Not Just Clowning Around: Abby Rankin Crafts a Purposeful Comedy Career at Columbia

“Clown Wars: A New Hope” is a Star Wars parody performed entirely through clowning and physical comedy.Abby Rankin hones her comedy skills onstage at the UP Comedy Club at Second City.
“Clown Wars: A New Hope” is a Star Wars parody performed entirely through clowning and physical comedy.
Abby Rankin, a senior at Columbia College Chicago, blends comedy and education.

Abby Rankin isn’t just here to make people laugh—she’s using comedy to build community and give back. As a senior at Columbia College Chicago studying Comedy Writing and Performance with a minor in Education, her dedication recently earned her a 2024/2025 Sarah Siddons Society scholarship. Since its inception in 1952, the mission of the Sarah Siddons Society has been to fund scholarships to promising theater arts students at top Chicago area schools, including Columbia.  

When she’s not co-directing with her sketch and improv troupe, Asstricks* (yes, you read that right) she’s working on launching a clowning nonprofit inspired by her love of performing for kids. Up next? “Clown Wars: A New Hope,” a Star Wars parody featuring clowning and physical comedy, hitting the Sheldon Patinkin Theater on May 2. 

Here, Rankin talks about finding inspiration in wordplay, the best advice she’s gotten at Columbia, and why she’s not rushing into grad school anytime soon. 

What inspired you to study Comedy Writing and Performance at Columbia? 
After joining a physical comedy troupe in high school, I realized comedy wasn’t just something I was good at, but something that mattered to people. Columbia’s program has introduced me to new ensembles that elevate my comedic voice, and that’s been my approach: comedy as community. 

What’s the most unexpected place you’ve found inspiration for a joke or sketch? 
A lot of my ideas come from everyday language and wordplay. For instance, my friend Zack and I wrote a sketch called “Let Me Be Frank,” which is about a guy named Bill who always turns into another character, Frank, when he’s in a stressful situation. 

Tell us more about your independent clowning nonprofit—how did that idea come to life? 
My buddy James and I directed a show last year called “Crazy, Stupid Clown Love.” It was basically a rom com, but with clowns. It was a success, and we had a lot of fun with it, so over the summer we did more clowning and performance, but this time in front of kids at the Garfield Park Behavioral Hospital with help from Dr. Grace Overbeke. After that, we knew we wanted to continue performing for children. We’re in the beginning stages, but James and I plan to bring our clowning performances to Chicago elementary schools to engage students through humor and play. 

What’s been the most rewarding (or ridiculous) part of co-directing Asstricks* and how did the troupe come together? 
Asstricks* is my comedy family. I met Zack, Jackson, and Gerard during an internship at The Comedy Bar in 2022, and after a successful stand-up showcase, Zack suggested starting a sketch troupe. I jumped right in, no questions asked. We got two other friends on board, Ellie and Mat, and our first performance was at Columbia’s Comedy Festival. We’ve been creating together ever since! 

What’s the best advice you’ve received at Columbia so far? 
The best advice came from my professors during the Comedy Studies semester at Second City. They told me to wait before jumping into grad school. At first, I thought I needed to rush into my next step, but they reminded me that it’s important to be a “student of life” for a while. I realized I was trying to escape the uncertainty of figuring out my voice as a comedian in the real world. Now I’m focused on exploring my career and finding my path after graduation. 

How do you hope to combine comedy and education in your future career? 
My dream has always been to teach at Second City. Once I graduate, I’d like to get associated with some children’s theaters around Chicago to get internship/apprenticeship experience. 

If you could host a dinner party with any three comedians—living or dead—who’s on the guest list?  
John Mulaney, Wanda Sykes, and Rachel Dratch. 

What can we expect from your upcoming show, “Clown Wars: A New Hope?"
“Clown Wars: A New Hope” is a Star Wars parody performed entirely through clowning and physical comedy. It goes up May 2 at 7:30 p.m. in the Sheldon Patinkin Theater. Tickets will be available in April. Expect a lot of slapstick, live foley, and ridiculous props. Our talented group of writers and performers includes Max Balderston, Lauren Boulant, Zack Danni, Hezekiah Duncan, Aidan Finn, Gerard Fogarty, Hunter Gill, and Kim Scott. I’m also going to be featured in the show along with the other co-director, James Pratt. I can’t wait for people to see it! 

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