I never learned a musical instrument, just never seemed to have the aptitude. But in middle school I found something else. I found theater. From middle school to high school I performed and worked on plays and every one I did seemed to open up a new aspect of the art to me. While my friends went on to college to study I worked and did as many plays as I could. I read books about theater history, I read plays and I researched the actors that I admired. As the years went on I became a stage manager (still one of my favorite jobs in theater and a skill I take great pride in) to be a better stage manager I learned to direct plays. I targeted the directors that were doing the work I liked. Solid, consistent and above all else. Smart. In someways I felt sorry for these people becuase once I got it in my head I wanted to work and learn from them I was in their face until I got too. I learned a lot. The only director I never got to work with was named Mark Norwood I regret that I could not make that happen since he is such a talented actor and director.
Then I got invited to be a part of an improv troop in Fresno and my path started to change. Double so once Second City came to Fresno. I had never seen theater like what they were doing! It was instant, it was funny and most of all it was magical! And I wanted to do it...
Three months later I was auditioning for the Second City Conservatory in Los Angeles. I was really putting my foot out there on this audition (in all honesty I didn't REALLY qualify for the audition) I got up there and I poured my heart out at that audition. And three weeks later me and thirty other people were admitted into the Conservatory. It was the hugest thing that ever had happened in my life. At the orientation I was told my life would never be the same after a year learning from Second City and they were not wrong. As with anything I devoured any info I could find and I watched every show I could see. When I saw a performer that was doing things that clicked with me I made note of what theaters they came from. Second City, iO, Annoyance, Comedysportz. It looked like a recipe to me. And I vowed to follow it. (Not really thinking that each of these theaters were a year long program) As I did that I also started performing more and more. By the time I left LA I figured I had performed in 200 plus shows.
I got to be in two house ensembles at the Second City (training center). Then I moved on to iO West and did their year long program and then made it onto a Harold team. I was doing two shows a week and starting to coach other teams.
Then I met a wonderful woman and fell for each other and got engaged. I followed her to Chicago. The pinnacle hub of the art of improvisation! Where most of the greats got started. For five years I took classes without stop and once I landed in Chicago I picked right up again at Comedysportz. After the first year there I moved onto the Annoyance and am only three classes from finishing that. I'm getting to work with Mick Napier and (for now) he will be the last teaching in this my seven year journey. Sometimes I think I bite too hard on a idea or a passion. But looking back I have performed improv from Los Angeles to London. I have performed with some of the most talented people I have ever met and learned from people that are gods in the community. I don't know whats next for me, hopefully I will break more into performing in Chicago (It has not been as easy a nut to crack as I would like) but I do know that I have no regrets. And I am very proud of what I have done.
I think there are some people out there that should know I would not have been able to do any of this without their support and I want to mention them and thank them -
My Mom and my little brother, My wife Amanda, John Masier, Randy Stump, S. Eric Day, David Razowsky, Scot Robinson, Tom Booker, Michael Pollock, Kate Wiswell, Fred Cross, Amy Seeley, Carlos Santos, Brent Tubbs, Rick Kent, Chris Compton, Mike Ross, James Grace, Jason Pardo, Josh Funk, Craig Cackowski, Dan Pessano, Mick Napier, Susan Messing, Cameron Fife, Mike McLendon, Nathan Clark, Matt Elwell, Rene Duquesnoy, Chris O. Biddle, Harz Sondericker and Erin Pallesen.
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