Some readers might think that Nipples to the Wind is a rather provocative title for a two-woman show coming soon to Southern California audiences. And you might be right.

Played by two middle-aged actors, Paula Coco and Janye Anderson, who carry forth a drag queen in-your-face air (at least in costuming), these two comedians offer a series of monologues about 14 memorable women, including a narcissistic suicide hotline operator, a Little League mom who winds up in jail and three female siblings at a family session of confession.

Nipples to the Wind is a euphemism born to the South that suggests a straight-up posture, head raised high and carrying a confidence that’s plain for all to see. Though this sassy comedy written by Coco and directed by Reno Venturi was not intended for a strictly gay audience, it certainly addresses the lesbian in some of us. The universal thread is family and everyone can relate to that. Since there is Broadway buzz about the show, I might encourage you see the show now while it’s accessible at two venues on our local back porch: Avo Playhouse in Vista Jan. 18-21 and California Center for the Arts in Escondido Feb. 1-3.

I had the recent pleasure of chatting with Coco over the phone from her East Coast digs. Coco has a way of making you feel comfortable and entertained at the same time.

There seems no better way to welcome the new year than with a full-out laugh session with Coco and Anderson in Nipples to the Wind. The series of 14 monologues, hilarious and poignant at the same time, are bound to pummel your funny bone. Through Coco’s characters, we learn the importance of loving – and that’s not a bad thing at all.

Gay & Lesbian Times: Could you tell us about the message and the inspiration for your comedy/drama Nipples to the Wind?

Paula Coco: The characters are based on my own life as well as family and friends that I have observed through the years. The message is a simple one: Have fun while visiting with characters that will make you appreciate women, baggage and all.

GLT: At the age of 52, it seems you might have an overnight success on your hands with Nipples.

PC: Nipples is a product of a long, extended overnight success story. After honing my skills with stand-up comedy at The Improv, Caroline’s and The Comic Strip in New York City, I founded The WHIT [West Hartford Improv Troupe]. At one point in time, it just felt right to use some of that material for a full-length production. Some pieces are reincarnations from the past. For example, “I’m A Believer” is the only autobiographical monologue, a piece that was submitted and accepted for the Short & Neat One-Act Play Festival in New Haven a few years ago.

GLT: I understand that your acting cohort in Nipples is nothing less than a blood relative.

PC: Yes. Jayne Anderson, the other actor in the production, is my aunt; both of us born and bred in Texas. While Jayne still lives in Dallas, I reside in Connecticut with my husband. I can tell you that Jayne breathes incredible life in the characters that I wrote, so much so that I forget I wrote them.

GLT: It has been reported that you and Jayne have a flair for drag diva fashion. How did that notoriety happen?

PC: That’s an interesting story in itself. Our sense of fashion comes via our greeting card business, called Jessie Mae and Pearl after the characters we portray. Our slogan may provide a suggestion of where we’re coming from: “For those who refuse to live in a black-and-white world.” It’s a fashion statement that suggests that no accessory is too big or overstated; the bolder the better. In 1997, Jayne and I went deep into my closet and hauled out some wild outfits that her daughter photographed. I later put them into a book and gifted them to Jayne. Encouraged by friends who had viewed this coffee-table book, Jessie Mae and Pearl started making appearances at parties and eventually led to our line of cards. Yes, we resemble a drag queen duo.

GLT: I understand that there is a queer sensibility in many of the characters in Nipples.

PC: I never really thought about it until our director, Reno Venturi, who happens to be gay, brought it to my attention that many of the characters are gay. I never intentioned this; it just happened. My life has always included an extensive array of gay men and lesbians, and when you’re writing about real people, well…

GLT: Is there a defining thread in your show?

PC: The characters are all survivors.

GLT: What’s your biggest challenge in the show?

PC: It’s a two-hour show, and Jayne and I are on stage the entire time, so it’s extremely challenging physically, especially with all of the costumes changes and such.

GLT: I understand that the Nipples to the Wind CD is scheduled for release this year.

PC: Although Nipples is not a musical, I wanted some original music to underscore some of the scenes. I found Kacey Jones [think all-girl cult group Ethel and the Shameless Hussies] to write the music. Jones, Deborah Liv Johnson [local San Diegan] and Tracey James sing the songs. You can’t listen to this CD without feeling happy.

GLT: How long is your national tour?

PC: It will run through August and pick up again in September. I will tell you that it was no coincidence that we will be playing California in January. Although I can’t give you specifics, I’m in negotiations for a run on Broadway.

GLT: What’s one of your fondest memories in stand-up?

PC: When comedian Brett Butler announced, “I love what you do.”

GLT: What other projects have you got on the back burner?

PC: I’m writing a screenplay for an actress. It’s a made-to-order assignment about a madam from another century.

GLT: Any advice that you might offer up-and-coming actors/comedians?

PC: Yes. Have the tenacity to just do it!