy.
For all the things she is accomplishing everyday, she does it with a smile. Ceara is easily one of the funniest people on this campus. Not only is she co-director of My Mother’s Fleabag, the oldest college improv-comedy group in the nation, but she is also preforming weekly with the PROFESSIONAL comedy troupes of ImprovBoston. Ceara is a member of their Family Show, a clean comedy show geared towards families– not a simple feat.
Did I also mention she spends her summers training and completing triathlons?! So yeah, this girl bikes, swims, runs, and then cracks a joke. Amazing. She’s a not-so-hidden gem on BC’s campus that will truly be missed come May.
Q: How did you get involved with My Mother’s Fleabag?
A: I knew I wanted to do something acting-related, so I auditioned for all of BC’s fall plays and didn’t get cast in any of them. I went to Student Activities Day and someone in Fleabag shouted, “AMY POEHLER WAS IN THIS CLUB”…so I tried out!
Q: Now that you’ve been working with ImprovBoston, what have you learned? How is it going?
A: It’s going great! Being in a professional cast is very intimidating: everyone I perform with is older, more experienced and (in my mind) funnier than I am. But I like the challenge and I’m learning a ton. Plus, it’s fun getting to know people who are in their late twenties and thirties. Turns out: there is life after college.
Q: How does the rise of the “queens” of comedy, Amy & Tina, effect you? How does it feel to be a queen of comedy, yourself?
A: Okay first of all, I’m not the queen of anything. Except maybe hot pockets–I love hot pockets.
But, seeing female comedians kill the game without compromising who they are is really, really empowering. Those two women are awesome because they stick to their guns and use their celebrity platform to advocate for some important stuff. I wish every comedian did that. Plus, they looked boss at the Oscars.
Q: What advice would you give to other girls striving to break of out of their shells and try comedy?
A: First of all, DO IT.
Secondly, don’t let anybody tell you you’re “funny for a girl”. You’re funny. Period.
And a last, specific piece of advice: A lot of girls who are new to improv/sketch choose to play a lot of low-status female archetypes like dumb blondes, vapid cheerleaders, obsessive middle schoolers, etc. Meanwhile, guys are playing cool, complex characters. So, push yourself past the archetypes and play smarter.
Q: And finally, how or where do you want to find yourself in 10 years?
A: Ideally, I’d like to be living in New York, writing for television. Secretly, I think I’ll be probably be an aquatic director in Poughkeepsie, New York.
Keep an eye on this one, Ladies. She’s going far.