The Second City's
Improv Brunch

Please silence all devices and refrain from taking photos or video during the performance.

 

TINA ARFAEE (Understudy) has been writing and performing in Chicago since 2012, most notably at The Annoyance Theater with Matt Damon Improv. With MDI, she wrote and starred in the web series In-Diana. She has also appeared on an episode of Chicago FireCentered the web series, and short film The Sweatshirt. Tina is a graduate of The Second City/NBC Universal Bob Curry Fellowship. Please reach out directly if you are interested in starting a Dolly Parton cover band. She is repped by Big Mouth Talent. @tinatwocats

KENNEDY BALDWIN (Ensemble) is an improviser, writer, and actress born and raised in Chicago. She attended Western Illinois University where she studied music business. She started taking improv classes at The Second City at the beginning of 2016 and has been in love with it ever since! In 2019, she completed the Severn Darden Graduate Program and in 2020 she was a recipient of the Bob Curry Fellowship at Second City. She now produces the smallprov show at Logan Square Improv.

MARY CATHERINE CURRAN (Ensemble) (She/Her/Hers) is is so excited to perform in this show with these incredible humans! She has improvised, written, performed, and directed shows all over Chicago, with highlights including Steamworks, Bite Size Broadway, Burlesque is More, Hideous, and SHEBEAST at The Annoyance; Virgin Daiquiri, Lil’ Tooties, and One Woman Space Jam at iO. Curran’s Second City credits include Do You Believe in Madness? (Mainstage); She the People (UP); America: It’s Complicated (Kennedy Center), and Love, Factually (Kennedy Center). Follow @itismarycatherine on insta and @ismarycatherine on Twitter for great content. As always, everything she does is for her dad, Timm.

GEORGE ELROD  is a native Arkansan, he wrote and performed in Second City’s first original LGBTQ sketch revue, Salute to Pride: Not Safe for Werk. He is a 2018 NBC Universal/Second City Bob Curry Fellow, and performs regularly on the iO Harold team, Comet. Other Chicago sketch/improv comedy credits include Trigger Happy (Annoyance Theatre), Legendary Laughs (Second City), Let’s Make it Perfectly Queer (Second City), and Guppie (iO Chicago). George is an alumni of DePaul University, and represented by Grossman & Jack Talent. Thank you to Mom, Dad, & Comet for their love and support! Follow him on instagram @gel_rod, or twitter @XOGossipGeorge

 

Claire Favret (Understudy) writes and performs all around Chicago, but most often at Second City, iO theater, CIC theater, and The Annoyance. She has contributed headlines for Clickhole and co-wrote an episodic comedy podcast/radio play called A Winkle In Time. It’s about the Winklevoss brothers traveling through time to patent inventions and fight their nemesis, Mark Zuckerberg. It’s on iTunes and all the other podcast places!

HANNAH INGLE, originally from Missouri, has been living and performing in Chicago since 2014. You can catch Hannah as an understudy for The Second City Touring Company, in frequent productions at The Annoyance Theatre, and singing and playing guitar with her musical comedy duo Ruth and Elaine. (@RuthandElaine) Hannah would like to thank her family and friends for their ongoing love and support, and David for always reminding her to dream big. Aside from all that – Hannah is just generally happy to be here, and would absolutely love to pet your dog!

 

MAX LAZERINE is a writer and performer from Minneapolis Minnesota and is an alum of Columbia College Chicago. Max is a performer with The Annoyance’s HOLY F*CK COMEDY HOUR and can be seen around town with his sketch duo Max and Annie. You can follow this bad boy on twitter @Maxlazerine

LAURA MAYNARD was born and raised in Chattanooga, Tennessee before moving to Chicago in 2015. She studied Comedy Writing and Performance at Columbia College Chicago, graduating in 2019. She can be seen improvising all over town with the iO Harold team Slice and independent team Cool Aunt. She wouldn’t be here without her parents, so John and Laura if you’re reading this – I love you! You can follow her on Twitter and Letterboxd at @mrsdennisquaid

KEVIN NOONAN is a writer and performer originally from Overland Park, Kansas, thrilled to perform with Second City. Kevin previously wrote and performed at the Pack Theater in Los Angeles with house ensembles Very Famous and Nobody Yell At Me. Other past credits include red carpet journalist, SAT tutor, working salad orders at a cafe in the mall, and almost Blockbuster Video cashier, until the store closed down on what was supposed to be his first day of work. His instagram is @kevin.noonan4.

