Training Center Instructors
Our training center is proud to have some of the best-trained teachers in Nashville that have received their training all over the country (literally) including: The Second City (Chicago and LA), iO (Chicago), UCB (LA), The Groundlings (LA), The Annoyance Theatre (Chicago), Four Day Weekend (Dallas), and ComedySportz.
MARK ANUNDSON
Mark Anundson is that one comedian that you went to see a long time ago but now you can’t remember his name but you do remember he had a joke about a walrus or something. Audiences have been laughing and immediately forgetting about Mark’s comedy sets for years! If you like your comedy chock full of one liners, insults and absurdities then be sure to check Mark Anundson out at your local comedy club or pub.
EVAN BERKE
Throughout his comedy career, Evan Berke has showcased at legendary clubs around the country including Gotham and Comic Strip in New York, The Comedy Store and Ice House in Los Angeles, and Jimmy Kimmel’s Comedy Club in Las Vegas. In addition to studying at The Second City in Chicago and Upright Citizens Brigade in New York City, Evan was also an Associate Producer at TMZ in New York, Atlanta & Los Angeles where he produced segments and interviewed celebrities. Evan’s debut standup comedy album and special ‘Twice Removed’ was recorded at Third Coast Comedy Club in February 2023.
SAM BREWER
Sam is a Computer Scientist (he has been called a Mad Computer Scientist in the past). He currently teaches Computer Programming at the high school level. He’s been studying and performing improv since 2018 after he moved to Nashville from his hometown of Memphis, TN. His hobbies include Video Games, Tabletop Games, Card Games, Board Games, and… wait… it’s just games isn’t it. Sam is a Nerd, and proud of it!
Jessica Carter
Jessica Carter is a Nashville, TN native and has been entertaining audiences with her fun, energetic comedy for the past 12 years. She has worked all over the southeast throughout her comedy career. She’s had the opportunity to work with Katt Williams, Mia Jackson, Ty Barnett, Ambrose Jones, and many more. In 2012 she was a finalist on NBC’s Stand Up For Diversity showcase in Atlanta. She also hosts Friday Night Drama – a radio show on 103.7 FM Radio Free Nashville and just celebrated her 18 year anniversary in radio.
RYAN CITRINO
From the mean streets of (suburban) New Jersey, Ryan has been performing in Nashville for over 4 years. At Third Coast, he has performed and/or accompanied for Infinity Etc., Cherry Bomb: An Improvised Musical, Raccoon Log Ride, LOL Nashville and The Third Coast Comedy Show. He’s excited to pass along his experience with both music and improv to you.
GRANT COLLINS
Grant is a Portland, TN native who has studied all things comedy in Chicago for the past eight years. He is a graduate of iO, The Annoyance, The Second City Conservatory, Second City Writing Program, and The Second City Musical Conservatory. While in Chicago, he played on several iO Harold teams, a ComedySportz Chicago House Team, and teams at The Playground, MCL, and Under the Gun. Grant is excited to be back in Tennessee, sharing and teaching the art form he loves so much.
SYDNEY DAVIS JR. JR.
Sydney Davis Jr. Jr. is a standup comedian and storyteller originally from Bentonville, Arkansas. At the age of 16, she moved to Chicago, IL, where she began to train and perform with The Second City comedy theater. At 25, she became a faculty member at The Second City Training Center, where she developed the standup comedy, storytelling, and public speaking curriculum they still use today. She is super-stoked to join the faculty at Third Coast Comedy Club, and share the stage with the amazingly talented students who come through their classes every day.
You can find Sydney’s standup comedy special “TRASH,” on Amazon Prime.
Previous places she has performed standup include: Dangerfield’s Comedy Club (NYC), Zanies Comedy Club (IL & TN), The Comedy Bar (Chicago & Nashville) The Apollo Theater, Chicago Underground Comedy, Third Coast Comedy Club, and more.
Find out more on sydneydavisjrjr.com / Insta: @sydneydavisjrjr / Tiktok: @sydneydavisjrjr
ALEX DOLEZAL
Alex is a pianist, composer, and improviser from Cincinnati, Ohio (Who Dey!). He’s been in Nashville for just over a decade. “Nashville is great! I haven’t found a reason to live… I mean leave!”. An avid disco fan, Alex is all about movin’ and groovin’. His credit score is 381. You can see him Musical Directing the Mainstage and Cherry Bomb shows.
