2025 FESTIVAL
LINEUP
AM 2 PM will create art on stage using the lighting to illuminate deep grounded characters in their newly-created form The Insomniac. From light to darkness and back again, AM 2 PM will explore the journey of a complex relationship…. when they need each other the most.
CAST: Anthony Saldana, Julian Vargas
NEW YORK, NY
Jenn & Kevin is a format that explores the relationship of a married couple as they navigate their ordinary extraordinary life. Coming from drastically different backgrounds, Jenn and Kevin offer a unique experience of blended diversity, where being truly human can sometimes shine in the most inhuman moments.
CAST: Walt Batycki & Jennifer Lavenhar
HIGHLAND, NY
If Downton Abbey and Fawlty Towers had Noel Coward's love child, that would be Bollix Manor. It's an ensemble cast, with each member playing an "upstairs" person and a "downstairs" person, improvising a farcical BBC show set in a grand English estate.
CAST: Kat Koppett, Jennifer Lavenhar, Charlie Owens, Maria Ayoub, Winnie Ashby, Sam Gorenstein
SCHENECTADY NY
BEACON, NY
Bombshell is comprised of some of the loudest women in the Hudson Valley. They have been performing character-heavy, long-form improv all over New York and take a lot of pride in bringing originality and silliness to every show.
CAST: Brooke Comegys, Valerie Lynn Brett and Natalie Allen
BUS STOP ROBOT: UTICA, NY
The Uptown’s first and oldest improv ensemble.
CAST: Cortland Cloos, Cecelia Guido, Devin Mahoney, Jason Zongrone.
Castles and Creatures is a completely-made-up-on-the-spot comedy improv show inspired by tabletop role-playing, our collective humanity, and you the audience. In one hour, our cast improvises an epic quest featuring elves, gnomes, dwarves, wizards, monsters, spells, and the nerdy humans who bring them all to life.
CAST: Caitlin Steitzer, Diego Martinez, Garret Adams, Jeffrey Jolton, Josh Verby, Mary Everhart, Melody Graczyk, Stephanie Adams, and Todd Benzin
BUFFALO, NY
Cheese & Slackers are a long form indie team from Buffalo, NY who started doing a slacker format but has since evolved into their own unique form.
CAST: Kimberly White-Lopez; Crystina White-Lopez; Jeffrey Jolton; Trevor Stone; Ram Nambiar; Caitlin Canahai
BUFFALO, NY
The Complaint Department turns your consumer grievances into hilarious improvised scenes.
CAST: Beth Hailey Jay Frank with guest appearances by Elijah Wilkes and Conor Lobb
Richmond, VA
A two person improv team that creates a film noir based off a title suggestion from the audience. Coached by Brian O’Connell
CAST: John Conroy and Stacy Rumaker
LOS ANGELES, CA
CAST: Holly Mandel & Billy Soco
New York, NY
PHILADELPHIA, PA
Hot Dog with Mustard performs fast-paced longform improv that traverses different worlds and explores silly characters.
CAST:Abby Barringer, Renata Rabinovich and Julie Fosco.
UTICA, NY
The Uptown’s Teen Ensemble
CAST: Iced Grandpa
SYRACUSE, NY
Short- Form Improv comedy that isn't afraid to go there. It might be filthy. It might be experimental. It might make you a little uncomfortable but it'll always be funny.
CAST: Jeremy Johnston, Crystal Pistol, Eric van der Vort, Thad Malley, Aidan Procopi
JC PENNEY JAZZ CLUB: UTICA, NY
The Uptown’s Slacker Ensemble.
CAST: Holly White, Sarah Bush, Derek Crossman, Gavin Bailey, Bil Eggert, Tyler Kehl, Brandon Ciotti
The Manny Rodriguez Show, your favorite talk show, is in town for a live taping and Ross, the temporary stage manager, needs help setting it up! A dynamic solo improv show with audience interaction, improvised stage direction, improvised monologues, and a guest interview.
CAST: Ross Flores
SAINT PAUl, MN
RHINEBECK, NY
An entire town springs to life, conjured by a one word suggestion, and in that town lives are tilted off balance in the way lives always are. Every town is full of characters with secrets, unspoken desires, and missed chances. Let’s join them in discovering who they really are.
CAST: Maria Ayoob, Charlie Owens, Alex Ashby, Jason Burke, Jennifer Lavenhar, Walt Batycki
BALTIMORE, MD
Mouth Stuff performs an Armando getting using a suggestion from the audience to inspire a personal monologue and then do scenes based off of it.
CAST: Sarah Madrid, Lisa Perrin, Genevieve O'Keefe, Noelle Davis, Lindy Rhodes, Topher Darragh, Daniel Costa
Two Friends. One Show.
Cast: Nnamdi Ngwe & Patrick Rowland
LOS ANGELES, CA
What happens when a bunch of musical Improvisors take on the challenge of being the 1st in Utica? You get pitch slapped.
CAST: Dee Ann Tumbuan, Milly Szmurlo, Adam Raymonda, Dan Cassone, Ellen Mintzer
UTICA, NY
PUNK PONIES: UTICA, NY
Punk Ponies are The Uptown’s house Harold Ensemble.
CAST:Cortland Cloos, Ellen Mintzer, Jamie Smith, Chris Surprenant, Gavin Law, Millie Szmurlo, Jonathan.Martin, Dee Ann Tumbuan
SHORT PANTS: UTICA, NY
Short Pants is The Uptown’s Short Form Improv Team.
CAST: TBD
NEW YORK, NY
What happens when a team meets for the first time hours before they take the stage in utica? 6 highly skilled performers come together and forced to commit… for one night only to create a never-before seen narrative. anything can happen in this show of experimental theater, almost as chaotic as a shotgun wedding.
CAST: Christine Barros, Anthony Saldana, Julian Vargas represent Queens, New York They will be joined by surprise performers from Utica, together making a mixer team of some of the best improvisers New.York has to offer.
SkittleFit is a trio of improvisers who do improv for audiences of live humans who like improv. They'll be doing an original long-form called The Panini.
CAST: Deb Kinsler, Jeremy Johnston, Pete Kappesser
SKITTLEFIT: ONEIDA, NY
SuiteTooth is NYC’s self-proclaimed premier monoscene trio; classy in theory, unhinged in practice. We start grounded with an audience interview, then explode into a real-time riot of characters, iconic moments, and punk rock energy all in one location.
CAST:SuiteTooth is Sean, Ky and Nic.
BROOKLYN, NY
What happens when a team meets for the first time hours before they take the stage in utica? 6 highly skilled performers come together and forced to commit… for one night only to create a never-before seen narrative. anything can happen in this show of experimental theater, almost as chaotic as a shotgun wedding.
CAST:Neal Leaheey, Amy Kahn, Maz Furey, Rosalie Fry, Tim Bric