SPEC Connaissance will host a talk by Ellie Kemper, star of Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, on April 21.
Credit: Courtesy of Alex Erde/Creative CommonsIf you’ve already binge-watched the first season of "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt" on Netflix, you're in luck.
Star of the new series Ellie Kemper, who plays Kimmy, will speak at Penn on April 21 in an event produced by the Social Planning and Events Committee. She is expected to discuss her career and experiences, and students will be able to interact with her in a question-and-answer session.
The new series was co-created by writer and comedian Tina Fey, best known for her role on "Saturday Night Live," and television screenwriter Robert Carlock, a former writer for "Saturday Night Live" and "Friends." Season one of the series hit Netflix in March and was quickly met with high ratings and critical acclaim.
Kemper was involved in improv and comedy groups as an undergraduate at Princeton University and has been in the entertainment industry ever since. Her past roles include parts in "Bridesmaids," "21 Jump Street" and "The Office."
“If you ever laughed watching The Office or Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, I am positive you are going to laugh at this event,” said SPEC Connaissance co-director and College senior Gabriel Jimenez.
Kemper is a strong voice for gender dynamics in the entertainment industry. In 2014, she hosted a TED Talk entitled “Women are Funny!” and spoke about her experience as a female comedian in the male-dominated industry.
Kemper's visit to campus will follow comedian Jessica Williams' talk as part of Women's Week on Feb. 21, another event on which SPEC collaborated.
“One thing we are really excited about is having another strong female entertainer,” Jimenez said.
Kemper will speak at 6 p.m. in Harrison Auditorium at the Penn Museum. Tickets will be sold online starting on Monday, April 6 and on Locust Walk starting on Tuesday, April 7.
Last semester, SPEC Connaissance hosted a talk by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and activist Antonio Vargas. Past speakers include Retta Sirleaf in 2014, Matthew Perry in 2012 and Seth Meyers in 2010.
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