Erica ELAM
Erica Elam is an actor, improviser, writer, director, teacher, mother, stepmother, and positive psychology practitioner. She’s been traveling the world teaching and performing improv since 2005 in places like Chicago, Los Angeles, Alaska, Hawaii, London, Dublin, Edinburgh, Australia, and the Seychelles. She has facilitated groundbreaking corporate training and education sessions for Google, Facebook, DeLoitte, etc. She has served as adjunct faculty at The Theatre School at DePaul and visiting faculty at Princeton University. She’s led workshops at top universities including Dartmouth, Stanford, Notre Dame, The University of Chicago, and Northwestern. Erica is a company member with the critically-acclaimed musical improv group, Baby Wants Candy, and was the first woman to join the company of The Improvised Shakespeare Company. She has performed at The Kennedy Center, The Goodman, Chicago Shakespeare, Steppenwolf, and The Second City, among others. She recently earned her Masters in Applied Positive Psychology from The University of Pennsylvania and moved to Tennessee where she lives with her husband and 2-under-2.
SCOTT ELAM
Scott Elam is a Franklin, TN native and Chicago-trained improviser. He is a graduate of The Second City Conservatory and iO. With The Second City, he toured all over the world aboard Norwegian Cruise Line performing to sold out audiences every night of the week. At iO, he performed with long-running Harold team Sears Tower and many other shows. As a teacher, he’s taught every level in The Second City’s Improv Program, at improv festivals around the country, and a two week immersion in London, England at the Angel Comedy Club. He has allegedly won more Ro-Sham-Bo than anyone else in his family. Scott is thrilled to be back home and to be teaching the art form he loves at Third Coast.
Jessica Farmer
Jessica Farmer is a graduate of the Magnet Theater NYC and iO Chicago where she performed on house teams. She’s taught improv to teenagers in Chicago and to adults and children in Nashville. She is thrilled to be with Third Coast where she performs with Freak Pony. She loves Freak Pony. Jessica has also trained in clown and mask in Chicago and Italy with Paola Colletto’s School for Theater Creators.
SCOTT FIELD
Scott Field studied at Improv Boston (Boston) where he was a player with the mainstage, performing hundreds of shows in a five year period. After moving to Nashville (Nashville) in 2004, he co-founded Improv Nashville (Nashville), which opened a venue on 12th South in 2008. Most recently, Scott has taught for and performed with Music City Improv (Nashville), Street Theater (Nashville), and is directing The Third Coast Comedy Show (Nashville).
EDD GARCIA
Edd Garcia has been improvising professionally in Nashville since 2013. He is currently a member of Infinity Etc., Cherry Bomb, and LOL Nashville. You may also remember him from Gnu Tales, Secret Handshake, Music City Improv, Third Coast Main Stage, or as that obnoxious extra in a high school play in 2007. Technically, Edd is a trained stage actor and dancer but he is honestly better known for his knowledge of dungeons and dragons, professional wrestling, and the fast and the furious films. Edd also trained at the now defunct (but then legendary!) iO theatre in Chicago in 2016. He did this mostly for clout and Portillo’s hot dogs. Feel free to say hello if you see Edd hidden in the corner of the bar after a show, he’s only fading into the background due to social anxiety.
MIKE GARVIN
Hailing from myriad corners of the Great American South, Mike is equal parts improv fan and trained practitioner. Exploding onto the stage as the runaway sheep in a Murray, Kentucky Christmas pageant, his training spans graduate studies in comedy and performance at Southern Illinois University to improv courses at iO in Chicago and Nashville’s own Third Coast. He has coached and performed with the troupes Community Floss and Cult of the Stage Monkey, and his celebrated duo Date Night with Mike & Eric has appeared at the Twin Cities and Dirty South Improv Festivals and in venues across the Midwest. In Nashville he performs stand up and storytelling, and leads unwitting patrons through historical tours of the area.
BECCA GRONER
A native New Yorker, Becca trained at Upright Citizens Brigade and performed improv in Boston for four years in college while training under Improv Asylum’s Director. Since moving to Nashville, Becca began hosting monthly Lady Bits improv jams and performing with Nashville’s only LGBTQ+ comedy troupe, Carol, as well as various indie and Third Coast house troupes. You can also catch her doing live sports-like commentary on improv in Play by Play. She is good at collecting jars and bad at opening them.
