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Home , Cory in the House, Drew Live, Hart of Dixie, Improvisational theatre, Malcolm in the Middle, The Improv

IMPRO ’S TENNESSEE WILLIAMS UNSCRIPTED JUN 15 – 17 / THE EDYE

Directed by Brian Lohmann

impro theatre staff Dan O’Connor, producing artistic director Rick Bernstein, managing director Nick Massouh, director of the Impro Theatre School Madi Goff, associate director of the Impro Theatre school Paul Hungerford, Impro Studio producer Matthew Pitner, Impro Studio manager Emily Rose Jacobson, social media coordinator production staff Trefoni Rizzi, scenic designer Sandra Burns, designer Leigh Allen, lighting designer Alex Caan, technical improviser ensemble Kari Coleman, Lisa Fredrickson, Kelly Holden Bashar, Brian Michael Jones, Stephen Kearin, Lauren Rose Lewis, Brian Lohmann, Nick Massouh, Mike McShane, Dan O’Connor, Edi Patterson, Paul Rogan, Ryan Smith, Michele Spears, Floyd Van Buskirk

Impro Theatre is supported, in part, by the County Board of Supervisors through the Los Angeles County Arts Commission. Impro Theatre’s programming is made possible, in part, by a grant from the City of Los Angeles, Department of Cultural Affairs. There will be one 15-minute intermission. 16 MAY/JUN 2018 ENSEMBLE

Kari Coleman Lisa Fredrickson Kelly Holden Bashar Brian Michael Jones

Stephen Kearin Lauren Rose Lewis Brian Lohmann Nick Massouh

Mike McShane Dan O’Connor Edi Patterson Paul Rogan

Ryan Smith Michele Spears Floyd Van Buskirk

MAY/JUN 2018 VISIT THEBROADSTAGE.ORG 17 WELCOME TO THE SHOW! BIOS For the uninitiated, this unique form of KARI COLEMAN, ensemble, began theatre generates a few questions: improvising with LA Theatresports as a founding member. She was most recently Who writes these plays? seen in Rizzoli and Isles, It’s Always Sunny Everyone that is present on . in and The Spoils Before Dying Impro Theatre is an ensemble of / with and Kristen Wiig, as well playwrights who write theatre as they as reprising her role as Helen Stacy in The perform it. Our crew is improvising the Amazing Spiderman 2. She also starred sound and light changes right along with in the MTV series Zach Stone Is Gonna Be us. Famous and played Whitney on Switched How do you rehearse this kind of show? at Birth. Guest star appearances include Scandal, NCIS: LA, Grey’s Anatomy, Glee, We immerse ourselves in the particular Wilfred, Major Crimes and NCIS. She’s genre and then reinvent it in an entirely played George’s psychotic girlfriend new way, right in front of your eyes. on and an embittered sex-ed Through the rehearsal process, we teacher on . She’s also embrace the essence of that particular been a fire-eater with Penn & Teller in Las performing style without saying or Vegas, debunked paranormal phenomena performing anything that has been on syndicated TV and fallen off a mountain previously written or performed. in an IMAX 3-D film T-REX. She is married What is it like performing a when you to fellow actor Kyle Secor and they have don’t have a script? two amazing daughters. It is terrifying, inspiring, and wonderfully LISA FREDRICKSON, ensemble, in exhilarating. The performers are addition to Impro Theatre, has been embracing whole-heartedly the an ensemble member of tenet to “be in the moment” as they have Theatresports, SAK Lab Orlando, no other choice. Disney’s Comedy Warehouse and Inflatable How do I know you are making it up? Betty. She is the resident improv teacher We invite you to come back and see at Lutheran University. She was another show – it will be completely an original cast member of Fellowship! different from this performance. It is one The Musical Parody of “The Fellowship of of the reasons why people come back and the Ring” in Los Angeles, performed at see multiple shows! the Colorado Shakespeare Festival and performed in Boo at , New York For more information about Impro in . TV credits include Greek, Theatre, go to www.ImproTheatre.com Desperate Housewives and The Tick. She has been in numerous TV commercials, usually as some sort of uptight mother. She loves babies and banjos.

