John is an award-winning actor, award-winning software engineer, award-winning mathlete, award-winning little-leaguer, and award-winning participant in numerous summer camp activities. His life philosophy is Paragon from the Mass Effect video game trilogy. He is perhaps best known for singing the Tiny Tunes theme from the special summer episode live on Z100 before putting on his suit for his job at a corporate bank one morning.

Beau Danner has moved 19 times in 20 years, which has nothing to do with the fear of commitment that his
therapist keeps suggesting. But in NYC, he finally found the one place too special to leave—so if you see him
packing a box, call Dr. Rosenthal.
He holds degree in Theater from Ball State–chirp chirp!–a decision fully supported by parents whose addiction
to gambling manifested itself through their son’s career choices. Armed with the “lucky dice” his father gave to
him at the airport after graduation, he set out on the noble path of craft, comedy, and connecting with the
human experience through “make ’em-ups.” Highlights include sitting behind Al Pacino as an extra in an
Oceans movie and that Nissan commercial he got a callback for. Other highlights include leaving LA to live and
work in China for 7 years and moving to Manhattan where he was instrumental in rebuilding the PIT Loft and
Pioneers after surviving the pandemic.
Beau has trained at Improv Olympic (LA), Endgames (SF), UCB (NYC), The Manhattan School of Comedy,
The Comedy Cellar with Rick Crom, and was accepted into The Second City Conservatory in 2024, where he
continues his lifelong morning mantra in the mirror: “I think I can, I think I can.”
If you speak Mandarin and are curious about the political ramifications of the financial crisis and its effect on
the communist party, strike up a conversation. He loves showing off it.

Nic regularly participates in improv festivals, touring with his comedy trio, Suitetooth, known for their intriguing Monoscenes and shocking chemistry.

Outside of the improv world, Nic enjoys a variety of activities, including weightlifting, skateboarding, and exploring a wide range of music genres—though house music, unfortunately, didn’t make the cut.

Representation: Citizen Talent and Lauren Green Agency.

Website: https://nicrockwell.com/

Instagram: @norwegian_thunder_butt

Liz Coin is a NYC-based actor, writer, and sketch comedian originally from Bettendorf, Iowa. Liz holds a BA from Northwestern University and is a proud Second City alum. As a professional silly goose, Liz has appeared on stages and screens around the country – notably, The Second City (Chicago), The PIT (BoogieManja Characters), Magnet Theater (Livewire Sketch Shows), and Broadway’s Next Hit Musical US tour. Her solo show “Lizzy Sunshine” is headed to Edinburgh Fringe in 2025. Follow her antics @lizcoin!

Frankie Lee (he/him) is a queer improviser, sketch-comedian, and actor based in Brooklyn. His training includes The Second City NY, Brooklyn Comedy Collective, The Magnet, and Rise Comedy. Frankie is currently a part of The PIT Ensembles playing with the musical improv team Nero’s Fiddle as well as his indie teams Chicken Time and TORONTO! (originally a PIT Ensemble)

Josh Ellman (he/him) is a queer stand-up comedian and improviser based in Brooklyn. As an improviser, he has trained at the Upright Citizens Brigade, the Brooklyn Comedy Collective, and Second City. He currently performs as part of the People Improv Theater (PIT)’s House Ensemble team Penalty Boxxx as well as with his indie teams Chicken Time and Protein Souffle.

Margo Hera (she/her) is an emerging actor, comedian, and lyricist based in NYC. She is on the musical improv team Elevator Pitch (@elevatorpitchimprov), she hosts the standup open mic Femmes and Friends (femmesandfriendsmic), and she is the lyricist of the new musical The Schmidt Sisters: A Revolutionary Situation (@theschmidtsisters). @margohera www.margohera.com

Austin Olson is a versatile theater maker, comedian, educator, and arts administrator with a passion for storytelling and community engagement. Austin started his comedy career in Seattle in 2012, and has been in love with the art form ever since. He moved to NYC in 2023 and has been part of PIT Ensembles and the sketch show “Oops, My Bad”. With experience also spanning theatrical producing, directing, playwriting, and performing, Austin has been recognized with a Gregory Award for “Yes Anderson” and has contributed to various productions such as “God of Carnage” and “Tartuffe”. He has directed classics like “Little Women” and “Jane Austen’s Emma,” while also bringing original works like “Last Call” and “Rolls, Romance, and the IRS” to the stage. Alongside his creative work, Austin has held roles in theater administration including ComedySportz, Bandit Theater, Pocket Theater, and Jet City Improv cultivating inclusive artistic spaces and championing local talent. Austin holds a BA in theater from Western Washington University.

