Colin Sweeney is the Co-Founder and Director of Education Emeritus at the Westside. He has taught improv to kids and teens from SMMUSD public schools, partnered with Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business as well as workshops for the US Armed Forces worldwide. He is currently a Masters of Education Candidate at CSUN. He is the proud father of a boy and girl who happen to love improv too. Before being a dad, he performed in all 50 states and internationally with the critically acclaimed, Mission IMPROVable touring company, playing a thousand shows at colleges, high schools, festivals and corporations including Lollapalooza and Dis
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Jay Sukow
Jay Sukow has been performing with and without a script for the better part of the past 27 years. A few of those he has trained with include Stephen Colbert, Steve Carell, David Razowsky, Keith Johnstone, Del Close, Charna Halpern, Jeff Michalski and Mick Napier. He is a graduate of training centers of The Second City, The Second City NW, iO Chicago, and ComedySportz Chicago.
Jay is thrilled to be teaching at Westside Comedy Theater. where his students include everyone from beginners to the most experienced performers. He is a member of Mission Improvable and also performs in “Improv Famous,” featuring some of the best improvisors on the planet.
Jay has taught all over the world and was the Artistic Director/Head of Training at the Improv Comedy Copenhagen Theatre, where he taught improv and sketch comedy to expats from all around the world. He is the winner of The Golden Pineapple, awarded to the best visiting teacher at Improv Comedy Copenhagen. He previously taught for Second City Chicago, Second City Hollywood, iO Chicago (where he was also head of its artistic committee), iO West and ComedySportz Chicago.
He has two kids who live in LA and loves Beastie Boys.
Jason Shotts
Jason studied improv at the iO Theater in Chicago and performed there from 2003 to 2014. Currently living in Los Angeles, he can be seen performing as one-half of the improv duo Dummy, winner of the iO Theater’s Del Award for Best Improv Show in 2013 and 2014. He’s also the co-host of LIVE from the HOLLYWOOD ROOM!, a monthly variety show at Second City Hollywood.
He’s been teaching improv since 2006 and received the Del Award for “Best Teacher” in 2011 and 2013. In addition to teaching and coaching improvisers and improv groups all over Los Angeles, he travels around the world teaching and performing at improv theaters and festivals. He’s traveled to London, Edinburgh, Rome, Copenhagen, Oslo, Warsaw, Wrocław, Krakow, Bremen, Mannheim, Beijing, San Francisco, New York, San Diego, Denver, Austin, Houston, Washington DC, Phoenix, Tucson, Cleveland, Detroit, Minneapolis, St. Louis, Atlanta, Miami and Chicago.
For more information, please visit www.jasonshotts.com
Jason Van Glass
Master of the one-liner, and favorite comedian of servicemen and presidents alike, Jason Van Glass is one of the nation’s most-beloved entertainers, a millionaire many times over, and a star in every category open to him: vaudeville, radio, television, and film, most notably a string of “Road” movies with longtime friend Bing Crosby. He has performed at the Bridgetown, SF Sketchfest, and Crom Comedy Festivals, and traveled countless miles to entertain his troops in cities like Austin, Atlanta, Seattle, New York, New Orleans, and San Francisco. The Bob Hope American Patriot Award is named in his honor.
Xchel Hernandez
Xchel Hernandez is a comedian residing in Hollywood, CA. He has performed in several comedy festivals including Laughing Skull Comedy Festival, The World Series of Comedy, Out of Bounds, and The Joshua Tree Comedy Festival where he was voted runner up to the Festivals Best Comedian. In the past, Xchel embarked on an Armed Forces Entertainment Tour in Europe spanning over 2 weeks performing stand up comedy for the troops.