18 MAY/JUN 2018 KELLY HOLDEN BASHAR, ensemble, was Theatresports and the Pepperdine Improv most recently seen on Speechless, and Troupe. she played Martin Freeman’s wife Pearl Nygaard in the Golden Globe and Emmy- STEPHEN KEARIN, ensemble, began his winning hit miniseries Fargo on FX. Some career with Bay Area Theatresports in of her other recent credits include Parks , where he was a company and Recreation, 2 Broke Girls, Dog With A member for 14 years. He was a founding Blog, and . She co-starred member of both Improv Theatre and with Rita Rudner in the film Thanks and True Fiction Magazine and is currently a can be seen in numerous commercials. founding member of 3ForAll (Celebrating Kelly is also a writer and one of the credits their 20th season). Last year he served she is most proud of is being the co- as co-director of Impro Theatre’s Twilight writer of, (and portraying “Pippin” in), the Zone UnScripted and The Western critically acclaimed play Fellowship! The UnScripted (Ovation Award nomination Musical Parody of “The Fellowship of the for his performance). Stephen is the co- Ring.” In addition to being a main company creator of Simlish and was the principal member at Impro Theatre, Kelly is also male voice of The Sims, Sims 2.0 and part of the teaching faculty. Her best role, Sims Medieval. He is featured in the by far, is mom to Brooke and Maggie. DreamWorks Animation films Kung Fu Panda, Kung Fu Panda 2 & 3, Madagascar BRIAN MICHAEL JONES, ensemble, can 2 & 3, Monsters Vs. Aliens, Megamind, The currently be seen as “Chad” on Disney Penguins Of Madagascar and Home. He XD’s Gamer’s Guide to Pretty Much appears as the terrifying Principal Mitchell Everything. His puppeteering work can be on Disney XD’s Kirby Buckets. Stephen seen on ABC’s and Muppets: has served as an instructor at Stanford Most Wanted. Brian recently performed University, Dreamworks Animation and with Channing Tatum in Joel and Ethan Cirque Du Soleil. Coen’s film Hail Caesar! as a love struck sailor in the musical number “No Dames.” LAUREN ROSE LEWIS, ensemble, can In addition to his numerous national currently be seen in PixL’s original TV commercials, his TV/film credits include: movie Sisters of the Groom in a supporting Grey’s Anatomy, Castle, Community, lead role as the ex-girlfriend still in love , Wilfred, Bones, NCIS: LA with her old beau. Over the summer, and the independent Tribute. Lauren appeared in the “thriller” film Theatre credits include: the role of Frodo Unforgettable, starring Katherine Heigl in Fellowship! The Musical Parody of “The and Rosario Dawson. In addition to Fellowship of the Ring,” The Diviners, the starring in the indie film First Period, she fool in King Lear, , 42nd has appeared on numerous television Street and Boys Next Door. His work shows, including guest starring on with The Jim Henson Company includes Showtime’s Dexter and Nickelodeon’s Unstable Fables and the improvised iCarly. Other television credits include: puppet show Puppet Up! Brian teaches Presence, Friends with Better Lives, Hit improv at the Impro School and directs LA the Floor, Melissa and Joey, CSI: NY,

MAY/JUN 2018 VISIT THEBROADSTAGE.ORG 19 Entourage, NCIS, Two and a Half Men, Stanford, The Guthrie Theatre, The Public Rules of Engagement, Ugly Betty, Days of Theater’s Shakespeare Lab, The Old Our Lives, the Hallmark Channel’s movie A Globe/USD, Oregon Shakespeare Festival Kiss At Midnight and the FOX Inside and Shakespeare at the Huntington. . Lauren has also performed at Awards include Garland, -Logue, the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, starring in and StageScene LA. David Mamet’s The Water Engine and John www.brianlohmann.com Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath. NICK MASSOUH, ensemble, is an actor, BRIAN LOHMANN, director, ensemble, improviser, and sketch . He is For Impro, Brian has directed L.A. a founding company member with Impro Noir UnScripted (Oregon Shakespeare Theatre and head of The Impro Theatre Festival mainstage, John Anson Ford School. Nick is also a member of the Amphitheater), Tennessee Williams Summer of Tears, who UnScripted (Odyssey Theater/South won the award for best sketch at the HBO Coast Rep), Dickens UnScripted (Broad Comedy Arts Festival in Aspen and filmed Stage/North Coast Rep) and Shakespeare a pilot for Warner Brothers. He UnScripted (OSF Green Show/Carrie has appeared in film/television including Hamilton Theater.) Brian served as the Oscar winning West Bank Story, Associate Artistic Director for Impro Intelligence, NCIS:LA, Private Practice, Theatre from 2006-16. He directed (and ER, Bones, and Californication. Nick has composed the score) for The Servant of performed on stage at South Coast Rep, Two Masters at Pepperdine University, The Broad, The Falcon, and originated the directed ModRock at the El Portal, and role of Tommy Marsico in Rita Rudner’s Fraudway LA’s improvised musicals, Music Tickled Pink at The Laguna Playhouse. Nick in the Key of Murder and Camenot at the is a resident of Los Angeles with a BFA Impro Studio. Favorite performances degree in acting from USC. include the Berkeley Jazz Festival with Bobby McFerrin, String of Pearls at MIKE MCSHANE, ensemble, was a regular Carnegie Hall and Johnny Lonely in his cast member of Whose Line is it Anyway critically acclaimed solo show Johnny UK and has taught for Pixar, Lonely’s Unhappy Hour, which toured Savannah College of Art and Design and the UK and . He appeared Off- many workshops in the U.S. and U.K. A Broadway in Lifegame, and hosted eight semi-regular with episodes of the television version. Other Players in , he’s performed on TV and film appearances include Jack, Broadway and the West End in London in Raising the Toygantic, Thanks, He Was a La Cage Aux Folles, Little Shop of Horrors, Quiet Man, The Bunglers, Ask Rita and One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, and World Cup Comedy. Stage credits include The Tailor Made Man, and the acclaimed ACT, The Old Globe, Shakespeare Santa production of Assassins at The Menier Cruz, Laguna Playhouse and The Magic Chocolate Factory. He was a company Theater. Brian taught for the American member of The American Conservatory Conservatory Theatre’s MFA program, Theatre, The California Shakespeare