BILL HILLSMAN
Bill has been an improviser in Nashville for over 11 years. In his time, he has directed, coached, and performed with a variety of groups, including The Third Coast Comedy Show, LOL Nashville, and Infinity Etc. Improv. Bill has performed in festivals and competitions around the country, and alongside Allison Summers and Patrick Shaffner, was a national finalist in the Contest4Improv4Humans. Around Third Coast, Bill is a writer and producer for Late Night with Johnny Carsick, the producer for the Third Coast Short Film Showcase, and is a co-producer with Ryan Citrino for Triple Threat, a community improv showcase. He is currently accepting all offers for an energy drink sponsorship.
HEATHER HULL
Heather Hull is a writer and comedian based in Nashville, Tennessee whose work has been featured across Midwest stages and various strange corners of the internet. She is a graduate of Third Coast’s Improv Training Center as well as Southern Illinois University, where she earned a master’s degree in Performance Studies with an emphasis in comedy performance. Her recent sketch work at Third Coast includes cowriting/coproducing Riley: A Sketch Revue, writing/performing in Ryan Bernier’s 72 Hour Sketch Show, and directing Worst Case Scenario’s Cabin Fever Dream. She’s also led sketch workshops for female-identified teens for Unscripted’s partnership with Act Like a GRRRL, and is a regular performer and digital sketch contributor for Humorist Nashville.
JAMIE HULTGREN
A recent transplant to Nashville from Los Angeles, Jamie Hultgren is a clown comedienne and burlesque performer. She appeared as ‘Fanny The Last Remaining Showgirl’ in Spiegelworld’s ‘Empire’ North America Tour, originated the role of ‘Isaac’ in ‘Abraham & Isaac’ at The Museum of Brazilian Sculpture in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and has performed at The Broad Stages, Guthrie, LA Opera, Asylum NYC, and Annenberg Center. She has written and performed as a member of clown and sketch comedy troupes Four Clowns and The Innocents, and as part of her parody folk duo @heronandthehen. Her play ‘Halfwits’ won the Fringe Award for ‘Best in Physical Theater’ at the 2015 Los Angeles Fringe Festival. Training: The Clown School, The Idiot Workshop, Groundlings, Wesley Balk Opera Music-Theater Institute, UCLA Graduate School for Theater, Film & Television (Television Writing), Lili Von Schtupp’s School for Wayward Girls.
MATT JACKSON
Matt is a transplant from Orange County, CA. He has studied improv at The Groundlings, UCB, and iO Chicago. Over the years, Matt has been an active part of Nashville’s growing comedy scene performing and teaching with Improv Nashville, Fusebox Theater Company, and S2 in Louisville KY. He is currently a house performer at Third Coast Comedy Club; playing in The Love Circle Variety Show, Court, Crash, and Celebrity Crush. He is excited to bring his passion and experience to Third Coast’s Training Center.
MAX KEMP
“Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive and go do it, because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” Howard Thurman
Max is a Nashville transplant from a small town in northern Connecticut. She fell in love with improv back in 2007 and has been learning, performing, and teaching ever since. She currently performs with Cherry Bomb and Gnu Tales. She is thrilled to serve as the Assistant Director of the Training Center. She passionately believes in improv as a unique, raucous, life-changing celebration of the human experience. Behind their teaching experience they’ve got a plethora of workshops, scores of shows, a smattering of festivals, and a whole lot of life to share.
MICK KHOURY
Mick has been accompanying Musical Improv classes since September of 2021, when Ryan Citrino was seduced by Richard Branson. The entirety of Mick’s improv knowledge stems from the Third Coast Training Center, but he has been playing piano since he was a wee lad. Through accompanying Cherry Bomb and Off Broadway, he has developed a style that makes musical improv easy for beginners and interactive with experienced players. Mick believes in the power of an effective rhyme, contrapuntal harmony, and singing “ooooh” when you have no idea what’s going on. This has mostly worked for him, as you can catch him on stage with Cherry Bomb practicing what he preaches. He believes musical improv is one of the greatest forms of expression, and hopes to see you try it out sometime!
ISAAC KIRK
Isaac is an Actor, improviser, and community advocate, returning home to Nashville, from Santa Barbara, CA. While training under Peter Frisch, Head of Drama at Carnegie Mellon School of Drama & The Juilliard School, he became aware of the freedom the imaginative, risk-taking actor enjoys and the power that stories possess. This ethereal feeling of spontaneity led him to Tom Mueller, of The Ventura Improv Company and the study of Spolin. Along the way, Isaac has found success in numerous indie films, ad campaigns for Nike, and most recently on Chrisley Knows Best. He is thrilled to be integrating his culturally diverse approach (Blackness) into the Caucasian ubiquitousness (Hyper white space) of Improvisational theatre.
