2 GIRLS 3 EYES SHOW: SAT 9/19 8:10PM - STUDENT CENTER BALLROOM Two Girls Three Eyes performs short-form improv every Friday night at Atlanta's Relapse Comedy Theatre (RelapseComedy.com). This raw, down and dirty game-inspired improvisational comedy show is hosted by Relapse Artistic Director Bob Wood.

50 FT. VERMIN SHOW: SAT 9/12 8:20PM - UNDER THE COUCH No where to run. No where to hide. 50ft. Vermin's brand of improvisational theater strikes fear in the bowels of grown men and women. Escape from their wit is not an option, even in the vast reaches of inner and outer space or the depths of the mariana trench. We know because we routinely perform there.

ANOTHER MAN'S TRASH SHOW: FRI 9/18 8:20PM - UNDER THE COUCH Another Man's Trash is Eckerd Colleges sole improv comedy troupe. Started in fall of 2008, We have grown in popularity to a final show with an attendance of over 300. We hope to continue to grow our fan base as well as reach out to other groups in the improv community.

AUTOMATIC THEATRE SHOW: SAT 9/12 10:10PM - UNDER THE COUCH Automatic Theater is the culmination of years of work, gathering some of the hottest new improvisers from around Atlanta. The freshest faces from some of the biggest improv theaters in town have come together to show you the future of Atlanta improv. Automatic Theater's focus is storytelling, narrative and entertainment. They perform improvised theater. So be prepared to laugh, cry, and have an all around good time.

BABIES MIT BEARDEN SHOW: FRI 9/18 10:20PM - STUDENT CENTER BALLROOM Babies mit Bearden is a troupe of four men who have been friends for ages and now use that friendship as a force of good in improv. The four learned short-form improv on their own before training with Atlanta's JaCKPie to learn long-form improv. BmB has performed together for many years in both long and short forms in theatre and festivals throughout Atlanta and the rest of the world, including the 2008 Chicago Improv Festival.

BABY NAMED RAGE SHOW: FRI 9/11 8:20PM - UNDER THE COUCH What do you get when you throw a bunch of Kamikaze filmmakers in a paper lunch bag with a over-zealous bird watcher? Of course it's a Baby Named Rage! A whimsical delusion of dexterity, a migration two steps left of social distortion. These modern improv pilgrims bear flowers in their lapels and death in their socks, complete in assorted mystery colors. One can always count on orchestrated lighting to transpire when the "Rage Takes the Stage", ...oh yes, join our carpet ride, we'd love to have you aboard!

BANANA BREAKUP SHOW: FRI 9/18 8:00PM - DRAMATECH THEATRE Everyone remembers the childhood mantra: "The floor is lava!" where you climb around on the furniture and aren't allowed to touch the ground. That's Banana Breakup's motto. Kit FitzSimons and Eitan Lees perform the highest energy two-man longform improv you will see this side of Saturday morning television as they perform every scene ABOVE the stage. Banana Breakup will amaze you, they'll entertain you, they'll make you fear for their safety. Banana Breakup: GO!

BLACK BOX IMPROV TOURNAMENT CHAMPIONS SHOW: SAT 9/19 10:30PM - DRAMATECH THEATRE Eight teams enter, one team wins in an elimination-style improv comedy tournament. These champions have clawed their way through three comedic death matches at BBIT and their prize is 15 minutes to showcase their talents at the Big Show. Come see what made these comedians BBIT 2009 Champions. >>More Info

CATS HUGGING CATS SHOW: THU 9/17 10:30PM - DRAMATECH THEATRE This five person improv group from Charleston, SC's hotbed of Improv -- Theatre 99, features Greg Tavares, Jason Groce, Andy Livengood, Brian De Costa and Anne Bowen. CHC find the comedy in the mundane. Scenes start out normally but soon become a ticking time bomb of insane hilarity. A show may start out with a scene about a parent teacher conference or a board meeting, but by the end chickens have risen up and taken over the world and cavemen file class action lawsuits. If you like your improv unpredictable then Cats Hugging Cats is for you... oh yeah and everyone in the show is totally hot as shit. CHC Preform long form improv that focuses heavily on "game of the scene" style of play.

