Andrea Coleman is a NYC stand-up comic, storyteller, playwright and lawyer. Andrea has been featured in the NY Times, TimeOut NY, Forbes and NPR . Coleman practiced law for 17 years and has tried 30 jury trials. Her award winning solo show “3 White Guys Named John” about how John Hughes, John Mayer and Jon Bon Jovi changed her life, received 4 and 5 star reviews at Edinburgh Fringe in 2025. She returns with a new show in 2026
What’s your show about and where can we see it?
My show is called 3 Times I Killed. It’s about the 3 biggest cases of my career and the Divine communication that turned me into a courtroom “killer”. The show is about identity and how scary it is to be who you are, when who you are goes against how you’ve been trained to behave. It’s about my unconventional relationship with the Divine, and the wild times I’ve had as a lawyer in New York City. You can see my show at Edinburgh Fringe ZOO Playground 1 every day at 2pm.
Where do you get your inspiration from?
I’m inspired by the things that happen around me. My first feature length screenplay was about a woman whose apartment was broken into and I wrote that because my next door neighbour’s apartment was broken into. I made up a reason why the person broke in and in the end I had the burglar fall in love with the woman whose apartment he broke into. I’m also inspired by the things that piss me off and the things I’m obsessed with.
I’m very obsessed with romance novels right now, specifically dark romantasy novels so I’ve done a lot of comedy and writing about that. People who interrupt me while I’m reading a dark romance novel piss me off. Also, when people don’t answer the question I asked them, oooh when I was practicing law that would really make me so mad. In general the things I see and feel in life inspire me. As a New Yorker I’m always outside on my bike or the subway or the bus and there are always people around doing nonsensical things that inspire me to write.
How did you get into comedy/writing/producing etc?
I never thought of myself as funny in school, I wanted to be a dramatic actress. But then I saw my college’s improv comedy group perform and I just knew I had to be in that group. I was determined. I got into the group and had the best time of my life. Then when I moved to NYC I took stand-up comedy classes because I’d always wanted to try it. I found comedy very intuitively. I started writing mainly because the work I was being offered was boring and wasn’t really showing off all my colours as a performer. I took a writing class and everything I wrote, even though I thought it was dramatic, people in the class were laughing at it. I found I loved writing so much. I love sitting in my apartment with my headphones on listening to the same song on repeat and getting into a flow state just writing.
Any advice for those taking their first show to Edinburgh?
Yes – don’t listen to the naysayers! Before I went to Edinburgh the first time most of the people I spoke to were negative about going and talked about how hard it was. That wasn’t helpful to me. Of course it’s hard. Everything worth doing is hard. If you’re a woman in comedy you’re probably very used to doing hard things so that’s not supportive. Second bit of advice: prioritise your physical needs. Drink plenty of lemon water, exercise three times a week and get at least seven hours of sleep a night.
Who are your favourite Funny Women?
Meg Ryan is my number one. I don’t think people really realise how incredible her skill level is as a comedic actress. She’s able to be hilarious, open, vulnerable and smart all at once. To me, she is the GOAT.
Temi Wilkey brought a groundbreaking show to Edinburgh in 2024. Her show was genre bending, in your face, whimsical and bold. I loved it. She’s hilarious and she’s coming back to Fringe in 2026 so people will get the chance to see her again.
Phoebe Waller-Bridge is another GOAT when it comes to writing and acting in your own work. She’s such an inspiration to me as a writer and performer. Her work is the gold star in terms of being able to write incredible roles for other women while also writing a textured hilarious role for yourself.
I aspire to be as cool as Tig Notaro is on stage. Her storytelling style makes me feel so happy and taken care of. She is so bold and unconventional in a way that is so personal.
Quinta Brunson is a boss and I love that she’s a short black woman, like me. The way she uses her eyes in her comedy and the silence, there’s a confidence to it. Quinta writes, acts and is the executive producer of her own show. I’m so inspired by how she’s created these characters and roles for other performers. And she’s so kind and generous.
Tickets for 3 Times I Killed are available here!
