Impro Theatre Company Members

Dan O’Connor – Artistic Director

Dan is co-founder of Impro Theatre as well as a co-founder of four other American Theatresports companies including Bay Area Theatresports. He performed in the Improbable Theatre’s production of “Lifegame” Off-Broadway and in the TNN television series of the same name. He co-created the NBC/PAX television improv comedy show “World Cup Comedy.” He was chosen from improvisers all over the country in 2006 to represent our gloriously spontaneous nation as one third of the American Team at the Improv World Cup Tournament in Germany as part of the arts portion of the World Cup.

Television acting credits include “Seinfeld,” “Campus Ladies,” “Malcolm In the Middle,” “The Tonight Show,” and series regular roles on “The Newz,” and “Quick Witz” (for which he was also a producer). As well as the Nickelodeon pilot “Star and Stella” and the Telepictures pilot “the Phil Fuller Show”.

Television directing credits include the critically acclaimed ABC hybrid sit-com “Sons and Daughters” and “Campus Ladies” for the Oxygen Network. He was a writer and the improv director for “The Wayne Brady Show.”

For Impro Theatre he is the co-director for Jane Austen UnScripted, Shakespeare UnScripted and Sondheim UnScripted.

He was an adjunct professor for USC ‘s BFA program. He has taught at UT, DUKE, Pepperdine, UCLA extension and an improv companies around the world. He is a graduate of the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art in London. Most recently he taught Cirque du Soleil casts of Saltimbanco and Corteo.

Brian Lohmann - Associate Artistic Director

Currently Brian is the director of classical studies for Impro Theatre’s “Unscripted Rep.” Originally from San Francisco, Brian co-founded “Bay Area Theatresports” and was founder and artistic director of the award-winning “Pulp Playhouse.” He performed the improvised show “Lifegame,” off-Broadway and hosted the TV version for TNN. In Las Vegas, Brian was composer and improviser for the improv/sketch show “BOO!” which ran for one year at New York New York Hotel and Casino, and where jumping out of a coffin never got old. Ever. His one-man show about a depressed lounge singer, “Johnny Lonely’s Unhappy Hour,” was nominated for a Fringe first at the Adelaide Fringe Festival and was a critic’s choice in Seattle, Melbourne and Edinburgh. TV and Film appearances include “American Body Shop,” “World Cup Comedy,” “Ask Rita” and the upcoming film “He Was a Quiet Man” with William H. Macy. In 2006, Brian was part of “Unexpected Shakespeare” and improvised 20 full-length Shakespeare plays on the main stage of the Colorado Shakespeare Festival. Other regional theater credits include The Old Globe Theatre and A.C.T., where he also was core faculty in the MFA in acting programs. Other directing credits include “An Unscripted Carol” (improvised Dickens) and “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” for Ukiah Players Theatre.

Jo McGinley

Jo McGinley specializes in narrative improvisation, creating improvised stories in classical and popular genres. “Unscripted Plays & Films” is the product of over 13 years of research and exploration.

Jo performs and teaches improvisation internationally, performing improvised Tennessee Williams Plays both in Amsterdam and Paris. Her home base of improvisation is Impro Theatre, Los Angeles.

Jo joined the faculties of the American Conservatory Theatre in 1996, and Academy of Art College teaching actors and artists how to access their creativity and using improvisation as a tool to open up. She has taught at USC, Pepperdine University, University of San Francisco (School of Business), College of Marin and for hundreds of corporate clients (American Express, Method, Consumer’s Energy to name of few) using improvisation as a way to teach basic skills of listening, staying positive, supporting ideas, and connection. She most recently facilitated Focus Groups for The Hewlett Packard Foundation using improvisation as a way to inspire social change.

Theatre credits include “Dancing at Lughnasa,” “Jake’s Women,” “Laments for the Living,” and Television credits include “Boston Public,” “ER,” and “Close to Home.”

Currently the director of “Unscripted Plays & Films,” past directing credits include “Laments for the Living” bringing the inspired works of Dorothy Parker to the stage.

Jo is a member of SAG, AFTRA, and AEA.

Tracy Burns

Tracy Burns is the former Artistic Director of Impro Theatre where she still teaches and performs. She has been teaching and performing improvisational comedy internationally for over 20 years.