CINEPROV SHOW: WED 9/16 8:20PM - DRAMATECH THEATRE Cineprov is Atlanta premier movie mockery show, performing every Friday night at Relapse Theatre in Midtown. We make fun of movies so you don't have to. It's a live improvised version of MS3K... without the puppets.

DAD'S GARAGE THEATRE SHOW: WED 9/16 8:00PM & THU 9/17 8:00PM - DRAMATECH THEATRE Dad's Garage is a casual theatre in Atlanta where you can get a drink, sit with your friends, and watch award-winning Comedy Improv and never-before-seen plays. Theatre in America is often thought of as elitist and Dad's Garage is a perfect example of artists working to change that label. We do the kind of theatre we would want to see. Our improv shows are made up on the spot, our mainstage shows are all innovative and original, and our children's show is the only one of its kind being done. When we're on stage, there are few boundaries and hardly any rules. We believe in taking chances. The riskier, the better.

THE DOUG DANK PROJECT SHOW: FRI 9/18 8:10PM - STUDENT CENTER BALLROOM The Doug Dank Project is a new long-form style improv show, fusing the unpredictable and impulsive nature of improvisation with the steadiness and permanence of true life stories. The world renowned monologist Doug Dank once declared: "Feed your dog, and she'll be your bitch for life. Kick your cat, and you may have discovered a game." A guest monologist will be spilling their guts and providing the inspiration for a bevy of groundbreakingly funny (or possibly heart wrenching) scenes. The show continues where Doug Dank left off before he mysteriously disappeared in the early 1980’s… attempting to capture a similar sense of eccentricity, unconventional style, and irreverent behavior.

D.U.C.K. SHOW: SUN 9/20 6:00PM - UNDER THE COUCH The Decatur yoUth Comedy Krewe (D.U.C.K.) is a troupe of high-school-aged comedy improvisers from the Decatur, Georgia. You have to check us out. No, seriously, we know you have stuff to do, but you actually _have_ to. It's like a law or something. Someone we know got in trouble for not doing it. D.U.C.K. - we'll quack you up! (Our parents liked that corny slogan, so we kinda feel like we have to keep it...)

EMPTY SUITS SHOW: FRI 9/11 10:10PM - UNDER THE COUCH Empty Suits are corporate America's answer to unhealthy fast food, 60-hour work weeks and three-hour daily commutes. Since their premiere in October 2008, Empty Suits' signature improvisational comedy has been scientifically proven to burn calories, cure ulcers and produce endorphins. Countless testimonials have affirmed the team's ability to turn audiences into fitter, happier, more productive members of society. Hot off their performance at the Out of Bounds Comedy Festival in Austin, Tx - Empty Suits is ready to bring it to BBIF 2009

EXTRA CRISPY IMPROV SHOW: FRI 9/18 10:20PM - STUDENT CENTER BALLROOM Extra Crispy, an improv/sketch comedy group based in Lexington, KY. We are a 7-person group comprised of local stand-up comedians, actors and actresses.

FOUR ATE FIVE SHOW: FRI 9/11 10:10PM - UNDER THE COUCH The members of Four Ate Five began working together in 2005 in short form and later established their roots with Atlanta's own Jackpie Theater Workshop. Their long form highway style takes a journey with many twists and turns with a few bumps along the way. Enjoy the ride.

FREE KITTENS SHOW: THU 9/17 8:00PM - DRAMATECH THEATRE Comprised of filmakers, actors, musicians and puppeteers, Free Kittens is known for their intense energy, group mind and insane group games. Their form is the Harold as created by Del Close at Improv Olympic in Chicago.

FUSEBOX THEATRE SHOW: SAT 9/19 8:20PM - UNDER THE COUCH FuseBox Theatre is a non-profit, multimedia improv and sketch comedy company. We were founded in January 2008 by veterans of the Nashville improv scene with the intention of expanding the community for improv, sketch comedy, and live theatre in Nashville and beyond. We also maintain FuseBoxTheatre.com, a community resource for improv articles, interviews, videos, and more.

