Minor foot surgery suddenly became a near-death experience for Western Springs native Cameron Esposito. Because Esposito is an award-winning performance artist, she knew what she had to do after she survived — create a funny show about that near tragedy.
Esposito’s new solo show, “Feat,” premieres Oct. 3-4 at Steppenwolf Theatre in Chicago.
“Personal and funny have always been my brand of stand-up,” Esposito said. “I made several specials that were in that vein. When I had this experience, I was thinking it was probably the most relatable of the experiences I’ve had. Mortality touches us all.”
When she developed a very serious infection following the procedure, “It wasn’t something I thought could happen,” Esposito said.
The comic admitted she doesn’t have a problem relating personal details of her life.
“The challenge has been learning to protect myself better,” she explained. “Because I’ve always been interested in this brand of how can I connect with other people, sometimes I’ve let that rule above all else.”
That led Esposito to develop a rule about her shows. “I don’t talk about anything onstage I haven’t told somebody who loves me first,” she said.
The topics the comic will address in “Feat” include how the experience reaffirmed her marriage to her wife and reignited a friendship with her ex-husband.
When she was “staring into the void,” she decided, “How could I want anything besides closeness with the people who love me?”
Esposito will also talk about motherhood, because when she performs the show she will be in her eighth month of pregnancy with her first child.
Finding humor in facing her possible mortality isn’t difficult for Esposito.
“That to me is what humor is,” she declared, speaking of its value as a coping method. “I think many people who are funny have the experience of over-developing that coping mechanism. We all have it. We laugh because otherwise we’d be dispirited forever.”
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Esposito, who lives in Los Angeles with her wife, is excited to premiere her new show at Steppenwolf Theatre, with its national reputation. “It’s known for creating and originating incredible works,” she said. “And Chicago has an amazing arts community.”
Given her award-winning career as a standup comic, it’s surprising to learn that Cameron wasn’t involved in theater or comedy when she was growing up.
“I was a jock,” Esposito said. “You name it. I played basketball, I swam, I played soccer and softball. In college I played rugby.”
Even though her sister and father both performed with the Theatre of Western Springs, performing had no lure for her then.
Despite shying away from performing, Esposito noted, “I was always funny. That was one of my superlatives in high school.”
That natural tendency paid off after college. “I got my first job working professionally in comedy the day after I graduated from college,” Esposito said. She worked at the two main comedy clubs in Boston — Improv Boston and Improv Asylum.
The multitalented Esposito made her directorial debut in her standup special, “Dropout Presents: “Four Pills.” She was in the cast of Hulu’s “A Million Little Things.” Her memoir “Save Yourself” was a bestseller. She also has a long-running podcast, “Queery.”
Performances of “Feat” will be in Steppenwolf’s Ensemble Theater, 1646 N. Halsted St. in Chicago at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 3, and 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Oct. 4. Tickets are $43-$58. Information is at 312-335-1650 or Steppenwolf.org/FEAT.
Myrna Petlicki is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.