Meet the talented performers, instructors, and panelists leading workshops and stages at ImprovCon 2026. Or go to Event Search to search for events.
Alan Hawkins is an improviser, actor, and educator with more than forty years of experience in theatre. He began acting at fourteen and has worked across performance and directing. His work is grounded in an Adler and Meisner influenced belief in bold choices, honesty, and emotional truth. He trained at The Second City Conservatory, iO West, ComedySportz Chicago, and The Annoyance Theatre, and has performed nationally and internationally. Alan is an ensemble member at Unexpected Productions and author of You Can’t Learn Improv from a Book.
Allyn Pintal is a writer and performer living in Los Angeles. She was born in the Philippines and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area. You can watch her sketch collaborations with Wong Fu Productions on YouTube, as well as her own original sketches on her Instagram. She loves romance books and taking long walks through the cemetery.
Alora Cheek has been doing improv since 1997 or "last century" depending on who you ask. Teaching Level One is a passion. In just the last two years she has taken over 100 students from "oh my gosh what is this" to class show ready in just 8 weeks. It's fun. Regarding teens, Alora has a B.A. in Secondary Education, and M.A. in Theater, has taught improv to teens for years, and is a mom of three, youngest in tween status. That's real life training. No experience necessary for this class. Seriously. That's the goal of this Intro.
Andy Goldberg is the director of Off The Wall improv group that recently celebrated its 50th anniversary. The author of "Improv Comedy" from Samuel French Press, he has been teaching improv for over 35 years. Former students include Bryan Cranston, Alex Borstein and Corbin Bernsen. He has improvised over the years with Robin Williams, John Ritter, Garry Shandling, Larry David, Fred Willard, George Wendt, and many others. Also an actor, writer and director, he continues to perform with Off The Wall.
Anthony LeBlanc works at Nickelodeon in talent development and as an on-set acting coach on such hit shows as The Reboot of All That. He was Interim Executive Producer of The Second City in 2020. Previously, LeBlanc served as an AD for The Second City, as well as a part-time faculty member at Columbia College Chicago. Anthony is a SC alum who wrote and performed in two original Chicago Mainstage revues. He has been a teacher and resident director for Second City, directing several resident stage and theatrical productions. Anthony is an autistic Blerd dedicated to promoting Neurodiversity and Diversity in comedy.
Arjun is based in Bangalore, India, where he co-runs Improv Lore, nurturing local improv talent while exploring storytelling with a South Asian lens. His approach to storytelling is inspired from folktales, and mythology that he grew up on in India. A lot of his work is centered around using improvised storytelling to explore characters, motivations, and teachings from these folktales and mythologies. He's also influenced by the collaborative nature of tabletop boardgames like Dungeons & Dragons, which allows him to explore character-driven spontaneous storytelling.
1989: born in Walnut Creek, California. 3rd grade: I adlib a line during an audition for Mrs. Bangs' Spring play and the class laughs. 8th grade: the math teacher, Ms. Westerfield, directs the school play and prepares us with improv games. First year of college: campus improv troupe performs. That weekend I audition and get into the group. 2011: Return home to Denver, start taking improv classes at the Bovine Metropolis. 2012-19: play, teach, learn at home and festivals. 2020: Pandemic. 2021-present: playing, teaching, learning, pursuing dream of further becoming a traveling teacher-artist. All that time: living life, being human.
Dr. Amanda Cassil is a Clinical Psychologist and the founder of STEM Psychological Services. She is the author of The Empowered Highly Sensitive Person and The Self-Care Plan for the Highly Sensitive Person, and host of the podcast Practicing Failure. Ben Cassil is an improv instructor, coach, and performer. He has been improvising for over 13 years, with training from WE Improv and UCB Los Angeles. You can see Ben perform with the WE Improv House Team Cosmo, Improvised Movie team Hot Set at WGIS, Trans-Atlantic team SIPS, and hear him on his improvised podcast Live From the Big Apple.
Bernie Baktashian (she/they) is a Sacramento-based improvisor, facilitator and community builder who treats improv as a practice for being human. They are the creator of Improv for Real Life, a workshop series helping people of all walks listen more deeply, connect across difference, and respond in the moment, on and off the stage. Their work centers accessibility and inclusion, designing spaces where people feel safe to take risks, be fully themselves, and belong. They previously served as Board President and Artistic Community Director at Empire Arts Collective, where they created Collective Brilliance Experience, a 12-week, improv-inspired creative incubator.
Billy Soco is a first-generation actor, improv teacher, and voice artist of Chilean and Filipino descent based in NYC. He teaches at The Second City Conservatory and serves as artistic director of Magnet Theater’s Megawatt house team program, where he also teaches improv and musical improv. His performance credits include The Armando Diaz Experience, North Coast, SaltPepperKetchup, ComedySportz, Shamilton, and Baby Wants Candy. He can also be heard on Smash Boom Best and the award-winning Story Pirates Podcast. Billy is known for teaching authenticity, exploratory play, and building bold, supportive ensembles.
Bob began performing in Chicago at the Improv Olympic and touring with the Second City. He has performed and taught at the Improv Olympic, IOWest, UCB, and WGIS theaters, and across North America, the UK and Singapore. He has been involved with several long-form improv groups including: Close Quarters, Quartet, Baby Wants Candy, and with his wife, Stephnie Weir, in WeirDass.
She is a drag performer, trans woman, and improv leader based in Las Vegas. She is the creator of Fur & Thundur, Las Vegas's only musical puppet improv troupe. Since founding the group, she has helped bring puppet improv to a wide range of audiences, including performances on the Las Vegas Strip, appearances at LVL UP Expo, improv festivals, and other live events. Passionate about combining puppetry, music, and improvisation, she is dedicated to sharing the joy and creative possibilities of puppet-based performance. Through her work, she encourages improvisers to explore puppetry as a unique tool for character creation, storytelling, and play.
Brian James O’Connell is a filmmaker and teacher based in Los Angeles. His directing credits include: KILLER VIEW, ANGRY WHITE MAN starring Matt Berry, and BLOODSUCKING BASTARDS starring Pedro Pascal (*and was the Opening Night Premiere at Slamdance). BOC (as his friends call him) also co-wrote BLOODSUCKING BASTARDS with his comedy collective Dr. God. Brian is proud to be a Co-Founder of The Pack Theater, LA Weekly’s BEST OF LA Pick for “Best Theater Company”, a Founding Board Member for Camp Improv Utopia & a current board member for Highwire Improv in Baltimore, MD who sponsor his international teaching/speaking tours: https://highwireimprov.com/boc-tour/
Bryce St Peter is an interdisciplinary improviser and writer. He graduated with a dual BA in Music and Drama from UCI, and is also a graduate of The Second City. Bryce St Peter is a long time member of ImprovCity in Orange County where he has performed as an improviser while also perfecting his methodology as a musical improv accompanist. His credits include We'll Adapt, ImprovCity Musical Improv 101, Coffee Break, Musical Improv Collective (MIC at UCI), ImprovCity Fest (ICF), Orange Country Improv Fest (OCIF), Funny People Society, Starlight High, Pool Rules, CETA, Role About, and many more.