GIRLS GIRLS GIRLS SHOW: SAT 9/19 8:00PM - DRAMATECH THEATRE Girls Girls Girls Improvised Musicals is Austin Texas' only all-female and oldest continuously running improvisation troupe. They have won numerous awards including Austin's Best Improv Troupe. They appear regularly in improv festivals around the country including the Twin Cities Improv Festival and Out of Bounds and produce LAFF (Ladies Are Funny Festival) every year at home in Austin. Their mastery of the long-form musical format makes them uniquely entertaining.

MATT GRIFFO SHOW: FRI 9/18 8:10PM - STUDENT CENTER BALLROOM Matt Griffo, from Upstate NY, has been performing comedy for half a decade. Matt now lives in Chicago and has trained at I.O., The Second City, and the Annoyance in improvisation, music, and writing. He is a founding cast member of The Second City Musical Improv House Ensemble, has music directed for Second City's Brownco Company and is a member of the improv group Wheelhouse. He plays the piano and ukulele and loves them both dearly. Matt performs non-stop as an actor and musician, averaging over 150 shows a year.

IMPROV MONSTER SHOW: THU 9/17 10:30PM - DRAMATECH THEATRE Improv Monster is an improvised comedy show featuring a select cast of JaCKPie Alumni. Each show is geared to showcase the best JaCKPie has to offer by building upon the essential skills uinque to JaCKPie's training curriculum. The formats and cast for Improv Monster will vary and may include all sorts of mixed media or even musical accompaniment to inspire the improv.

IN HARM'S WAY SHOW: FRI 9/18 8:00PM - DRAMATECH THEATRE They are mercinarys who, with the help of the ever dependable DMV, discarded their previous identities. They are soldiers of misfortune. They do not belong to any one affiliation, but are instead a movement for the people, by the people. They are IN HARMS WAY .........let them save you too.

JACKPIE SKETCH SHOW: FRI 9/11 8:20PM & SAT 9/12 8:20PM - UNDER THE COUCH The same institution that revolutionaized the Atlanta improv scene with its long-form improv university is now bringing you their fresh and unique style of sketch comedy. Lead by Head Writer and Sketch Director, Bran Peacock and featuring a rotating cast of JaCKPie performers, this groups has quickily developed a catalog of hillarious sketches and continues to roll out new ones every show.

JAILER SHOW: THU 9/17 8:00PM - DRAMATECH THEATRE J*, founder and artistic director of The Basement Theatre in Atlanta, and Taylor Peterson, The Basement's youngest player come together for JAILER from The Basement's 2X2 series of two player shows. For nearly 6 years The Basement has striven to create new and interesting formats that challenge their players, and entertain their audiences. Drawing on improv and theatre teachings from around the world, they work to bring a theatricality to all of their shows.

LAUGHING MATTERS SHOW: WED 9/16 8:00PM - DRAMATECH THEATRE Laughing Matters is Atlanta's longest running improvisational comedy troupe. We've performed for thousands of groups since 1985 and have been voted Atlanta's best improv troupe by Atlanta Magazine! Let us get you involved in a great time! Laughing Matters is also the leading provider of interactive corporate entertainment on the East Coast! Troupe members and alumni regularly perform on stage and screen! Laughing Matters has also developed programs that have been used in product launches, national team building exercises, and award presentations. Whether you want to come see one of our public improv shows, book a private murder mystery, or help your organization communicate more effectively, Laughing Matters is your turn key solution!

LET'S TRY THIS! SHOW: FRI 9/18 10:10PM - UNDER THE COUCH Let's Try This! is the offical theatre improv troupe of DramaTech. The troupe was formed in the summer of 1989, inspired by workshops taught by Robert Lowe, who has remained a constant source of help and inspiration to us. As our name suggests we will try many things, from games to short scenes to long-form to what-in-the-world-was-that? We have many directors with different styles amongst ourselves making our shows quite diverse, however we all share a common belief in being in the moment and making our partners perfect.