Robert Davenport recently returned to performing after a detour through Corporate America. You can see him in team Deli Cat at PIT Ensembles and at Armory Comedy with Cereal Mascots. His other beloved teams include Rumspringa, Benevolent Mob, and in another era, The Purple Crayon of Yale, The Pollyannas, and Circus Maximus. Robert has studied improv at The PIT and UCB and acting at The Barrow Group. He played Julius Caesar in Julius Caesar in Bogotá and banged his head against a dollhouse for the pilot episode of Twin Peaks.

CJ Archuleta is an actress and improviser who fell head first into comedy in college,where she discovered a passion for improv. She continued her training at Held2gether in Long Beach, CA, honing her craft on stage.

In 2015, CJ moved to New York City, where she dove into  classes and a work-study program at The People’s Improv Theater.

Cj’s on-camera work includes national and regional commercial campaigns for brands such as Estée Lauder, Jersey Mike’s, and Urban Griddle.

Quirky, grounded, and always up for a challenge, CJ is the kind of actor who brings big energy and even bigger heart to every project she touches

Amanda has been performing all over NYC for over 15 years. She specializes in big characters as well as sketch comedy writing. She regularly does improv and sketch comedy shows at the PIT including on the PIT House Team, Penalty BoxXx every other Thursday, as well as her self-produced sketch show entitled No Clue Yet where she is a writer, director, and performer. She received her BFA from Marymount Manhattan College and her improv training from Improvolution.

Julian has studied improv and acting at s.f mime troop, American conservatory theater, the pit, & second city. He Has preformed in the Bay Area for many years and is looking forward to resuming his career here in the NYC area.

Amber Reynolds is a composer, pianist, and music director based in NYC. Her work spans theater, concert music, and film and TV, with a focus on collaboration, storytelling, and musicality that elevates every moment.

She has performed internationally across North America, Europe, and Asia, and is a familiar presence at comedy theaters and festivals throughout NYC, including the New York Comedy Festival. As a music director, Amber is known for crafting dynamic, playful, and musically rich environments, whether supporting fully scripted work, improvising live on stage, or leading fellow musicians through complex, collaborative scores.

Equally at home in a black box theater, comedy club, or symphony hall, her compositions have been recorded by artists across genres and commissioned for everything from orchestral works to short films, television, and digital media. She’s especially drawn to projects that blur the lines between music and comedy, finding the perfect sound to heighten a punchline, build a world, or break your heart.

Amber is thrilled to be diving into her role as Music Director for the Shows Department at The PIT, and is excited to support and develop fresh musical comedy in NYC. Catch her behind the keys and on IG @missamberelise

Originally trained in theater, Kimberly Alu has performed and written for venues across New Jersey and New York including Count Basie, Princeton University, The Player’s Club, and The Duke on 42nd Street. After moving to Los Angeles, Kimberly continued to write for several sketch comedy groups and has performed on countless improv teams including Sketch Time Strangers and Sweet Tweets, which was presented at The Second City Hollywood to Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele. Additionally, her short play Jumper received best original play at the Manhattan Repertory Theater and the Midtown International Theater Festival. Her original full length play Carnival Games also won best play at The Thespis Theater Festival.