Celeste Pechous has been honing her comedic chops for over two decades. A proud alumna of The Second City National Touring Company, she has performed improv and sketch comedy across the globe. Celeste starred as Campbell in Showtime’s critically acclaimed dark comedy Work in Progress. Other credits span both comedy and drama, with roles in Upload, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Carol’s Second Act, The Kenan Show, Masters of Sex, Workaholics, Hot in Cleveland, Get Shorty, Sharp Objects, Pearson, and One Day at a Time. You’ve also seen her in national commercials, charming you into better life decisions..
Chad Damiani is a pioneer of LA’s contemporary clown scene.
Charlie is a Los Angeles–based comedian and writer. He spent six years in Chicago studying Comedy Writing and Performance at Columbia College and performing sketch comedy with The Second City’s House Co. He performs stand-up nationwide, including festivals like San Francisco Sketchfest, and regularly appears at L.A. venues such as Dynasty Typewriter, UCB, and the Elysian. He has produced videos for Funny or Die and is widely known for his viral TikToks. His book, I’m Just a Little Guy: How to Escape the Horrors and Get Back to Dillydallying, was a USA Today bestseller.
Chris George (he/him) is an actor, improviser, and chemist from Chicago, IL and an apprentice of Bill Arnett. He is a graduate of the iO, Annoyance, CSz Advanced, Chicago Improv Studio (CIS), and CiC training centers, and is a founder of the National Comedy Theater’s (NCT) Sunday Company, co-founder and former Assistant Artistic Director of Finest City Improv (FCI) (San Diego, CA), and co-founder and former festival chair of the San Diego Improv Festival and co-producer of the Countdown Improv Festival (Tampa, FL).
Cory Hammon is a local actor, improviser, writer, and arts educator specializing in devised theater. She spent nearly a decade as the lead improv instructor for the Young Performers Workshop at La Jolla Playhouse, while also serving as head writer and director for the advanced Young Performers Academy. In these roles, she guided elementary, middle, and high school students through the collaborative process of creating original devised productions—from initial concept development and script creation to casting, rehearsal, and public performance. In addition to her work with La Jolla Playhouse, Cory spent several years teaching playwriting through Playwrights Project, helping young writers develop their creative voices and storytelling skills. Her work focuses on empowering artists through collaboration, creativity, and the development of original theatrical work.
D.J. Mausner is an award winning standup, sketch, and improv comedian known for writing the WGA Award nominated film Prom Dates on Hulu and several episodes of Max and the Midknights on Nickelodeon. They perform regularly as an UCB house performer on Harold team dance club remix and QT's, and are a seasoned stand up, having performed at Just For Laughs where they won the Homegrown Comics competition. You may have seen them on HBO, Prime, and Dropout TV, or in your bathroom mirror if you said their name three times. You can follow them on instagram at @djmausner.
Dan O’Connor is an actor, improviser, writer, and director, and the founder of Los Angeles’ acclaimed Impro Theatre. A pioneer of West Coast improv, he co-founded BATS Improv in San Francisco and LA Theatresports. He studied extensively with Keith Johnstone and also Patsy Rodenburg. He created Impro Theatre in 2003, known for full-length improvised plays inspired by Shakespeare, Austen, Chekhov, Dickens, Film Noir, and The Twilight Zone. He is the co-author, with Jeff Katzman, of UnScripted and Ensemble! (North Atlantic Books/Penguin Random House). Dan lives in Los Angeles with his wife, actor Edi Patterson. More at www.danoconnor.net
Dana Moore is a Chico,CA native and the founder of The Nerve (thenervecomedy.com). In 2011, she moved to New York City where she studied, taught, and performed improv and sketch comedy at Magnet Theater, Upright Citizens Brigade, Peoples Improv Theater, and beyond. She has coached several top-tier teams and taught sold out workshops both nationally and internationally. She is thrilled to bring her classes back to her hometown and continues to foster and expand the incredible NorCal improv scene.
Since 2005, Daniel Belum has been creating interactive workshop experiences that truly engage participants across a number of communities. He’s taught at hundreds of events, won multiple awards including an International’s Member’s Choice Presenter of the Year, and co-authored several books. Today, he directs Echoes Within, a nonprofit focused on mental wellness for alternative and marginalized communities. In his home community, he runs Improve Improv.
Greetings! Darren Held has been the Creative Director of Held2gether, Improv for Life, in Long Beach since 2010. It has been the most amazing experience for him to see improv comedy change the lives of everyday people, while bringing out the best in aspiring performers. He is a graduate of the Groundlings, and has performed with Second City, UCB and Impro Theater, among others. He teaches and performs short form, long form, song and his favorite - narrative! He grew up in Denver, Colorado (Go Broncos!) and lives with his husband of 5 years and his lovely kitties Mykonos and Gracie.
TJ Jagodowski and David Pasquesi have been performing together as TJ and Dave for over 20 years. Starting at the IO Theater in Chicago they have performed all over the U.S. as well as Poland, Italy, Ireland, the UK, Denmark and Germany. In Chicago, they've played at Steppenwolf, Goodman, Annoyance and at The Old Town School of Folk Music opening for Ike Reilly. David and TJ co-authored a book with Pam Victor called Improvisation At the Speed of Life. They have been the subject of a documentary directed by by Alex Karpovsky entitled Trust Us, This Is All Made Up.
David Razowsky is the author of, "A Subversive’s Guide to Improvisation, Moving Beyond “Yes, And.” From his ten revues at Chicago's Second City, to the years spent as Artistic Director of The Second City Hollywood, to countless worldwide workshops and performances, to his TEDx Talk, “Life: The Product is the Process,” he's developed a simple improv approach: your present awareness is all you need to create compelling, smart, truthful, and surprising scenes. No games, preconceived premises, or ego. All that matters is now. Improv experience doesn’t matter, for all you'll need to bring to his workshop is your present presence.
Dayna Gowan is a speaker, improviser, and self-proclaimed Facilitator of Fun (because if it isn't fun, then why do it?!). She is also a public speaking coach, Distinguished Toastmaster, and host of the Improvly Speaking Podcast, which focuses on improv, public speaking, communication, and creativity. She helps speakers find the fun in public speaking and embrace the improvised moments on and off stage. Her mission is to make all presentations and workshops engaging, memorable, and impactful for all attendees! Dayna recently moved to Charlotte, NC from the west coast, and she has been busy exploring her new home city.
Derek has dabbled in stand up, sketch, voice acting and animation. After 14 years of performing and 8 years of coaching he has developed an energy based decision making style that leans itself to fun and quick decisions.
Devin Dugan is a nationally recognized performer, instructor, and comedy writer. He has performed, taught, and trained with ImprovCity, National Comedy Theatre, Second City Hollywood, ComedySportz, ComedyCity, and more. Devin has headlined venues nationwide with both improv and stand-up. He has appeared on NBC, ABC, and TruTV, along with films and national commercials. An award-winning screenwriter, he's won top honors at numerous film festivals including the Paris Film Awards & Hollywood on the Tiber. A published author and former contributor to Nostalgia Digest magazine, he is also the creator of the novelty book Improvisers Drawing Stick Figures.
