Is this you? As a journalist, you can create a free Muck Rack account to customize your profile, list your contact preferences, and upload a portfolio of your best work.
Claim your profile
Articles by Isabel Hagen
Charmingly caustic indie plays all the right notes
Writer-director Isabel Hagen, and by extension her debut feature, “On a String,” understands the comic value of a good ugly cry. There’s nothing funnier or sadder than watching someone reduce themselves to a puddle in front of your eyes, especially when the other party can’t quite bring themselves to match that energy. That simple principle, of finding the humor in the quotidian sadness of modern existence, sits behind every note of Hagen’s incredibly personal film, and is all the better for it.
On making a film
As many of you who have been following along know, I made a movie! It’s a feature-length comedy that I wrote, directed, and starred in about a freelance violist called On a String. As I get ready for the film to finally be released theatrically in the US, I’ve been reflecting on the whole, incredibly long process of making a film, and I thought I’d ask myself some questions and then answer them. I guess this is me sort of self-moderating a Q&A.
Notes from a Successful Failure
Please enjoy this little essay on boredom, or if that bores you, scroll down to “A few other things!!!” for updates on a new podcast I started, paid subscriptions, and more. And now… On Boredom About a month ago, I started experiencing chest pains and wondered if I should go to the ER.
Notes from a Successful Failure
Hello! A quick note to say that my hour special, ‘Isabel Hagen at The Bitter End’ will be available to stream on YouTube starting TONIGHT at 8pm ET.
Isabel Hagen on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
Isabel Hagen Comedian Isabel Hagen is a stand-up comedian and classical violist. She has been featured as a New Face of Comedy at Montreal's Just For Laughs festival and is the writer, director and star of the web series IS A VIOLIST on YouTube. This will be her second Tonight Show appearance. More
My Special is in the NY Times!
Hi! If you don’t want to suffer through me plugging all my upcoming road dates, scroll down to where it says “Second” for some thoughts about my artistic intentions! I have upcoming shows! Am I performing in a city near you? BOSTON at Elephant & Castle March 6 + 7 (tomorrow and Saturday!) - these shows are in a small room, one Friday and one Saturday so it’s going to be intimate and fun and I’m working on a lot of new material.
čÉżLaurel + Isabel Hagen on her new stand-up special!
Get more from Isabel Hagen in the Substack app Available for iOS and Android
How I Develop New Material
Please enjoy this piece of writing about developing new stand-up material after taking a break. OR, if you want to skip straight to the news about my new special that’s coming out January 28th and my upcoming tour dates, scroll down to where it says “Some News!” For about six months, I did a lot less stand-up comedy than I typically do.
Upcoming Tour and How to Pack a Suitcase
Hi! I’ll be performing stand-up comedy in the following places on the following dates: Kingston, NY on Jan 10 at Assembly Brooklyn, NY on Jan 21 at Littlefield Chicago, IL on Feb 5 at City Winery Indianapolis, IN on Feb 6 at Clowes Memorial Hall (the Krannert Room) Mahomet, IL on Feb 7 at Yellow and Co. Columbus, OH on May 8 + 9 at The Attic Comedy Club All tickets can be found HERE AND if you don’t live near these places, still hit that link and “join the guest list” to put in your email and...
Seattle and Jealousy
But first! I’m performing stand-up in SEATTLE, WA on August 31st at Here-After. The show will be an hour of comedy, viola, and comedy/viola. You can buy tickets here. If you want to come to a show, I strongly encourage you to get tickets now before they sell out! (Or in case not enough tickets sell and the venue cancels the shows. One or the other.) Okay thank you, I love you.
ON A STRING World Premiere!
TLDR: My debut feature film ON A STRING is playing at Tribeca Festival in June and having its world premiere there, I’m taping my first hour long comedy special in NYC on May 23rd at The Bitter End (promo code SEVEN for $7 tickets, or pay the full $20 if you feel compelled since 100% of ticket sales go to me and I’m producing the special independently), and I’m doing one show (running the special) in Los Angeles on May 7th at Lyric Hyperion.
My first hour special!
It is with great excitement (and even greater anxiety) that I announce the taping of my first HOUR LONG COMEDY SPECIAL! I've been pursuing stand-up comedy in earnest for almost ten years now, and I see this taping as a goodbye to a lot of material I've been honing over the past decade. It’ll be like a joke funeral! (God I’m terrible at marketing.) The taping is on MAY 23rd at 7pm in NYC at THE BITTER END.
