Comic relief – the moment in a drama that offers humor to break up the tension – is what Jessica Joy wants to provide.

“I want to be the funniest person on a drama, the person who has the one line that’s really funny and then disappears for the rest of the show,” Joy said.

A 2000 alumna of the University, Joy has been acting since she switched her major to theatre her freshman year at the University.

Joy, whose most famous role was playing Mildred in the now-canceled NBC show “The Playboy Club,” is beginning her ascent to fame and looked back on the things that helped her get there.

Joy was working with an improv group called Second City in Chicago when she auditioned for “The Playboy Club.” She said she was excited when her agent called her about it.

Despite the cancellation of the show after three episodes, Joy said she is happy for the experience because of the great people she got to meet.

Joy is still working with Second City and said she will continue to until “something tells me to stop.”

As for what comes next for the actress and comedian, Joy isn’t sure.

“That’s the fun thing about acting – I never know what my agent’s going to call with tomorrow,” Joy said. “You never see it coming.”

Joy offered some advice for University students and then reflected on her own experience at the University.

“As cliché as it is – to enjoy mistakes and don’t worry about them because they don’t really count until you graduate,” Joy said. “Be ready to work as soon as you get out, because that’s when it gets hard but fun. Acting is the best job – it’s not work.”

A professor called “Doc E,” auditioning for every show and a revolving stage: these are the things Joy remembers about her time at the University.

Joy was a student of “Doc E,” otherwise known as Michael Ellison. Ellison is a professor in the department of theatre and film at the University and began teaching here in 1999.

“I remember her being very funny,” Ellison said of Joy.

Ellison taught a class to seniors to prepare them for the business of acting.

“That’s what I remember most about my education,” Joy said.

Joy began at the University as a music education major, and then switched second semester of her freshman year to theatre.

“I auditioned for every play and was in most of them,” Joy said.

She enjoyed her time in the theatre department and said she had fun with her friends and classmates.

“The theatre department was small enough that it felt like a small community,” Joy said. “It was like a cool club.”

The size of the department gave Joy a chance to get more experience.

“It was the perfect size to get the experience you need,” Joy said. “There were more chances to be on stage because it was small.”

One of her favorite University plays she was involved in was called “Noises Off,” a comedy about a play which involved, in the third act, the stage revolving to show the backstage area.

“I got my stage time,” Joy said. “So I knew what I wanted to do, which was comedy.”

When Joy attended the University, there wasn’t an improv group on campus.

“I knew I loved comedy, so I thought the only thing out there for me was funny plays or musicals,” Joy said.

However, Joy did get involved with a sketch comedy show called “Tomfoolery” during her time at the University.

Her friend, Chris Conley, who attended the University at the same time, was also involved in the show.

“We were filming at 10:30 at night,” Conley said. “It was definitely a unique college experience.”

Conley spoke fondly of Joy.

“She’s absolutely got the quirky sensibility about her for sketch and improv,” Conley said.

After college, Joy spent a few summers in shows at Cedar Point and singing in a cabaret show in Cleveland. She then moved to Chicago and further explored her love of comedy at Second City.

Second City is “the leading brand in improv-based sketch comedy,” according to their website, secondcity.com.

Joy was in the Second City touring company for a little less than a year before she got put on stage at Second City.

“All the experience I got at BG is one of the reasons I made it so far in Second City,” Joy said. “The acting experience gives you a leg up.”

Joy works to produce reviews and performs at Second City.

“It’s based out of improv; we’ve also written short comic sketches with a theme and music,” she said.

Ellison said he’s not surprised Joy has accomplished what she has.

“She has terrific comic timing,” Ellison said. “It didn’t surprise me at all that she went to Chicago and Second City and explored comedy and improv.”

Joy seemed to have comic ability from the beginning of her acting experiences.

“I really never doubted what she was going to end up doing,” Conley said.

“She’s always been this really quirky, offbeat, gorgeous girl,” she said. “It’s an interesting combination in person. She’s kind of quiet; she’ll say something and it’ll take a minute for you to realize it’s funny.

“No one could deserve it more.”