We are excited to finally announce that we have brought on a new Education Coordinator- Laura Somogie! Laura joined the Crossroads team in October and has already proven to be an instrumental piece to what we have going on and what we want to accomplish. Laura works closely with founder, Mike Marbach, to schedule courses, communicate with current and prospective students, ensure instructors have everything they need, and more.
Laura takes over this position from Kelly Conrad. Kelly stepped down in the summer of 2023 due to outside work obligations, but will continue to be involved as an instructor as well as a performer on stage and on podcasts. Huge thanks to Kelly for helping us create this position and working with us to figure out the many ways in which this position can be used to create better experiences for our students.
We’re looking forward to the many ways in which Laura can help us improve our Education Center and the experience of our students. You can get to know Laura a bit through our Q&A below. Thanks and Congrats to Laura!
What game show do you think you would do well on and why?
A revival of Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader because my brain is full of useless trivia knowledge that I don’t think would play well on Jeopardy. Although a loss against fifth graders would be devastating. Nevermind. Password. Final answer.
What are some of your favorite movies / series / books?
Anything written by Lisa Jewell – The Family Upstairs was a recent favorite; or anything written by E. Lockhart – specifically We Were Liars. I had a quirky phase of watching She’s The Man and A Cinderella Story (Hilary Duff’s version, of course) every single night for about two years straight in the late 2000s. Shamelessly – big fan of Impractical Jokers. Shamefully – the Twilight Saga.
What are you watching / reading / listening to currently?
Currently rewatching Modern Family, it’s become my latest comfort show. Listening to the Huberman Lab podcast when I want to lean into self-improvement and growth, and the Normal Gossip podcast when I want to be a fly on the wall of other people’s drama. Highly recommend both.
What’s your favorite comedy sketch?
Anything from I Think You Should Leave. I will never stop quoting Tim Robinson. OR the SNL Target lady sketch with Kristen Wiig that I had memorized, word for word, in 8th grade. And I still do.
When a friend visits Philly, which non-tourist trap places are you sure you take them to before they leave?
K’far for the best egg sandwich I’ve ever had, a walk down Kelly Drive in April, a stroll through Rittenhouse square, maybe (probably) getting a tattoo on South street, and obviously a Crossroads show.
What are you passionate about outside of Crossroads?
My friends, family, and cat mean the most to me. Outside of them, I love writing music, walking, cooking, trying things that are scary/challenging, being actively involved in the community, and quoting Tim Robinson if I didn’t already mention that.
You’ve now been through Improv 1, Sketch Writing 1, and Stand-up 1. What are some things you learned that you feel are applicable outside the classroom?
I have learned SO much in each of these classes that would be applicable outside the classroom. In Improv, I learned to take myself a little less seriously and to be a little more comfortable in my own skin. I learned to think creatively and curiously, and to make the best of ever-changing situations. In sketch writing, I learned the value of team collaboration and the way small seeds can flourish into wild, crazy, and hilarious ideas. In stand-up, I faced my fear of public speaking and even did so confidently!!!!! I learned to shift my perspective and find the lessons and humor in otherwise traumatic or mundane situations. In all of these classes, I met some amazing and creative people I may never have crossed paths with if not for taking a leap of faith and stepping out of my comfort zone. I have nothing but fantastic things to say about Crossroads and in fact, I actually won’t shut up about it.
What’s been your experience working with Crossroads so far?
Working with Crossroads has been amazing so far. The community is so full of creative, curious, and welcoming people, and it’s been a privilege to get to know so many of them in the past few months. Working with Mike is inspiring – I’ve learned so much in a short time, and I love watching our programs grow and flourish. There are so many exciting new things coming in 2024 and I can’t wait to see them all come to life. Crossroads is a really, really special place and I feel lucky to be a part of it.
Laura Somogie (she / her) has a background in events and marketing, and has lived in Philadelphia for ten years. She has a love of all things comedy, theater, and community, and has taken several Crossroads classes. She works with the team to coordinate class enrollment, staffing, scheduling, and process development. You will often find her quoting I Think You Should Leave, or talking about her cat, Cat. Contact: classes@xroadscomedy.com.
