Adam Higgins

 Adam comes to I.P. by way of Portland, Oregon where he developed a sterling reputation as an improv performer, director and producer.  He has been a featured performer at the following improv festivals;  The Winnepeg, Denver, Milwaukee Improv Festivals and the Portland Comedy Showcase.  Adam also brings some smartly clean stand up chops to the table having performed nationally at Harvey's Comedy Club, Comedy Club Westside, The Schooner and OxFest where he was featured performer.  His improv training in Chicago has been under the tuteledge of Shad Kunkle and Jason Chin of I.O., Michael Gelman of 2nd City, Joe Bill and Mark Sutton of The Annoyance Theatre and in Milwaukee and Portland with the ComedySportz franchise.  He is presently performing with Chicago's "Hogwash", Chemically Imbalanced Improv's "Roboctupus" and Milwaukee's ComedySpotz..  IP welcomes Adam to it's improv instructional staff and as an IP Touring Team member for rprivate and business shows.
Little Known Fact: Adam is an accomplished Blues harpist and is proficient in Sign, but he can't do both at the same time.

Nolan Kennedy

Nolan is a gifted theatrical "everyman" who has engaged and excelled in many components of the stage.  He is an exceptional improv performer and instructor who is presently employed by the Irondale Theatre Ensemble in Brooklyn, NY. when he is not teaching or performing at I.P.  A graduate of Illinois Wesleyan university with a BFA in Acting, Nolan engaged in leads and supporting roles throughout college.  His senior year he collaboratively wrote the controversial "Into an Unlulled Sleep" with director Sven Miller to packed houses and regional acclaiim. In addition to his college studies Nolan has workshopped with Keth Johnstone (Theatresports), directed the improv troupe "Jam Seven" at IWU, directed IP house teams and performed in countless improv shows and touring events for I.P.
Little Known Fact: Nolan really is really Irish

 Becki Kollenberg 

Becki comes to the Improv Playhouse with a BFA from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. She has worked with First Breath Productions, Illinois Disciples Foundation, and the Williamstown Theatre Festival, performing children’s theatre. In addition to acting, Becki has taught children’s outreach classes in playwrighting for three years.  Presently in New York, Becki performs with IP Touring Teams when she’s back in Chitown. 
Little Known Fact: Becki is a Vegan. 

 Jennifer Liu 

Jen is an awesome improvisational performer (if we might say so ourselves).  She is the founder of Stir Friday Night, the nation's only Asian sketch comedy group (that we know of) touring college campuses, performing at Chicago’s Sketch Fest and other venues throughout this great land of ours. She's been an instructor with Improv Playhouse and The Second City for several years now and has performed regularly with the IP Touring Teams. 
Little Known Fact: Jenn's Aunt is a talent agent.

 Alison Mayer

 Alison received her BFA from New York University  through the Stella Adler Acting Conservatory. She has studied at The Abbey Theater in Dublin, Playwrights Horizons, The Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts, Second City Training Center, Upright Citizens Brigade, and Improv Olympic (whew!).  Her improv credits include Law & Odor and Joys and Trials of Dating to name a few. Alison has helped direct the Improv Playhouse Summer Improv Camp.   Now residing in Texas and newly married, Alison gets great exposure on this website.
Little Known Fact: Alison is a NASDS certified open water diver.

Lauren McCarthy

Lauren is a talented  improviser/teacher/dancer/singer having trained at Indiana University, where she received a BA in Theatre and Drama. She has also studied at the Piven Theater Workshop and Second City Conservatory in Chicago where she graduated in 2006..   Notable roles include Anita in West Side Story and Rosie in Bye Bye Birdie. She enjoys dancing and speaking dialects.  Lauren is a regular performer with the Improv Playhouse touring teams and has directed at the Improv Playhouse Summer Performing Arts Camps.  Lauren recently performed with the renowned House Theater-Chicago in their production of The Sparrow..
Little Known Fact: Lauren has an affinity for getting cast in horror movies.

  Meredith Melville 

Meredith is the Education and Outreach Director for the Chicago Improv Festival, staff with Second City, on staff with IP and is an absolutely, wonderfully creative instructor and director of adults and children.  Meredith performs regularly with Hogwash, the regionally acclaimed creative drama childrens theater company.  Meredith is also a daytime faculty member of  Wright Jujnior College where she instructs creative drama and improvisation. She has studied at Agnes Scott College, University of North Texas (BA in Theater).  Meredith directed The Princess Who Would Not Marry for Rascal Children's Theater. You can catch Meredith at Second City Sunday nights in the Music Improv House Ensemble at Donny's Skybox.

Little Known Fact::  Meredith is interested in dance "but I am not good at it".

