Cast and Crew – Holidays UP
The Ensemble
LEXI ALIOTO
Lexi Alioto (she/her) is thrilled to be back performing with The Second City. Previously, she has been seen in SC’s She The People both at home in Chicago and on tour. She is an alumni of Second City’s Severn Darden Graduate Programs TWISTY and Infinite Sundaes. She has improvised, written, and performed all over the Chicago stages, notably: The Annoyance (Bite Sized Broadway), Baby Wants Candy, and The Playground (Queer Eye: The Musical Parody). She is proudly repped by Grossman & Jack Talent. Follow her @aalioto92.
ALEX BELLISLE
Alex Bellisle (She/Her/Hers) is thrilled to be performing with this rockstar group! Alex is a Chicago-based actress and comedian with a B.A. in Theatre from the University of Houston. She has appeared in the critically acclaimed She the People at The Second City’s UP Comedy Club and Woolly Mammoth Theatre in Washington, D.C. Other credits include Chicago P.D. (NBC) and in the short First Holiday. Alex would like to thank the cast, Jack, and her personal graphic designer and wife, also named Alex (you’re welcome). Follow her @alexbellisle.
MAX KANTOR
Max Kantor (he/him/his) is an actor, writer, and comedian from Atlanta, Georgia. A student and graduate of both the Second City Conservatory and Annoyance Class Program, Max can be seen performing weekly in the HF Comedy Hour (Annoyance Theatre) and around town with his improv duo M&M, improv team You Seem Like, and comedy group Chicago Live Improv Club. Max attended Georgia State University and is repped by Grossman & Jack Talent. Also, he’s a huge fan of the Miami Dolphins and his favorite food is the sandwich!
ANTHONY LEBLANC
Anthony LeBlanc works at Nickelodeon/Paramount doing talent development and as an on-set acting coach on such hit shows as The Reboot of All That and The Really Loud House. He acted as Interim Executive Producer of The Second City in 2020. Previously, LeBlanc served as an Artistic Director for The Second City Inc., as well as a part-time faculty member at Columbia College Chicago. Anthony is a Second City alum who wrote and performed in two original Chicago Mainstage revues, Taming of the Flu and the Jeff Award-nominated America: All Better!. He has been a teacher and resident director for Second City, directing several resident stage and theatrical productions in Chicago and Washington, D.C., including The Winner … of Our Discontent (Chicago Mainstage), Soul Brother, Where Art Thou? (The Second City e.t.c.), Generation Gap at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, and the Helen Hayes-nominated Nothing to Lose (But Our Chains) at Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company. And Independently including The Magic Negro and Other Blackity Blackness as Told by an African-American Man Who Also Happens to be Black at The Alliance Theatre in Atlanta. A native of Beaumont, Texas, Anthony holds a degree in Computer Science and Physics from Loyola University New Orleans. Anthony is an autistic Blerd dedicated to promoting Neurodiversity and DEI in comedy.
DARYN ROBINSON
DARYN ROBINSON (she/her) is a writer/comedian originally from Washington, D.C. She currently understudies for The Second City Touring Company, and recently co-wrote and performed in The Second City’s Black Excellence Revue and She The People. Other Chicago credits include Shamilton! The Improvised Hip-Hop Musical (Baby Wants Candy), iO House Team: Birdlady, Improvised Jane Austen (iO Theater), and My Best Friend is Black (Lincoln Lodge). Daryn holds an MFA from Northwestern University and her writing has been published in The Onion. Love to her parents and Michael! IG: @daryn_2dream.
CONNER STUMM
Conner Stumm (he/him) is so excited to be performing at The Second City. He performs weekly with his improv team, Creamboy, every Saturday night at iO Theater. He also performs at the Annoyance Theatre where he has co-written several parody shows. He has played Batman, Scooby Doo, and the Grinch! He would like to thank his Dad, George, for his constant love and support.
