“American Raccoon” Takes Home Best of Venue at KC Fringe

I'm incredibly grateful that American Raccoon was awarded Best of Venue, recognizing it as the most popular show at MOD Gallery during the KC Fringe Festival.

Anytime I create something new, there's a tiny voice that whispers, "What if no one gets it?"

With comedy, that voice can get even louder.

Because unlike poetry, where silence can mean people are reflecting, silence during comedy usually means they're wondering where the nearest exit is.

Fortunately, my audiences kept laughing all through the festival.

They even said things like: 

• “This is a laughing out loud, nodding head enthusiastically, snapping fingers repeatedly heck of a good time.”

• “…funny, poignant, and accessible! The show has a lot to say, but Abby manages to create an environment that kind-of feels like we’re just hanging out with a smart, hilarious friend.”

• “If you’re looking for a performance that will keep you laughing while constantly surprising you, American Raccoon is an absolute must-see.”

American Raccoon was a new kind of project for me. While it still blended stand-up comedy and poetry, it leaned much more heavily into the comedy side of things and pushed me outside my usual creative comfort zone. 

I also experimented with new technical elements, weaving multimedia into the performance in ways I hadn't attempted before. It was exciting, a little intimidating, and a reminder that growth as an artist often comes from giving yourself permission to try something that might not work. 

That being said, this show is probably the closest I've come to creating something that feels completely like me. My voice. My style. An invitation into the way my brain works. The overwhelming positive reception at KC Fringe reminded me that audiences are far more willing to follow you into weird places than we often give them credit for. If the emotional truth is real, people will happily come along—even if they're following a raccoon.

So thank you to everyone who bought a ticket, laughed at the jokes, sat with the tech glitches, and shared the show with someone else.

I can't wait to see where American Raccoon wanders next.