Diana Brown is known for emotionally grounded, character inspired, genre-driven/theatrical longform. She was named one of The Improv Boost’s 2025 Sudden Impact Teachers. Diana teaches nationally and internationally. Credits include Impro Amsterdam, Improv Fest Ireland, Liverpool Improvisation Festival, Vancouver Improv Fest, Rise Comedy Intensive and Festival, Camp Improv Utopia, SAVI Fest, and others. She was invited to co-direct Mark Smith’s Taxi Tales at Improv Amsterdam 2026. She’ll direct the ensemble at Improv Fest Ireland 2026. Diana leads the Advanced Improv Performance Lab at Berkeley Rep School of Theatre, is an instructor with Leela,All Out Comedy Theatre, BATS Improv, Provocation Theatre
Diana took her first improv class over 20 years ago, and it changed her life. Through saying yes, exploring, and discovering with curious scene partners and teammates, she found that her anxious, neurodivergent brain feels most at home while improvising. She has performed at NYC’s UCB Theater, the Peoples Improv Theater, Magnet Theater, the 8th Annual Chicago Improv Festival, the Del Close Marathon, and the Kalamazoo Improv Festival. Diana earned an M.A. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and is a Licensed Professional Counselor in Ohio and Illinois. Her research on improvisation has been published in American Studies in Humor and Applied Improvisation Network Magazine. dianadepasquale.com
Before becoming a member of Deep Dish at Finest City Improv, Diane Rachel was performing with BATS Improv in San Francisco for over 2 decades. In addition to being in the performance Company, she was on the coaching staff, corporate training staff and had introduced a myriad of specializations to the school curriculum. Diane was a founding member of True Fiction Magazine and on the staff of the Berkeley Rep School of Theatre. Her specialties include Acting for Improv, Stage Combat, Intimacy for Improv, and Genre work.
Eliza Skinner is a comedian, musician, director, writer and show-runner - but first she was an improviser. She created the musical improv program at the Upright Citizens Brigade, starred in multiple off-broadway musical improv shows and performed on Broadway with Lin-Manuel Miranda’s improvised rap show, “Freestyle Love Supreme”. Eliza’s live improvised rap battles led to her becoming the head writer of Method Man’s rap battle tv show, “Drop The Mic”. She was the headwriter on Earth To Ned - a talk show starring alien puppets from the Jim Henson Company. Most recently she was a consultant and director for Dropout TV.
Hailing from New York City and with training from the Upright Citizens Brigade (UCB) and the People’s Improv Theater (PIT), Elke is an internationally performing improviser and character actress. She has appeared and taught at festivals across the globe, known for dynamic characters and grounded, emotionally rich comedy. As a registered Drama/Improv educator with the New York State Education Department, she is committed to cultivating confidence, connection, and creative risk-taking in every classroom and ensemble.
Ella deCastro is an author, educator, and community facilitator with an MFA from San Diego State University and a BA from University of California, Berkeley. Since 2004, she has taught English, Creative Writing, and Literature within the San Diego Community College District. A published author of Subo and Baon: A Memoir in Bites and Itchy, Brown Girl Seeks Employment, Ella creates workshops and community spaces centered on storytelling, joy, justice, healing, and kapwa—deep interconnection and collective care. Her favorite pronoun, more than ever, is We.
In 2005, Eric went on a date to an improv comedy workshop and fell in love… with improv. He’s been doing it ever since—20 years and counting. A proud member of The Bridge Improv Theater for the last five years, Eric performs regularly with the Mainstage Cast, Manic Monday, and Murder Mystery. A fan of rap music, he also performs improvised hip-hop with his trio, The Candy Rappers and leads the Side Note Musical Jam and Social Club. Eric’s favorite part of improv is the vibrant, welcoming community, and he’s all about big, joyful events that bring people together.
Ernie is a first-generation bilingual performer, director, educator, and activist. He was part of BrownCo, the outreach and diversity ensemble at The Second City Chicago. In Los Angeles, he trained at Groundlings and now serves as a lead Comedy Mentor with Laughter For A Change, a nonprofit. He created, directs, and performs "A Dose of Funny," a family-friendly improv show at The Children’s Hospital LA. Ernie has taught and performed on stages across the country, is a Professor of Acting for Stage and Screen at Texas State University, and is a proud member of AEA and SAG-AFTRA.
Flannery Wilson is an actress turned comedian with over a decade of improv experience and two years of improv teaching under her belt. She has a PhD in Comparative Literature and has been teaching for nearly 20 years. She has trained with Will Hines, Billy Merritt, and Bob Dassie, and studied at WeImprov, WGIS, and UCB in Los Angeles. She performs regularly and is a burgeoning stand-up comedian. Her improv philosophy centers on listening, staying present, and making your scene partner look good—because when the connection is real, the comedy takes care of itself.
Thai interdisciplinary storyteller working across improvisation, photography, and film. His work explores memory, identity, and human connection through both live performance and visual storytelling. He has facilitated workshops with Zmack Thailand and led intercultural improv sessions for participants from diverse backgrounds. His approach focuses on deep listening, emotional presence, and building authentic scenework that reflects real human experiences across cultures.
Ithamar Enriquez is an alum of The Second City Chicago and has been a guest performer at The Groundlings, UCB and as a performer for The Jim Henson Company’s Puppet Up! His TV and film appearances include: WandaVision, Miracle Workers, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Lady Bird, The Conners, Arrested Development, 9-1-1, The Office and A Series of Unfortunate Events. His live solo show, Ithamar Has Nothing To Say, has played all over the country and became a web series produced by Keegan Michael Key and Jordan Peele.
Jackie Bookstein has been performing and organizing improv in San Diego since 2014. She managed programs at Old Town Improv Co. until the theater's permanent closure in 2020. Jackie refused to let the joy peter out and pulled the community back together to form Mockingbird Improv. She passionately shares the joys of improv with everyone she can and has expanded that passion to apply spontaneous creativity to the healing arts through her study of Expressive Arts. She believes strongly in the power of improv as a heartfull art form and tool for healing self expression.
Jaime Rich has taught improv all over the Bay Area for approximately four years, teaching students from beginner to advanced levels, ranging in age from teens to 80-year-olds. She has also taught a variety of populations, including corporate groups, people with developmental disabilities, and residents of assisted living facilities. She is a player in, producer of, and creative director of ACT II Improv, where she performs in both short- and long-form productions. She and her partner also perform in Partners in Crime, a fully improvised play. She also directs scripted productions, and her company provides corporate training focused on communication skills.
James Mastraieni is a live improv and sketch performer and founder of the indie comedy theater, “The Shared Experience Studio” in Los Angeles. His background is extensive and varied. He was a talent evaluator/producer at The Hollywood Improv. He toured with Second City, performed for a decade at iOWest and 20 years with The Upright Citizen’s Brigade. At UCB he was a mainstay on Harold night, performed weekly with “Outside Dog Gets One Star,” and produced the show “I’m Too Effing High” which sold out every show for almost five years. He also has over 25,000 hours of teaching comedy.
Jay Treat has studied with Second City, the Groundlings, UCB, the Pack, Chaos Bloom, Rise Comedy, and more. He has performed at a dozen theaters around Denver, several around Philadelphia, and online with Second City and Highwire. He teaches at Monkey Butler, Chaos Bloom, What If, Improv Boulder, and online. He coaches improv and dialects, acts, designs games, and is currently writing an improv book. Jay believes that society often teaches people that play is only for children and that failure is unforgivable. Through his work, he champions the idea that playing, trying, and even failing are essential parts of a full life—one where people connect, laugh, learn, and grow.
