Interview: Olivia Atwood Chats About Her New One Woman Show Liv, LIVE

As a comedienne, matchmaker, writer, and fitness instructor, Olivia Atwood keeps herself pretty busy. Her latest project, Liv, LIVE, is Atwood's Off-Broadway debut and set to run at the SoHo Playhouse in July. 

The one-woman comedic show follows twenty-something Liv who tries to wrangle her way through the craziness of the city as she deals with heartbreak, and failures, with a goat attack thrown in there, too. 

We sat down with Atwood to discuss her unique background, her love for comedy, and her upcoming show we can't wait to check out. 

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You have a very interesting background as a matchmaker, writer, fitness instructor, and comedienne. How do these very unique roles coincide with each other? 

I’m either joking on a stage with a microphone, yelling in a gym with a microphone, or whispering over Zoom with a microphone (on mute. And then I have to unmute. Because I’m an idiot.) And I’m either gossiping about my love life, your love life, or Taylor Swift’s love life. 

How did you get into comedy and what's it like putting yourself (and your life) out there for others on the stage?

I love telling stories. So many times in my life I’ve thought, "god, this is gonna make an insane story someday." During unsavory work moments, I used to stare into the distance, envisioning a time when I’m not power washing poop out of a gym shower and instead telling people about it. And then I would flash back into the present and re-secure my goggles with a sigh. 

Who are your inspirations in the comedy business?

If there’s a memoir by a female comedian, I’ve read it, probably three times minimum. Rachel Dratch, Jessi Klein, Elna Baker, Amy Schumer, Mindy Kaling, Samantha Irby, Abbi Jacobson: I’ve read your books an embarrassing amount. My bedside table is piled with them. I’m terrified of earthquakes in Los Angeles for all the usual reasons but also because my leaning tower of female memoirs will discombobulate and I like them color-coordinated.

Talk to us about your upcoming show Liv, LIVE. What was the inspiration behind it?

I started doing Liv, LIVE after telling some stories at a dinner party in 2021 and probably talking with my mouth full. Ryan J. Haddad, a wonderful and majorly talented performer, kindly ignored my table manners and encouraged me to do a show. Ryan, if you’re reading this, I owe you a pan of homemade brownies and probably a house. In this economy? Okay. In Arkansas. In 60 years.

Did you write, direct and produce the show yourself? 

Yes. I did all of those things. Call me Kris Jenner. I am a momager.

What do you hope the audience will take away from Liv, LIVE?

l just want someone, just one person, to go home and tell their roommate, "Hey, I saw this show tonight with this tiny blonde girl who sort of looked like one of Santa’s elves, but she was funny and maybe we should go again next week?" They’ll probably also say, "Man, that girl sure was pale, and did she say she lives in LA? I gotta find out what kind of sunscreen she’s using because it’s maybe too effective." 

What are you most excited about the show?

My pre-show playlist ends with the Spongebob classic, "Sweet Victory." It’s not showtime til I’ve done Patrick’s drum solo.

What's next for you?

I currently split my time between New York and LA, so after the show, I’ll be headed back to the West Coast. I’ll be hitting the audition grind, continuing to perform, and hopefully finishing writing my two books. Other than those projects, I just discovered candles, so I’m going to be pretty busy with that. Did you guys know they smell good when you light them? I mean, wow. 

Photos courtesy of Olivia Atwood

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