BRUCE PHILLIPS   is an actor and improviser in Chicago where he can be seen in Hitch*Cocktails and Trigger Happy (The Annoyance Theatre), Clued-In (Second City Cabaret Stages) and ComedySportz Chicago. Bruce originated the role of Wilbur in the Tony-Award Winning musical Hairspray for Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines aboard the largest cruise ship in the world, The Oasis of the Seas, and currently directs for Royal Caribbean on ships around the world. He has toured with Second City Theatricals aboard The Norwegian Dawn, and occasionally performs with Mission Improvable’s RedCo and LOL Theater in Schaumburg, IL. Bruce is a Jeff Award winner for Artistic Specialization for his work designing the robots in Heddatron at the Steppenwolf Garage Rep for Sideshow Theatre Company, where he is also a former artistic associate. He was most recently seen as Agent Smith in The One – The Matrix Parody Musical and has understudied in Lifeline Theatre’s production of Anna Karenina, The Plagiarists’ production of Münsterspiel, and Sideshow Theatre’s productions of HeLa and X.  Learn more at brucetheactor.com.

YAZMIN RAMOS is thrilled to be performing with The Second City’s She The People alongside this talented cast! Yazmin is an actor, comedian, and writer who performs all around Chicago. Highlights include: The Second City’s She The People Tour (Boston – Huntington Theatre Company), The Holy Fuck Comedy Hour (Annoyance Theatre), Burlesque is More (Annoyance Theatre), and Matt Damon Improv. She is currently staffed as a TV Writer on a morning cartoon sketch show and has had a couple of teeny tiny roles on TV as well. Represented by Grossman & Jack Talent

ROSS TAYLOR  is originally from St. James, Missouri and favorite Second City credits include performing at the Kennedy Center and understudying for the e.t.c. and the Touring Company. Before moving to Chicago, Ross spent seven years in New York City, performing and teaching regularly at Magnet Theater. He majored in Theater at the University of Missouri. Eternal thanks to Jen, Loki and all the heroes out there! @rosstaylornyc 

Brittani Yawn

BRITTANI YAWN (she/her/hers) is a performer and writer based in Chicago. Originally from Cleveland, OH, Brittani moved to Chicago after earning her BA in Theatre from Miami University. Some of her recent credits include Poison (The Plagiarists), The Suffrage Plays (Artemisia Theatre), and The Ridiculous Darkness (Sideshow Theatre Company). She has also performed with Black Lives Black Words International Project, Hell in a Handbag Productions, the Annoyance, and iO, among others. You can catch her improvising at multiple comedy spaces in Chicago. Brittani is a 2021 NBC Universal/Second City Bob Curry Fellow.

ADAM SCHRECK (Director) Originally from Pittsburgh, Adam is performer, writer, teacher, and facilitator at The Second City. He is an alumni of their touring company and an ensemble member in a handful of current productions. A short list of his favorite things includes his wife Caitlin, Wild Cherry Pepsi, and any and all things Batman.

JEFF BOUTHIETTE (Musical Director) was the musical director for the last two  Mainstage revues Together at Last and Do the Right Thing, No Worries If Not. Jeff has worked with The Second City since 2004, including serving as musical director for the Touring Company, at sea aboard the Norwegian Spirit and the Norwegian Gem, and with the Training Center, where they were head of the music program for a decade. Jeff’s original musicals include the acclaimed song cycle “Planted” and the musical Mary Rose, recently presented in a Jeff-nominated production by Black Button Eyes. Jeff would like to thank their husband Allen for all his love and support. 

JOHN LOVE (Musical Director) is a musician/actor based out of Chicago, IL. He currently tours with The Second City and plays piano for a collective in Chicago called The North and Wells Band. He gives all of his love and appreciation to his family and friends; especially his Mom, his sister, E & A, and his dear friend KB.

