Sarah Mowrey – Improv extraordinaire, stand-up comedian, social activist, all around renaissance woman and Albuquerque local. Mowrey is a recent graduate of UNM in University studies, She started with improv and sketch comedy there. Later moving into stand-up comedy and tackling social issues head on in her sets.
Mowrey, who is thinking about returning to UNM in the near future, is currently busying herself running Comedy Question Mark. It was founded in 2010 on the UNM campus, but now has become a weekly Friday night show at The Box in Downtown Albuquerque. 2010 is also the year that Mowrey began doing Improv and sketch comedy. It was 2011 before she tried stand-up. The difference between improv and stand-up? Mowrey explains, “With stand-up, you’re on stage alone, but with improv, you have a buddy – someone else to bounce ideas off of. So even if it’s stupid, the rule in improv is to go with it.” Sketch comedy is improv with a script. When asked to choose between the them, there is no choice. They are all very different and mind-expanding in their own ways.
On Wednesday nights, she co-hosts the open mic night at Broken Bottle Brewery on the west side of Albuquerque. Here you will get a chance to see her MCing skills and stand-up comedy. It’s a free show with some great microbrews to quench your thirst. Mowrey wants to reach out to women comics, in particular, since here, in Albuquerque, there are still so few comparatively. “Women’s voices need to be heard as much as the males,” explained Mowrey. It’s hard to be a female comic. Even today, they are expected to only tell certain kinds of jokes. “Any guy can stand up on stage, tell dick jokes, and get a laugh,” shares Mowrey. “But if a girl stands up and says vagina, then everyone gets uncomfortable.” Sarah has made it her mission to motivate women and get women’s humor out there. Women in comedy, like anywhere else, are scrappier and work hard at comedy. But, here in Albuquerque, guys in the scene are supportive of women, so all you ladies out there with a funny bone come out to one of the open mic nights popping up around town.
Mowrey uses her talents and charms in other outreach programs and benefits for the community. Equal rights for everyone is a big issue for her. It shouldn’t matter sex, color, or preference. She also donated her time to raise funds for people suffering in Ferguson, in the wake of a police shooting. “I’m dedicating my time to this cause, because what’s happening in Ferguson has been a huge violation of human rights,” expressed Mowrey. “Since I don’t have the resources to give out of my own pocket, I want to dedicate some time to help raise money.”
She’s not asking for much out of her dream of comedy. She wants to go far in stand-up, so she can be political and incite change in the world. If possible, she would like to be able pay her bills and donate time to help causes she believes in. She wants young comedians to come out and check out all the open mics in town. Get involved and let your voice be heard – changing the world one joke at a time.
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