ETHAN KRUPP
Ethan followed a girl to Nashville, which sounds like the beginning of a country song, but joke’s on you—she’s a doctor and his mom is thrilled. He came from Chicago where he performed at Second City, iO, Annoyance, MCL, LOL, The Crowd, and maybe others but who knows. Ethan and his writing partner have written 3 full-length musicals which have been featured at Feinstein’s/54 Below (NYC), Chicago Musical Theatre Festival, The Den Theatre (Chicago), and in residency at Princeton University.
NATHAN LARISON
Nathan started his improv career in Dallas, TX back in 2011. He’s performed in festivals all over the United States, has taken workshops and classes from some of the industries’ greatest talents, and has been teaching others in improv over the last 8 years. He loves helping others realize their full potential in improv, and showing how deep, weird, and beautiful this artform can be. His best friend is his cat, Pawncho.
MARY CLAIRE REYNOLDS
Mary Claire Reynolds grew up in Nashville and has been a professional commercial talent since her teenage years when she landed representation contracts in New York and London. In 2009, she took an intensive course at Second City Chicago and fell in love with the practice and performance of live improv. She went on to study at Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre in Los Angeles and perform with an independent long-form team around the city. When she returned to Nashville full-time in 2013, Mary Claire jumped into all the improv she could find, and most of it was short-form, so she quickly learned short-form improv performance skills! She joined Third Coast house team Freak Pony in 2018, and can also be seen performing with Gnu Tales and Improv Science Theatre 4000. In addition to all this acting-without-scripts experience, Mary Claire has been a SAG-AFTRA member since 2012, and she is a trained and experienced local theatre performer. She is excited to share the magic of improv theatre with you!
CARL ROBERTS III
After accidentally time traveling from a roller rink mishap from the 1970s, Carl Roberts III found himself doing standup comedy in 21st century Nashville. His witty one-liner style has been described only by Carl himself as “snap & pop comedy for the masses.” Carl’s goal in comedy is to make 10’s of dollars so that one day he can support five wives & start a commune of his very own. In the meantime, internet enthusiasts can hear Carl chatting with Nashville comedians on his podcast “The Ba-Dum-Ching! With Carl.” You can also see Carl perform live, in the flesh, all around the Nashville area, including here at Third Coast Comedy Club every Monday night as host of the open mic “Roast the Host.” Carl currently resides in East Nashville with his zero kids and one cat.
CATHERINE SCHWARTZ
Originally from Austin, Texas, Catherine made her way to Nashville after graduating from Sewanee: The University of the South. Catherine has been performing improv comedy for 5 years and is a cast member of the Third Coast Comedy Show. When not at Third Coast, Catherine teaches Third Grade math at a local charter school. She also has a dog named Lyle and she would like to mention that in her bio.
EMMA SUPICA
Emma Supica (she/her) is the founding director for the nonprofit organization Unscripted, and has been an arts educator and advocate for over 15 years. She has taught general, choral, and instrumental music classes in K12 schools, higher education, and nonprofit organizations settings. Her educational philosophy is centered on creative process, human development, and advocating for accessibility in the arts. She specializes in curriculum development, and values play and process in creative learning. Supica has served on the Board of Directors for Urban Green Lab and the Nashville Arts Coalition. Emma holds a Bachelor of Music Education from the University of Kansas and an M.Ed. in Nonprofit Leadership from Belmont University. She is a graduate of the Third Coast Comedy Club’s improv training center, and is a frequent performer in several shows, including the improvised musical: Cherry Bomb.
Rhonda Sweat
ANNE VEAL
Originally from Kansas City, Anne traded in her pop for soda when she migrated to the Northeast. They’ve worn every hat theatre has to offer and studied improv with UCB and Annoyance. She taught and directed in NYC from 2016-2020, helped run a start-up theater, and developed an Instant Teams program that gave 300 improvisers a team, a coach, and stage time to develop their chops. Their improvised and devised theatre work has taken them to lots of equally cool places, like rural Montana and Prague. Anne loves creating all stripes of improv from silly make-em-ups, to arty esoteric pretension, to improvised plays and films.
LUKE WATSON
Luke is the Founder of LOL Nashville and Co-Founder of the Third Coast Comedy Club. He got his start with improv in Atlanta, GA with an independent troupe made up of improvisers from troupes across the city. Luke is also the Founder and Executive Producer of Nashville’s Improv Festival, Third Coast Improv Fest.
