{{Short description|American actress, comedian and writer}} {{Infobox person | name = <!-- defaults to article title when left blank --> | image = <!-- filename only, no "File:" or "Image:" prefix, and no enclosing brackets --> | alt = <!-- descriptive text for use by speech synthesis (text-to-speech) software --> | caption = | birth_name = <!-- only use if different from name --> | birth_date = {{Birth year and age|1986}}<ref name=":0" /><!-- {{Birth date and age|YYYY|MM|DD}} for living people supply only the year with {{Birth year and age|YYYY}} unless the exact date is already widely published, as per WP:DOB. For people who have died, use {{Birth date|YYYY|MM|DD}}. --> | birth_place = Gary, Indiana, U.S. | death_date = <!-- {{Death date and age|YYYY|MM|DD|YYYY|MM|DD}} (DEATH date then BIRTH date) --> | death_place = | other_names = | alma_mater = American Musical and Dramatic Academy | occupation = Writer, actress, comedian | years_active = | known_for = | notable_works = }} '''Lisa Beasley''' (born 1986)<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=They're in the funny business: Cubicle comedians make light of what we all hate about work |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2023/12/14/tiktok-office-humor-workplace-stress/71818293007/ |access-date=2024-01-23 |website=USA TODAY |language=en-US}}</ref> is an American actress, comedian, and writer based in Chicago, Illinois. She is known for her original comedy videos shared on social media, including her satirical impressions of Margaret Thatcher and Lori Lightfoot, and for the original character Corporate Erin.
== Early life and education == Beasley was born and raised in Gary, Indiana and attended high school at Emerson School for the Visual and Performing Arts.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |date=2023-12-01 |title=Meet Corporate Erin, the TikTok executive from Indiana now triggering the entire working world |url=https://www.wthr.com/article/entertainment/meet-corporate-erin-the-tiktok-executive-from-indiana-now-triggering-the-entire-working-world-lisa-beasley/531-db2602dd-295b-41a3-94ca-457a721ef602 |access-date=2024-01-23 |website=wthr.com |language=en-US}}</ref> She completed her bachelor's degree in jazz in 2008, then moved to Los Angeles and completed the musical/theater program at American Musical and Dramatic Academy.<ref name=":2" />
== Career == Beasley began her professional acting career in Chicago as a performer at the Black-owned theater company ETA Creative Arts Foundation.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Beasley |first=Lisa |date=2020-03-10 |title=Lisa Beasley cooks up her own opportunities |url=http://chicagoreader.com/arts-culture/lisa-beasley-cooks-up-her-own-opportunities/ |access-date=2024-01-23 |website=Chicago Reader |language=en-US}}</ref> She was next hired at Black Ensemble Theater for both children's performances and the main stage.<ref name=":2" /> She also worked as a freelance graphic designer.<ref name=":1" /> Beasley went on to train and work at the Second City.<ref name=":1" /> In 2015 she was a touring member for the Second City's National Touring Company team BlueCo. She was also a member of the improv group 3peat, who created the viral sketch "The Blackening" (the source material for the 2022 film adaptation), which was produced for Comedy Central.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-06-09 |title='The Blackening': How a Chicago comedian's takedown of horror cliches grew into high-profile Hollywood movie |url=https://chicago.suntimes.com/movies-and-tv/2023/6/9/23754719/the-blackening-dewayne-perkins-chicago-second-city-tim-story-patrick-rowland |access-date=2024-01-26 |website=Chicago Sun-Times |language=en}}</ref> She continued to work and perform and left for a time in 2016 due to frustration with the working conditions.<ref name=":2" />
