Brittany Sterling’s stage presence is strong.
It should be; she’s been performing for decades.
She started young and plays a mean fiddle. While a student at Wheeling Park High School, the young Brittany was a member of its bluegrass band.
That love of playing continued after graduation.
Her education and travels took her to middle Tennessee and back again, and now she makes her life and her living in the greater Pittsburgh area.
A successful career and single mother, things are pointed in the right direction for Sterling.
But the call of the stage is too much to ignore. This time, however, it’s a different type of call.
Instead of entertaining crowds with her fast fingers and fiddle playing, Sterling uses her quick wit and sharp tongue to send crowds doubling over in laughter as a stand-up comedian.
Sterling’s outgoing, friendly nature and big personality have found a home on a new stage.
She uses her wealth of life experiences, both good and bad, to poke fun both at life and herself.
You can find a sample of her work here, though best use a pair of headphones if there are young ears around.
She can also be found on Facebook and Instagram.
What first made you want to do stand-up?
I have always wanted to try stand-up. I have always been funny. So, when I moved to Pittsburgh and became acquainted with the comedy scene through some friends, I decided to give it a try. It sort of went like this: “Hey Brittany you’re funny; you should do stand-up.” I replied, “Ok, hold my beer.” The rest is history.
You had been on stage before performing as a musician. Did that help at all in preparing you for stage time as a comic?
Yes, it did. I did not have the stage freight that other new comedians seem to have because I have been a stage performer since my childhood. But comedy is vastly different because you are more exposed as a comedian than as a member of a band I feel.
Were you nervous before the first performance? Did you have nightmares about what you might do if no one laughed?
Yes of course I was nervous. This was a brand-new artistic medium for me. But as soon as I got on stage in front of the microphone, I was completely relaxed. I just came out of the gate swinging and never looked back. As far as nobody laughing, I always know that is a possibility, and as a comedian, we have all bombed. I have, and so has everyone else, I think. You just say, well that didn’t work. I guess I will try something else. I have bombed on open mic and then a week later won my round at March madness at the Improv. Bombing happens.
Do you find it’s easier to source your material from your own experiences as opposed to coming up with material off the cuff?
Of course, I source my material from my own life, much to the chagrin of those implicated. But comedy is all in how you choose to see life and your experiences. I chose to see the absurdity of not only others but myself. I think my audience relates to that and meets me there. I have been very fortunate artistically to have had quite the menagerie of characters in and out of my life that are a wellspring of material for me to write and perform about.
How has the pandemic affected your pathway in the stand-up world, and where ultimately do you hope to take this?
The pandemic has definitely affected comedy. Some competitions that I was slated to do were canceled, and many other performances were canceled as well. However, I have been doing work online with other performers which has been fun and interesting, but as a performer, I like audience interaction. As far as where I would like to go with comedy, I want to explore any and all opportunities for artistic exploration. I have been very fortunate to get to do work with some very talented members of the LGBTQIA community that has always been a home for me as well. Drag queen bingo online during the quarantine was an absolute blast!
