The author, public speaker, bon vivant and ringleader of Comedians with Disabilities Act is about to add yet another star on her impressive CV: The comedy troupe will be the subject of a documentary that is being filmed on tour, with one of the stops at Woodhouse Blending and Brewing in Santa Cruz on Jan. 15.
A well-known comedian who goes by the moniker Nina G, she has performed in Santa Cruz for 15 years—and she is firing in all engines.
The Comedians with Disabilities Act might not have been Nina G’s original idea, but she has been a guiding force for over a decade.
“The person who started the vision was Michael O’Connell, who is the father of the group. It started in 2010, and I joined in 2011. It was originally at the Sacramento Comedy Spot, which is where we’re having a show that same week as Santa Cruz. And Michael had muscular dystrophy, And he died—god, it was like 2016 or around there. And, he was really funny. He used a wheelchair,” Nina G says from her home in the Bay Area.
At the time, there were no women on the tour, and Nina G knew she had to become a part of it. “And for me, it helped to develop my voice as a disabled performer. And it also helped me to write my book, Stutterer Interrupted,” she admits.
Nina G’s disability is stuttering, and she used to be introduced onstage as “The No. 1 stuttering female comic in the world,” which she shortened to “The No. 1 stuttering female comic in California” but is now content with “The No. 1 stuttering female comic in the Bay Area.”
“When I started, I was the only female comic who stuttered in the world. Now there’s a lovely woman in Los Angeles. I’ve honed it down ever since, which is wonderful. I’m happy to be dethroned,” Nina G laughs.
Over the years Nina G has assembled a menagerie of hilarious comics, and the show that is being filmed features just some of them. But it’s a wide array of styles and disabilities.
Host Michael Beers has opened for Gilbert Gottfried and is a sought-after keynote speaker on topics including humor, disability advocacy, education and community building. Comedian Serena Gamboa, diagnosed with epilepsy in 2014, has won multiple comedy awards; she uses her comedy to raise awareness about the condition. Comedian John Howard has dyslexia and doubles as a crew member for the film. And comedian Elvin Maglinte is blind and has performed all over California and Nevada.
But it’s headliner Jade Theriault—wheeling around in her futuristic wheelchair, spewing nonstop and often quite dirty jokes—who will become your new favorite comic. Theriault is a Forbes-recognized comedian, and a regular at SF’s prestigious Punchline, who combines provocative thought with moving furniture.
Besides making people laugh and creating an atmosphere of respect, Nina G—who sadly will not be performing at this event—is trying to have venues step up their game in welcoming comedians with disabilities. Being in charge of the group that tours the country, Nina G has to worry about travel and accessibility.
“We won’t play at a venue that doesn’t have an accessible bathroom at the end and an entrance. And we’re hoping to build more accessibility in venues. And one of my favorite things that we’ve done is in Butte, Montana, who wanted to have us there. The local Center for Independent Living was the sponsor. And we advocated to get a bathroom built into the Elks Club there,” Nina G states proudly.
Nina G’s fight for equality and accessibility is a fight for free speech. She believes that if performers can’t even get up on the stage, how are they supposed to be a part of the conversation?
2026 marks a major new milestone for the group, with tours around the country. The documentary, titled Comedians with Disabilities Act: Going Beyond the Punchlines, will tour the film festival circuit, as well as serving as an inspirational film for people who might think they are unseen and voiceless, and who feel alone and lost in the shuffle.
And it’s not all about the laughter. Leading by example can affect communities. “Michael, who’s the host, and John, who’s also on the show, they’re both from Missoula, Montana. And they kind of changed the culture there,” Nina sums up. “Missoula comics no longer use the R word there.”
The Comedians with Disabilities Act Tour will take place at 8pm on Jan. 15 at Woodhouse Blending and Brewing, 119 Madrone Street, Santa Cruz. Free. comedianswithdisabilitiesact.com
