Impro Theatre Adds New Main Company Members

The award-winning Impro Theatre has added 21 new members to their acclaimed Main Company performance ensemble. The new Main Company members include expert improv veterans, accomplished theatre performers seen on stages throughout the country, and established actors appearing in dozens of films and TV shows. The Main Company's growth fulfills part of Impro Theatre's goal to expand the artistic voices within the company to better represent the global population and share more stories from different perspectives. The company has also implemented specific measures to increase diversity and inclusivity in the years to come.

The new Main Company members are Keiko Agena, Ted Cannon, Eric Carthen, Nicholas Daly Clark, Dwayne Colbert, Jordan Coleman, Susan Deming, Leanna Dindal, Kirsten Farrell, Tatiana Godfrey, Laurie Jones, Jully Lee, Kelly Lohman, Rebecca Lowman, Michael Manuel, Sara Mountjoy-Pepka, Jen Reiter, Cory Rouse, Jonathan P. Sims, Jeffrey Thompson and Paul Vonasek.

They join the previous members of the Main Company, who are Kari Coleman, Lisa Fredrickson, Madi Goff, Kelly Holden Bashar, Paul Hungerford, Stephen Kearin, Brian Lohmann, Nick Massouh, Jo McGinley, Dan O'Connor, Edi Patterson, Mike Rock, Paul Rogan, Ryan Smith and Michele Spears. Photos and additional information about each Main Company member can be found at www.improtheatre.com/main-company .

In April, Impro Theatre's longtime Producing Artistic Director, Dan O'Connor, stepped down from his position to encourage a new artistic direction focusing more on inclusivity. O'Connor, who remains involved with Impro Theatre as both a Main Company member and a board member, says, "Over the last year our organization has been training, discussing, planning and learning about real change. It has been a challenging, difficult and ultimately an incredibly inspiring examination of how we do just about everything, and it makes sense to change our leadership to embrace the opportunities of this moment. The newly formed Main Company ensemble will determine our artistic leadership and figure out what comes next, and I am genuinely excited and hopeful for the dynamic collaboration it will bring."

Based in Los Angeles, Impro Theatre and their Main Company performance ensemble have garnered national attention with their unique acclaimed brand of improvised theatre and loyal following. The Los Angeles Times says, "Impro Theatre has evolved into a powerhouse improvisational company in full-length shows that are off-the-cuff and consistently hilarious. A Los Angeles treasure, the company should be seen - and reseen!" Every Impro Theatre show starts with audience suggestions, and every performance is entirely unique. In Southern California, Impro has performed sold-out shows at The Broad Stage, The Pasadena Playhouse, South Coast Repertory, North Coast Repertory, Garry Marshall Theatre, and many more. Venues around the world include the John Anson Ford Amphitheater in Los Angeles, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, The Athenaeum Theatre in Chicago, Evans Auditorium at Texas State University, The Melbourne Fringe in Australia and Theatre Adyar in Paris. Impro has received multiple Ovation Recommended honors in Los Angeles and Critics' Picks everywhere they perform.

Impro Theatre also manages the Impro Theatre School and the Impro Studio, both headquartered in Los Angeles. Throughout the COVID pandemic, Impro Theatre has presented free, live performances through their livestreaming Twitch channel and has offered online improvisation classes to students of all levels. These online performances and classes have been designed to be accessible and affordable experiences that bring people together. They also help support Impro Theatre's mission to change the world through joyful artistic engagement involving unscripted theatre.

More information can be found at www.ImproTheatre.com.

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