RYAN MIERA (Musical Director) has been music directing for almost a decade. He’s played at and for iO, The Annoyance, MCL, Baby Wants Candy, and is the head music director at ComedySportz. His band, Yellow Pills, plays frequently around Chicago & can be heard on Spotify, iTunes & Apple Music. They’re currently signed with Mint 400 Records.

MICHAEL OLDHAM (Musical Director)  is a composer and pianist who weaves artwork, story, and imagination into his work. Whether experimenting with looping videos on Instagram as the “parts” of a piece that anyone can play (Music In Segments – 2018), utilizing repeating gif images of old silent films as inspiration for a twelve-movement work (Music In Gifs – 2019), translating great works of art into music (Suggestion Box: Art – 2020, The Egon Schiele Pieces – 2021), writing art songs, musical theater, pop songs, or commercial ad work, Michael’s thirst for unusual storytelling through music is never quenched.

ABBY GILLETTE (Stage Manager) Hailing from Parts Unknown, Abby is a stage manager for this show, an understudy stage manager for the Second City Touring Companies, and manages several shows in the Beat Lounge and Backout Cabaret at The Second City. Thanks for coming and enjoy the show!

SARA STOCK (Stage Manager)

 

BREE BARTMAN (Stage Manager)  

 

RICH ALFONSO is stoked to be a part of the Touring Company along with these amazing people! He was a recipient of the 2016 NBC/Universal Bob Curry Fellowship and has trained in improvisation all over Chicago. Rich has worked with the Second City as a cast member of Urban Twist, The Second City’s Black History Month Show, touring aboard Norwegian Cruise Line and as an understudy for the ETC Resident Stage. Other credits include being a featured performer in the the 2019 NBC Break Out Comedy Festival, his two man team Spic & Tan and his solo show I.C.E. Box which was featured on WBEZ Radio and NPR. He is represented by Big Mouth Talent. Follow Rich on Twitter/Instagram/TikTok @rich_alfonso

MAUREEN BOUGHEY is thrilled to be a member of the Second City Touring Company. With The Second City, Maureen has also performed at The Kennedy Center in Generation Gap, aboard Norwegian Cruise Line’s Gem, and as an understudy in the Mainstage productions Algorithm Nation or the Static Quo and Happy to Be Here. She is a graduate of the Syracuse University Drama Department and is the co-host of comedy/horror podcast, Creep Street Podcast. Love to her family, Dylan, and Banshee. @maureen_boughey @creepstreetpodcast

JENELLE CHEYNE originally hails from Vancouver, Canada and is delighted to be a part of The Second City Touring Company. She is an actor, writer, comedian and frequent water aerobics participant. You can also see her perform at The Annoyance. Check her out online too! @jamealchameal

JILLIAN EBANKS (pronouns: She/Her/Hers) is thrilled to be a member of The Second City National Touring Company. An artist originally from New Jersey, she was awarded the 2018 NBC Bob Curry Fellowship.  Past shows include America; It’s Complicated! at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and The Black History Month Show.  She is the co-creator and co-producer of B.A.P.S Comedy. With a degree in sociology she refuses to use, Ebanks hopes all her hard work pays off one day when Ben & Jerry’s asks her to create her very own ice cream flavor. Also, like, an invitation to the Met Gala would be cool. Follow her at @Curlyhairnocare for pictures with hella filters. She is currently represented by Grossman & Jack Talent.

 

LEILA GORSTEIN is thrilled to perform with The Second City! Leila comes from Charleston, SC and received her B.A. in Theater from Indiana University. Leila has performed all over Chicago and has gone abroad with Second City aboard the NCL Breakaway. Currently, Leila is a cast member and writer on the morning show Toon in with Me, which plays weekdays on MeTV.  Thank you to Leila’s family, who makes laughter a part of her every day. You can follow her on Instagram @lolgorstein

DYLAN HACKWORTH is so happy to be playing with the Second City Touring Company! He has performed as a Second City cast member aboard the Norwegian Cruise Line ship, the Gem, and with the improvised action movie, Lethal Action Force. Big thank you to Maureen and the Hackworth and Boughey families! 