How to be Nicer to Yourself while Staying Driven
Hello! Below please find the latest installment of my audio series I Ask Myself where I ask myself a question I’ve been struggling with and then answer it for myself, and of course for all of you! Today’s question is: As someone who uses self-criticism as a way to drive myself in my career, how can I be nicer to myself while not losing that drive?
Hey, Asshole! Stop being so mean to yourself.
Oh hi! Thanks for opening up this email. That was super nice of you and you didn’t have to do that… but now that I have you, I’d like to tell you about my upcoming live performances in NYC, Stamford CT, Gettysburg PA, Philadelphia PA, Point Pleasant Beach NJ, and Dallas TX.
My Advice for Creative's Block
Lately, I’ve been feeling a bit creatively blocked. I haven’t had many good ideas and haven’t felt my most inspired. This is obviously a common feeling amongst creatives (right?… RIGHT?!) As artists, we go through phases of feeling more or less inspired. Certain days, I find myself with a healthy dose of inspiration paired with the need to put my head down and do the work. Other days, I’m in a more extreme state, either feeling intoxicating inspiration or total hopelessness and doom.
Don't get Jealous, get Inspired.
A couple years back I made a silly front-facing video about “going to Cleveland” and posted it to my social media accounts.
The Dive Bar on my Corner
The following is a short story I wrote, loosely based on true events from the past. But first! An even shorter story based on true events from the future called: I’m coming to the following cities soon.
"Which topics will you never address in your act?"
I was recently interviewed by Dave Segal for The Strangerand I thought I’d share one answer from the interview that addresses a question I get asked a lot: Dave Segal for The Stranger: Which topics will you never address in your act, and why? Or are taboo subjects for the spineless?
Art Versus Entertainment
A question I often encounter in conversation and in my own rumination is “Am I an artist or an entertainer?” This is a question many artists (or entertainers??) grapple with. Why do we as artists/entertainers, or artertainers — sorry, nevermind, nope, I am not coining that term — let’s just use the word artists as a catch-all — even feel the need to ask ourselves this question?
The Unexpected Perks of Sucking
Last September I was contacted by someone from the Juilliard Journal asking if I would write something for the publication’s Life After Juilliard section — where alums write briefly about what they’ve been up to post-graduation. Apparently they needed one more alum to round out their winter issue, and I was happy to submit something.
I'm done with the Concerto
Last summer I sent out an essay to my mailing list about my dislike of the concerto as a musical form (and my particular disdain for Tchaikovsky’s Rococo Variations). At the time, my mailing list was much smaller and it was via the no longer existing site TinyLetter (RIP). The essay isn’t archived anywhere, and since there are so many new subscribers to my newsletter (hi! thank you for supporting my work!) I figured I’d enshrine it here on Substack.
Go Ahead, Have a Thought!
Recently I’ve been obsessed with this piece Shine You No More by the Danish String Quartet from their album Last Leaf. I can’t stop listening to it, and I even played it for my friend who’s a non-musician. As we listened, I muttered under my breath “so good.” My friend then said, “I wish I could understand what makes it good.” I told her she didn’t have to understand anything, and should just let it make her feel however it makes her feel.
Maybe this year...
Happy New Year to all who celebrate. If you’ve been a subscriber to my mailing list, you’ll notice this is the first email coming from Substack rather than Tiny Letter. Tiny Letter is being discontinued (like all of Tiny Letter, not just mine. They’re just shutting down. A bit dramatic of TL in my opinion.) So it’s Substack from here on out. Or at least until they shut down too.
Some New Material
I’m a stand-up comic who is often telling jokes on the road, but on nights when I’m home in NYC, you’ll probably find me in various clubs, bars, or basements doing short sets and working out new material. I always record these sets on my phone and listen back later to see what worked and what didn’t, since my memory of how something went in the moment isn’t that reliable. I figured it would be fun to share a recording from a recent set when I did mostly newer jokes that I’m still workshopping.
Quit your day job, or don't!
A close musician friend of mine recently told me he was thinking of quitting his comfortable university teaching job in the hopes of having more time to pursue his own creative projects and ventures. He wanted to know if I thought leaving his teaching position, i.e. his “day job,” was a good idea. I knew he was specifically curious about my thoughts due to my own career path. For nearly a decade, playing viola was my sole source of income.
