Presenting our cast for our tenth season. Scroll and click to view photo and read biography.
JENNIFER SHEPARD is one of the owners and is proud to say that this is our tenth year! Jen went to school in Iowa and then moved to Chicago. She performed at iO and The Playground Theater and worked with The Galileo Players , Gay Co! and Brick. Since moving to Maine she's enjoyed teaching improv at The College of the Atlantic, the Beth C. Wright Cancer Resource Center, on Isle Au Haut & Frenchboro, and at ImprovAcadia. During the winter months she joins Chicago's The Second City performing aboard Norwegian Cruise Lines. If you really love her, send her yarn. K2Tog now!
Stuart Ranson moved to Chicago to study improvisation after graduating from The College of William and Mary in Virginia. After completing the training centers of the Improv Olympic, Annoyance Theater, and Second City, he began a tour of duty with the Second City National Touring Company. At Second City, he also performed with the ETC cast in the Jeff Award Winning “Holy War, Batman!” Stuart is an original member of musical improv group Baby Wants Candy, with whom he attended the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and Spoleto Arts Festival. Baby Wants Candy was named 2005 Ensemble of the Year by the Chicago Improv Festival and performs regularly at Chicago’s Apollo Theater and in various New York venues. His other credits include the smash hit musicals “Jedi: A Musical Tour de Force” and “Moulin Scrooge.” He lives in New York City.
Amy Roeder is delighted to be back at Improv Acadia for her ninth season! Most recently, she has performed with Second City Theatricals at the Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park in "Second City 2; Less Pride, More Pork." She has also performed with Second City Theatricals at the Denver Center for Performing Arts, the Alliance Theatre in Atlanta and onboard the NCL Epic and NCL Star and in Second City's "History of Chicago" show at the new UP Comedy Club. Amy has had the great good fortune to have improv homes at Gotham City Improv in New York, the Improv Asylum in Boston, the Playground Theatre in Chicago, Improv Athens at the University of Georgia, and at the incomparable ImprovAcadia. Amy holds an MFA from the University of Georgia and her BFA from the University of Evansville. Many thanks to Jen and Larrance for the opportunity and to her husband Eric.
Joe Burton is very glad to be back at Improv Acadia. After taking last summer off to raise an infant he has returned with a toddler in tow. Joe spends most of his year towing that toddler around Chicago where he and his wife, Shelby, call home. He is a member of the Improvised Sheakespeare Company, Laugh Out Load Theater and is a founding member of Bughouse Theater. He would like to thank his wonderful family, for all their support and especially Joe and Linda for making the trip Maine to see shows and help with Baby Crash.
Shelby is very excited to be here for Improv Acadia's 10th season! This is her 7th season here at Improv Acadia. She currently lives in Chicago with her husband Joe and son Crash, where she teaches middle school theater and is co-owner ( with her husband) of Bughouse Theater ( buhghousetheater.com). She is also a mainstage cast member at Laught Out Loud Theater ( loltheater.com) and directs the improvised children's show Hogwash (hogwashkids.com). She would like to thank her family and friends and especially her in-laws, Joe and Linda who have traveled to Maine to watch our son as we perform!
Tyler Anthony Davis began performing comedy in 2009 with his collegiate improvisational group Fishbowl Improv. He has since played with improv groups all over the city of Columbus Ohio, as well as New York City, Indiana, and Florida. He can be found performing with his Chicago team Chasing Endings (chasingendings.com) or the Female Blacksmith Guild of America, and is currently studying in the training program at iO and The Second City Conservatory program. He considers himself incredibly lucky to have linked up with the great people at ImprovAcadia, and thanks you all for coming out to the show. Lets have some fun!
Mel Evans is thrilled to be returning to Improv Acadia. Mel is a
resident of Chicago, where she performs with the iO team Black Wax,
with Battleprov and the Comedy Sportz show Smashed!, Improvised Jane
Austen, the beautiful Basic Eight, and various sketch shows.
resident of Chicago, where she performs with the iO team Black Wax,
with Battleprov and the Comedy Sportz show Smashed!, Improvised Jane
Austen, the beautiful Basic Eight, and various sketch shows.
Dennis Price returns to ImprovAcadia and beautiful Bar Harbor for his second year. Dennis studied theater at Virginia Tech and improvisation with ImprovOlympic, the Playground, and Second City in Chicago. During his time in Chicago he performed with house team, Honeyslide, where he was first introduced to musical stylings Larrance Fingerhut! Thanks to both Jen and Larrance for including me in your little piece of coastal heaven. They make a difficult job look easy. I hope you enjoy it. And remember, Dennis ain't hungry, but Dennis could eat!
Ilana is beyond thrilled to be making her Improv Acadia debut. Originally from Connecticut, Ilana moved to Chicago to study improvisation at The Second City and iO theaters. She currently performs with her iO Harold team, “pants dot com”, with her Playground team “Sam Hill”, as an ensemble member of Laugh Out Loud and with the improvised children’s show, “Hogwash”. Past performances include the team “1941” at Chemically Imbalanced Comedy and the Second City BenchCo revue, “Stuck in the Middle Class with You”. Ilana would like to thank her family and friends for their unconditional love and hugs, and her husband, Dan, for the Beyonce tickets.