Jeanette Cerami is an improviser, comedian, educator, and producer currently serving as the Education Director and Corporate Events Manager for The Box Performance Space and Improv Theatre in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Since stepping into the role in 2023, she has led a complete redesign of the theater’s training program curriculum, working alongside her mentor, Kevin Mulaney, to create a comprehensive and modern educational experience for students. Jeanette began her improv training in Denver in 2010 before continuing her comedy education in Chicago, where she studied improv, stand-up, and sketch comedy at renowned institutions including Second City, iO Theater, and The Annoyance Theatre, earning what she affectionately calls her “Master’s in Comedy.” She later expanded her sketch-writing training in Los Angeles through UCB. An active performer and creator, Jeanette performs weekly at The Box and produces a multimedia sketch comedy show with her all-female ensemble, The Doodles. Her work blends performance, education, and comedy leadership, helping artists develop their skills both on and off the stage.
Jeff Michalski is a legendary improviser, director, teacher with over five decades of practice. Chicago, 1974—he began under Jo Forsberg, in rooms where the work asked you to stop stopping yourself. A founding member of The Second City ETC, his approach has been shaped by Spolin, Close, Sahlins, and Fred Kaz, who heard what others missed: jazz and ensemble theater breathe the same way. He has performed and taught worldwide, collaborating with artists from Robin Williams to Al Pacino. Not a résumé, but a chord progression—his teaching doesn’t explain improvisation. It is improvisation: intuitive, precise, and alive in the moment.
Jenn is an enthusiastic improviser who thrives on the magic of the stage. Having a flair for the dramatic she found her skills well suited in sales and marketing. Thinking outside of the box, while maintaining a high level of communication builds a great scene and a great team!
Jennifer Bologna is a comedian originally from San Diego with a silly (but real) last name. She has been improvising for over ten years and is passionate about every style of improv from slow and grounded to quick and crazy. Jenn also has a heart full of love, a curious mind, and a twinkle in her eye. She hopes to melt your troubles away with laughter.
Jennifer Estlin is an actress/producer based in Chicago. She graduated from Northwestern University and toured with and performed in resident companies of Second City before moving to New York where she did regional and Off-Broadway theatre, film, and tv. She returned to Chicago in 2002 to become Owner and Executive Producer of the Annoyance Theatre. TV credits include Law & Order, Chicago P.D., Proven Innocent, and Empire; film work includes the feature "Everything Fun You Could Possibly Do in Aledo, Illinois" (Amazon) and award-winning shorts "A Million Miles Away" (Sundance) and "The Cure" (Slamdance). She also co-creates the online platform, ImprovFiend.
As a Berkeley-educated acupuncturist who suddenly turned stand up comic at the age of 50, Jennifer Mason found unexpected confidence and joy in finding her voice after a divorce. Since 2018 Jennifer has helped over a hundred comics write and perform their first stand up set by doing baby-step writing exercises and practicing courage in a safe space. You may have seen her performing around San Diego or around the country as one of the top 40 in the World Series of Comedy.
Jet Eveleth is a member of The Reckoning and Adsit and Eveleth. She was in the cirque show Absinthe, described by The Huffington Post as, “Mind-altering, poetic, inspiring and insulting. The greatest show on earth.” Her show Jet and Anatasha won the Out of the Box Award at the San Diego Fringe Festival in 2025 and was called, "Astonishing" by Onstage Colorado. She was the artistic director of the Chicago Improv Festival and a professor of comedy studies at Columbia College. She directs The Highland Park Clowns and runs Clown Church in LA and at Esalen in Big Sur.
Joe Hammer is the founder and director of The Outcasters Improv Training Center in Scottsdale, Arizona. Joe has spent decades helping people think faster, communicate better, and show up with confidence—on stage and in life. As the author of The Improv Edge and Blank to Brilliant, Joe blends performance, psychology, and real-world application into workshops that are as practical as they are energizing. This diverse foundation shapes his unique approach: improv not just as performance—but as a tool for awareness, adaptability, and connection.
Joey Shope is an improviser, performer, teacher, and producer with more than 18 years of experience in the improv community. He began his improv journey in high school and went on to become an instructor at Spectacles Improv Engine. He currently teaches at the Improv Collective, where he also produced the theater’s largest-running show for five consecutive years. Joey has trained at and studied with many of Los Angeles’s most respected improv institutions and has performed in independent productions throughout Southern California and beyond. In addition to his performance and production work, he has had the opportunity to teach improv workshops across the country, sharing his passion for the art form with performers of all experience levels.
John Lehr is the star/creator/writer for “10 Items or Less” (TBS), “JailBait” (Sony/Crackle) and “Quickdraw” (Hulu). Script/development deals include “Retreat” (NBC), “The Loop” (HBO), Troubadour (MTV),“Tommy Chong’s Pipe Dreams” (TBS). Lehr is one of the original Geico Cavemen from the wildly successful commercial campaign. He is also a respected improvisational performer having worked at the Organic Theater and Steppenwolf Theater in Chicago, the Montreal Comedy Festival, Chicago Improvisational Festival and multiple venues in Los Angeles and New York. Together, Susan Messing and John have led workshops and performed throughout the United States including Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Harrisburg, Baltimore, Dallas, Miami and New York City. International client locations include Oslo, Vienna, Berlin and Bremen.
Jon Barinholtz and Rob Belushi met in 2005 at Chicago's The Second City, training in comedy while seating patrons. They've since toured live shows nationwide and collaborated as writers and producers for TV and film. Their shared love of play led them to develop WAVELENGTH for Comedy Central and THE PERFECT LINE for CBS/GSN — a syndicated series ordered for 180 episodes and renewed for a second season. Through their production company, Inner Drive Entertainment, they're known for injecting humor and personality into fresh concepts. In 2026, Inner Drive joined the Studio Lambert/All3 Media banner, continuing to develop fun, impactful unscripted content.
Joy Mamey is a member of the Groundlings Sunday Company and 22 year improviser. She’s performed stand up comedy internationally at Boom Chicago (it’s in Amsterdam) and has booked commercials for Chewy, Monopoly, Ryde, and ESPN to name a few. She’s been featured in the NBC Universal Showcase and can be seen as a tour guide on the world famous Universal Studios Tour! Joy has a BA in Theatre Arts from Loyola Marymount University. Joy Mamey (she/they) is a Lebanese actor, comedian, singer, writer, cancer-survivor (I’m fine!) and LA-native.
Karla Dingle is an actor, improviser, director, and teaching artist based in Charlotte, NC. She serves as Education Director at Queen City Comedy, Improv Director at Acting Out Studio, and Artistic Director of the Dingle Drama Repertory Company. Since discovering improv in 2009, she has trained with The Second City, Hoopla, and The Groundlings. Karla teaches internationally and has been featured with organizations including Impro Amsterdam, Improv Fest Ireland, Highwire Improv, and the Bangalore Improv Community. Her pedagogy blends acting technique with improvisation, helping performers access emotional truth, deepen listening, and respond instinctively in the moment on stage.
Keiko Agena is a 3rd generation Okinawan American and is best known for her series regular roles on GILMORE GIRLS, as Lane Kim and on PRODIGAL SON as Dr. Edrisa Tanaka. In between Agena has been a series regular on HULU’s THE FIRST and recurring on BETTER CALL SAUL, DIRTY JOHN, DOOM PATROL and 13 REASONS WHY. As a guest star she has appeared on such shows as SHAMELESS, SCANDAL and NCIS LOS ANGELES to name a few. Keiko has also published a book titled NO MISTAKES through Penguin/Random House which pulls from her experience as an improviser and artist.