Jackie Monahan
Jackie Monahan has been called “The Queen of deadpan” by Roger Ebert, “A F%cking Genius” by Roseanne Bar, “Unstoppable” by Curve Magazine and “the funniest b$tch on the Block ” by Amy Schumer whom Jackie toured with for 6 years. Jackie has since been headlining clubs and making guest appearances on TV and is beloved in the indie film scene. She performs at The Comedy Store, Improv and alternative rooms. You may have seen her on Adult Swim’s “The Eric Andre Show”, Last Comic Standing, or Comedy Jam on Showtime. In addition, Jackie was just in theaters with Madeleine Olnek’s Wild Nights with Emily alongside Molly Shannon. Jackie starred in and co-wrote Madeleine Olnek’s Sundance feature film “The Foxy Merkins” which was also nominated for an Independent Spirit Award for. Jackie was Zylar in Olnek’s Sundance hit “Codependent Lesbian Space Alien Seeks Same” which received rave reviews from both Variety and The Hollywood Reporter. She has been professionally trained at UCB and Groundlings but she was born with a spot-on sense of timing and a unique look at life that cannot be duplicated. Jackie won Time Out New York Joke of the Year was voted comic to watch by Esquire magazine who said “Jackie has the looks of your friends hot older sister with the jokes of a deranged serial killer. She will kill you and you will be smiling.” Jackie’s dynamic presence both on television and on the stage brings an unapologetic fearlessness mixed with spontaneous combustion to every performance that will make you want to dance in the aisles. According to The Comedy Bible “Jackie wins over the crowd with her contagious energy. Jackie is fearless and patient. She keeps the energy up with every joke and she always delivers. She shines when being herself which is silly, relatable and absolutely disarming. She embraces universal humor that is genuinely entertaining to all audiences.” So do as the Brink says and “…jump at the opportunity to see this unstoppable comedian on the rise.”
Shelagh Ratner
Shelagh Ratner lived 8 years abroad before she was 18, thus learning improvisation by attending foreign schools and communicating and adapting as needed. After several years working with Gotham City Improv and honing these skills she chose to pursue stand-up and has appeared on Last Comic Standing Season 9 (NBC), Stand Up In Stillettos (POP TV), and Stand Up and Be Counted (NUVO TV). Additionally, she has worked as a voice actor for over twenty years, and was the voice of ATT for 10 years. A natural storyteller, she spent 6 years at The Moth improvising a story finale constructed from the stories told on any given evening. Her passions include adoring animals and playing Rummikub, in that order.
Jacklyn Uweh
Jacklyn Uweh is a Stockton-bred writer & performer. Since discovering her comedic voice as a mime – she’s studied improv & sketch at the Second City Hollywood, UCB , Groundlings and UC Irvine. She’s performed in the premium shows Live Rude Girls, 177Fox, Trump in Space and the inaugural Bob Curry Diversity Fellowship Showcase. Most recently, she went on tour with Second City Theatricals and mounted her one-woman sketch show, I Dreamed A Dream. If you run into her, say hi! She promises not to talk in the 3rd person. IG/TW: @blkjack76 | www.jacklynuweh.com
Colleen Doyle
Colleen Doyle grew up in Cleveland where she wrote greeting cards and was a part of the cast that opened The Second City Cleveland. She has made appearances in the indie features Close Quarters and Open Tables as well as Fresh Off the Boat and the NYTVF Best Comedy Pilot, Shrink. Colleen taught at iO Chicago (Teacher of the Year 2014) and iO West, where she also served as Artistic Director and Training Center Director. In Chicago, Colleen performed with the lovely ladies of Virgin Daiquiri, Babymakers, and in the first sketch revue at the Mission Theater, Trap. In LA, Colleen teaches at Westside Comedy and performs with the ensembles Dummy and The Village Bicycle. For more info, please visit thecolleendoyle.com.
Patrick Rowland
Patrick Rowland is a writer/performer/teacher from Chicago. He has trained at The Second City and iO Chicago. Patrick is a recipient of 2014 Bob Curry Fellowship, is an alum of the Second City House Company, and has performed as an understudy for the Second City mainstage, aboard the NCL Gem, as well as two revues with Diversity and Inclusion Program. He has performs with his independent sketch/improv troupe, 3Peat whose video with Comedy Central, “The Blackening”, has over 15 million views. In Chicago Patrick was a regular cast member with, The Deltones, Armando, and Musical Armando. His solo sketch has been featured in the 2013 TBS Just For Laughs Festival. Patrick also wrote and performed a late night talk show called “Barack All Night” which received 3 stars from the Chicago Tribune. As an instructor Patrick has taught the improv, conservatory, writing, and long form improv programs at Second City Chicago, and the improv program at the iO Theater. His workshops have sold-out across the country as well as London. www.patrickrowland.net