Aparna Nancherla and Atsuko Okatsuka
with special guest Dylan Akira Adler
Two of today’s hottest comedy talents take to Hancher’s Hadley Stage for a hilarious double-bill!
Aparna Nancherla is an established comedian, actor, and writer who performs all over the United States and world. She’s written for Apple’s Mythic Quest as well as NBC’s Late Night with Seth Meyers and FX’s Totally Biased with W. Kamau Bell.
She can currently be seen in Hulu's The Drop, Peacock’s Lopez Vs. Lopez, the final season of HBO Max’s Search Party, and Netflix’s Space Force. Her voice can be heard in many animated series including The Great North, Bob's Burgers, and BoJack Horseman. She was a series regular on Comedy Central’s Corporate and recurred on HBO’s Crashing among a myriad other guest starring roles. In 2018, she made her feature debut in the Paul Feig movie A Simple Favor. Her TV stand-up appearances include half-hour specials on Netflix and Comedy Central as well as appearances on HBO and late night.
Her new collection of personal essays from Viking is titled Unreliable Narrator: Me, Myself, and Impostor Syndrome. Patrons will have the option to purchase a copy of the book when they make their ticket order; books will also be available for sale onsite the evening of the show. Aparna will sign following the performance.
Atsuko Okatsuka is a stand-up comedian, actor, and writer based in Los Angeles. She was born in Taiwan and spent her childhood in Japan. Her debut standup special, The Intruder—directed by Tig Notaro—premiered on HBO in December 2022 and was named the “Best Debut Special of 2022” by The New York Times and one of the “Best Specials of 2022” by Vulture. She won the 2023 Gracie Award for “Best Special” and is nominated for “Best Comedian” by the Wowie Awards.
She was named one of Variety’s “10 Comics to Watch for 2022,” and when she made her late-night stand-up debut on The Late Late Show with James Corden, Vulture proclaimed she “won late-night.” Her on-screen credits include History of the World Pt. II (Hulu), Room 104 (HBO), and The Show Next Door with Randall Park (ROKU+).
She was raised by her grandmother, and they created the #DropChallenge together, which has amassed more than 10 million views.
PLEASE NOTE: This performance will include adult language and themes and may not be appropriate for all audiences.
Preorder food from the Stanley Café!
Avoid the lines by making your food selections before you come to Hancher Auditorium. Cheese boards are only available through preorder and cannot be purchased on-site at the performance. Snacks and beverages will be available on-site.
Orders must be placed by noon the day before the performance.
Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to attend all University of Iowa sponsored events. If you are a person with a disability who requires a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in this program, please contact Paris Young in advance at (319) 467-4849 or at paris-sissel@uiowa.edu.