Since moving back to New York, Kimberly has immersed herself in the improv and sketch world, taking up work at The Peoples Improv Theater and Gotham Writers Workshop as well as starting her own digital improv network Socially Distant Improv when New York went into full lockdown mode in March of 2020. She has completed over 40 original sketch comedy pieces, a half hour comedy pilot, two docu-series, and countless plays. Kimberly has developed her own line of improv classes, Approach to Dramatic Improv and Advanced Dramatic Improv, directly inspired by her background in acting, for The Peoples Improv Theater. Most recently, she was responsible for creating and implementing the full comedy curriculum for Dallas Comedy Club and helped to curate a series of shows for their Mainstage, including her absolute favorite, The Family Funny Interactive Improv Show.

Sarah Morgan Ashey is a Tennessee born, New York based actress, comedian, writer and baker whose work has been featured across film, digital and stage.  She got her start in various independent films after completing the acting conservatory program at Michael Howard Studios in 2006. She holds a BA in Theatre Arts from The University of the South and is a graduate of the 2018-2019 Acting Apprentice Company at The Barrow Group.

A seasoned improviser, Sarah performs weekly on a House Team here at the Peoples Improv Theater, where she was awarded a full scholarship and is a current member of their faculty – offering both intro and advanced classes to aspiring comedians. Additionally, she is a proud member of Story Pirates – an organization known for adapting stories written by kids into sketch comedy!

Her original written works have been performed in the Tennessee Women’s Theater Festival, The Boston Comedy Arts Festival, the New York Sketch Festival and more. Sarah is the co-writer of the musical, A Hardboiled Christmas, which was professionally produced at the Boiler Room Theater in Nashville, TN. Her TV pilot script, Flying Blind, co-created with her writing partner, Frankie Johnson, was named a winner in the First Ten Pages Screenplay Competition. She also contributed to and hosted the popular digital series, The Name Dame, produced by Scary Mommy, garnering an average of over 700,000 views per video on Facebook.

She currently resides in Brooklyn with her husband Paul and is the proud co-owner, founder and pastry maker of Kings Kolache, a popular Brooklyn based bakery featured on the Today Show, NPR and Bon Appétit Magazine.

Sunny Atwal has over a decade’s worth of public speaking experience and currently operates as a professional emcee for Showbiz Talent & Primetime Dance. He is a former State Champion in poetry and has written, acted, produced several shows for the Indy Fringe festival as well as his own 45 minute Solo Show, Taxi Cab Driver, at SOLOCOM 2019. Sunny has also hosted for the Indy Visitor’s Channel which played throughout Indianapolis hotels explaining tourist attractions. He’s been featured on Spotify’s The Get Up Morning show & the BrainsOn Podcast! Additionally, he produces an all South Asian casted Comedy show for The People’s Improv theater. Performing is his passion and he also loves Sour Skittles.

Langston Belton is a New York born and raised improviser & actor. Langston took his first short-form class in 2001 and over a decade later performed Short-form improv in the city for a number of years before arriving at “The People’s Improv Theatre” in 2012 where he was among the recipients of the “Improv Your Life” Scholarship. Since then Langston has performed on numerous PIT House teams and served on the house team committee. He has previously been seen in the Off-Broadway show “Puffs: or seven increasingly eventful years at a certain school of magic and magic”. He is currently acting, improvising, and working as an on camera host for Marvel Entertainment.

Mark Beltzman is the funniest and most talented improvisor that I have ever worked with. I have worked on stage with him at Second City, done radio shows with him, we did movies like “Red Heat” together, and half a dozen episodes of “According to Jim.” Our scenes always got the biggest laughs.”– JIM BELUSHI

“Mark Beltzman walks the walk and listens to the talk. You WILL have fun. And that’s what it’s all about!” – GEORGE WENDT 

MARK BELTZMAN has been acting, writing, and directing since 1981. He was one of the founding members of Improv Olympic in Chicago and of the legendary group, Barons Barracudas. Mark has worked and directed at the famed Second City in Chicago. He directed many improvisational and theatrical productions at Second City in Chicago and Los Angeles, including the Second City Alumni Jam. He was also instructor/ director at The Second City Training Center, Improv Olympic West and the Upfront Comedy Showcase, as well as all over the UK, London, Brighton, Bristol, and Paris, France. Mark has also acquired a great deal of knowledge about the creative process of producing, writing and directing while performing in such notable productions as: Mo Money, Billy Madison, The Wedding Singer, Speed 2, Star Maps, Lovely and Amazing, and Employee of the Month, Factory, Seinfeld, Rosanne, Norm, Curb Your Enthusiasm, According to Jim, Cold Case, House, True Jackson VP, The Young and the Restless, and Pretty Little Liars. 

