Nicole Travolta to perform 1-woman show in Sewickley

Debt, divorce and spray tanning — actress, comedian and impressionist Nicole Travolta pulls no punches in her one-woman show “Doing Alright,” where she recounts her journey through the ups and downs of her life inspired by a bizarre, real-life journey through the world of spray tanning.

Fresh off a 12-show stint at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Travolta will be making a one-night appearance Sept. 14 at the Lindsay Theater and Cultural Center in Sewickley.

Travolta combines vulnerability and comedy in her performance as she tackles topics such as divorce and finances. She is painfully honest about her experience as an actress looking for her big break, being actor John Travolta’s niece, a compulsive shopper spiraling into debt, a divorcee looking for her next steps and finding a job at a tanning salon that led her out of the dark and back to the stage.

“I tended to feel a lot of shame and regret with these things that I had gone through, but when I really started to dig deep and process everything, I realized that these are things that I’m learning and growing from,” Travolta said. “I found a new strength that I knew lived inside of me but that I couldn’t really access before.”

After running out of money and “hitting rock bottom,” Travolta found herself working in a popular tanning salon in Los Angeles. Celebrities, influencers and wealthy members of society frequented the shop. Initially resistant to accept the job offer from her friend, Travolta was inspired by the different characters that she interacted with every day, and found herself writing her show with Lauren Burns, a main company member of Los Angeles comedy improv group The Groundlings.

“I didn’t feel like I was above the job, but I was married and booking acting jobs,” Travolta said. “It just wasn’t in the plan. Taking that job really freed me. It made me grow and realize that plans don’t always pan out. The job itself was an outlet to be able to get out of the situation I was in. It saved me.”

Travolta found a sense of empowerment after reliving the chaos of her life on stage. Not only did she want her show to act as an outlet for her feelings, but to also be a safe space for her audience to connect with their own twists and turns through life.

“I wanted to open a conversation about divorce and finances without that shame that normally comes with it,” Travolta said. “I wanted to spin this in a funny and heartwarming way. I’ve had people come up to me after a show and tell me how the show affected them. Knowing that it’s hitting people in ways that I didn’t even realize brought me to my knees.”

Performing in what is traditionally a movie theater, Travolta said she is excited to meet the challenge of connecting with the audience in a different type of setting.

“The Lindsay Theater and Cultural Center is a film-driven organization, but our mission is to strengthen cultural and educational entertainment northwest of Pittsburgh,” said its CEO, Carolina Thor. “Cinematic programs are usually what we offer, but we are always trying to find ways to accomplish our mission with live performance.”

The comedian is no stranger to Sewickley. She has longtime friends who are Sewickley natives that suggested she bring her show to the town to celebrate the fond memories she had made there. Travolta said that with the town being so important to her, and the Lindsay Theater being so important to the town, it’s an exciting opportunity for her.

“I’ve been in that town many, many times with my friends, and it felt like such an exciting decision for me to bring my show there,” Travolta said.

For more information and to purchase tickets, visit thelindsaytheater.org and nicoletravolta.com.