Kevin Langdon is a graduate of the Musical Improv programs at Second City Hollywood and UCB. He's studied musical improv at iO West, Impro Theater, and Magnet Theater, among others. Kevin has been teaching his highly-rated musical improv classes and workshops at San Diego theaters and privately since 2017. Kevin has performed with and directed the musical house teams at Finest City Improv, Old Town Improv, and Mockingbird Improv in San Diego. Kevin has performed at ImPride, the L.A. Musical Comedy Fest, the San Diego Improv Festival, the West Coast Musical Improv Festival, and the New York Musical Improv Festival.
Krissy Lenz is the Director & Most Enthusiastic Person at the Neighborhood Comedy Theatre, Downtown Mesa’s home for hilarious, spontaneous and interactive improv comedy! Krissy began performing improv for audiences in 1996 and has more than 25 years of performance experience in addition to more than 15 years of Directing and teaching improv to participants ages 7-77. Krissy is also one of the founders of the Sonoran All-Valley Improv Festival, AKA the SAVI FEST! Looking for Krissy in a strictly audio format? Check out the Most Excellent 80s Movies Podcast and Gank that Drank: A Supernatural Drinking Game Podcast.
Kristen Gonzalez is a Brooklyn-based comedian and founder of Eat Improv Love — a global movement making improv as essential as stand-up. She's performed at Théâtre Sainte-Catherine Montreal, Toronto Sketch Fest, Denver Sketch Fest, Black Women in Comedy Fest, and Laugh Grrrl Riot Fest LA. Through Eat Improv Love, she's building improv curriculum for schools and a digital hub connecting performers worldwide. She shows up for every stage, every jam, every community, because that's where the magic lives. Yes, and... hell yes.
Larry Molacek is an improviser, educator, and educational leader with more than 25 years of experience serving in K–12 education. Throughout his career, he has worked as a teacher, counselor, principal, and superintendent, developing a deep understanding of leadership, collaboration, and organizational growth. For the past four years, Larry has been actively performing and teaching improv. He has successfully integrated improvisational techniques into educational settings, working with students, teachers, parents, and school boards to foster communication, creativity, and engagement. His experience demonstrates how improv can be a powerful tool for problem-solving, team building, strategic planning, and building stronger, more connected communities.
Lauren Baumbauer, from Southern California, is a performer, director, teacher and producer with a passion for improvised theater, especially narrative. She's a founding member of Modjeska Unscripted Theatre, graduate of the Frantic Assembly Directors Program, a voice actor for Cue Footsteps, a member various local and international improv groups, director and co-director of dozens of original improvised plays,and an international teacher and corporate instructor. Experienced in different styles of improv, movement, and theater, Lauren has created original formats and courses with unique approaches using intelligent deep-dives, attention to detail, and energetic approaches in embodied improv that is connected and alive.
Lilan Bowden is an LA based actress and director. She plays Tia on Apple TV’s Shrinking, and other notable roles on NCIS, Murderville, and Disney Channel’s Peabody/BAFTA nominated show Andi Mack. She has directed shorts, commercials, multi-cam and is an alum of the Disney Entertainment Television (DET) Directing Program. She has performed live comedy at the LA Upright Citizens Brigade Theater for over 10 years with improv team Rococo and sketch team Bonafide, and Lilan and Wilder’s Best Day Ever (sketch comedy). She continues to perform in various improv shows and the long running variety comedy show Asian AF.
Maria Nally (she/her) is an improviser, coach, and actor who has been performing in New York City for several years. In 2025, she made her Off-Broadway debut in The Others of Oz: The Improvised Musical, and performs musical improv regularly at The Magnet Theater with her house team Houndstooth. Maria has a BFA in Musical Theatre from Missouri State University where she studied with Lisa Brescia, Ann Marie Daehn, and Robert Westenberg, amongst others. Past roles (in case you’re curious) have included Sister Act (Sister Mary Robert), Legally Blonde (Vivienne Kensington), and lots of other classic high belters.
Maria is from Minneapolis and has trained at Second City Chicago, Finest City Improv, UCB, and Groundlings. She performs on LA's all-female hip hop team Chrome XX and is a founding member of San Diego's Optimus Rhyme. She has helped build San Diego's hip hop improv scene by offering free workshops and hosting hip hop improv jams. She moved to LA from San Diego in 2026 after getting selected for Comedy Chateau's Sketch All-Stars house Sketch team.
Marina Mastros has been teaching and performing improv professionally for over two decades. She has trained at theaters across the country, including UCB, iO Chicago, iO West, ComedySportz, and Impro Theatre. She currently teaches at UCB in Los Angeles, and performs with MAX and Sassy Bluff.
Masha has been involved in Improv since 2008, starting as a student and later transitioning to teaching during the pandemic. She taught online for several months before launching an Improv program in San Diego, where she taught a recurring class for 3 years. She continues teaching this class and also works as a Level 2 instructor at Mockingbird Improv. She’s seen first hand the positive changes Improv brings to people's lives, both in and out of the classroom.
Max Schafer has 45 years teaching improvisation with the most acclaimed leaders of improvisation, including Viola Spolin, Paul Sills, Laura Hall, Alan Arkin, Fred Kaz. He is an acclaimed author on improvisation (Viola Spolin’s Theater Games for the Classroom CD) and teaches in Japan, Brazil, London, Belfast, Turkey, all over the US, at teacher conventions, for the blind, for special needs students, for professional actors, and is a musical director for Musical Improv. He now leads innovative workshops incorporating Spolin games into Longform shows. He runs the Musical Improv network and the World Spolin Network on Facebook.
Michael is a veteran gamer, introduced to Dungeons and Dragons in the late 70's, and kept playing make-believe dice games off and on for uncomfortably close to 50 years. He was exposed to the improv virus in the 2010's via close contact with his wife, Ann. "Yes, And is engraved inside our wedding rings. It started out just watching, but soon I was sitting in on workshops, eavesdropping on theory, skimming all the books, Eventually Ann had me in the workshops, performing characters on live Zoom performances, shooting short films. I guess I'm an actor, now, too."
Founder and visionary behind the acclaimed Annoyance Theatre, Mick Napier is known both nationally and internationally as an innovator and creative force in comedy, improvisation, and theater. He has directed over 30 productions at the Annoyance and has had a parallel directing journey at Second City, having directed over 15 productions there. He has authored 3 books on improvisation: Improvise, Behind the Scenes, and Direct, along with another satirical biblical moral book called The God Lens.
Mike Rock Producing AD of Impro Theatre. He’s been acting, improvising and teaching professionally since co-founding Madison, WI Theatresports in 1985. Founder and Producing AD of ComedySportz NYC, co-created and produced The Bert Fershners on MTV, VH-1 & Comedy Central. Has performed / presented at Just For Laughs Montreal, the Edinburgh Fringe, hundreds of colleges, companies and thousands of high schools via International Thespian Society. TV credits include This Is Us, Black-ish, The Goldbergs, Modern Family, After Lately, The Mentalist, Monk, Conan O’Brien, Law & Order, Celebrity Deathmatch. Voice of shows including for NFL Network, Chelsea Lately, Discovery, TLC. Social @itsmikerock
Molly Renze is an actress comedian and clown from Los Angeles. She holds an Acting BFA from CSUF as well as a Clowning Degree from Ecole Philippe Gualier in France. She clowns all around LA with her vaudeville troupe “Silent Partners” and she recently guest starred on “Sketchy Queens” on VH1 with Jinkx Monsoon. @guaca.molly on instagram!
