Charna Halpern
Charna is an American comedian who is co-founder of the ImprovOlympic, now known as iO. Upon iO’s founding, in 1983, with partner Del Close, she began teaching Harold to many students in the Chicago theater community. Many prominent comedians performed at iO, from Neil Flynn (The Middle) to Jack McBrayer (30 Rock). Also appearing were up and coming comedic minds such as Craig Cackowski (Drunk History). Halpern opened the iO West located in Hollywood, California, in the early 2000s.
She and Close co-authored the book Truth in Comedy: The Manual of Improvisation with editor Kim “Howard” Johnson in 1994. She published Group Improvisation in 2003 and Art by Committee in 2006.
Kristine Levine
“It’s debatable whether honesty makes for the best comedy, but Levine certainly makes a damn good case for it being so by telling stories and observing motherhood, romance, and the oddities of life with the only filter being that it’s undeniably hilarious.”
The Comedy Bureau
“Stark and unapologetic dispatches from an exotic life.”
The Guardian
“One of the few comics who doesn’t seem to gather her material via her remote control… Lucky crowds had their sensibilities challenged, tested and happily bruised, black and blue.”
The Oregonian
“Wonderful back-to-basics, take-no-prisoners stuff.”
The Scotsman
“One of the most original comedic voices of this generation.”
Doug Stanhope
Landry
Landry’s most notable attribute lies in his charming hair, which emanates from his charismatic follicles. As a Canadian-born individual of interracial heritage, his unique existence, coupled with a touch of dysfunction, creates a delightful blend of comedic brilliance. He has earned prestigious accolades such as the Boston Comedy Festival and the World Series of Comedy, but the ultimate measure of his success remains the approval and amusement of his beloved mother. With a radiant smile that illuminates any space and a personality that perfectly complements it, the potential for Landry to accomplish extraordinary feats as a performer is boundless.
Rahel Otsa
Improviser, improv teacher, organiser and a creative thinker
Rahel Otsa is a thoughtful and dynamic improviser who created one of the first improv theatres in Estonia Jaa !mproteater (2009-2019); is the main producer of the International Improv Festival Tilt in Tallinn (currently on hiatus) and has taught improv to both children and adults for more than 13 years. In 2022 she
opened up her own improv school in Tallinn called Rahel Otsa Improkool. Her workshops have been appreciated in Europe but also Russia, Australia, New Zealand, Vietnam, Singapore, Nepal and China. Besides conducting workshops tailored for improvisers, she also does corporate workshops and helps organise different events. She’s also a proud member of the improvisers community called Ohana. Before becoming hooked with improv she did classical theatre and the theatre of the oppressed and she combines all these experiences in trying to find new ways to approach improv. She’s constantly looking for ways to make improv touch audience’s hearts and minds with more than just laughter and believes that well-told stories can change the world.
Phil Lunn
Phil is an improviser from London, UK. He’s been improvising for several years, both on stage and behind the piano. He’s worked with several leading UK groups including Music Box, Hoopla, Mischief Theatre and The Maydays, and has performed around the UK including several shows at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. He also teaches improvisation, including regular courses in London and at international festivals.
Currently, Phil directs The Staccatos, a short form musical group. He also performs solo in his one man improvised cabaret “Phil Lunn Is…” where he performs improvised songs as various characters. He regularly appears at international improv festivals around Europe.
Doug Stanhope
Doug is an American stand-up comedian, author, award winning actor, political activist and podcast host. His stand-up material favors caustic and often obscene observations of life in the style of Bill Hicks, which he delivers while consuming alcohol. Politically, he has favored libertarianism and once endorsed the Free State Project, a proposed political migration of at least 20,000 libertarians to a single low-population state to foster libertarian ideas.