In his distinguished career, Mark has worked with; Jerry Seinfeld, Larry David, Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Steve Carrell, George Wendt, John Candy, Stephen Colbert, Jim Belushi, Adam Sandler, John Goodman, and ‘Whose Line Is It Anyways’ alumni Colin Mochrie, Ryan Stiles, and Brad Sherwood, Joel Murray, Pete Hulne, Pat Finn, Dave Koechner, Neil Flynn, David Pasquesi, TJ Jagodowski, David Razowsky, Ali Farahnakian

Rachel Bouton is an improviser, host, and producer based in New York City. As a performer she spent 4 years touring nationally with the musical comedy show Broadway’s Next Hit Musical, and has performed on comedy stages across New York (UCB, The Magnet, Gotham Comedy Club). She is proud to say she spent 7 years pre-pandemic performing as a house team member for Super Free Wednesdays at The Pit. She can currently be seen Off-Broadway performing musical comedy at The Players Theatre twice a month as part of VERN: Off-Broadway. As a producer she has worked with The New York Times, Science Friday, Tastemade, and Atlas Obscura, among others. She is also a big trivia and gameshow geek and has appeared as a contestant on $100,000 Pyramid and Who Wants to be a Millionaire (spoiler: she did not become a millionaire).

Emily is an actor, teacher, and improviser originally from Memphis, TN. She holds an MFA in Physical Theatre from Accademia dell’Arte in Arezzo, Italy. It was there that she studied Commedia dell’arte, buffon, clowning, Grotowski method, and Italian men. She’s been a resident artist for physical theatre companies across Europe- some of which include Continuo Phyisical Theatre in Malovice, Czech Republic, Teatro C’art in Castelfiorentino, Italy and Familie Flöz out of Berlin. She’s worked across Italy teaching English and theatre through mediums of storytelling and gesture. Emily moved back to the states at the end of 2019- just in time to sit in quarantine in her tiny apartment for 6 months. You might have seen her on the PIT stage in Old School Sketch Show, Backdoor BBQ, and Unfinished Business. When she’s off stage you can catch her either shaking a martini for the finance bros off Park Ave or teaching hot yoga at Fierce Grace yoga studios. She values the courageous, encourages the funny, and looks for the stupid. And finally, she’s just happy to be here, y’all.

Sydney Duncan is a New York-based comedian, improviser, writer, producer, and actor and is one of the newest cast members of Wild’NOut on vh1. She has trained extensively at UCB, The PIT, Magnet Theater, and Dallas Comedy House studying advanced improv, musical improv, and sketch. Before comedy, Sydney was a professional ballet dancer having trained at ABT, Alvin Ailey, Texas Ballet Theater, and Ballet West among others. Her credits include Regional Broadway shows such as Will Rogers Follies and Thoroughly Modern Millie, and Solange Knowles’s music video When I Get Home. She has been featured on Comedy Central’s IG and TikTok, and is a recipient of The SNL Scholarship Award. You can catch her regularly performing in Comedy Theaters all over NYC including her monthly character show at Brooklyn Comedy Collective, teaching improv at The PIT, her one-woman show at Union Hall, Understudying at Second City NY Mainstage, and UCB’s Maude & Betty Teams.

Mike Brian Fogarty is a comedy writer, director, performer, and producer based in New York City.  He is the founding member and executive producer of the sketch comedy show Backdoor Barbecue, one of the PIT’s longest running sketch comedy shows, where he also hosts and writes the show’s recurring comedy news segment News in Review.

Since beginning his comedy career in 2014, Mike has been a writer, performer, and director on Old School Sketch Show, a member of the PIT Sketch House team RunDMV, the co-host/head writer of the late-night style talk show At the Moment, and has had his shows and writing featured on The Second City Network, NYC Sketchfest, and more!

