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As an actor, comedian, and improvisor who just happens to have a degree in sociology, Isaac Kirk was the ideal person to step into Third Coast Comedy Club’s new role of Director of Diversity and Inclusion.
The gig is a perfect fit for the Nashville native and community advocate, allowing him to address the systemic lack of diversity in the improv industry and incorporate diversity and inclusion into every aspect of the theater from auditions and casting to scholarship initiatives and show programming. Kirk, who has been working with Third Coast since 2017, first broached the topic of race in comedy during his tenure as an improv teacher at the theater. Now he will be able to do that on a larger scale.
“The arts have always been a home for hard conversations,” he says. “A place where you can look at society and really analyze what’s going on.”
A serious discussion: Third Coast, it’s an improv sketch and comedy theater, but the level of professionalism is just really outstanding and there were so many diverse opinions being put up, really unique shows that I wouldn’t see in a lot of other places. [When I moved back to Nashville] I was like, I’m going to take some improv classes here until I find my home. Lo and behold Third Coast became my home. We started having conversations and I was like, “Black people don’t really find improv funny.” They were so receptive to my thoughts and my opinions. They said, “Maybe Black people don’t find it funny because the genre isn’t diverse enough, and if that’s been the case, are you willing to stand on your words, come into this theater and help?”
A new gig: I was like, “So you guys really are here to have these difficult conversations and to breathe life into the Nashville community as reflected by all the people who are moving here from across the world?” They said, “We’re taking the temperature of the community right now and we want you to hold us accountable so that we can have some really hard conversations.” We sat down and looked at some places [where] we could become better in terms of what’s happening socially, and I stepped into [the role]. As a human, I’m inherently imperfect, so whatever I do or whatever we as Third Coast do, is going to have that quality, but we’re wanting to make those mistakes in real time so that it provides opportunity for conversation.
Location as inspiration: Third Coast is in Marathon Village, which is the backdrop to Fisk and Meharry Universities, both historically Black institutions in predominantly Black neighborhoods that have been gentrified heavily. So, we find ourselves in a really unique position to engage our community. Jefferson Street was the home of arts—the Jubilee singers, this huge, deep, cultural artist tradition that I’m aware of because I grew up here—that we’ve yet to tap into. We’re going to start by going to those institutions and saying, “Hey, you know what’s going on historically from an informed academic context and you’re infinitely smarter than me, help me.” We’re going to go and sit with people smarter than us and listen, because that’s what artists do, they listen, then they try to act from there. We’re going to take direction from people who are infinitely smarter than ourselves and hope that that aligns with the business priorities of Third Coast.
Coming back to Nashville: The city has grown up and changed so much. To go back to some of our stomping grounds that are just no longer there, it’s been challenging at times, just some of the loss, but also when there’s loss it presents opportunity for something new to take that place, and there’s some real cool things popping up. We were raised in north Nashville, and there’s been a significant amount of growth and life breathed into the 37208 corridors. New and old favorites: There’s this little, super-great spot called Ed’s Fish and Pizza. It’s on the corner of Buchanan, and [Dr. DB Todd Jr. Blvd.]. Some of my childhood friends opened up Slim and Husky’s, and it’s great to see them really winning in terms of, like, “we were raised in this part of the city, so we’re going to put our first eatery right here.” And [for hot chicken], Prince’s. As a native of Nashville, it’s got to be Prince’s.
Third Coast Comedy Club, 1310 Clinton St. #121, 615-745-1009; thirdcoastcomedy.club