At the same time, comedy can indeed speak truth to power and also express joy from one's unique perspective, but it can be quite the balancing act to do both at the same time. One wondrous Linzy Beltran manages the feat with a bold stroke of unabashed silliness with her solo show El Mago Loco, currently playing at the Hollywood Fringe. For this week's TCB Field Report, we explore Linzy's own explorations within and outside herself to bring to the stage a show that's crucial, playful, and kind-of-not-really-a-magic-show that has a magician as the main character.

Follow Linzy @linzybeltran and get tix for El Mago Loco @ Hollywood Fringe on 6/26 & 6/28 here.

Produced by Jake Kroeger
Music by Brian Granillo
Artwork by Andrew Delman and Jake Kroeger

Almost always, the work that goes into a deeply personal solo show is almost entirely invisible. There are years of work and reworking and giving up and getting re-obsessed that drive a person to create something possibly so unique and inspiring and hilarious and then perform over and over and over and over again only to have audiences marvel an hour at a time. Erica Bitton and her work with her amazing solo show Vacuum Girl has gone through all of its peaks and valleys all the way to the marvelous place that it is now. We talk to her all about it on this week's TCB Field Report.

Follow Erica @gurubf and get tix for Vacuum Girl here.

Produced by Jake Kroeger
Music by Brian Granillo
Artwork by Andrew Delman and Jake Kroeger

Julie Seabaugh has been and still very much is one of our absolute favorite people in comedy because, like us, she has dedicated blood, sweat, and tears to the telling of stories of, about, in, and around comedy. Following her endeavors as an esteemed journalist, author, and documentarian, Julie's latest work focuses on the comedy icon Marc Maron following the passing of his partner, Lynn Shelton in the doc, Are We Good?, brilliantly directed by Steven Feinartz (and screened at SXSW & Tribeca).

This week's TCB Field Report goes in on Julie's process of showing Maron's process of both grief and comedy, which are beautifully intertwined in this movie.

Follow @julieseabaugh & @arewegoodfilm on IG

Produced by Jake Kroeger
Music by Brian Granillo
Artwork by Andrew Delman and Jake Kroeger
Photo by Troy Conrad