Mike has studied sketch comedy, late-night and sitcom TV writing, satire, and comedy performance at The Second City as well as sketch comedy and long-form improvisation at the Peoples Improv Theater and the Upright Citizens Brigade.

He loves writing comedy that is collaborative, fast and fun, knows how to make an exceptionally passable french onion soup, and is a CPA who absolutely cannot do your taxes (trust me – neither of us want that)!

John is an award-winning actor, award-winning software engineer, award-winning mathlete, award-winning little-leaguer, and award-winning participant in numerous summer camp activities. His life philosophy is Paragon from the Mass Effect video game trilogy. He is perhaps best known for singing the Tiny Tunes theme from the special summer episode live on Z100 before putting on his suit for his job at a corporate bank one morning.

Matt Higgins is an original member of Centralia, The Idiot Kings, and Burn Manhattan. His improvisation bears the indelible influence of director Shira Piven, and teachers Ralph Buckley, Paul Lazar, Josh Broder, and Paul Sills. Matt is an Andy Kaufman Award Finalist and his stand-up comedy has appeared on Comedy Central.  T.V. Credits include: The Jim Gaffigan Show, Late Night with Conan O’Brien, and Law and Order. Films include: Shadowboxer a Lee Daniels film. Under the tutelage of Seth Barrish, Matt developed his solo comedy JAM MAN STABLES. Recently, Matt and director Ed Malone are developed his newest solo venture, MATT HIGGINS IS GARY FLATLEY, which will played at The PIT April 28th and 29th. Matt’s taught improvisation for Second City (NYC), and led improv workshops at Yale School of Drama, Hampshire College, CUNY, and Temple University. He’s a founding member of UP Theater Company, and his credits with UP include: BROAD CHANNEL by James Bosley, K COMMA JOSEPH, by Kirby Fields, and ALL THE BEST INGREDIENTS, by James Bosley.

Listen below to hear more about Matt’s teaching style and improv philosophy, and to learn more about The PIT in his discussion with PIT Founder Ali Farahnakian.

Stephanie Holmes has been pushing the boundaries of the New York comedy scene for more than a decade. In 2022 Stephanie won The March Madness Comedy Festival. She was a finalist, twice, in the “New York’s Funniest Contest” for the NY Comedy Festival. She has also participated in the Laughing Skull Festival, the She Devil Festival, the Maine Comedy Festival, Solocom, and Queercom.  As a headliner, she’s been featured at Caroline’s for the “Breakout Artist Series” and at the People’s Improv Theatre for “The PIT Presents.”  Opening for some amazing comics- Including Jim Norton, Alonzo Bodden, Drew Lynch, and Jackie Kashian- she’s performed all over the U.S.  At the People’s Improv Theatre (The PIT) she has performed in the shows “Welcome to Hell”, played Biff in the 90’s time-travel musical with the “Unauthorized Musical Series”, and directed the annual production of Rocky Horror.  You can catch Stephanie performing weekly at comedy clubs throughout NYC.

Slaney Rose Jordan is an actor, singer, improviser, sketch writer/performer, producer and director.

Slaney received a Bachelor of Music from the University of Southern Maine for Vocal Performance – Musical Theater, with a minor in Theater. She has been performing sketch comedy and improv in NYC for the past 10 years, with recent highlights at NYC Sketchfest and Edinburgh Fringe!

She loves to perform sketch comedy in NYC, with house team credits as performer on the Livewire Teams at Magnet Theater (Rococo, IRL, 100 Business, Souvenir) and as writer/performer at The People’s Improv Theater (Victory Cereal, Option 7).

Other sketch writer/performer credits include: Old School Sketch Show, College Radio, Backdoor Barbecue, Febster, A Cheeky Sketch Show, The Kidz Network, This Live Show.

Slaney was a contributor on and played multiple characters for the web series Rhinestone Gorilla At Home (produced by Jenny Weinbloom). 

Slaney performed in a two person character show called One Single Thread (written by Lauren Gamiel) that enjoyed a month-long run at Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2022!