Javid Iqbal

JAVID IQBAL is so excited to be part of the Second City family! He has been featured in the Second City NBC Breakout Comedy Festival, the 2018 Bob Curry Fellowship, and most recently Urban Twist with Second City’s Diversity & Inclusion. Follow Javid on Instagram @Javidiqbal82 for pictures and videos of his baby-toddler Jamil paired with sometimes witty-ish captions!

A southside Chicago native, BILL LETZ loves being a part of this city’s wonderful comedy community. He is a proud graduate of Second City’s Conservatory and Musical program as well as iO’s Training program. He has been a part of many great shows and teams but some of his favorites include Daffodil, Ghost Car, Tubbs Ave, pH, Improvised Gilmore Girls, and The Treehouse Pipers. He is so happy to be a part of Second City’s BlueCo along with his amazing and mega talented castmates. Thanks to Bill and Meth, Cath and Scoops, and his family and friends for all their support. Pics of his dog Two Scoops of Cookies and Cream @letzey on the gram.

Phylicia McLeod

PHYLICIA McLEOD is an improviser, writer, voice over actress, and teacher based in Chicago, IL. She began her comedy career at Second City Chicago and completed the conservatory & Bob Curry Fellowship programs. You can hear her as she co-host the podcast Unlearning or in her head learning how to read Tarot Cards.

 

TIM METZLER comes from Wisconsin and has spent the past decade as a comedian in Chicago. He’s represented by the amazing Paonessa Talent Agency. Most recently he shot an Amazon commercial and will appear in the next Kindle campaign. He’s understudied multiple Mainstage shows at Second City and is part of the National Touring Company. His voice work is on Spotify with the AM 1066 Radio Parody Podcast (@am1066) and The Garden Boys (@gardenboyshaha). He’s a member of Baby Wants Candy: The Improvised Musical, he’s a humorist for Greener Pastures Magazine (@greenerpastsat) and he’s a Featured Fantasy Sports Writer for FantasyPros. His free time is spent cooking and laughing with his wife Beth. For Tim’s work on TikTok, Twitter and Instagram, please see @timmy_the_metz

AMITA RAO

CASSIDY RUSSELL

CAT SAVAGE is delighted to perform with The Second City. A Massachusetts native, she moved to Chicago after graduating from Brown University with a double major in History and Gender Studies. She is a proud graduate of The Second City Training Center’s Conservatory and Severn Darden Graduate Program, as well as iO’s training program. You can catch her performing in Chicago with Artemis and in the Armando Diaz Experience (iO). She really loves her dog-nephew, Chance. Follow her online! Twitter: @CatharineSavage

JORDAN STAFFORD comes to you from the dope city of Detroit, Michigan. He attended Saginaw Valley State University where he studied theatre, and while there he was also introduced to improv. After graduating in 2015, he moved to Chicago and loves it. He is on the iO Harold team Lil’ Tooties and also does solo work all around Chicago. Stafford is represented by Paonessa Talent. You can follow him on instagram @dudewiththeabolistionistpart.  

Adisa Williams

ADISA WILLIAMS (Understudy, she/her) is originally from both Boston and Kingston, Jamaica. (This cannot be further explained). She is currently a writer for YouTube News show: Gay News and actor/writer for web series Bennie and Barbara. She is currently in the 2020 Second City NBCUniversal Bob Curry Fellowship.  When not on stage or behind a camera, you can catch her in the middle of a ring of Krispy Kreme doughnuts because she likes being surrounded by greatness. Previous credits include:  iO’s House Sketch Team, iO’s diOversity Scholars, ComedySportz Seattle Ensemble. Huge thank you to her Chicago family and friends. Follow @runoftheschmill on Instagram and @schmilliams on Twitter/TikTok

Karl Bradley (Understudy) is a writer and performer living in Chicago. A Georgia native, he performs regularly at the Annoyance Theatre in the sketch group “Cigarette Sandwich.” Alright, enjoy the show that is about to start. Wait, why are you still reading this? The show is on the stage. You won’t miss anything if you stop reading now. The secrets of the universe are not hidden here, and if they were, would you believe them? Karl is from Georgia. See, I told you. 

