Queer Queens of Qomedy Return to San Antonio
September 20, 2019 - San Antonio
Article By: B. Kay Richter- Writer, SA Sentinel
Comedian Poppy Champlin will bring her Queer Queens of Qomedy to Beethoven Hall Friday, Sept. 20.
Featuring a line-up of top lesbian comedians, the touring show will present Sandra Valls, Vickie Shaw and Champlin. San Antonio's very own Jade Esteban Estrada, who has been featured on Bravo TV and Comedy Central, will be the special guest.
This is a return engagement for the Queer Queens of Qomedy, having performed previously at Laugh Out Loud Comedy Club. Champlin will also include Dallas, Fort Worth, Austin and Houston on this year’s Texas tour.
Shaw derives her material from her domestic life with her partner. She is the mother of three children and has three grandchildren. She has appeared on Comedy Central and has four comedy specials on the LOGO Channel. She has also appeared in the film, Laughing Matters More. Among lesbian audiences, Shaw is perhaps best known for her headlining shows on Olivia Cruises.
The show prides itself on its innate diversity. Valls, a Latina, sings in her segment of the show. This highly-energetic comedian, with a penchant for physical comedy, has appeared on Showtime’s The Latin Divas of Comedy. The Los Angeles Times described her as “talented and hilarious.” Local audiences may be most familiar with Valls; she performed last year at San Antonio Pride Fest.
Champlin, the visionary herself, is a veteran of The Second City in Chicago and brings a wealth of show business experience to the show. She has appeared on Oprah, Entertainment Tonight and The Joan Rivers Show.
Champlin, who always does a meet and greet for her fans, has observed a difference between San Antonio audiences and fans in the north. When asked what stands out about San Antonio audiences, Champlin replies, “Their openness and joy. They love to take pictures and mingle. The mingle is longer. They like to talk. Northerners talk less.
That personal touch may be the reason why The Queer Queens of Qomedy certainly seem to have a royal and loyal following, though she agrees that Valls may be her secret weapon. “They love Sandra,” she says. “She knows how to connect. A lot like Vickie, too,” she adds.
What has your experience in stand-up comedy taught you about people?
“That they really need laughter. It heals them in some fashion.”
What has stand-up comedy taught you about yourself?
“Well, it’s taught me to be prepared and [to] trust the higher power that’s it’s gonna be alright,” she says. “But I still fret.”
But fretting is where the comedy comes in.
The Live Oak Singers, San Antonio's LGBTQ+ will perform at 7:30 p.m. as the opening act. Some proceeds from the show will benefit the San Antonio Pride Center.
If you go:
Queer Queens of Qomedy:
September 20, 2019
7:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday
Beethoven Hall aka The Magik Theatre
420 S. Alamo Street
San Antonio, Texas 78205
General admission: $30-$45
Box office: 210-227-2751