20 MAY/JUN 2018 Festival, He’s been seen in film and TV on EDI PATTERSON, ensemble, plays Jen Seinfeld, ER, Malcolm in the Middle, The Abbott on the HBO series . Show, Doctor Who, Wayward Some of her other credits include White Pines, Bluestone 4-2, Robin Hood: Prince Famous, Black-ish, Bajillion Dollar of Thieves, Richie Rich, Drop Dead Properties, FX’s Partners, The League, Gorgeous and Office Space. You can also , 2 Broke Girls, hear Mike’s voice in A Bug’s Life, Vampire Californication, You’re Killing Me, The Mike Hunter D, Spawn: The TV Series, King of the Tyson Mysteries, various voices for We Hill, and many other animated films. Bare Bears, guest-writing for and co-writing songs for the DAN O’CONNOR, ensemble, producing musical Fellowship! Edi is a Main Company artistic director, for Impro Theatre, member of both Impro Theatre and The has directed Chekhov UnScripted and Groundlings, where she performs weekly. co-directed Jane Austen UnScripted, Twitter and Instagram: @EdiHasAUnicorn Fairytales UnScripted, The Western UnScripted, Shakespeare UnScripted and PAUL ROGAN, ensemble, is originally Sondheim UnScripted. Collectively, these from London and has worked with all of shows have performed at The Broad the UK’s major improv groups, including Stage, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, the Comedy Store Players and with Eddie Laguna Playhouse, North Coast Repertory, Izzard and Friends. He joined Impro Falcon Theatre, Carrie Hamilton Theatre Theatre to co-direct and perform in at The Pasadena Playhouse, Lewis Family Jane Austen UnScripted. U.S. TV includes Playhouse, New Vic Theatre, Odyssey Castle, Timeline, KC Undercover, I Theatre and many others. Stage acting Didn’t Do It (as snarky science teacher credits include Improbable Theatre’s Life Mr. Jenkins), Anger Management (two Game (Off-Broadway) and shows with ACT different roles), Legit, My Name is Earl, and A Noise Within. Television directing , Cougartown, Jimmy Kimmel credits include ABC’s Sons and Daughters Live, Sleeper Cell and . and Oxygen’s Campus Ladies; acting Film includes Miss March, Thunderpants includes Seinfeld, VEGAS, Raising Hope, and A Knight in Camelot. Theatre includes Campus Ladies, Starstruck and Malcolm “George” in Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf, in the Middle; and he also co-created and the “Emcee” in and “Malvolio” starred in NBC/PAX’s improv show World in Twelfth Night. He has been on lots of Cup Comedy. Dan has taught and directed BBC Radio comedy shows, including six improvisational theatre to universities full series. As a stand-up comedian, Paul and companies worldwide including USC, has played the Improv in and Duke, Pepperdine, UT Austin, Dreamworks, hundreds of live, TV and radio gigs. Disney Animation and Cirque du Soleil. www.paulrogan.com He is a graduate of the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art in London and RYAN SMITH, ensemble, Ryan’s most recently gave a TED Talk about teaching recent Impro credits are Jane Austen the world to improvise. UnScripted, Twilight Zone UnScripted www.danoconnor.net and Sondheim UnScripted. Last