Jason Miller 

Jason Miller is a classically trained actor/singer/dancer/director who has performed both internationally and throughout the US for The Cleveland Playhouse, The Emelin Theatre - NYC, Hope Summer Repertory Theatre, Lakes Region Theatre of New Hampshire, Playmaker's Repertory Theatre of North Carolina and Royal Carribean and Celebrity Cruise Lines.  Jason is also a gifted instructor in the performing arts.  Some familiar credits include the roles of Danny Zuko in Grease, Zach in A Chorus Line; Frank Butler in Annie Get Your Gun and appearances on the television shows: Becker, Beverly Hills 90210, E.R., and Chicago Hope. Jason has a BFA in Musical Theatre from Northern Kentucky University and an MFA in Acting from Case Western Reserve Univ.

Little Known Fact: The infamous magician, Harry Houdini, had four brothers: Theodore, Leopold, Nathan and William. Houdini also had and a sister, Carrie.  Jason "played" William on The History Channel's "Haunted Hollywood".

Dirk Munson

Dirk Munson is a performer and instructor with Improv Playhouse. In addition to schticking it up with I.P., Dirk is involved with productions at ComedySportz, the Second City, and Jerk Alert Productions. He is a graduate of the I.O. Chicago (formerly Improv Olympic) and ComedySportz training centers, and has also studied with The Second City Conservatory. Originally from The Great State of Iowa, all corn jokes aside, Dirk is proud to have made Chicago his adopted home for the last few years. In additon to performing at IP, Dirk is a mainstage regular with Comedysportz-Chicago.
Little Known Fact: When he’s not around a stage, Dirk can be found skiing, running marathons or cow tipping.

 Steve Persch

  Steve Persch began his love affair with improv in the Comedy Sportz Milwaukee High School League. Before leaving Milwaukee to attend Northwestern University Steve became part of the staff at Comedy Sportz Milwaukee and is still revered as one of the all-time greatest “Ballet” Parkers. At Northwestern Steve has used his theatre major to involve himself as an actor, writer, director, sound designer, lighting designer and stage manager. He also started studying Long-Form with the Titanic Players. Steve was heavily involved at WNUR, Northwestern’s radio station where he won two national awards for a radio drama he wrote and directed for N.U.R.D. Despite his busy schedule at NU, Steve found time to take advanced Short-Form classes at Comedy Sportz Chicago where he first met Emily Dugan who quickly introduced him to the Improv Playhouse.  Steve now freelances for LookingGlass Theatre, Victory Gardens and Improv Playhouse where he is a featured improv performer.
Little Known Fact: After his freshman year of college Steve rode his bicycle from Northwestern to his home in Milwaukee because he was bored due to finishing his finals before finals week .

 Paul Richau 

University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, BFA-Theater.  Paul has appeared in ten productions, including Othello, Twelfth Night, and Picasso at the Lapin Agile, among others. In addition to teaching, you may have seen him onstage at one of the Improv Playhouse’s improv jams. An IP ensemble member.  In addition to performing, Paul enjoys long walks on the beach and riding his bike to and from the Improv Playhouse in the dead of winter. 
Little Known Fact: Paul does an amazing “Gollum” imitation.  Just ask him.  He’ll show it to you.

 Jessica Rogers 

Jessica is a graduate of the University of Florida, where she received her BA in Acting. She is a certified teacher in elementary education. She has performed in such improv shows as Cinco de Bob and It’s Not Me, It’s Me. She has also appeared in theatre and film roles and is a featured icon in the “You Don’t Know Jack” video game.  Jessica is a regular performer with the Improv Playhouse touring teams and is presently directing the Second City Teen Ensemble.
Little Known Fact: Jessica is an educator in the Chicago Public School System.

 Sari Sanchez 

Sari has a BFA in acting from the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign. Some of her performances include Six Degrees of Separation, Marisol, and the Jeff-recommended Raising Voices at About Face Theatre. Sari is a local Chicagoan, having graduated from New Trier High School.  She performs with the new American Theater Company and IP when she returns from Los Angeles, her current residence.
Little Known Fact:  Sari has a profound passion for Three Musketeers Bars.

 Courtney Shaughnessy 

Courtney is a member of AEA and AFTRA, having trained at Miami University in Ohio, where she received a BFA in Theatre Performance.   Delores Dogan, her coming of age one act play, is being produced on the Los Angeles Second City stage.    Former Second City-Chicago main stage and M.A.D.-TV player, Frank Caeti, directs.   In addition to her Improv Playhouse coaching and performance schedule, Courtney is the resident playwright and one of the four founding members of Serendipity Theatre Collective in Chicago and has worked as a mentor with Steppenwolf’s Cross Town Teen Workshop   She was one of the writers on board for their inaugural production of A.D.D., and was a co-writer for  “Chordless” which had its world premiere at the New York Fringe Festival the summer of 2001.   She is the author of “Being 11” which was voted one of the best plays to see in Chicago in 2002 by the Chicago Sun Times.   “Being 11” made its debut at the Tony Award winning, Victory Gardens Theatre in 2002 and was remounted at the Athenaeum Theatre in 2004.  She was the creator and writer for Northwestern Memorial Hospital’s annual “Stories of Care Giving”.  Courtney has performed overseas in England at the Theatre Royal and in Edinburgh as part of the Fringe Festival in “Weekend In Rio”, which she received a Best Actress Nomination for her performance as Tina.  Her most recent Chicago acting credits include, Tekla in Maria Arndt with the Steppenwolf Theatre.  Susie in “Wit” with the Goodman Theatre and Patty in the world premiere of Wendy Macloed’s Schoolgirl Figure with the Goodman Theatre. 