Monika Ozdarska is a Polish improviser shaped by years of practice, performance, teaching, and collaborating across international improv communities. Her approach blends a wide range of influences—from Viola Spolin, Anne Bogart, Keith Johnstone, and Sanford Meisner—developed over 15+ years of exploration. She co-created the duo WePolak with Jeff Michalski, performing at festivals in Chicago, Ferry Beach (USA), Athens, Uppsala, Toruń, Lisbon, and Warsaw, as well as in independent shows across the United States and Europe. She is also the founder of The Art of Yes—a Facebook page and podcast where she interviews improvisers from around the world.
Niki (she/her) is an improv instructor, performer, and coach originally from New York. In 2025 her duo, Triki, held an 8-month winning streak in San Diego's Cage Match at Finest City Improv. She has been performing long-form improv in since 2014, focusing on the Armando, Deconstruction, Slacker, and Dance Team (improvised dance comedy). She draws on her improv, theater, and dance background to instruct and improvise with physicality, support, and playfulness. When she is not improvising, she is following her dreams, asking people their star signs, and playing with her dog.
Oliver is passionate about unscripted theatre and the cross-section that exists between acting and improvisation. He runs SODA Impro and is one half of Jan & George with Reid Janisse. Specialty course offerings in Toronto, Detroit, and Los Angeles have included: Viewpoints, Mindfulness, and Meisner for the Actor Improviser; Stanislavski and Scene Dynamics; The Game In Narrative; and Make it Meaningful. This past year he was a featured instructor at the Dramatic Improv Festival (Chicago), Le Grand Yes And (Montreal), and the Snow Day Improv Marathon (Detroit). This year he's delighted to be a featured instructor at Improv Utopia East.
Paige Wilhide is the founder and emcee of JOYRIOT, a silent disco experience that transforms public spaces into spontaneous celebration. Trained at Upright Citizens Brigade, The Groundlings, and T. Schreiber Studio, she brings a deep improv foundation to her work as a facilitator and actor -- using yes and, presence, and play to unlock permission to let loose and get free. Her award-winning solo show Breakup Addict has appeared at the Hollywood Fringe and Edinburgh Fringe festivals, and she strives to create spaces where adults remember what it feels like to play, which is exactly what JOYRIOT was built to do.
Patrick McInnis is an improviser, teacher, and performer who has been teaching improv since 2011. He is a cofounder of The Third Thought and Space Monkey Mafia. With a background in theater, television, and live performance, he brings a high-energy, supportive approach to the classroom and stage. Patrick has worked with students of all ages, helping them build confidence, strengthen listening skills, and make bold, authentic choices. His teaching blends strong fundamentals with a focus on connection, adaptability, and play. When he’s not performing or teaching, Patrick works as a real estate agent serving clients throughout greater San Diego County.
Patrick is a writer, comedian, and actor from Chicago, now residing in California. He’s studied and taught at The Second City and iO Theater. His solo character work was featured in Alone, Chicago’s Best Solo Comedy at The TBS Just For Laughs Festival in 2013. He is a founding member of 3Peat, a critically acclaimed, award-winning sketch/improv troupe, who has several sketches with Comedy Central's Digital platform. This popular workshop has been taught across the country as well as internationally. Patrick was a writer for The Amber Ruffin Show.
Patrick Short is currently the Education Director at CSz Portland (Oregon) and Portland Comedy Theater; formerly co-owner and GM of CSz Portland; former Executive Director of CSz Worldwide. Member of the AIN Board; Associate Chair of the steering committee for the Global Improvisation Initiative; Board Member for Access To Play (Nigeria). Patrick has led thousands of improv classes, worked with over 800 organizations using Applied Improv and can be seen performing with Vision🖤Euro Söng Cöntest, AlleyLoops and ComedySportz. He holds the MFA in Stage Direction from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, plays keyboards, writes songs, eats right and flosses daily.
Paul is an actor, comedian, and teacher and performer of acting, improvisation, and comedy. Originally from the UK, Paul performed hundreds of live stand-up comedy and improv shows and performed and directed theatre, sketch, and improv. Since moving to LA, he is a main Company member at Impro Theatre (www. improtheatre.com), for which he teaches, performs, directs and devises shows. One of those shows, Jane Austen Unscripted, co-created and co-directed with Dan O'Connor, is on here, and was Ovation Nominated for Best Presented Production for its run at the Broad Stage. Paul has lots of TV and other credits.
PJ Nally (he/him) performs, coaches, and teaches improv in New York City, and he loves pushing the creative boundaries of this beautiful art form. He co-founded and directs the musical improv mainstay Hell Yeah! and co-created the Off-Broadway improvised musical The Others of Oz. He’s a performer on The Magnet’s Musical Megawatt team Middle Brain and performs non-musical improv with The Daily Harold and Easily Annoyed. He’s studied and performed at Hoopla Impro, The Magnet Theater, UCB, WGIS, and more. He’s as at home in a Harold as he is in an improvised patter song.
As a duo both on- and off-stage, Power Sauce (Stephen Gillikin & Wendy Natividad) delights audiences with the fun-filled freefall of two-person long form improv. Evoking boundless backdrops and a cavalcade of characters, they have performed at festivals in LA, NYC, and the Philippines. Stephen is an actor, writer, and teaching artist. Wendy is a producer, writer, and creative laborer. Together, they are also the organizers of Community Improv, which offers accessible and affordable workshops, jams, and shows where players can build skills to apply off-stage for enriching the rest of one's life and community. Visit communityimprov.org to learn more.
Rachael is a jerk and a nerd and passionately believes putting art where there was none is an act of revolution. She has been teaching longform for 25 years at places like Second City, iO Chicago, Annoyance Theatre, Magnate Theater, and abroad at International Improv festivals including Ireland, Poland, Sweden, and Singapore.
The SF Weekly describes Rafe Chase as “one of the most celebrated figures on the San Francisco improv scene today”. In 1978, after only three months of classes, he began his professional improv career performing with “Flash Family” at the Old Spaghetti Factory in San Francisco’s North Beach. He left three years later to create the group “Riot Squad”, which performed both improv and sketch comedy, with Rafe serving as player, director and head writer. He joined BATS Improv in 1987 and this opened up an exciting world of new colleagues and new possibilities. In 1988 he became a founding member of “Pulp Playhouse”, which performed to sold-out crowds at the famed Eureka Theatre, doing improvised stories in the style of the pulp magazines of the 1930s and 40s. The next year he formed “Improv Theater” which performed for several seasons at the ACT playroom. With Rafe as artistic director, the group would pioneer the exploration and performance of longform improv, including the very first documented single-story longform improv show, which took place on June 24, 1989. In 1994, Rafe was a founding member of the groundbreaking improv group ‘True Fiction Magazine”. These shows involved a daring form of “story digression” which thrilled audiences and earned the group an international following. In 1996, Rafe, Stephen Kearin and Tim Orr formed the critically acclaimed group “3 For All’ which has wowed audiences in cities across the US and Europe. In his exploration of longform improv, Rafe has created several show formats, including Split Decision and Double Feature, which have been performed both in the US and abroad. In addition to continuing to perform at BATS Improv, Rafe is 1/3 of the popular Santa Cruz improv group “Chase, Cox and Henderson”. In 2019, to celebrate 40 years as an improviser, Rafe edited and posted a series of 40 videos on YouTube from his 40 most memorable shows, which includes performance footage from all the groups referenced in this bio. Rafe is also a writer and photographer, and he is proud to be the “impresario” of the “World Famous Rafe Chase Paper Circus”.
