From Shakespeare to Stand-Up: Emerson’s Global Pathways Program Brings Comedy to Life

How do you understand comedy across cultures? For Emerson College students in the Global Pathways London Program, the answer was four immersive weeks of history, performance, and once-in-a-lifetime experiences that stretch from visiting Shakespeare’s Globe to performing stand-up at The Bill Murray comedy club.

Launched in 2017 by Visual & Media Arts Associate Professor Manny Basanese and originally developed with VMA Professor Emeritus Tom Kingdon, the program combines two complementary courses: Basanese’s writing and performance workshop, where students develop their own stand-up material, and VMA Assistant Professor and Foundations Curriculum Director Maria Corrigan’s class on British comedy and culture, tracing humor’s evolution from Chaucer to Fleabag.

“The big centerpiece is the students’ stand-up set in London,” said Basanese about the program that ran from July 10 to August 10. “They spend a big chunk of time workshopping material, getting feedback, and even learning directly from British comedians.”

By the end, almost everyone performs live – it’s an opportunity they may never have again. Students not only perform, but also immerse themselves in the UK’s comedy culture. They attend shows at the Globe and the Royal Shakespeare Company, visit the Museum of Comedy, and travel to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, the world’s largest performing arts festival known as a launching pad for British and international talent.

Corrigan said her course encourages students to see comedy as deeply rooted in culture.

“We’re looking at how class, gender, race, and sexuality shape humor in the UK. Comedy isn’t just entertainment — it reflects the social and political fabric of a society,” said Corrigan.

Guest speakers bring this lesson to life. This summer, comedian Amy Annette led a workshop on writing stand-up, and British comedy legend Arthur Smith shared stories from decades on the scene. Students also connected with Holly Jones Johnston, an Oxford researcher and drag performer, who guided them through a LGBTQ-focused tour of the Victoria and Albert Museum.

The highlight was an intimate conversation with Rosie O’Donnell, who was performing her one-woman show, Common Knowledge, at the Fringe.

“She was so genuine,” said Comedic Arts major Ella Korson ’27. “She didn’t sugarcoat the realities of pursuing the creative life, but emphasized the importance of being an artist – and recognizing that choosing this career is not a choice – but the only choice.”

For Comedic Arts major Hannah Loeb ’27, the program expanded her world by showing her how comedy of different cultures is a useful tool to understand new places around the world. And meeting O’Donnell was very cool, said Loeb.

“It was amazing to get to interact on a much more intimate level with somebody who has been such a force in the comedy community, and such a household name,” said Loeb. “To meet somebody whose contributions to both the world of comedy and that of activist was so lovely, and felt like a uniquely Emerson experience.”

Emerson LA Special Projects & Programs Specialist Glenn Meehan, who worked with O’Donnell on The Rosie O’Donnell Show, provided the connection with O’Donnell for London, and also when she visited Emerson’s LA campus last fall. Meehan said he hoped students took away her spirit of curiosity and relentless work ethic.

“Even at 63, Rosie is reinventing herself, returning to her roots of being on stage doing stand-up,” said Meehan.

As Basanese puts it, “Traveling abroad opens you up creatively. You see the world differently—and that shapes your comedy, your art, and your perspective on life.”