She was one of the founding members of London Theatresports and was the Co-Artistic Director for Theatresports U.K. She helped introduce Theatresports to Germany and continues to teach there regularly. Tracy has taught for many schools and universities including, Pepperdine University (where she’s been directing the Pepperdine Improv Troupe for the last 7 years,) Middlesex Poly in London, and Cal State San Bernadino. She also currently teaches for Suspect Entertainment — a group of former gang members now working in film and television. In addition to Impro Theatre, Tracy performs with the all-female improv group, “Inflatable Betty” and with Wil Wheaton’s sketch/improv group, “The Earnest Borg9,” which plays to exuberant crowds at Star Trek conventions.

Tracy has written several one-woman shows including, “The Glass Slipper, Ain’t All It’s Cracked Up To Be,” which was produced at the HBO Workspace. Tracy can also be seen on the TV shows “World Cup Comedy,” “Judging Amy,” and “Desperate Housewives.”

Kari Coleman

Kari Coleman is one of the founding members of Impro Theatre as well as the all-girl group Inflatable Betty. She has performed with these companies and other improv groups around the country and abroad. Her recent television work includes CSI, GHOST WHISPERER, NCIS, LIE TO ME, WITHOUT A TRACE, CASTLE and more. She’s played recurring characters on shows ranging from VERONICA MARS to SEINFELD and MARRIED WITH CHILDREN. She has performed as a fire-eater with Penn and Teller in Las Vegas, fallen off a mountain in an IMAX 3-D film and given birth to two children. Originally from Louisville, KY, she lives in Los Angeles with her amazing husband and awesome, aforementioned daughters.

Lisa Fredrickson - Director of Educational Outreach

Lisa Fredrickson has been an ensemble member of many Improv companies including Seattle Theatresports, SAK Comedy Lab Orlando, Disney’s Comedy Warehouse, Impro Theatre, and Inflatable Betty. She is the resident improv teacher at California Lutheran University. She was an original cast member of “Fellowship: The musical” in Los Angeles, performed at the Colorado Shakespeare Festival, and performed steadily in “Boo” the improv show at New York, New York Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. Her TV credits include “Greek,” “Desperate Housewives,” and “The Tick.” She has been in numerous TV commercials, usually as some sort of uptight mother. She is currently in a masters program studying Spiritual Psychology. She is married to an amazing banjo player and she loves babies…and banjos…and babies who love banjos.

Brian Jones

Brian Jones has been studying and performing with Impro Theatre for the past 6 years. He’s been on “Las Vegas,” “Girlfriends,” “Joan of Arcadia,” and was most recently seen as a lovable mute in an episode of “Campus Ladies.” Since then he’s worked with Matthew Broderick in the upcoming film “Finding Amanda” and can be heard as the voice of “Eddie” in Jim Henson’s animated series “Unstable Fables.” He also had the joy of working with Dan O’Connor and Stephen Kearin in two seasons of the improv TV show “World Cup Comedy.”

Stephen Kearin

Stephen Kearin is a 23 year veteran of the improv stage and was a founding member of Improv Theatre and True Fiction Magazine. He is currently a company member of Impro Theatre in Los Angeles and the trio 3ForAll in San Francisco. His stage appearances include the stilt-walking shadow of Iago in The San Francisco Opera’s Otello, Sally-Sue Weber in A Weber Family Christmas and originated the role of Blaine Bustier in An Evening With Dirk & Blaine. Stephen is the co-creator of “Simlish” and was the principal male voice of both The Sims and The Sims 2.0.
He is currently featured in the Dreamworks Animation films
Kung Fu Panda, Madagascar 2 and Monsters Vs. Aliens. He directed Kirk Ward in The HBO Comedy Festival premiere of Fatherland and is a visiting instructor at Stanford University, USC and Cirque Du Soleil.

Lauren Rose Lewis

Lauren Rose Lewis, a SoCal native, received her BA in Theatre from Pepperdine University. Lauren has performed at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in David Mamet’s “The Water Engine” and John Steinbeck’s “The Grapes of Wrath.” Since then, Lauren has appeared in numerous television shows, including: “CSI:NY,” “Entourage,” “NCIS,” “Two and a Half Men,” “Rules of Engagement,” “Ugly Betty,” “Days of Our Lives,” “Lincoln Heights,” and the Hallmark Channel’s movie “A Kiss At Midnight.” Recently, Lauren booked the FOX pilot “Inside Jokes,” and appeared on TBS’s “Glory Daze.”