Jo Feldman is so excited to join ImprovAcadia! Originally from Detroit, she received her BA in radio broadcasting from Columbia College Chicago and studied improvisation at The Second City and iO Theater in Chicago. Jo has toured the high seas with The Second City aboard Norwegian Cruise Lines, so she is excited to be near water again this summer in Maine. Back in Chicago, she improvises with so many hilarious and talented folks including Sports Team at iO, her two person team Feldmanowski, and the improvised musical Baby Wants Candy at the Apollo Theater. Thank you to my family and friends for the assurance that nothing is ever really out of reach.
Mike Marunowski is very enthusiastic about performing at ImprovAcadia. Born and raised in Cleveland, Mike went on to graduate from the Columbus College of Art and Design with a B.F.A. in illustration. Shortly after, he moved to Chicago and has spent the last eight years studying and performing improv and sketch at such theaters as The Annoyance, IO and Second City. Mike can currently be seen playing with the musical improv group Baby Wants Candy or his Harold Team, pantsdotcom, at IO. Above all else, he is proudest and happiest to perform with his best friend Jo Feldman in their improv duo, FELDMANOWSKI. Mike is looking forward to writing a follow up to his first solo sketch show, ONE MAN MARCH, and is even more excited about spending two weeks in the great, monosyllabic state of Maine.
Jeff Murdoch is from Redford, MI (Detroit if you're not from there.) After graduating from the University of Michigan he moved to Chicago and has been performing sketch and improv there for the last 5 years at iO, The Annoyance, The Playground and CIC as well as act in an independent feature he's been filming (ask about Master of Inventions!) Jeff was lucky enough to perform for Second City aboard the NCL Dawn and Gem in the past! He is extremely excited to be performing at ImprovAcadia
Amber is thrilled to be back in Bar Harbor for her second season at ImprovAcadia! She hails from the greater Chicagoland area, and moved to Chicago Proper in 2009 to be a musical theatre actor. Out of morbid curiosity, she took an improv class, and it stuck. She's studied improv at Second City and iO in Chicago, and currently plays with the all-female improv powerhouse Super Human at iO. She was a contestant in Season 6 of Impress These Apes (impresstheseapes.com), just finished a run of the original musical Manic Pixie Dreamland at The Annoyance Theater, and performs around Chicago with various amalgamations of her improv friends. Thanks to Jen and Larrance for this fantastic opportunity!
Julie is thrilled to be joining the ImprovAcadia cast this season. She has just returned to dry land after performing with The Second City's "BoatCo" aboard the Norwegian Epic this past spring, and the Norwegian Dawn last summer. Julie has studied and performed at The Second City Training Center, the iO Theater, ComedySportz Chicago, and the UCB Theater in New York. She performs regularly with Storytown (Stage 773), Funny Bones Improv (www.funnybonesimprov.com), and as one half of the sketch duo GUNNER. Julie also produces, writes, and hosts her own historical variety show, The Mary Todd Lincoln Variety Hour. www.juliemarchiano.com.
BRAD EINSTEIN is incredibly excited to be returning to ImprovAcadia for their 10th season!. He has toured with Baby Wants Candy and Second City Theatricals aboard the NCL Epic, and is a resident member of ComedySportz Theatre Chicago. He has studied and performed at Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre, Second City, iO, and the Annoyance. Much thanks to Jen and Larrance, as well as his family. Enjoy the show!
John Sabine is honored and thrilled to be performing with ImprovAcadia! John grew up in Dallas, TX, and after graduating from Santa Clara University with a BA in Theatre and Dance, he moved to Chicago to attend Second City's Comedy Studies Program. He has studied at the Second City Training Center and iO. He can be seen around Chicago performing with The Late 90’s and at the Up Comedy Club. He recently performed with The Second City in The Second City Does Dallas & Second City 2: Less Pride More Pork in Cincinnati. He also spent time performing with The Second City aboard Norwegian Cruise Line’s The Epic, where he tried, in vain, to find himself. Much love and thanks to Mom, Dad, Aunt Pat, Grandma, and Kathleen.
Rasheeda is delighted to join the cast of ImprovAcadia this season. She trained in improvisation at the famous io Theatre, and with the pH Comedy Theatre, where is she a company member. She has also been lucky enough to perform at The Annoyance, Chemically Imbalanced Comedy, and The Second City. When she's not doing improv Rasheeda enjoys watching The Simpsons and listening to the 'You Made It Weird' podcast. She wants to thank you for coming out and supporting live theatre!
Drew is thrilled to be performing this season at ImprovAcadia! He has had the pleasure of performing with some wonderful theaters in Chicago, including Theatre Seven, About Face Theatre, Victory Gardens, iO, Neo-Futurists & Serendipity Theatre Collective's 2nd Story. Drew can be seen improvising with the lovely gentlemen of ThoraBirch (iO's Qweirdo, Playground Theatre, Second City Skybox, Chicago Improv Festival 2013, UofChicago). Film credits: Scrooge & Marley. Thanks to Jen & Larrance for this fantastic opportunity!