At The Playful Stage, we foster a vibrant and inclusive learning community, exploring the transformative power of play, improvisation, and acting. Through the fundamental human experience of play, we unlock creativity, encourage personal growth, and forge meaningful connections. Richard J. Martinez is the driving force behind The Playful Stage. He trained at Impro, Second City, Groundlings, and IO West. Since 2015, Richard has taught improv classes of all levels and formats, opening his own improv and acting school in 2023. Richard has a heart for community and coaches improv at local high schools, medical programs, and for various corporate events.
Rob Snow is the creator of The Improvaneer Method, which uses improv to build skills to enhancing workforce and social opportunities. Rob is also creating a film about The Improvaneers, the world’s first all Down syndrome improvisation troupe. His passion for improvisation began in Chicago where he studied at Second City Theatre and Improv Olympic. His passion for the disability community began with the birth of his son, who was born with Down syndrome. Rob has written two books around raising a child with disabilities. He is a proud husband and father and resides in Cleveland, Ohio.
After obtaining a couple of degrees at UNC, I headed to Los Angeles and found comedy, training at all the biguns at the time--IO, UCB, Second City, Groundlings, Westside (MI), and basically all over the place. Moved to New Orleans. Did more comedy. Moved to Iowa City to start PhD work in Teaching and Learning, where I focus on improvisation as pedagogy. My dissertation will examine activation and inhibition in the brain compared between novice and expert improvisers.
Rocky Salazar is a musician who found improv through drop-in classes at ImprovCity in Tustin 5 years ago. He wanted to try it because it seemed so exhilarating to not know what was going to happen when he got on stage. He was shocked to find people from all walks of life at these classes. These people ended up being some of his best friends. He also started utilizing the improv techniques to get more gigs and just increase his overall quality of life. He realized everyone can benefit from doing improv.
Russ is a 2x Webby Award-winning writer/producer and a teacher at LA's longest running improv theater (Burbank's LA Connection). He's a longtime member of LA's longest running genre show, Drunkards & Dragons As seen in the Netflix is a Joke festival, Comedy Central and ABC, Russ's sketches, music videos and commercials have accrued over 200 million views on YouTube. Russ's improv workshops and instructional videos help players to get out of their head with a Meisner-centric, physical approach to character that he adopted after spending years with masters of the artform including Dave Razowsky, Jeff Michalski, Jane Morris and Jaime Moyer.
Sarah is an actor/comedian living in Los Angeles. She has been on shows such as Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Make Some Noise on Dropout, and other cool shows. She is co-owner of the World’s Greatest Improv School, teacher and performer at UCB, and performs regularly with world class improv teams The Bozos, Cardinal Redbird and Voltron. She is a producer and host of the variety show Asian AF. She has performed and taught at SF Sketchfest, Das Improv Festival (Berlin), Vietnam Improv Festival, Edinburgh Fringe & Edinburgh International Improv Festival, Midsummer Comedy Festival (Stockholm), and The Big Scene Fest (London).
Co-taught by Sarah and Elena (Dock of the Bay) :) Sarah Thompson is an improviser, teacher, and writer based in Los Angeles, CA. Sarah has taught and performed improv across the US and Canada for over 14 years, most recently on teams Dock of the Bay and Pillowtalk. Elena Afanasiev is a seasoned actor, director, and improviser with over 14 years of experience. She holds a BA in Theater Arts and is a first-generation immigrant. Elena was a dedicated performer in Portland, Oregon, and now has brought her passion and talent to Los Angeles.
Scott Adsit is an actor, producer, director and writer. He studied improv in Chicago where he was a resident member of Second City's Mainstage and ETC companies and won Chicago's Joseph Jefferson Best Actor Award for his work there. He's appeared in many television shows and movies, most notably playing producer Pete Hornberger on NBC's 30 Rock. He also played Greg Horn on HBO's Veep. He was Baymax in Disney's Big Hero 6 and has been in a lot of other things you might enjoy. Scott improvises all over the country, but mostly in New York City.
Shulie Cowen teaches improv to kids, senior citizens, and everyone in between. She spent 15 years teaching at The Second City Hollywood and iO West, and now travels the USA and beyond teaching acting and improv at festivals and schools. She's a graduate of Northwestern University, a former The Second City National Touring Company member, and an original cast member of Schoolhouse Rock Live!. Shulie currently directs and performs in Opening Night: The Improvised Musical!® and with the improv team EST. Film and Television credits include Mr. Mayor, 2 Broke Girls, Liza on Demand, and How I Met Your Mother.
As a duo both on- and off-stage, Power Sauce (Stephen Gillikin & Wendy Natividad) delights audiences with the fun-filled freefall of two-person long form improv. Evoking boundless backdrops and a cavalcade of characters, they have performed at festivals in LA, NYC, and the Philippines. Stephen is an actor, writer, and teaching artist. Wendy is a producer, writer, and creative laborer. Together, they are also the organizers of Community Improv, which offers accessible and affordable workshops, jams, and shows where players can build skills to apply off-stage for enriching the rest of one's life and community. Visit communityimprov.org to learn more.
Stephen began his career in 1987 with San Francisco’s Bay Area Theatresports. He was a founding member of True Fiction Magazine and 3 FOR ALL. Stephen is currently a member of the critically-acclaimed improv ensemble Impro Theatre in Los Angeles. Stephen is the co-creator of Simlish. He is featured in DreamWorks Animation films, plays the role of Sergeant Geller on Amazon Prime’s WAYNE and appears in season 3 of The Mandalorian. Stephen has served as an advisor with Disney, DreamWorks, Laika, Paramount & Netflix Animation, as well as The US Olympic Ski Team and the artists of Cirque Du Soleil.
Susan Messing a NJ native and graduate of Northwestern University’s Theatre School, has been an improviser and comedian for over 39 years. She is an alumna of the iO Theatre, Chicago’s Second City MainStage, and a founding member of Chicago’s infamous Annoyance Theatre. Susan has created and taught her curriculum at iO/iO West, The Annoyance, The Second City, and around the globe. Susan has been an adjunct instructor for Loyola University, DePaul University’s Theatre School, The School at Steppenwolf, and currently teaches for The University of Chicago.
Susie Sargent has spent thirty years coaching and performing improv, with a foundation in the character-driven storytelling of SF’s BATS Improv. As half of the duo Wine & Weasels, she teaches nationwide, focusing on the technical and emotional craft of the work. Susie’s approach prioritizes listening and shared intention over the pressure to be "the funniest." She leads with humor, warmth, and vulnerability, creating a supportive environment where players can safely push their comfort zones. Her goal is to help improvisers find the joy that comes when they stop fighting in the scene and start trusting the relationship.
TJ Jagodowski and David Pasquesi have been performing together as TJ and Dave for over 20 years. Starting at the IO Theater in Chicago they have performed all over the U.S. as well as Poland, Italy, Ireland, the UK, Denmark and Germany. In Chicago, they've played at Steppenwolf, Goodman, Annoyance and at The Old Town School of Folk Music opening for Ike Reilly. David and TJ co-authored a book with Pam Victor called Improvisation At the Speed of Life. They have been the subject of a documentary directed by by Alex Karpovsky entitled Trust Us, This Is All Made Up.
