Improvisational theatre, often called improvisation or improv, is the form of theatre, often comedy, in which most or all of what is performed is unplanned or unscripted: created spontaneously by the performers. In its purest form, the dialogue, action, story, and characters are created collaboratively by the players as the improvisation unfolds in present time, without use of an already prepared, written script.
Ryan Lee Stiles is an American-Canadian actor, comedian, and producer whose work is often associated with improvisational comedy. He is best known for his work on the original British series and American version of Whose Line Is It Anyway? and for his role as Lewis Kiniski on The Drew Carey Show. He also played Herb Melnick on the CBS comedy Two and a Half Men and was a performer on the show Drew Carey's Improv-A-Ganza.
Colin Andrew Mochrie is a Scottish-born Canadian actor, writer, producer and improvisational comedian, best known for his appearances on the British and US versions of the improvisational TV show Whose Line Is It Anyway?
Gregory Everett "Greg" Proops is an American actor, stand-up comedian and television host. He is widely known for his guest appearances on the U.K. and U.S. versions of Whose Line Is It Anyway?. He has also voiced the titular character on the U.S. version of Bob the Builder.
Matthew Gregory Besser is an American actor, comedian, director, producer, and writer, best known as one of the four founding members of the Upright Citizens Brigade sketch comedy troupe, who had their own show on Comedy Central from 1998 to 2000. He currently hosts the improvisation-based podcast Improv4humans on the Earwolf podcasting network.
Kathryn Greenwood is a Canadian actress and comedian. She appeared on the American version of Whose Line Is It Anyway? numerous times, and played Grace Bailey on the Canadian television drama series Wind at My Back.
John Patrick De Sena, better known by his stage name Jack DeSena, is an American actor. He is best known for his work on the sketch comedy series All That, for the voice work of Sokka on the Nickelodeon series Avatar: The Last Airbender, and for the voice work of Callum on the Netflix series The Dragon Prince.
Matthew Paul Walsh is an American comedian and actor, best known for his role as Mike McLintock in Veep for which he received two Primetime Emmy Award nominations. He is a founding member of the Upright Citizens Brigade sketch comedy troupe, with which he co-starred in the original television series and the 2015 reboot. He also previously starred in short-lived comedy programs such as Dog Bites Man and Players, and was a correspondent on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. He has also appeared in films such as Road Trip (2000), Bad Santa (2003), School for Scoundrels (2006), Role Models (2008), The Hangover (2009) and The Do-Over (2016).
Joel Murray is an American comedy actor. He is well known for his roles in the television series Mad Men, Grand, Love & War, Dharma & Greg, Still Standing, and Shameless. He has also appeared in films including God Bless America and Monsters University.
Gary Anthony Williams is an American actor, comedian and filmmaker. He voiced the character of Uncle Ruckus on The Boondocks, and a number of video game characters. He also appeared on the television series Weeds, Boston Legal, Blue Collar TV and Malcolm in the Middle. Williams co-founded and is Artistic Director of the L.A. Comedy Shorts film festival in Hollywood, California. He starred alongside Cedric the Entertainer on the TV Land sitcom The Soul Man. Since 2013, he became a recurring cast member on the improv comedy TV series Whose Line Is It Anyway?, and is a regular member of the live improv comedy show The Black Version.
Charles Esten Puskar III, also known professionally as Charles Esten, and Chip Esten, is an American actor, musician, improviser and comedian.
Jeffrey Bryan Davis is an American actor, impressionist and comedian. He is known for his work as a recurring performer on the improv comedy show Whose Line Is It Anyway? From July 2016 until October 2019, he has starred as the Goblin Hero Boneweevil on the VRV Direct original production HarmonQuest.
Valley Forge High School is located in Parma Heights, Ohio, a suburb of Cleveland. It is one of three high schools in the Parma City School District, which is one of the largest school districts in the state of Ohio, serving the cities of Parma, Parma Heights, and Seven Hills. The school's colors are navy blue and white; its sports teams are known as the Patriots. Valley Forge High School athletic teams compete in the Northeast Ohio Conference.
Archie Hahn is an American character actor and improviser best known for his appearances on the British version of Whose Line is it Anyway? and the 1988 movie Police Academy 5: Assignment Miami Beach. He has also appeared in Phantom of the Paradise (1974), Pray TV (1980), This Is Spinal Tap (1984), Brewster's Millions (1985), The Brady Bunch Movie (1995), and many Joe Dante films including Amazon Women on the Moon (1987), Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990) and Small Soldiers (1998). In two of his final appearances on Whose Line is it Anyway?, Hahn unexpectedly brought props to use as he improvised, first castanets and then a pair of false teeth.
SAK Comedy Lab (SAK) is a 250-seat Improvisational Comedy (Improv) theater in downtown Orlando, Florida. SAK's most notable alumnus is actor Wayne Brady, who has played as a guest player in several SAK shows since finding fame as a performer on Whose Line Is It Anyway?, Let's Make A Deal, Chappelle's Show, and other projects. SAK's regular performers are referred to as the SAK Ensemble.
The Court Jesters is a professional improv company founded in 1989 and based in Christchurch, New Zealand. It is a subsidiary of the Court Theatre professional theatre company, acting as a second company within the theatre.
Theatre Strike Force is the University of Florida's premier improv and sketch comedy troupe. The group also goes by TSF. The style of improv performed by Theatre Strike Force is a combination long form and short form. They both teach and perform improvisational comedy. They have six house teams which include both forms of improv as well as a sketch team. There are four long form house teams which are cast every semester and usually have six to eight members. The TSF Short Form Team is cast every semester as well and usually has fifteen to nineteen members. TSF Sketch is the final house team and usually has twelve to sixteen members, cast each semester.
On Thin Ice, (OTI) is Harvard College's oldest Improvisational comedy group. OTI specializes in short-form improvisational theater taking the form of various comedy games in the style of Whose Line Is It Anyway?.
Whose Line Is It Anyway? is an American improvisational comedy television show, and is an adaptation of the British show of the same name. It originally aired on ABC and ABC Family from August 5, 1998 to December 15, 2007, hosted by Drew Carey. A revival of the show, hosted by Aisha Tyler, began airing on The CW on July 16, 2013.
Sean Masterson is a comedy actor, writer, director and producer known for his work with Drew Carey, writing on The Drew Carey Show, and as an improvisational performer on Whose Line Is It Anyway? spin-offs Drew Carey's Green Screen Show, and Drew Carey's Improv-A-Ganza. He has a wife and two children and is currently living in Los Angeles, California.