MADE OF BEES SHOW: FRI 9/18 10:20PM - STUDENT CENTER BALLROOM Made of Bees performs fast paced, aggressive improvisation. With just one suggestion, these improvisers thrust you into a world of bold characters that are guaranteed to give you a comedy buzz. Made of Bees: improv that stings.

MITOSIS SHOW: THU 9/17 10:30PM - DRAMATECH THEATRE mitOsis just needs a word, a sentence, or a phrase and they will create a scene so seamless you'll think it was scripted. Smart, fast and almost psychic as players, Colby Davis and James Lee Walker II are Charlotte's improv phenom.

MIX TAPE SHOW: SAT 9/19 8:00PM - DRAMATECH THEATRE Mix tape is a one man show that is fully improvised in front of a live audience. Using principles of theatrical playwrighting combined with long-form improvisation, Jim performs a 30 to 45 minute production based on the information provided from music on a Mix Tape. Jim does not know the content of the MixTape until the show is underway.

MOCK TURTLE SOUP SHOW: FRI 9/18 8:20PM - UNDER THE COUCH Mock Turtle Soup is the official improv troupe of Clemson University. Formed in the Fall of 2002, MTS has provided Clemson and the surrounding area with 6 years of quality Short-form and Long-form improvisation. Their style is smart, engaging scenes with strong relationships and high energy.

THE NAKED STAGE SHOW: FRI 9/18 8:00PM & SAT 9/19 10:30PM - DRAMATECH THEATRE Hugely popular in San Francisco, The Naked Stage makes its Atlanta debut at BBIF 2009. Presented by the Improv Playhouse of San Francisco and starring Tim Orr, Regina Saisi, Dave Dennision and Lisa Rowland - it takes place on a single set, in traditional stage-play style. The improvisers play one character each with no built-in transitions or scene breaks. All the actors have is the bare stage, a simple suggestion from the audience, and each other.

OFFSIDES IMPROV SHOW: SAT 9/19 8:00PM - DRAMATECH THEATRE Hailing from Central Florida OFFSIDES has performed at the Gainsville Improv Festival, Miami Improv Festival and the Black Box Improv Festival as well as other venues throughout the Orlando area. OFFSIDES' vivid and textured shows are its hallmark.

OFF THE COBB SHOW: FRI 9/11 10:10PM - UNDER THE COUCH The OTC (Off the Cobb) offers comedy improv shows that are interactive and fast paced and allow the audience to help the actors create scenes on the spot. The troupe has headlined at Atlanta's Punchline and has performed for such diverse corporate audiences such as Solvay International, Realistic Home Solutions and AutoTrader.com to name a few. Recently the group was asked to be on the pilot episode of Mark Burnett's Reality series, Jingles on CBS.

ONE TWO THREE SHOW: FRI 9/18 10:30PM - DRAMATECH THEATRE Often described as rambunctious, charming, and downright silly, OneTwoThree takes their real life personality traits and liquors them up, resulting in a sobering bond between pissed off, stupid, and sexually ambiguous.

RECAPITULATION SHOW: SAT 9/19 8:10PM - STUDENT CENTER BALLROOM Recapitulation is an original musical comedy ensemble performing both short-form and long-form musical improvisation. It was founded in Chicago, IL in 2006 as a result of a group of actors desiring to carry on long-form musical improvisation shows after meeting, training and performing on various theatre stages.

ROBERT LOWE EXPERIENCE SHOW: FRI 9/18 8:10PM - STUDENT CENTER BALLROOM Atlanta Improv Guru and author of "Improvisation, Inc.: Harnessing Spontaneity to Engage People and Groups" leads a performance that will boggle your mind. No one knows what will happen or even who will be in the show. Not even Robert Lowe himself! But you can be certain that he will expose the spontaneous creative potential of the human mind right before your very eyes.

