Friend a Day – Courtney McCLean

Photo by John Robinson

I met Courtney at the Fringe Festival about five or six years ago.  She is probably the most energetic person I know.  And that is saying a lot.

Courtney is always excited about what she is doing.  It makes me excited too.

She has good reason to be excited because she does such awesome stuff.  Her stories are imaginative and clever.  Her music with the Dirty Curls is catchy and funny.  As exhibited in “Bump” at last year’s Fringe Festival, she can also bust a move.

All this, and she can play the banjo!

Simply put, if Courtney’s name is on something, it is something I want to see.

If it seems like she is running from one thing to the next, I think that is because she is always in the middle of doing something.  She has what seems to be dozens of irons in the fire and, of course, they are all interesting.

As a songwriter, I’m particularly impressed with Courtney’s music.  She writes a ton of songs are thematically similar and yet all very different.  I spent most of my time watching them play paying very close attention to the lyrics because they are awesome.

I’m really in awe of her storytelling ability.  It isn’t just the writing, which is exceptional, but also the personality she brings to the presentation.  It is a vibrant and expressive personality of someone who is completely in the moment.

I think that is why I enjoy her presence on the Vilification Tennis cast.  She is one of a few performers who walks on stage without a lot of prepared material.  That can be a very risky proposition but I think it helps her be more present on stage than she would be if she walked in with only pre-planned material.

I’ve really enjoyed getting to know Courtney as a collaborator and as an audience member.  She’s a truly talented person.