Production &
Creative Team
MARLA CÁCERES
Director (she/her/hers) is thrilled to direct this second run of Rudolph Runs Wild!
Marla created and directed the summer Second City kids’ show, No Grownups Allowed, and was honored to do the same for the holidays. She’s also directed the inclusion-focused Bob Curry Fellowship, assistant directed the Mainstage revue Don’t Quit Your Daydream and ETC revue Great Altercations, and directed the long-running AAPI group Stir Friday Night for the Steppenwolf Theatre’s Lookout Series. Also for Second City, she’s written and performed in the critically-acclaimed, all-woman She The People as well as original revues at the Kennedy Center (D.C.), LaJolla Playhouse (San Diego) and Arscht Center (Miami). Marla also enjoys faciliting improv session around the world for Second City Works. She thanks the wonderful cast, crew and production team, her husband, James, and her kids, Wyatt and Juniper, the funniest people she’s ever met.
DANIEL PARSONS
Stage Manager & Lighting Designer Daniel has been a freelance theatre technician-type for dozens of Chicagoland productions with companies including Timeline Theatre, Raven Theatre, Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, The House Theatre, The Hypocrites, Blue Man Group (Chicago Residency, National Tour & World Tour) and is currently the Assistant Technical Director here at The Second City. Daniel is a proud company member of Playmaker’s Laboratory Theatre (and is currently stage managing/designing lights for their holiday show as well)! Originally from Ohio, Daniel holds a Bachelor’s in Technical Theatre Studies from Kent State University. He started his career at Barter Theatre, the State Theatre of Virginia, where he Stage Managed over 40 Theatre for Young Audience productions. He also smiles at dogs and juggles.
MAYA TANAKA ALLWARDT
Music Director (she/her) is a jazz fusion pianist, composer, and music director originally from the SF Bay Area. Having competed classically nationally and internationally, she holds 2 gold medals, as well as performing at venues such as B.B. Kings, Andy’s Jazz Club, and Carnegie Hall, and with artists such as Gordon Goodwin, Wayne Bergeron, and Jiggs Whigham. Maya was a member of the 2022 Disneyland All-American College Band and is a Yamaha sponsored artist. @mayatanakamusic
Paige Mackey
Producer (she/her) started out at Second City in the comedy camps at age 11. A career motivated child, she knew she wanted to stay in the building as long as possible. 14 years later and Paige pinches herself every day. She graduated from Columbia College Chicago in 2022 with a degree in Comedy Writing and Performance, as well as a minor in Marketing. Throughout college she worked in the summer camps and then the box office, with the Sunday morning box office shift being her favorite (and least productive). With a life spanning across 8 states, TourCo felt like the perfect launching point into the production world. Now moving into resident programming, Paige is excited to reach new audiences closer to home. When Paige isn’t squinting at a spread sheet, she can be found walking by the lake thinking thoughts.
Understudies
ANDREW BALDWIN
Andrew Baldwin (he/him/his) is a musician, comedian, and actor from Wisconsin. Since moving to Chicago, he has trained at the Second City Conservatory and The Annoyance. He has performed as an understudy for Second City’s 110th mainstage revue “Do The Right Thing, No Worries If Not”, 49th e.t.c. revue “The Chaos Theory of Everything”, and the touring company (GreenCo!), and is an ensemble member of Phony Award Winning Musical, Shamilton and Baby Wants Candy. He is also co-producer of the Comedian Cabaret. Sometimes he can still be spotted playing percussion around the city to feel like he isn’t wasting his music degrees. Instagram: @andrew_on_drums. Rep: Grossman&Jack Talent.
