Staff

Fletcher is thrilled to join the PIT as the theater’s new General Manager. Prior to the PIT, Fletcher served as the Managing Director of Shop Studios, a TV/Film soundstage located in Hell’s Kitchen. Having loved his experience as a PIT improv student, he is excited to continue advancing the PIT’s goals alongside the staff and administrative team. Fletcher grew up in Rhode Island and has been writing and acting in New York City since 2018.

Tisza comes to the PIT with over 15 years experience in improvisational instruction, language instruction, script writing, event management / event production for Renaissance Entertainment Productions, Preferred Brands International, and Mid-Atlantic Promotions. She is also a Co-Founder and Artistic Director for Megara Media & Entertainment.

Ali Reza Farahnakian was born in Esfahan, Iran in the fall of ‘68. He came to America in the summer of ‘69. He is an immigrant. He is not eligible to seek the office of the presidency in America and is therefore a second class citizen in this country. Maybe that’s why he got into “comedy”. His teachers include Michael McCarthy, Charna Halpern, Del Close, Maryanne Thebus and Wynn Handman. He is an alumnus of ImprovOlympic, The Second City Chicago and SNL. He was a founding member of UCB and The PIT. He has acted at The Steppenwolf, BAM, and Playwrights Horizon. He has been in numerous TV shows, commercials, films and voiceovers. He has been doing this work for over three decades because he loves it and because it doesn’t seem like work. We started The PIT in 2002 in New York City.

You can check out his website at www.AliRezaFarahnakian.com.

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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.

James Navan is a pianist, singer, actor and improviser. As a musician, James holds an M.M. in jazz piano from Queens College, has toured the world with groups such as The Glenn Miller Orchestra, and also has performed at many of NYC’s finest jazz clubs.

As you may have heard though, musicians tend to take things way too darn seriously, so he’s really glad to have gotten into improv over the past few years. And now, he’s finding it hard to not take improv too seriously. Stop it, James! In particular, James really gets a kick out of musical improv, both as a pianist and improviser, and you can usually catch him accompanying the PIT’s musical improv jam every Monday night.

Ashley Poulin (she/her) is a Canadian actor and director currently based in NYC. She graduated from Wayne State University in Detroit, MI with a B.F.A. in Acting (and minors in Musical Theatre and Forensic Investigations & Policing).

During her time in Detroit, Ashley served as Chair of a non-profit organization, The Underground Theatre Company, whose vision worked to increase access and equity in the arts as an incubator for emerging artists. She was also the Community Engagement and Programming fellow at Detroit Public Theatre where she focused on their signature community program, Shakespeare in Prison, to empower incarcerated and formerly incarcerated people to reconnect with their humanity and that of others.

Continuing her passion for artistic advocacy, Ashley also currently works for The Dramatists Guild of America in NYC, working to help writers protect their unique visions. She is thrilled to be joining The PIT team!

From Texas, not of Texas (yes, there’s a difference), Jason Tyus Smith is here to do his absolute best to not do his absolute worst. Catch him at a constant 11 in the PIT office, his sketch team Judy Pryor or in Brooklyn buying Hal’s Lemon Flavored Seltzer water.

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!

Ava Whiteley is a comedy writer and performer originally from Peachtree City, Georgia. She graduated from Emerson College with a BA in Media Arts Production and a minor in Comedic Writing and Performance. During her time at Emerson, she was heavily involved with on campus comedy organizations and developed a passion for advocating for increased accessibility for underrepresented communities in the comedic landscape. See her current PIT shows The Stacey Little Variety Hour, Live From Studio P, and Musical Match Game, and her essays in the online zine BedwettersMag. She is beyond thrilled to be joining the PIT team and continuing her journey in providing access to comedic arts education!