MAY/JUN 2018 VISIT THEBROADSTAGE.ORG 21 October, he made his Impro directing Award nomination. She’s a graduate of debut with Horror UnScripted. In the NYU/TISCH, a member of the Directors “scripted” world, Ryan has done a ton of Lab West and currently teaches theatre at commercials and voice-overs, had the Harvard-Westlake School. privilege of playing a Hobbit and an Elf in www.michelespears.com Fellowship! The Musical Parody of “The Fellowship of the Ring” and wrote and FLOYD VAN BUSKIRK, ensemble,started produced on the final three seasons of acting professionally in the ‘80s and MadTV on FOX. Not for nothing, but his worked on almost every stage in Seattle sketches from that show have racked up and Tacoma, including The Seattle Rep a combined 1.7 gagillion-bazillion hits on under the direction of Daniel Sullivan. YouTube (rough estimate). While he loves He co-founded Seattle Theatresports/ all the improvising, acting and writing he Unexpected Productions and was its gets to do, his greatest joy is hanging out first Artistic Director in 1983. He moved with his amazing wife, Snow, and their to Los Angeles in 1994 and joined three insanely cute dogs, Buzby, Charlie LA Theatresports, where he was the and Oliver. Education Director from 2000 to 2002 and Artistic Director from 2002 to 2004 MICHELE SPEARS, ensemble, is an actor, when the company’s name was changed improviser, director/choreographer to Impro Theatre. Some TV credits: Bosch, and arts educator. A founding member New Girl, You’re The Worst, Reno 911!, Las of Impro, she has also performed with Vegas, NCIS, How I Met Your Mother, Curb Theatresports, Inflatable Betty, Pulp Your Enthusiasm, Rules Of Engagement, Playhouse and Disney’s Laughing Stock The Middle, and . Company. Recent projects include: Films include: Reno 911!/, Balls of Object of Her Affection at REDCAT Fury, A Mighty Wind and The Bunglers. (director); Traveling Music at Stage 72 He works extensively in voiceover and in NYC (director/choreographer); The is a singer-songwriter with the band, L.A. Gay Men’s Chorus Down Under CATAHOULA. Concert (choreographer); The Soltanoff/ Findlay Project for Center Theatre Group PRODUCTION STAFF (performer); Sondheim UnScripted at The TREFONI MICHAEL RIZZI, scenic designer, Oregon Shakespeare Festival (director/ Off-Broadway/Regional: A Woman of Will performer); Important Things with Dimitri at The Daryl Roth Theater NYC; The Little Martin for (actor); Prince; A Child’s Christmas in Wales; and and Wake Up Your Weird at the O’Neill The Inspector General at The Colorado Theater Center, which premiered in New Shakespeare Festival. World/West Coast York and is currently touring (director/ Premieres: Maltby/Shire’s A Time for choreographer). Her work has been Love at Arena Studio Theatre; P.J. Barry’s recognized with LA Weekly, N.Y. Night- Bad Axe at Foothill Theatre Company; Life, Dramalogue, StageScene LA and Stephen Legawiec’s Peru in Africa at the Santa Barbara Independent awards, as Miles Playhouse; Melanie Marnich’s Quake well as an American Choreographers’ at Theatre Pangea; and Lee Blessing’s

