Lindsey Moringy is #purehustle. From producing sold out festivals (BettyFest) to packaging sold out show runs, (there’s also that little music festival she produces, too), she’s a powerhouse of strategy and execution. Also: She’s really funny. As The Do Over wraps up its run, we asked her to school us on how she approaches being a producer and to see why she’s just so dang good.
Tell us about your background in performing and producing.
I’m a graduate of ColdTowne’s Conservatory, and am currently taking more improv classes at The New Movement. I also am one of the producers of BettyFest, an annual comedy festival that celebrates women performers. By day you can find me doing digital marketing for some of your favorite music festivals. By night you can find me performing with:
- The Do Over (every Saturday in January, 8:30pm at ColdTowne!)
- SheSheSheShe (see us 2/28 at ColdTowne in SHE! True Hollywood Story!)
- Stool Pigeon (see us at ColdTowne every Sunday at 8:30pm!)
- Baby Bob Saget (lol we play wherever people want to see us)
I WILL NEVER NOT USE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR SHOW PROMOTION AND YOU SHOULDN’T EITHER, READER FRIEND!
How did you get started?
I started taking improv classes to have an excuse to turn off my brain and force myself to have fun once a week, and I really fell in love with Austin comedy and the people who do it. I basically realized I had no hobbies, and that I was letting work stress me out all the time. I told myself that I wouldn’t join any troupes (tbh I was scared no one would want me), but then during Level 2 at ColdTowne I was asked to be in SheSheSheShe with my main babes Megan Mowry, Laura de la Fuente, Linzy Beltran, Stephanie Ard, and Jessica Vasami. I’m SO grateful they asked me to join and that they have constantly supported me ever since. Now I know so many incredible fellow improvisers who allow me to be a big ol’ dummy in front of random strangers and sweet friends on a regular basis, and that’s strangely empowering.
Tell us about the show. How did you come up with the concept?
The Do Over (FREE Deep Eddy Vodka™ – THIS Saturday at 8:30pm!!) is really the brainchild of a group of people, not just me. It’s also an Adam Sandler movie available on Netflix, but we didn’t know that was coming out when we first titled the show – luckily, I’d say we won that battle. My two boyfriends, Linzy Beltran (comedy boyfriend) and Aaron Walther (real life boyfriend) helped me refine the idea and build the cast.
You see, I’m a bigtime worrier. I have had a lot of moments in my life that I wish I could do over: the passive/shy way I’ve reacted to sexist remarks, not applying for out-of-state colleges, not eating breakfast this morning, etc. I figured other people must have similar thoughts, and that it would be fun to build a show that focuses on what your life MIGHT have been like had you made the other decision, if you had one do over. Viewing yourself in an alternate reality can be fun and also terrifying, but always entertaining.
I pitched the idea to Will Cleveland who at the time did not know me. He agreed to direct the show, and I’m so glad he did – it wouldn’t be the same without him. He helped guide the cast into creating the form that the show ultimately took. He keeps us grounded and relatable. Emoji prayer hands.
What is your approach to producing? What’s a definite do and don’t?
My main secret is that I always bring La Croix to rehearsals. No one will ever be dehydrated on my watch!
DO: Trust the people you pull into your show to do a good job with it.
DONT: Get so trapped in your own head about producing a show that you forget to have fun when you’re performing. Also, don’t be stubborn about your idea because it’s going to morph with other people’s input and turn into something even better than you could have ever imagined.
Complete this sentence “a good producer is _______ and ________.”
Receptive and Creative.
What’s next for you? Are you particularly excited about any upcoming projects?
I’m going to be working on BettyFest (follow us on Facebook and Instagram @bettyfestatx!) and performing as much as I can, because at the end of the day that’s why I’m here. Not to force show promotion on you 24/7, but to have fun with my frahnds. Oh, and I’m def going to catch Damn Gina’s show Night Watch when they take over the main stage slot at 8:30pm every Saturday in February – they are unstoppable.
Don’t miss the final weekend of The Do Over, this Saturday (1/28) at 8:30pm.