Little Known Fact: Courtney is a devoted mom and happily married spouse.

 Jeremy Schaefer

 Jeremy is one talented dude, having graduated from Illinois Wesleyan University with a BFA in Theatre. In addition to his undergraduate training, he has trained at Improv Olympic with Susan Messing and is a founder of the Blind Mice Trio, an improv comedy group.  Jeremy also credits Janus Theatre Ensemble out of Elgin with helping to pay the rent.  He presently tours with Storybox, an improv comedy educational ensemble through Urban Gateways, and IP Touring Ensembles  
Little Known Fact:  Jeremy is an excellent stand-up comic in his spare time.

 Nick Smaligo 

Nick comes to us having studied theatre at both Fairfield University and Second City. He is a gifted improviser, performer, and teacher. Theatrical credits include Albert Einstein in Picasso at the Lapin Agile and Matt Poncelet in Dead Man Walking. Nick presently performs with Redmoon in Chciago.  In addition to theatre, Nick is our resident philosopher, whatever that means.
Little Known Fact:  Nick is a philosopher.  Really!

 Daniel Tatar 

When Daniel is free from globetrotting on the commercial and industrial film circuit he teaches at IP. Daniel, a gifted New Trier alum and U of I grad, is now based out of L.A. with his lovely wife, Stephanie. His acting credits include Forever Plaid (Theatre at the Center), Pacific Overtures (Chicago Shakespeare Theatre), and Miss Saigon (Marriott Theatre Lincolnshire). He holds an actor/combatant certification from the Society of American Fight Directors. You may have watched Daniel talking to a purple cartoon monkey in an IADT.edu commercial, in the feature The Royal Tenenbaums (don't blink), and on stage in Marriott Theatre's TYA production of Charlotte's Web. He also performed with Joan Cusack in a Cingular spot. Dan also played Joseph in Drury Lane Theatre's production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and starred in the Royal George's production of I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change!. Daniel was then shipped out to San Francisco for the same production through 2003. He also appeared opposite Mike Rupert in Campaign of the Century at Goodman's Humanity Awards Festival. Presently performing in Over the River and Through the Woods in L.A.  Recent television credits include Grey's Anatomy.

Daniel has served as a Casting Assistant on various television, film, and stage projects, including: High Fidelity (with John Cusack), Save the Last Dance, E!s "The Entertainer," NBC Network pilot Chicago casting, and commercials such as Bordens Milk, the Ad Council, Evanston Northwestern Healthcare, Value City Department Stores, and Sears. He has also served as an assistant and audition reader for various theatre and on-camera auditions in both Chicago and Los Angeles.  Bravo Daniel! 
Little Known Fact:  Daniel is a certified black belt in Krav Maga...Israeli self defense.  Watch out.

Michael Tatar

Your eyes aren't deceiving you.  Another Tatar in the iP fold, but this one is multi-faceted comedian.  Michael studied Musical Theatre at Western Michigan (BFA) when he returned to Chicago to strike gold as an improv comedy performer.  Presently in the Second City Conservatory, Improv Olympic and studying at The Annoyance Theater.  Michael has performed for several years with IP Touring Teams and been on IP faculty teaching Junior High and High Schoolers how to nurture the ha-ha.

Little Known Fact:  Michael is a certified black belt in Krav Maga, but has a softer side;  he was the trainer for PA and Pumbaa, the puppet coach for Cheetah Comapny and stage managed Disney's(R) "The Lion King" in Chicago.

 Sheri Winkleman  

Sheri graduated with a BFA from the Goodman School of Drama. She is a gifted classical actress, having performed in A Winter’s Tale, The Taming of the Shrew, and Twelfth Night. She also has appeared in numerous film and television projects. Sheri has directed Once On This Island for IP, choreographed Fiddler on the Roof , Oklahoma and Aladdin for Improv Playhouse at Shepherd Middle School-Deerfield and Chicago for Mundelein High School.   When she’s not performing, Sheri spends her time dancing, singing, and speaking French and playing Winkie the Clown! 

Little Known Fact: Sheri is a Certified Hula and Belly Dancer.