Elise Cole had always wanted to be a writer and was drawn to performance, but never planned on being a stand-up comedian. In her early 30s, while attending grad school, a chance encounter with the founder of Brave New Theater started her on the path. After getting on stage for the first time, she was hooked. Now, over a decade later, the Twin Cities-based stand-up is heading to Cincinnati, featuring for fellow stand-up comic Tabari McCoy at Go Bananas Comedy club. It’s her first time in the Queen City, but not her first time touring different cities. Since she started in comedy, a lot has changed, but Cole’s approach hasn’t. She still leans on her storytelling roots, even as performing has become more complicated, especially as an Iranian Jew in the aftermath of Oct. 7 and the current U.S.-Israel-Iran war.