Today we’d like to introduce you to Maggie Tomasek.
Maggie, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I moved to Chicago in 2009, looking to switch careers after spending years working as a newspaper journalist. I also wanted to try new things and meet new people, and I’d always had an interest in comedy, so I signed up for an all-women stand-up comedy class, the Feminine Comique. I learned the basics of joke writing and how to be comfortable on stage, and I also met some incredible women. One of those women, Amy Sumpter, became a close friend, and we discovered we had a shared love of the Beastie Boys. Amy told me about another comedy friend of hers, Kendra Stevens, who was also a huge Beastie Boys fan and that they had talked about/joked about starting an all-female Beastie Boys cover band.
A couple years went by, and I continued to do stand-up comedy as a fun side project. I also started writing more personal essays and performing at shows in Chicago’s fast-growing storytelling/“live lit” scene. Writing has always been one of my passions, so it was a perfect fit.
All the while, Amy, Kendra and I would sometimes bring up our Beastie Boys project, but nothing ever seemed to stick. Then, on May 4, 2012, Adam “MCA” Yauch of the Beastie Boys died from cancer, and we decided it was time to make it happen for real. One week later, we got together for a Beastie Boys karaoke night, and then we spent the rest of the summer rehearsing in my basement and trying to figure out how we were going to pull this thing off. At first, our vision for what our group could be was very limited. We thought maybe some of our friends with cabaret or burlesque shows would let us come on as a variety act. We all had experience as performers, but we weren’t musicians and didn’t know that world.
Our first official performance as She’s Crafty came during a storytelling show at a coffee shop in Ukrainian Village. Tons of our friends came to support us, but we really had no idea if what we were doing would take off. We had a few more similar shows in “unconventional” venues, running our tracks off an iPod with no microphones, and quickly realized how much everyone was truly loving what we were doing. We decided we needed to take things to the next level, and from then on, things have continued to grow and grow.
We added our first DJ, Sara Tea, in late 2012. When she moved, we had a couple temporary DJs until we found Erica Reid, aka DJ ENRG. We also met Erica through the Chicago comedy scene. Like us, she was a huge Beastie Boys fan but didn’t really have a musical background. So she taught herself to DJ and now she’s been with us since 2014.
We’ve played at tons of Chicago venues, from the Double Door (RIP!) to City Winery to Lincoln Hall. We’ve traveled around the Midwest and played Chicago street festivals. And for five years, we have put together MCA Day Chicago, a celebration of Adam “MCA” Yauch and the Beastie Boys with all proceeds benefitting cancer charities.
I’ve been able to apply skills from my professional career — writing, public relations, social media and more — to help She’s Crafty get to where we are today. It’s one of the most fun and rewarding things I’ve ever been a part of, even though it’s just a side gig and not my “real career.” The Beastie Boys have been my favorite band since I was 8 years old, and to have the opportunity to share their music with audiences young and old is a thrill every time.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
No journey worth taking is without struggles, right? When we first started out as She’s Crafty, we would pretty much play anywhere that would give us stage time just to get experience and exposure. That meant dealing with some difficult people and less-than-ideal situations. As an artist or performer, it can often feel like you don’t have any power, that you are at the mercy of the venue or booker. But we have learned to trust our instincts and to take back that power. We can say no to booking requests and we can ask for what we need. I think that’s an especially important lesson for young women to learn. It can be scary to speak your truth, to stand up for yourself, to say what you want and what you deserve — especially when you’re just trying to get a foot in the door. But ultimately, listen to that voice inside and let that guide you. Also, I recommend finding a group of women friends that you can bounce ideas and decisions off of. It’s truly a gift.
Please tell us about She’s Crafty.
Of course, She’s Crafty is known for being Chicago’s all-female Beastie Boys tribute. Yes, we are an all-female group playing songs made famous by a group of men, but I don’t think that’s actually what sets us apart from other bands. I’m incredibly proud of the way we use our platform to promote the causes we are passionate about. We’ve helped raise over $10,000 for cancer charity through our MCA Day Chicago event, plus hundreds of dollars more for other charities and causes, including RefugeeOne, Gilda’s Club Chicago, Chicago Period Project, Red ROWS, Sister District and others.
I’m incredibly proud of the charitable work we’ve done, and I’m incredibly proud of how we take time out of every single show to talk about how important it is to be politically active and to stand up for marginalized communities. I know what a privilege it is to have the opportunity to speak directly to dozens or hundreds or thousands of people from a stage, and while, of course, we are there to entertain folks, we also use our platform to elevate voices and issues.
Do you think there are structural or other barriers impeding the emergence of more female leaders?
It’s a vicious cycle. If there were more women leaders, then more women would be hired, and those women could eventually become leaders. But also, we need to overhaul what we as a society see as women’s work and men’s work. There is just work.
One of the greatest joys I have as a performer and as a woman is to see young girls dancing and singing along at a She’s Crafty show. It’s overwhelming to think that I could be influencing or inspiring girls and young women to chase their dreams but it’s so important. As I always say, you can’t be it if you don’t see it.
Contact Info:
- Website: shescraftychi.com
- Email: shescraftychi@gmail.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/shescraftychi
- Facebook: facebook.com/shescraftychi
- Twitter: twitter.com/shescraftychi
- Other: youtube.com/shescraftychi
Image Credit:
Johnny Knight, Pedro de Jesus
Getting in touch: VoyageChicago is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