22 MAY/JUN 2018 Chesapeake at Venice Theatre Works. (Regent Cruise Lines), Shimmy! (Princess Local: Parallel Lives at The Falcon Theatre; Cruise Lines), Snoopy On Ice, The Red Copenhagen at Rubicon Theatre; Sex and Road (Native Voices), Killer Joe (Ovation Education at Laguna Playhouse and Colony Award: Production of the Year), The Fab Theatre; Two Boys From Brooklyn at The Four (South Bay CLO), The Prince of LA Palace Theatre; and Marilyn, Madness and (The Old Globe in ) and Vincent Me! at the El Portal Theatre. Awards and in Brixton (Pasadena Playhouse). Leigh also Honors: Ovation Award - Songs for a New received the Los Angeles Drama Critics World at Rubicon Theatre. Guest Designer: Circle and LA Weekly Lighting Design Lincoln Center Theatre’s Director’s Lab, Awards for Johnny Got His Gun. Member of United Scenic Artists Local 829. Award Winning Author and Publisher ALEX CAAN, technical improviser, is an of Teddy’s Travels - America’s National improviser, actor and musician native to Parks - www.teddystravels.com. Los Angeles. He has been working and studying with Impro Theatre since 2013. SANDRA BURNS, costume designer, is He has contributed to several other an award-winning artist based in Los company productions as a technical Angeles. She designs and improviser, including Shakespeare sets for theatre, dance, TV and film. UnScripted, The Western UnScripted, Past collaborations include work at Jane Austen UnScripted, Twilight Zone DouglasPlus, REDCAT, South Coast Rep, UnScripted, Chekhov UnScripted and La Jolla Playhouse, The Broad Stage, Sondheim UnScripted. Additionally, he Fountain Theatre, LATC, Odyssey performs both on and off stage at the Theatre, The Falcon Theater, St. Ann’s Impro Studio in Los Feliz. Warehouse and PS 122. Sandra was the costume designer for the Academy RICK BERNSTEIN, managing director, Award nominated short film New Boy. has worked with many arts organizations She is currently designing costumes for throughout Los Angeles. He has been the TV series Last Man on Earth and the Managing Director at Rogue Machine Lopez. Sandra received her MFA from the Theatre, Road Theatre Company and California Institute of The Arts (CalArts). Elephant Theatre Company, and he was www.sandraburnsdesign.com a staff member at The Theatre @ Court, The Colony Theatre and LA Stage LEIGH ALLEN, lighting designer, is Alliance, working in various capacities a multi-award winner for lighting in arts management, marketing and design, and is a recipient of the Career administration. He has also managed and Achievement Award from the Los Angeles consulted on several shows at various Drama Critics Circle. Leigh returns to throughout southern California. Impro Theatre after her highly acclaimed Rick’s film and television production designs for Stop Kiss, Half of Plenty, credits include , K-PAX, Razorback and American Dead. Other Tomb Raider and Frozen Assets (which credits include: Beauty and the Beast critic Gene Siskel named “The Worst Film (Musical Theater West), Champagne

MAY/JUN 2018 VISIT THEBROADSTAGE.ORG 23 of the Year”). He is a graduate of Stanford Auditorium at Texas State University, The University. Melbourne Fringe in Australia and Theatre Adyar in Paris. Impro has received multiple ABOUT IMPRO THEATRE Ovation Recommended honors and Impro Theatre creates completely Critics’ Picks in , Back improvised, full-length plays in the styles Stage and LA Weekly. Los Angeles Times of the world’s greatest playwrights, says “Impro Theatre has evolved into a authors and composers. With no powerhouse improvisational company in pre-planning or prepared scenarios, full-length shows that are off-the-cuff the performers start with audience and consistently hilarious. An indigenous suggestions and combine verbal dexterity Los Angeles treasure, the company should and dynamic physicality to bring character be seen — and reseen!” American Theatre and plot to life in an instant, making Magazine says, “These virtuosic talents each show unlike any other theatrical simply are as superhuman as they seem. experience. The show you are about to These are serious professional , see will never be seen again. classically trained, who can write on their feet better than many writers can type Founded as Los Angeles Theatresports in at a desk. Impro’s work has taught me 1988, has evolved from a IMPRO THEATRE to demand more from the theatre. Here successful short form improv troupe into might be the salvation the theatre seeks.” a critically acclaimed theatre company. Impro Theatre’s performances are unique; Impro Theatre currently has 12 different there are no repeated characters and no styles of shows in our repertoire: set story structure. Each performance • Jane Austen UnScripted offers an exploration into the process of • Chekhov UnScripted spontaneous creation while encouraging • Dickens UnScripted a profound level of engagement between • Fairytales UnScripted performers and audience, who are all • Horror UnScripted united in discovering what happens in the • L.A. Noir UnScripted moment on that particular night. • Dorothy Parker UnScripted In Southern California, Impro has • Shakespeare UnScripted performed sold-out shows at South • Sondheim UnScripted Coast Repertory, The Broad Stage in • Tennessee Williams UnScripted Santa Monica, The Pasadena Playhouse, • Twilight Zone UnScripted North Coast Repertory in San Diego, • The Western UnScripted The Falcon Theatre in Burbank and many Impro Theatre also manages the Impro more. Venues around the world include Studio performance space and the Impro the John Anson Ford Amphitheater in Los Theatre School, which is the home of Angeles, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Narrative Improv in Los Angeles. The Athenaeum Theatre in , Evans

24 MAY/JUN 2018 1727 North Vermont Ave., #211 Los Angeles, CA 90027 (323) 401-6162 [email protected] .com/improtheatre @improtheatre Visit www.ImproTheatre.com and sign up for Impro’s mailing list! Impro Theatre is available for corporate training, and we are the choice of many Fortune 500 companies. Let us help you tell your story.

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