Slaney is a co-producer for Old School Sketch Show, one of the longest running sketch shows in NYC, with a rotating cast of the city’s best comedians. Other producer (and co-host) credits include: Theatersports!, Art Smackdown, Lazy Fair’s Carnival Desire.

You can find her performing improv as co-host of the weekly Wednesday Night Scene Jam at The PIT. She is an improviser on the casts of Awkward Family Dinner and Welcome To Hell, and produces improvised shows inspired by Tom Waits and a movie (she plays Tom Waits). PiWaits of the Caribbean is currently running at The PIT!

Slaney studied Improv Levels 1-5 at The Peoples Improv Theater. She was a member of The PIT improv house teams Free Cat!, Sugarfoot, and DBC. She was also a member of indie team Lazy Fair for 6 years!

She has twice competed in Sweet Games with Seth Herzog at Chelsea Music Hall. She also enjoys performing on house teams at Young Ethel’s Bar-Prov experiment every month! Slaney directs sketch shows for College Radio, Backdoor Barbecue, NYC Sketchfest, 24 hr Sketch Show, Pocket Candy, Ringers, Old School Sketch Show. She has also directed a stage reading of Treehaus: The Musical at Don’t Tell Mama, and is currently directing a staged play at Bluebird Theatre Company called A Little Less Than Kind (a modern day gender-bent Hamlet), premiering at NYC Fringe in April!

Joy Masters hails from snowy Central New York where she grew up daydreaming of becoming a jet pilot, a flower shop owner, an archaeologist and a professional soccer player. You can catch her with her Softball team around town with indie teams The Complex (serious improv), Sneaky as well any student short film that will have her.

Tom Placido is a jazz pianist/vocalist who has performed in a variety of venues
from concert halls to jazz clubs, including NYC’s Knickerbocker, where he is a
regular performer. He was an acclaimed feature artist in the International Plaza
Jazz Festival in Havana, Cuba in January 2020. He has open invitations to perform
in Havana and Dehli, India whenever he is available. His performances include
elements of jazz, R&B, gospel, funk, Brazilian, Latin, and rock.
He is excited by the incredible creativity and spontaneity at PIT.

Kevin Scott began performing and creating comedy while at the legendary Harry S. Truman High School in Levittown PA (profiled in Drama High and the inspiration for NBC’s Rise). He received his comedy training in Chicago in the 1990s from the Second City. He then performed with Bang Bang (which also featured Tracy Letts, Kate Walsh and Michael Shannon). In New York he has performed with Burn Manhattan and Centralia two ensembles he co-founded to explore the boundary’s of theatrical improv and comedy. Centralia has recently marked its 17th year of performing. He’s also been a regular performer and teacher for The Peoples Improv Theater since it was founded. He’s taught continuously since the ’90’s for the Second City, Gotham City Improv, The People’s Improv Theater and for various other groups and organizations. His students have gone on to work in TV and movies (Saturday Night Live, The Daily Show, The Office and more) Kevin is also a filmmaker and director. His credits include Video Director and consultant for Marc Maron’s Jerusalem Syndrome. He has developed and directed comedy TV pilots for Viacom and Fremantle Media. He co-created and/or directed several Web series including: Succesorize w/Matt Oberg, TMI featuring Ellie Kemper, Law & Order: Interns featuring Grace Helbig and has had his work shown on the Sundance Channel and Comedy Central.

‘Kevin Scott is funny, attentive and smart. Having him teaching and performing at our festival was a great enrichment. He is an open, warm and inspiring person. A true delight to work with.”

–Luisa Winkler, Würzburger Improtheaterfestival

“We took the Comic Devices-workshop and couldn’t be happier. Kevin gave us some great practical tools which directly improved our scenes.”

–Andries Tunru, Artistic director Flunknarf The Netherlands

“Kevin Scott is a very attentive and methodical teacher. He knows what he wants to give to you and does his best to deliver. If you really want to dive into a certain topic – I’d recommend taking his workshop. I’m glad I did!”