Tara Copeland has been teaching improv for over twenty years. She has traveled the world teaching improv at theaters, business schools, law schools and fortune 500 companies. Tara created the musical improv programs at the Magnet Theater in NYC and at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater, where she teaches and performs in Los Angeles. You can also see her work in CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM, COLLEGE ROAD TRIP, and GLOW. She lives in Los Angeles with her brilliant writer husband, Andrew Eastwick, Maggie, the best twelve-year-old daughter ever, and a kind of weird cat named Ozmo. www.taracopelandactor.com
Tezz Yancey is a professional Los Angeles based improviser (Second City/UCB/IO/ Comedy Central) actor, singer, dancer, musician, writer and director with over 20 years professional performing & teaching experience. He's made his Broadway debut at 14, headlined his own shows in Las Vegas, produced multiple recording & film scoring projects and is a working film & television actor in Hollywood. (Showtime, Disney, NBC, VET-tv) He Trained at the Boston conservatory and Berklee college in musical theater and production. He has been blessed to travel the world teaching masterclasses and workshops.
The Basic Pitches is an all-women musical improv team, one of the longest-running in our community, at over 6 years. We're known for our musicality, sense of play, strong ensemble work, and willingness to fling ourselves fully into a scene. We won the CageMatch at Finest City Improv for 5 weeks in a row, cut short only by a team-wide plague--er, covid. We were honored to perform with Rick and Laura Hall of Whose Line Is It Anyway at Oceanside Theater. We bring over 40 years of teaching experience, positive energy, and tremendous love for improv into the workshop space.
Tim West is a veteran theatre artist of 40 years experience. A noted actor, an award-winning director and produced and published playwright, his first encounters with improv were generative and performative, while a Resident Artist at Sledgehammer Theatre. He later studied improv with local legend Don Victor. He deployed improvisation exercises regularly in his many site visits to schools as Director of Community Engagement for Cygnet Theatre, 2017-2022, and as a Visiting Teacher with San Diego Unified School District's Visual and Performing Arts. His most recent improv work was coaching a high school team to victory at state regional finals.
TJ Jagodowski and David Pasquesi have been performing together as TJ and Dave for over 20 years. Starting at the IO Theater in Chicago they have performed all over the U.S. as well as Poland, Italy, Ireland, the UK, Denmark and Germany. In Chicago, they've played at Steppenwolf, Goodman, Annoyance and at The Old Town School of Folk Music opening for Ike Reilly. David and TJ co-authored a book with Pam Victor called Improvisation At the Speed of Life. They have been the subject of a documentary directed by by Alex Karpovsky entitled Trust Us, This Is All Made Up.
Authored 4 improv books (Tao of Improv series). Owner, instructor, director Doghouse Theater, Delray Beach FL. Former co-owner JTF Theater, Miami. Originally from Brooklyn NY. Teach/perform Musical and Shakespearean improv as well. Taught online improv during Covid lockdown. Performed at festivals in Chicago, NYC, Miami, Gainesville, San Diego. Improv gurus include David Razowsky, Joe Bill, Susan Messing.
Travis Lincoln Cox is an actor, improviser, and writer based in Los Angeles. Raised in Salt Lake City, he got a Bachelors degree in theatre and performed professionally in Utah before moving to LA. Cox is a true improv nerd. He graduated iO West and was coached by the illustrious Jet Eveleth and the incomparable Holly Laurent. He has been performing in the LA improv community for over ten years. Primarily with his team Stormchaser. Along with improv Travis has a deep passion for Independent Film and has acted in nearly one hundred projects over the years.
As a child, Victor was a series regular on the Nickelodeon sketch show ALL THAT. Originally from San Diego, Victor now lives in LA with his dad and his cat. At Upright Citizens Brigade, his improv/sketch credits include LLOYD NIGHT, MAUDE NIGHT, UNTOLD STORIES OF GANGSTA RAP, SKETCH CRAM, FELIZ HOUR, and INTERIOR UCB. He's also been on house improv teams at IO West, The Pack and Second City LA, and he was a writer/performer in the 2012 CBS Diversity Showcase. Victor does a 2 person improv show called LA FAMILIA with his dad, television's Pedro Lopez (Curb Your Enthusiasm).
Victoria Koenitzer creative directs and performs on an Armando improv house team (Push Play) at Finest City Improv, produces and performs on an Armando improv team (Bumbled) at the National Lampoon: Yellow Door, and has performed on multiple Armando house teams from 2020 to present at WGISl, Finest City Improv, and Mockingbird. She is a graduate of the Upright Citizens Brigade, and she has trained at Pack Theater, Second City, Assembly, Cornerstone, Mockingbird, and Camp Improv Utopia. Victoria has taught at Finest City Improv, Mockingbird, and Cornerstone. Victoria has also performed in over a dozen festivals from 2022 to present.
As a duo both on- and off-stage, Power Sauce (Stephen Gillikin & Wendy Natividad) delights audiences with the fun-filled freefall of two-person long form improv. Evoking boundless backdrops and a cavalcade of characters, they have performed at festivals in LA, NYC, and the Philippines. Stephen is an actor, writer, and teaching artist. Wendy is a producer, writer, and creative laborer. Together, they are also the organizers of Community Improv, which offers accessible and affordable workshops, jams, and shows where players can build skills to apply off-stage for enriching the rest of one's life and community. Visit communityimprov.org to learn more.
Wendy Smith believes that improv in the classroom breaks down post-COVID barriers to social interaction, inviting laughter, support, and agency. In addition to 35 years of teaching composition, creative writing, and film, she worked for the San Diego Union-Tribune for 20 years as a freelance book reviewer. Outside teaching and department chair work, she enjoys pickleball, hip-hop dance, and improv. All of which she does with awkward enthusiasm.
Will Hines has been teaching long-form improv since 2004 at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre, at both its New York and Los Angeles branches. In 2020 he founded his own improv theatre, The World's Greatest Improv School. He's published a best-selling book on improv called How to Be The Greatest Improviser on Earth. He's also a working comedic actor and has appeared on many terrific television programs (Brooklyn 99) and on some big podcasts (Comedy Bang-Bang) as well as the 99 podcasts he's produced himself (including Screw It We're Just Gonna Talk about the Beatles).
Yael Schy, Founder, Zoomers to Boomers improv, is a dynamic theater and dance instructor, improviser, storyteller, singer/songwriter, and organizational consultant known for her creative approach that makes learning FUN! Yael has been performing and teaching theater and dance for all age groups for almost 50 years, including being a pioneer in teaching INTERGENERATIONAL IMPROVISATION since 2010. She is the director of All That Jazz, a San Francisco Bay Area musical improv troupe, and a founding member of the Applied Improvisation Network. Yael is passionate about using the power of improv to connect people of all ages around the world! yael@zoomerstoboomersimprov.com
Jay Russo is an accomplished actor, improviser, and dedicated arts educator who leverages his extensive professional background to inspire the next generation of creative thinkers. A graduate of New York City’s American Musical and Dramatic Academy, Jay relocated to Los Angeles and began working in theater, films, music videos, and voice-overs. Currently, he is specializing in teaching "Improv Comedy for Kids," a youth improv enrichment program that builds confidence, connection, active listening, and teamwork. Jay serves as an instructor at the 10x Learning Center, and also has partnered with the Oceanside Unified School District as a Teaching Artist.