Richard Gomez

Richie Gomez (Understudy) is a local comedian and actor who is very much just happy to be here. Once a college drop out, Richard took a chance on the stage and the rest is the stuff of legends (legends, ok?). Since then he’s been lucky enough to go back to school for a Bachelors in Comedy Writing and Performing Arts, he’s been able to play with some of the most talented people in the city in theatres, clubs, basements and unsanctioned living room shows, and even still continues to learn and study the craft of comedy from the community that surrounds him.

CHAS LILLY (Understudy) is a Chicago-based writer, performer, and improviser from the Commonwealth of Kentucky. He regularly performs with “fair dinkum” at CiC theater and the Chicago improv darlings “Randy.”  He recently produced the album Us Who Know for Chicago folk band The Q’s.

ANDREW McCAMMON (Understudy) moved to Chicago in 2011 from Asheville, NC after earning a BA in Literature and Creative Writing. He has worked as an understudy for the 42nd e.t.c. revue, Gaslight District, and has worked for Second City Theatricals and Norwegian Cruise Lines aboard the Norwegian Gem. Andrew is the writer/director of Chicago-based sketch troupe DGAF Comedy (formerly Damn, Gina!) and is an ensemble member of the iO Comedy Network team Snack City, Utah. You can see his original work at dgafcomedy.com.

PRESTON PARKER (Understudy) previously performed in Sing Out: Second City and understudied for Second City 109th Mainstage Revue, Together at Last. His work has been featured at the Austin Out of Bounds Festival, Chicago Sketchfest and Second City’s Beat Weekend. Much love to Bianca, Ashley, Shelby, Dad, and Mom, always. Follow Preston on Twitter @PrestonParker.

HANNAH REHAK (Understudy) is a writer, comedian, and filmmaker — as well as a proud Chicago Public Schools and Macalester College alum with over a decade of experience in improv and sketch comedy. Hannah has performed at a number of theaters in and outside of Chicago including iO, CIC, Logan Square Improv and The Annoyance. Hannah’s short films include Downbeat (released through NoBudge) and The Book Reading, both of which were screened at The Spirit of Chicago Film Festival. She is a contributing writer to the podcast, The Tiny Little Late Show, and the co-host and producer of a comedy recap podcast Nina, Hannah and Emily in Paris. You can learn more about Hannah at hannahrehak.com or follow her on Twitter @inanimatecub or Instagram @hmrehak.

AUDREY SCHIFFHAUER (Understudy) is originally from Buffalo, NY, and has performed improv and sketch comedy in Chicago for seven years, including Second City, iO Theater, The Annoyance and CIC. She is excited to be performing with her friends again after missing comedy so much in the last year, although her cat Lily is not thrilled that she seems to be leaving the house more often.

MATTHEW POLLACK (Alternate Music Director) is a musician and teacher living in Chicago. Composing credits include Sh*tFyre, (parts of) Shark Tank: the Musical, and I Want to Believe: an X-Files Musical Parody, all at The Annoyance, and nine half-hour musicals for children. He is the long-running Musical Director for Hitch*cocktails at the Annoyance, and accompanies sketch and improv shows throughout the city. Matthew also teaches improv (musical and otherwise) at the Second City Training Center. 

BREE BARTMAN (Alternate Stage Manager) is the Stage Manager for this production! For the past 10 years, she’s been hiding in the shadows at several theaters around Chicago, including The Second City and the long running show, Bye Bye Liver. When she’s not at Second City, you can find her slinging sass at Ed Debevic’s! Please enjoy the show!!! 

AMY YOUNG (Production Manager) is a Chicago-based Education Producer with the Second City. She first came to the Second City as a Conservatory student in 2013 and traveled the country as the understudy for Second City’s The Realish Housewives: A Parody, in 2016. She moved behind the scenes in 2018, climbing the rungs from Kid and Teen Program Assistant to her current role as a Production Manager. Whether in a workshop, classroom, or Zoom setting, Amy is driven to optimize the learning experience for both clients and facilitators alike. Amy holds a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre (cum laude) and a Masters of Science in Leadership for Creative Enterprises (MSLCE, cum laude) from Northwestern University. She loves Jeni’s Ice Cream and all dogs everywhere.