Nick Kroll’s creative evolution has him feeling more open and honest – Vanyaland

The actor, comedian, and Big Mouth creator brings his most personal stand-up set to Medfords Chevalier Theatre this weekend

Over the years, Nick Kroll has performed on Boston stages in a variety of ways, but as he makes his way back to the area for his latest New England rendezvous, hes feeling a bit different about what hes bringing to the table. Actually, you could say hes going through changes.

Equipped with what he feels is the most complete version of a show hes done in any format, Kroll brings his Middle-Aged Boy tour to Medfords Chevalier Theatre on Friday (November 8) for two shows, one of which is sold out. While hes excited to bring new material to the area, hes even more excited to bring the show in a more open and honest direction than hes really used to, and in many ways, he has Big Mouth to thank for that.

This show is a little more about my life, and a little bit more revelatory about where I am at this point in my life, Kroll tells Vanyaland. The whole idea of the Middle-Aged Boy tour is that Im in my forties, but in a lot of ways I still feel like a kid, and I think a lot of people can identify with that. It just feels like a much more open and honest version of where I am right now, and I think a lot of that comes from what I learned doing Big Mouth and how much Ive been rewarded with the amount of people that watch the show because of how honest it feels.

The newer territory of touring solo, as opposed to bringing projects like Oh Hello! around the country with John Mulaney like hes done in the past, is strange in a number of ways for Kroll; he admits that its been a very different creative process when it comes to molding the material as the tour rolls on. But on the other hand, hes happy that hes able to do his own thing in this way, as hes been able to draw a few key similarities from past tours that have helped him to keep learning, building, and reframing the show as it evolves.

I brought this show to Providence a fewmonths ago, and a lot of it is the same, but a lot of it is also changing andevolving, and its just a really fun way to continue to grow it, says Kroll.Its a completely different beast when you do a show with someone else likeJohn, but its been a lot of fun just being open and honest about who I amnow.

While he draws a lot of inspiration from whathes done in real life, Kroll has also felt a shift in the direction of hiscomedy since he began creating the hit Netflix show Big Mouth, which has also helped him to feel more comfortable inbeing more open and honest with the crowd. Hes even drawn a lot from thecreative process of making the show that hes been able to transfer to hisapproach to stand-up to give his fans a well-rounded stand-up experience.

The process of animation means that you getconstantly revise and polish whats wrong, and it takes a long time to make anepisode for a show like Big Mouth,says Kroll. So, I feel like Ive taken a lot of those lessons of revising andfixing the things that are working or not working in my stand-up, and use themto continue to make it a better and fuller show.

While hes put a lot of focus into shaping his stand-up show, Krolls growth as an artist has also been evident throughout the evolution of Big Mouth, which is currently in its third season on Netflix. While the first two seasons drew a lot of inspiration from his childhood, as well as that of his creative partner Andrew Goldberg, Kroll wanted to make sure that the third season dealt with issues that kids are facing today. The new season speaks to the affects of addiction to electronics and social media, Adderall use, and the dynamic shift that the #MeToo movement has brought to the forefront between boys and girls going through the throes of middle school.

This season was the first season that was written after the #MeToo movement really started, so we also wanted to explore the politics of men and women, and young boys and girls, with these questions like how can girls be angry? and how can boys be horny and still be good kids?, says Kroll. We really just wanted to explore all of those different elements.

Kroll has a lot to keep him busy through the start of the new year. Between the tour, the next season of Big Mouth in the works, and his starring role in Olympic Dreams, which he shot on location at the 2018 Winter Olympics with Alexi Pappas and director Jeremy Teicher, hes also looking forward to getting another show, Human Resources, up and running. But for now, hes just excited to return to the area and soak up the New England fall, make some people laugh, and stay far away from any sort of shellfish.

Ill probably take a stroll around BostonCommon, and I wouldnt be surprised if I wound up eating some dumplings inChinatown, says Kroll. Im also allergic to shellfish, so I wont be havingany clam chowder, but Boston is one of my favorite cities, because its sobeautiful, so Im hoping it wont be too cold and I get to walk around a bit.

NICK KROLL, MIDDLE-AGED BOY TOUR :: Friday, November 8 at the Chevalier Theatre, 30 Forest Street in Medford, MA :: 7:30 p.m. (sold out) & 10 p.m., $34 :: Event Page

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Nick Kroll's creative evolution has him feeling more open and honest - Vanyaland