Brandeis’ Senior Festival’s lone stand-up comedy show was Look Me in the Eyebrows, written by and starring Anne Chmiel’ 15.

In a description on the festival’s website, Chmiel comically asked her parents to forgive her for funding an expensive Brandeis education—only to then realize that her true aim was comedy.

The show covered topics ranging from her parents’ obvious dissapoitnment in her career choices to her experiences as a woman. When asked why she made the unusual choice to stage a comedy show, Chmiel responded that she wanted a chance to prove that she could hold her own and command a stage by herself.

In an email to the Justice, Chmiel wrote that “[she’s] spent [her] whole life trying to get people to think [she is] funny,” and that this show was the perfect venue. Chmiel wrote that “[h]aving a fully produced show under your belt shows you have a little more clout than reading from a joke book to your gramma (sic) in front of your fire place (which is what I did when I was 7).”

Chmiel also sarcastically stressed the importance of the show to her audience, writing, “I made this for all of the people [in] my audience.”

Elaborating, Chmiel wrote, “[s]o when I make it big they can now say, ‘Oh I knew her when...!’ I like it when people laugh at me [thereby] making me the center of attention.”

According to Chmiel, viewers should learn from the show “that I am funny and really brave. And also the Theater department is really brave for allowing me to have this opportunity. Don’t be afraid to ask for what you want and to follow your dreams.”

The show touched on several themes, which Chmiel described as “comedy, since it was a stand up comedy show, but I did talk a lot about my mom and and the sexual behavior of others. (Those two topics were separate, I assure you).”