SOPHIA BRAZDA
SOPHIA BRAZDA (she/her/hers) is a Chicago-based actor, writer, improviser, and vocalist. Born and raised in Lafayette, Louisiana, she has been calling this frozen landscape home since 2023. After graduating with her B.A. in Theatre Performance from Louisiana State University and the Second City Conservatory soon after, she would become a founding member of Two Chairs Theatre Co. (Best New Theatre Company, Chicago Reader, 2023). Recent Sophia sightings include understudying Second City’s e.t.c. stage in Chaos Theory of Everything, at The Revival Theatre in Improv Near Me and Camp Whatsitsname, Y2K the Musical (The Annoyance), and behaving in an incredibly outlandish manner with her sketch group Catastrophic Success. Other regional credits include Mary in Jersey Boys (Mountain Theatre Company), Zoe in Airline Highway, and Paige in Voices on the Bayou (Swine Palace Theatre). Big thanks to Mom, Dad, Nick, and Logan. Represented by Stewart Talent. TMI: @sophiabrazda
WANJIKU KAIRU
WANJIKU KAIRU (she/her) is a Chicago-based comedy writer, improviser, producer and singer. She has performed with top comedy theaters including The Second City, The Annoyance Theatre, ComedySportz, The Revival, MCL, and Baby Wants Candy. Her on-camera work includes national commercials, short films, and web series. She also creates original digital shorts including RuPaul’s Blank Race and Models. Wanjiku currently stars in Starship Edsel, an improvised Star Trek satire that blends sci-fi and comedy.
Wanjiku has toured with Second City Theatricals aboard the Norwegian Breakaway, has understudied Second City’s Mainstage 112, e.t.c, and Black Excellence Show. She joined the cast of Black Excellence for the 2024 and 2025 seasons. Check her out at wanjikukairu.com and on instagram @wanjikal.
MIGUEL LEPE JR.
Miguel Lepe Jr. is a Chicago-based comedian, writer, actor, and award-winning filmmaker. He received his BA degree in Video Production from Columbia College Chicago and studied comedy writing and improvisation at The Second City Training Center and Annoyance Theater. He has been writing and performing for over 10 years both on stage and screen. He has been featured on HBO, FOX, NBC, Showtime, ComedySportz Chicago, and The Second City’s Bob Curry Fellowship. Miguel wouldn’t be here without the love and sacrifice of his immigrant parents and the love and support from his wife and two kids.
JETT PARR
Jett Parr (they/them) is a self-made actor, performer, writer, and producer based in Chicago. They are a former fellow of this year’s Victor Wong fellowship at the Second City and is super excited to be a part of this awesome team! Recent projects include Life Out Loud (About Face), KAPWA II: Shake Rattle and Roll (The Understudy), and FLOOD (U/S, Shattered Globe). Recent commercial credits include Pace, Salesforce, Bell’s Brewery, Glassdoor and Bioré. While they’re not girlbossing extra hard at their day job at The Understudy Coffee and Books, you can catch them baking lots of bread in their apartment or over sharing shower thoughts on IG and TikTok @itsjett.xo
LUCAS POLLITZER
Lucas Pollitzer is an actor and improviser originally from Argentina. Some of his credits include Chicago PD, The Onion News Network and random commercials. You can find him performing at the IO Theater and The Annoyance Theater. Happy Holidays!
Grecia Bahena is a stage manager from the western suburbs of Chicago. Previous credits with The Second City include: The Best of the Second City: 65 Years of Funny; We Always Bounce Black: A Black Excellence Revue; and The Second City 65th Anniversary Show at the Cincinnati Playhouse. Other credits include the Goodman Theatre, Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, and The Williamstown Theatre Festival. She proudly holds a BFA in Stage Management from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, and an MS in Leadership for Creative Enterprises from Northwestern University.
SEAN SYKES
Music Director (he/him) is excited to be behind the keys playing live shows again! Sean has done musical direction for the Second City e.t.c. Mainstage, and Touring Company as well as the Bob Curry and NBC universal showcases. Sean earned a bachelor’s in Music Education at the University of Mississippi, and is happily still using that amazing diploma to teach fourth grade music at the university of Chicago laboratory schools in Hyde Park. Sean gives a special thanks to producers, the amazing cast, everyone behind the scenes, and you our audience members. Enjoy the show!