Nick Massouh

Nick Massouh first found his love for improv at the University of Southern California where he performed weekly with the resident improv troupe and graduated with a BFA in Acting. It was at that time that he had his first exposure to Impro Theatre and after seeing the fully improvised Shakespeare show, he knew this was the improv company for him. Currently, Nick is working professionally as an actor in TV and Film. He has appeared in the television shows: “The Gilmore Girls,” “Bones,” “Without a Trace,” and “The Mind of Mencia.” 2007 has been a great year for him as the film “West Bank Story,” won the Oscar for best live action short and his sketch comedy troupe “Summer of Tears” won best sketch at HBO’s US Comedy Arts festival in Aspen.

Edi Patterson

In addition to being a company member with IMPRO THEATRE, Edi is also a member of the current main company at the famed GROUNDLINGS. Recent Film/TV work includes upcoming Dreamworks movie A THOUSAND WORDS, CBS pilot WAITING TO DIE, tons of voices for new MTV animated series POPZILLA, & starring roles in indie features JESUS PEOPLE (“Best Actress” nominee at 2009 Feel Good Film Festival) and THE WIFFLER. Edi plays Legolas and Arwen and co-wrote some songs for LA Weekly Musical of the Year- FELLOWSHIP!, which recently completed a successful run at Garry Marshall’s Falcon Theatre. She was a recurring correspondent on THE SHOWBIZ SHOW WITH DAVID SPADE, and a series regular on Damon Wayans’ THE UNDERGROUND on Showtime. Other TV credits include UNHITCHED, CSI, YOUNG PERSON’S GUIDE TO HISTORY for Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim, WORLD CUP COMEDY, JIMMY KIMMEL LIVE, & Comedy Central pilot CASE CLOSED.

Paul Rogan

Originally from London, Paul worked with all of the UK’s major improv groups, including the Comedy Store Players (as an associate member), with “Eddie Izzard and Friends” at the Ambassadors Theatre, and in the improvising double act “The Sean Connery Brotherhood” with Patrick Marber. He has represented England at the Montreal Just For Laughs Festival three times, and internationally. He joined Impro Theatre to co-produce, co-direct and perform in “Jane Austen UnScripted,” and has since appeared in their Shakespeare, Dickens and Tennessee Williams. He has also worked in LA with Off The Wall and LA Connection. Film and TV work includes “My Name is Earl,” “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” “Sleeper Cell,” “Cory in the House,” “20 Good Years,” “Miss March,” “Thunderpants,” and “A Knight in Camelot.” Theatre work in the UK includes George in “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf,” the Emcee in “Cabaret,” and Malvolio in “Twelfth Night,” and in “LA Bill W and Dr Bob” and “A Christmas Carol” at Theatre 68. As a stand-up comedian, Paul has played the Improv in Hollywood, and in the UK he performed regularly at the Comedy Store, the Improv, the Jongleurs chain, as well as touring in Europe and on radio and TV. His show “How to be the Perfect Couple” was a hit at the Edinburgh Festival, and had a sell out run in the US.

Michele Spears

Michele Spears was born and raised in Louisville, Kentucky. She studied acting at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts and now lives in Los Angeles. As an improviser she’s worked with Impro Theatre , Inflatable Betty, Disney’s Laughing Stock Co., Disney’s Troupe Du Jour, Acme Unplugged, and Pulp Playhouse. She’s performed at improv festivals across the country as well as the International “Improvistal” in Paris. Recent acting credits include “Malcolm In The Middle,”"World Cup Comedy,” “Mystery Woman: In the Shadows,” and the award winning indie film, “Self Storage.” On stage she has performed in National and European touring companies, Off-Broadway and in regional theater across the country. She is also an award winning director/choreographer and just returned from Scotland where she directed an all improvised Sondheim musical at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

Floyd VanBuskirk

An improviser for over 20 years, Floyd was co-founder and first Artistic director of Seattle Theatresports/ Unexpected Productions. He moved to Los Angeles in 1994 and joined LA Theatresports/ Impro Theatre and was that company’s artistic director from 2002 to 2004. A professional actor for over 20 years, he’s appeared in numerous television programs, including: “The Practice,” “ER,” “Becker,” “The Guardian,” “Gilmore Girls,” “Reno 911,” and “World Cup Comedy.” He can be seen most recently in “Navy NCIS,” “Jake in Progress,” “Las Vegas,” and the new WB pilot “Mindy and Brenda.” He also works extensively in the world of commercials and voice-over. Floyd has appeared in numerous independent feature films, shorts, and in Christopher Guests’ “A Mighty Wind.”