SIDESHOW SHOW: FRI 9/18 10:30PM - DRAMATECH THEATRE SIDESHOW is a multimedia comedy improv show. Each week we feature a new Editor who creates a film of slides and moving images that the improvisors perform in front of - using it as a suggestion and as an environment. One moment we might be put in a commercial for Smokable Snack Crackers, the next we're at an awkward Korean wedding. It's all up to the twisted mind of our Editor.

THEATRE STRIKE FORCE SHOW: FRI 9/18 10:10PM - UNDER THE COUCH The Sunday Group is the elite long form branch of Theatre Strike Force. TSF is the premier improvisation group as The University of Florida. TSF performs dozens of shows on campus every semester and tries to take every opportunity to travel to other places to learn and practice the art of improvisation.

UNDERAGE SUGAR ADDICTS SHOW: SUN 9/20 6:00PM - UNDER THE COUCH Underage Sugar Addicts (usa) are an independent teen improv group. Independent in that usa is not affiliated with any other theatre or school. Performers are ages 13-17 and have performed at festivals in chicago, toronto, milwaukee, st. louis, north carolina and virginia as well as sold out crowds at several chicago theatres. usa focuses on creating and fine tuning long form styles that embrace the natural energy of a teen ensemble.

UPRIGHT CITZENS BRIGADE TOURING CO. SHOW: SAT 9/19 10:30PM - DRAMATECH THEATRE The UCB Theatre is one of the greatest producers of comedic talent in America today and the Upright Citizens Brigade Touring Company brings the very best of their theatres in NYC and LA directly to BBIF 2009. It's your chance to see stars of today and tomorrow live on stage from the theatre that brought you comedy greats like Horatio Sanz, Amy Poehler, Rob Corddry, Ed Helms, MTV's Human Giant, the Daily Show's Rob Riggle and many many more.

THE VICTIMS SHOW: SAT 9/19 8:10PM - STUDENT CENTER BALLROOM The Victims from Dallas, TX formed in 2006. They perform regularly in Dallas, and have traveled all over the country to perform at various theater, clubs, and festivals.

VILLAGE THEATRE SHOW: SAT 9/19 8:20PM - UNDER THE COUCH The Village Theatre is Atlanta's own "House of Comedy" in Cabbagetown. The Village Theatre focuses on improv comedy (short and long form) with live improv shows each Thursday, Friday and Saturday night at 8:30 pm. Each unique improv show consists of long and short form improv and lots of audience participation. The Village Theatre also hosts other performance groups in sketch comedy, stand-up, and scripted works.

WILHELM SCREAM SHOW: FRI 9/18 10:30PM - DRAMATECH THEATRE The Wilhelm Scream is a part of the Smarty Pants Theater Company, LLC which has been performing improv in Ohio since 2001. Smarty Pants debuted the Wilhelm Scream as their long form improv show in 2008.

YOUR MOM'S MOM SHOW: FRI 9/11 8:20PM - UNDER THE COUCH What do you get when two hot Pumas walk into a bar and find three dudes in their 20's buying rounds of shots? ... and then they realize that they aren't shots. And the three dudes are paramedics, who are there because the two hot Pumas have fallen down, broken their hips, and have pushed each other's life alert necklaces. What do you get...? Your Mom's Mom. Harold style, group edit, audience inspired improv at its best. Like grandma's homemade cookies. But better. YMM - Getting older never looked so good.

MANDY BUTLER
WORKSHOP: Meisner in Improv
Mandy Butler is co-Founder, Artistic Director and Youth Program Director for FuseBox Theatre. She has been acting since the age of eleven. In addition to her experience in scripted theatre, Mandy has also studied and performed improv at Chicago's Annoyance Theatre, Atlanta's Whole World Theatre, and Improv Nashville. Mandy teaches FuseBox Theatre's improv classes for Teens and Youth. She holds a BA in Theatre Performance from Georgia College & State University.