–Rahel Otsa, Director TiLT Improv Festival Tallin Estonia

“My team came to Kevin Scott when we were a few years into my improv career and needed to be recharged, reinvigorated and re-inspired. Kevin’s instruction did just that. He grounded my team and I with exercises we knew but then added a library of tools that guided our playing style for years and continues to inspire me today. Kevin reminded us to not just play but taught us that we can also be actors and artists while doing it.”

–Will Luera, Director of Improvisation at Florida Studio Theatre, Big Bang Improv, Artistic Director Emeritus of ImprovBoston

“Kevin Scott has a brilliant comedic mind, honed from years of practice, performance, and pedagogy. Whether performing with Centralia or teaching Comic Devices, Kevin’s improvisation has amazed me for nearly a decade.”

–Noah Levin, Founder Barcelona Improv Group

”Kevin Scott is a brilliant encouraging teacher with great knowledge about improv comedy. He makes the students feel safe and comfortable to explore and learn. I highly recommend Kevin to anyone who hasn’t had the privilege to work with him yet.”

–Victoria Bang, boss GBimpro Sweden

“Kevin is a perceptive and caring teacher with a rare depth of knowledge. There is no bullshit, no ego, just practical, useful material, smartly presented”

–Jules Munns, The Nursery London UK

Dana Shulman is an improviser, actor, teacher, coach, and silly long distance runner.  She is a faculty member, producer, and performer at The Peoples Improv Theater and is a founding member of independent improv team Student Driver (est. 2010). Dana is a proud member of ComedySportz NYC and one of the co-founders of Socially Distant Improv.  She has been teaching cool humans of all ages for more than a decade through programs such as Opening Act and Manhattan Youth.  Dana loves playing and having fun with all her students and teammates, her husband Giancarlo, her cats Murphy and Monster, and her brand new baby Miles who already has a slew of improv performance credits like his mama.

Sean Christian Taylor @schristiantaylor started producing original work with the renowned narrative theater group Voices of the South in Memphis, TN.

For 12 years the Peoples Improv Theater (New York, NY) has been home.

Sean received his BFA from the University of Memphis, where he teaches as a guest artist.

As a director and producer his work includes, Love is Live! NY’s newest hit dating show w/ Producers and Hosts Mackenzie Jaquish Erin Gonyeau and Olivia Benedict., Cantatore & Allen A Comedy Cabaret  staring Seann Cantatore & Reagan Allen, the solo show Kid In Church created by Timmy Hart Barron which has received critical acclaim at NYCSketchFest, Chicago Sketchfest and the LookOut Series at Steppenwolf Theatre in Chicago.

He is one former producer of Old School Sketch Show! one of the longest running sketch shows in New York – with a rotating cast of New York’s best comedians.

Also as an artistic team member of The PIT, Sean’s focus is original Pit Programming like 2 Min Drill! Tv Sketch Show Audition Show, Unfinished Business, Free POC Series, Wolfs Lair, Characters, Characters, Characters! PITizens Showcase, Fresh Faces and Duel with founder of The PIT, Ali Farahnakian.

Director credits include, resident Sketch House Team – RunDMV. Guest Director of Road Pizza, Old School Sketch Show, TreeHaus: A Latent Coming of Age Story, Virginian Brides, and Back Door BBQ.

Sean also has developed new material for, Timmy Barron (Chicago, IL @timmyhartbarron), PitTv, and BoomShot Productions (New York, Ny, Nashville, Tn).

He is a founding member of improv and sketch groups Vivian Delano, OSSS B-Sides, Food Fight, Caldwell & Taylor, Blonde Roast, and RunDMV.

Seeking to amplify voices, and be an asset in developing new work!

Lisa has been helping people find and share their story for more than twenty years. She is an improviser and storyteller originally from North Carolina.  She studied performance at Appalachian State University and has twice been awarded National Board Certification. 

Currently, Lisa is making final edits to her gothic memoir Burning Barbies. You can see her storytelling show Becoming a Noble Gas on Socially Distant Improv’s Instagram or several of her short films on the The Sequestered Film Festival’s website.