Julia is pleased as punch to return for her 3rd season at ImprovAcadia. An Indiana native, Julia moved to Chicago in 2007 to pursue a life in comedy. She performs with ensembles at the iO Theatre and ComedySportz, with independent groups ButchMAX and Salute Jive, and is a proud cast member of the Impovised Star Trek podcast. Julia writes for the interactive toy Ubooly and her semi-autobiographical play Tammy: A Coming Of Age Story About A Girl Who Is Part T-Rex is available for purchase from Playscripts, Inc. Julia would like to thank Jen and Larrance for being the greatest and congratulate them on their 10th Season!
Alex Haney is super thrilled to join ImprovAcadia this season. From Chicago, Alex received his BA in Communication and Media Studies from DePaul University. He has studied improvisation at iO, Annoyance and The Second City where he has performed in numerous shows. Currently, Alex can be seen improvising with The Lady Screams, his two person team Dimples & Simples (he is Dimples) and sometimes shedding a layer (or two) of clothing during SkinProv at the Annoyance. Thanks to Jen and Larrance for giving him this opportunity and his family and friends for their constant support!
Zach Zimmerman is Chicago writer and actor. He improvises with Baby Wants Candy, Mission Improvable, Birthday Girl (iO Theatre, NYC Improv Festival), and ImprovStandsUp! (Playground Theatre, Chicago Improv Festival). Recent scripted credits include his debut solo show Straight Man (iO, PIT NYC, Princeton), the Chicago Reader-recommended Steamwerkz: The Musical (Annoyance), F**** You, I Love You, Bye: The Rahm Emanuel Story (Annoyance), and Twins: a 9/11 musical revue (Studio Be). He is a graduate of the iO Training Center, The Second City Conservatory, and Princeton University. More @ zachisfunny.com
TYLER SMITH is intensely excited to be doing improv in the greatest harbor ever. Hailing from Chicago, you can currently see Tyler at The Playground playing with Chicago Reader recommended "Claymore." With Claymore, he will be working on the second season of a monthly sketch show, "Exquisite Corpse." Find out more at (www.claymoreproductions.com). Tyler is an alumnus of the iO Training Center, and has taken workshops with Mick Napier, Susan Messing, and Mark Sutton. Tyler would like to thank Jen and Larrance for this intense opportunity, his intensely awesome family, and he'd like to thank Mo for being intensely pretty.
Wes Perry is so happy to be down east at ImprovAcadia! He has
performed at the iO Theatre in Chicago with Hogwash, Qweirdo, and
Firecup, and can currently be seen in the improvised musical, The
Deltones. Wes has been in and co-written many shows at the Annoyance
Theatre, including Flames and Blazes, Glitter In The Gutter, American
Lit, and Frenz Finds It! He would like to thank Jen, Larrance, and
Jessica Fletcher.
performed at the iO Theatre in Chicago with Hogwash, Qweirdo, and
Firecup, and can currently be seen in the improvised musical, The
Deltones. Wes has been in and co-written many shows at the Annoyance
Theatre, including Flames and Blazes, Glitter In The Gutter, American
Lit, and Frenz Finds It! He would like to thank Jen, Larrance, and
Jessica Fletcher.
VINCENT KRACHT is honored to be included in ImprovAcadia's 10th season, returning to ImprovAcadia for his sixth season! In Chicago, he has performed at Laugh Out Loud and The Comedy Shrine, been an ensemble member of GayCo, and was one of the founding members of "Cast on a Hot Tin Roof," Chicago's longest running, completely improvised play. For the past two years, in the Caribbean, Vincent has been playing Wilbur (and Mr. Pinky, The Principal, and others) in "Hairspray" on The Oasis of the Seas, a production which was featured last year, via live satellite feed, on the 66th Annual Tony Awards.
Declan Thomas Murphy is beside himself over the opportunity to perform with ImprovAcadia in their tenth season. Born and raised right here in Bar Harbor, he began improvising ten years ago, late one Saturday night in ImprovAcadia’s first season. Since then, Declan has followed that love worldwide, improvising with BoomChicago in Amsterdam and now at the Annoyance Theatre in Chicago, IL. He has received training from the iO Theatre, the Annoyance, and, of course, ImprovAcadia. Humbled to be home, on a stage he once (or twice, or a hundred times) dreamed of performing on, Declan would like to thank his family for their patience, love and support through the years, and Jen + Larrance for their patience, love and support through the years. It takes a village, and he could not be more grateful for his origins.
Larrance Fingerhut (Music Director) has been improvising on the piano since he was two years old. After spending 13 years performing and composing in the Bar Harbor area he went to Chicago where he was music director for iO, Baby Wants Candy, and Second City Touring Company, and a teacher and music director at Columbia College. He composes string quartets and music for theater. During the winter months he joins Chicago's The Second City cast performing for Norwegian Cruise Line in the Caribbean, Europe, and Hawaii. Hear some of his music at www.larrancefingerhut.com