Stop trying to save classical music.
Please enjoy the following essay - but first I wanted to quickly let you know that this weekend Feb 2nd and 3rd I will be at Governor’s Comedy Club at McGuires in Bohemia, NY. I’m also coming soon-ish to Hartford CT, Ann Arbor MI, Louisville KY, Alameda CA, Wilkes-Barre PA, Vienna VA, NYC, and Seattle WA — All tickets and all my upcoming road dates here! And now for the essay: Notes from a Successful Failure is a reader-supported publication.
"What's a typical day for you?"
Hello! I’m writing from LA, where I will be performing at the Elysian Theater on January 25th. You can get tickets here! It’s 9:12 am as a write this (it was actually 9:11 when I checked the time but I waited for it to turn 9:12 because, well, you know). I woke up this morning for the last time at 8:06 am. What I mean by this is that 8:06 was the final time I woke up before getting out of bed, since I often wake up constantly throughout the night into the early morning.
Saying No, and Why it's so Hard
If you’ve ever gotten advice from a successful entrepreneur, you’ve most likely heard how important it is to say “no.” Saying “no” to most opportunities is the best way to say “yes” to your ultimate goals, because it frees up the necessary time and energy you need to focus on living the life you truly desire.
You Don't Have to be an Artist
You don’t have to be an artist. You might think you do, but you don’t. Nobody needs you to make stuff and put it out into the world. Even if you might be the next Leonardo da Vinci or Joni Mitchell or Meryl Streep if you tried, the world will survive being deprived of your potential. Before I continue, I want to make clear that this is not meant to discourage anyone from pursuing the artist’s life. If you feel the deep need to make stuff, I beg of you to satisfy that need.
"Should I Post This?"
When we lament the negative impacts of social media, we often cite things such as how addictive the apps are, how they cause us to despair as we compare our real lives to others’ curated ones, and how they spread misinformation.
When You're Just Not That Into You
Hello! And a special welcome to new subscribers. Also a special hi again to those who’ve been here since before it was cool (it’s still not cool, so everyone is actually here since before it was cool). I’ll be traveling around the US in the new year, performing my signature “comedy + a little viola” act.
Social Media is Depriving Artists
Lately I’ve been very focused on self-promotion via social media, mostly driven by the fear of my career as a comedian not getting to where I want it to be. This has caused me to spend less time tweaking jokes, listening back to recordings of my sets, and writing new material, which are three vital steps for growth as a comedian. Whenever I do do them, I remember not just how important they are, but how much I enjoy them.
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon: Jim Parsons, Rose Byrne, Isabel Hagen | TVmaze
Episode Info Number: Season 2022, Episode 159 Airdate: Wednesday Oct 26, 2022 at 23:35 Runtime: 60 minutes (waiting for more votes)
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon: Selena Gomez, Rose Byrne, Isabel Hagen (S2022EP159 NBC Wednesda October 26, 2022)
Guests include Selena Gomez, Rose Byrne and comedian Isabel Hagen. Airdate: Wednesda October 26, 2022 at 23:35 on NBC Season 2022 Episode 159 Emmy Award and Grammy Award winner Jimmy Fallon brought NBC’s "The Tonight Show" back to its New York origins when he launched The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon from Rockefeller Center.
Good Timing with Isabel Hagen on Apple Podcasts
9 episodes I'm just your typical stand up comedian/Juilliard trained violist. I love discussing my two crafts, and each episode I'm joined by a fellow musician, comedian, or other creative type. We share stories, talk performance anxiety, and explore similarities and differences across artistic fields. Listen in as we navigate the beautiful mess of being an artist.
Common Decency | A Short Film
Story Set in 2005 and inspired by a real conversation I had with my family about our real neighbor at the time, COMMON DECENCY tells the story of fifteen-year-old Hanna coming up against the limitations of her parents’ suburban liberal politics during an argument about the high-ranking official in the Bush administration living next door.
Show More
loading
Actions
Is this you?
As a journalist, you can create a free Muck Rack account to customize your profile, list your contact preferences, and upload a portfolio of your best work.Get in touch with Isabel
Contact Isabel, search articles and posts on X, monitor coverage, and track replies from one place.
Learn more about Muck Rack