Cast and Crew – HouseCo

Estar Cohen is a comedian, writer and award-winning composer. They were born in Toledo, Ohio and made roots in southeast Michigan where they built a foundation producing improvisational music and comedy in Detroit. Since relocating to New York City in 2023, Cohen has performed widely while deepening their studies in clown, improv, and theater at the Brooklyn Comedy Collective, Clown Gym, Magnet Theater, and The Second City. As a bandleader and vocalist, Cohen has shared their music at acclaimed festivals like Newport and Detroit Jazz, earning recognition from organizations such as The ASCAP Foundation and the Berklee Institute of Jazz and Gender Justice. Cohen is also a dedicated teaching artist, recognized for practices shaped by compassionate awareness and playful connection. Their experience teaching improv, songwriting, and music spans their private studio and organizations such as Youth Arts Alliance and the University of Michigan

Joanna McNurlen is a proud corporate shill who has long enjoyed comedy as a creative balance to her data/AI career. She’s performed at the Magnet, the PIT, and as part of PunK Intended at Second City. Shoutouts to her most supportive partner Jacob and their beefy princess Phoebe.

Jesse Montagna (he/him) is a Brooklyn-based comedian, actor, writer—and certified (by his mom) goof. A true triple threat, he can sing, act, and (mainly at weddings) dance. Jesse was a member of the inaugural Second City NYC Grad Revue and is excited to continue his time at the Second City. Jesse wrote, directed, produced, and starred in Creed: the Musical, an original jukebox musical comedy based on the early 2000s “butt rock” band Creed. The show premiered in 2022, earning Jesse the affectionate nickname “the Creed guy.” Film/TV: Free Time (dir. Ryan Brown), Amazon, Hulu, and Netflix. Commercial: Texas Pete, Dave & Buster’s, and Dig Inn. Training: The Second City, iO Theater, UCB, Brooklyn Comedy Collective, and William Esper Studio. When Jesse isn’t performing comedy around NYC, he can be found sniffing out local bakeries in search of the perfect chocolate chip cookie. Rep: CESD (Commercial, On-Camera). www.jessemontagna.com

Isamar Rosado-Aponte (she/her/ella) is a Puertorriqueña improviser, teacher, and actor. At Second City New York, she performed with the Art Gecko ensemble in the inaugural Compass Party show and was a writer and performer in PunK Intended, the company’s Grad Revue. She holds an MFA in Creative Writing in Spanish from NYU and a BA in Theater Education from the University of Puerto Rico. When not performing, Isamar teaches Spanish to young students through improv games that help them gain confidence to express themselves freely. She also enjoys biking around Brooklyn — fueled by chocolate and espresso, of course. Other credits included weekly performances with the improv team Glitter (Megawatt at Magnet Theater) and performing her original monologue La Llorona as a guest in the variety show Broads in the Attic at The PIT.

Mikayla Sherfy is a NYC-based actor, writer, and artist who has been performing in independent theatre and film for over a decade. She currently writes and performs in ‘Punk Extended Setch Revue’ at Second City, and is a published children’s book author. Mikayla co-created and co-stars in the monthly show ‘Broads in the Attic,’ which makes its Edinburgh Fringe debut this year

Tova Tencer is very excited to be a part of SCNY’s inaugural House Company. You can also see her on the MainStage at SCNY in Punk Extended! Tova received a BFA in Comedy from Emerson College(2020) where she was a member of the improv troupe Swomo, and won the 2019 Jess Ilias Clavelli award for solo improv performance. Tova would like to thank her mom, Barbara for always supporting her comedic endeavors, and her dog, Kokosh for supporting her various emotions.