She began to gain attention for posting comedic videos to her social media accounts in 2020.<ref name="tribune" /> Her impression of Margaret Thatcher went viral in fall 2020.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-06-15 |title=Lisa Beasley's Mayor Lightfoot Impression Is Comedy Gold |url=https://www.wbez.org/stories/lisa-beasleys-mayor-lightfoot-impression-is-comedy-gold/2b8e9907-f0c9-4295-80bb-6abd2f9909d8 |access-date=2024-01-23 |website=WBEZ Chicago |language=en}}</ref> In particular, her TikTok parody videos of then-mayor Lori Lightfoot (as the character "Lory Litefoot") began to go viral.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |last=Golden |first=Jamie Nesbitt |date=2021-06-10 |title=As 'Lory Litefoot,' Comedian Lisa Beasley Delights TikTok — But Bronzeville Mom Is Fed Up With Real-Life Mayor |url=http://blockclubchicago.org/2021/06/10/as-lory-litefoot-comedian-lisa-beasley-delights-tiktok-but-bronzeville-mom-is-fed-up-with-real-life-mayor/ |access-date=2024-01-23 |website=Block Club Chicago |language=en-US}}</ref> The videos were partly inspired by Beasley's frustration with the mayor's performance.<ref name=":3" /> She was hired around the city to perform as the character.<ref name="tribune" /> After one of her viral videos about Lightfoot's skirmishes with the Chicago Public School (CPS) parents and teachers union,<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-01-12 |title=Comedian Lisa Beasley entertains CPS teachers in show impersonating Mayor Lori Lightfoot |url=https://www.wbez.org/stories/lisa-beasley-lampoons-lori-lightfoot-as-lory-litefoot/be569900-0cd0-4b51-865c-db625d0d0c37 |access-date=2024-01-23 |website=WBEZ Chicago |language=en}}</ref> she sponsored The Teachers' Appreciation Comedy Show at the Laugh Factory to benefit CPS teachers.<ref name="tribune">{{cite web |last1=Warnecke |first1=Lauren |title=Chicago comic Lisa Beasley turns her viral TikTok imitation of Lightfoot into a show for teachers at Laugh Factory |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/theater/ct-ent-lisa-beasley-comic-lightfoot-20220111-ftcylfzglfa2pohdmksc3ehnde-story.html |website=Chicago Tribune |date=11 January 2022 |access-date=23 January 2024}}</ref>
Her character '''Corporate Erin''', a satire of passive aggressive micromanagers that overuse jargon and constantly deliver bad news, first appeared in 2021 but went viral in late 2023.<ref name=":1" /> One video has approximately nine million views on TikTok in part because the character feels familiar to many viewers.<ref name=":0" /><ref name="distractify">{{cite web |last1=Belcher |first1=Sara |title=Corporate Erin Is Both Hilarious and Shockingly Accurate |url=https://www.distractify.com/p/corporate-erin-tiktok |access-date=23 January 2024 |website=Distractify|date=17 January 2024 }}</ref> She appeared in character as Erin on ''WGN Morning News''.<ref name="wgn">{{cite web |title="Corporate Erin" stops by for a very special morning meeting |url=https://wgntv.com/morning-news/corporate-erin-stops-by-for-a-very-special-morning-meeting/ |access-date=23 January 2024 |website=WGN|date=19 January 2024 }}</ref>
Beasley has acted on ''Chicago Med'' and in original sketch videos with the improv troupe 3peat.<ref name=":1" /> She was a recurring character on the series ''South Side''.<ref name="tribune" />
== Personal life == Beasley resides on the South Side of Chicago.<ref name=":3" /> She has a daughter.<ref name=":3" />
== Accolades ==
* 2024 – People's Voice Winner (Social - Comedy), Webby Awards<ref>{{Cite web |title=Corporate Erin Takes Over Social Media |url=http://winners.webbyawards.com/2024/social/general-social/comedy/298144/corporate-erin-takes-over-social-media |access-date=2024-06-18 |website=Webby Awards |language=en}}</ref>
== References == {{Reflist}}
== External links == * [https://www.lisabexperience.com/ Official website] * {{IMDb name|id=nm8037844}} * [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjoVWaqRjc0 Lisa Beasley] as Corporate Erin on ''the Tamron Hall Show'' {{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Beasley, Lisa}} Category:1986 births Category:Living people Category:African-American actresses Category:African-American women comedians Category:American women comedians Category:African-American comedians Category:Comedians from Indiana Category:Writers from Gary, Indiana Category:African-American women writers Category:American Musical and Dramatic Academy alumni Category:Entertainers from Indiana Category:American TikTokers Category:American satirists Category:American women satirists Category:American impressionists (entertainers) Category:21st-century American women