LIVE THEATRE / COMEDY DIRECTING
With her background in dance, improv, physical theatre, and clown, Corey brings a wide range of knowledge to her work as a director and teaching artist. Her stage work in recent years has been described as “beautifully stupid and stupidly beautiful.” Corey’s work has been produced internationally, won awards, and received rave reviews.
UPCOMING SHOWS:
The Underground Monk Show
Edinburgh Fringe, Aug 5-30, 2026
Clown ensemble show, developed over the past two years in Los Angeles and NYC.
Monks find magic water. Magic water makes dreams come true. Monks go crazy.
Starring acclaimed clowns and monks Max Baumgarten (Opium), Dee Marcucci (Absinthe), John Norris (Mr Chonkers, Piggy Time), Bill O'Neill (The Amazing Banana Brothers) and Claire Woolner (A Retrospection). Co-created with Sam Fishman. Directed by Corey Podell (Mr Chonkers, Vanessa 5000) and John Norris. Presented by SOHO Theatre London.
Matt Klein: Boyoyoyoyoying
Edinburgh Fringe, Aug 9-31, 2026
A showgirl goes on an odyssey to find her former stepson. A dumb and terrible clown show. No... it's important... it's meaningful... it's the best show you'll see this decade.
Goblin: A One-Gob Show
John Goblikon is the internet’s most famous goblin—don’t fact-check that. As the host of the hit comedy podcast RIGHT NOW with John Goblikon and the chaotic front-goblin of goblin-metal legends Nekrogoblikon, John brings his unfiltered charm and green-skinned wisdom to the masses. His one-of-a-kind live comedy show features full crowd participation, wild games, hot green celebrity gossip, and deep thoughts on dating and losing eight pounds (mostly from his hump).
Performed in Los Angeles at Lyric Hyperion and the Elysian Theater, and in Austin at the Moonflower Comedy Festival
Check out upcoming shows:
PAST PROJECTS:
VANESSA 5000
After sold-out runs at Edinburgh Fringe 2023 and Soho Theater London, Courtney Pauroso — “the ultimate sexy clown” (The Skinny) — returns to LA (from time to time) as sex robot Vanessa 5000. This award-winning solo show is directed by Corey Podell.
“A gutsy, live comedy trust fall” - Los Angeles Times
“This is late-night Fringe entertainment at its best” ★★★★★ Comics Comic
“Absolutely riotous hour of well-judged comic brilliance” ★★★★ British Theatre Guide
“You'll laugh, you'll cry. Resistance is futile" ★★★★ Telegraph
"A powerhouse performance" ★★★★ Chortle
"Absurdly sexy and completely bonkers" ★★★★ EdFringe Review
“Intensely physical and unexpectedly moving" ★★★★ Fest Mag
“Brilliantly bold." ★★★★ Time Out
“Oscillates between high intellectualism and childish stupidity" ★★★★ The List
“Seamlessly blends uproarious laughter with insightful commentary” ★★★★ The Crumb
DROPOUT SPECIAL
Recorded at Elysian Theater, LA
Dropout Presents: Behind the Scenes of Vanessa 5000
Short documentary behind-the-scenes video, featuring a few clips of Corey Podell directing and giving notes.
MR. CHONKERS
Sold-out, five-star solo clown show performed internationally to great acclaim.
“John Norris introduces Mr Chonkers as a serious presentation of all the art forms (yes, all of them). The result is a surrealist, and often greatly stupid, exploration of play with the audience, for the audience and against the audience.
Equal parts the protagonist and antagonist, Norris chaotically punches through sketches, poetry, and performance art with a laissez-faire demeanour underlined by the omnipresent clown’s desperate plea to impress. It’s a risky tug-of-war to navigate, but Norris’s evident intelligence and well-tuned skills as a performer ensure a satisfying balance of satire and silliness.” - Melbourne Comedy Festival review
Edinburgh Fringe Run of Mr Chonkers:
“The latest show from preposterous nocturnal clown John Norris is a pure, weird delight” - Time Out review
“Full of joy and generosity of spirit” - The Scotsman
GUTTERPLUM
Courtney Pauroso's critically-acclaimed hour of “carnal clowning,” co-devised with Corey Podell.
"Hilarious and unsettling . . . flights of ridiculousness you can't believe you are seeing . . . outrageous and vulgar physicality with jarring notes of sentimentality." - NY Times
"You have to see this show. That's pretty much all you need to know." - The Scotsman
QUEEN OF FISHTOWN
Named "Best Character Driven Solo Show at Edinburgh Fringe" (Firework Award) set on a stoop in Philadelphia, where humor is a defense mechanism and self-care is a punchline. Kathleen Burke’s not that mad her Fishtown neighborhood gentrified around her, but when she gets the surprise of her life at her 40th birthday party it triggers a high stakes battle to maintain her authenticity while facing even more inevitable change. Profound and profane, “Queen of Fishtown” is a love letter to the historically overlooked and unappreciated city of brotherly love and working-class women everywhere.
“Queen of Fishtown” has enjoyed award* winning runs at Edinburgh Fringe, the Hollywood Fringe, in London at the King’s Head Theatre, Theatre Row on 42nd Street and Under St. Mark’s in New York City, NAMBA performing Arts in Ventura, the Little Fish and Broadwater Theaters in Los Angeles and in Philadelphia at the historic Plays and Players Theatre where Katierose performed her show in the city that inspired it.
Awards
Winner - Best Character Driven Solo Show at Edinburgh Fringe - Fireworks Award
Winner - Platinum Award - TheTVolution
Winner - Best Solo Show (Female) - TheTVolution
Winner - Best of Broadwater Encore Award
Winner - Namba Performing Arts Encore Award
Nominee - Best Solo Performance - Broadway World - Los Angeles Awards
Nominee - Best Solo Production - Broadway World - Los Angeles Awards
Nominee - Best Solo Show Hollywood Fringe
Nominee - SPLASH Female Voices Award
ALPHA NATION
Famous red-pilled breakdancing live-streamer, Jerry Alpha, prepares for the biggest b-boy battle of his career… but his estranged daughter won’t stop interrupting his flow.
“ALPHA NATION” is a semi-solo show that explores (an abstract, satirical version of) Madi Hart’s real-life relationship with her red-pilled breakdancing father… (which is a situation that went extremely viral on the internet, 2 years ago).
Audiences say: “AN UNBELIEVABLE SOLO SHOW...” “Hilarious, heartwarming, vulnerable, thoughtful and engaging…” “I cried and laughed so much. Perfect show, no notes.”
See more Hollywood Fringe audience reviews
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