NEIL CASEY
WORKSHOP: Game of the Scene & UCB Intensive
Neil Casey has been writing and performing at the UCB for 5 years. He can be seen weekly improvising with the feral improv group Death By Roo Roo every Saturday at 11pm, at colleges and festivals across the country with the UCB Touring Company , and on special occasions with the uncanny comedy quartet Krohmpf , which must be seen to be seen. Over the years, he performed in Instant Cinema which ran for two years, The After-School Super Power Hour , and on several resident UCB house teams on Harold Night. In addition to improv, Neil has written and performed in several sketch shows including Your Favorite Thing with Joe Wengert, The Church of Positivitology with the group GameFace, The 4/20 Show , and various showcases at the theater. He co-wrote and animated the Math Dragon cartoon shorts, and has been involved in several series for Channel 102 (www.channel102.net) including Gemberling, Cat News , and The Incredible Drunk which he co-wrote and starred in with fellow Death By Roo Roo scumbag Anthony Atamanuik. He has directed numerous shows for the UCBT stage, including God's Pottery Saves the World, Slow Night, Homebody, and Half Empty , as well as the Maude Teams Gunderson and Stone Cold Fox.


DAVE DENNISON
WORKSHOP: Improvising in the Stage Play Format
Dave's love affair with improvisational theater began at BATS Improv in 1993. He has been a member of the Mainstage Company at BATS since 1998 and served as the Artistic Director from 2005-2008. Dave has played with a number of improv troupes including Scratch Theater, The Particulars and Start Trekkin and as a guest with True Fiction Magazine and the Secret Improv Society to name a few. In 2003, he developed the Family Drama 3 act stage play format at BATS. Dave and Lisa Rowland developed the Awkward Dinner Party format in 2008. He has been teaching Improv for five years at BATS and Stanford University, working with beginning, intermediate and advanced students.


CHELSEA CLARKE
WORKSHOP: Harold Workshop
Chelsea is soon to be a graduate of Marymount Manhattan College, where she has been studying theater and studio art. She was born in New York but lived for a long time in Boca Raton, Florida- as most New Yorkers tend to do eventually. It was in Florida, where her high school thespian troupe sparked her interest in improvisation. At UCBT, Chelsea has had the privilege of being taught by Seth Morris, Jason Mantzoukas, Brian Huskey, Michael Delaney and Chris Gethard. She can be seen performing with the independent teams Kid Dervin, The Fist Kisses, Ikarus and Bombardo. Chelsea loves cats, fears dolls, and cannot remember her right from left when put on the spot.


MATTHEW FALKENBERG
WORKSHOP: Moments of Truth
Matthew Falkenberg is the founder and Executive Producer of the Black Box Improv Festival. He started doing improv in 2001 and has worked with many improv groups in and out of the Atlanta area, including serving as Production Manager of Let's Try This! and Business Director of the Basement Theatre. He taught the Newbie Workshops for incoming freshman at GA Tech in the fall of 2005 and 2006 and led the Crawl Space workshops at the Basement Theatre in the spring of 2007. He has spent several years studying with many of countries most renowned improv instructors at numerous comedy festival around the country. Matthew is currently performing with In Harm's Way and Empty Suits. He is also on staff at JaCKPie Theatre Workshop and Dad's Garage Theatre Co.


KIT FITZSIMONS
WORKSHOP: Break Open That Barrel of Monkeys
An alumnus of Georgia Tech's Let's Try This!, Kit FitzSimons is Theater Manager and instructor at DSI Comedy Theater in Carrboro, NC. He has been performing, coaching and teaching improv for over 11 years. His two-man show Banana Breakup was a featured act at last year's BBIF and he was a guest director at this past February's Improvathon.


MIKE FLY
WORKSHOP: Story Structure & Improvisation for the Camera
Mike Fly has been improvising for over 16 years. He got his start with the Canadian Improv Games (www.improv.ca) and is a founding member of General Fools Improvisational Theatre (www.generalfools.com). He is also a member of Vancouver TheatreSports League and has performed in festivals across Canada and into the United States.


JONATHAN GARBRUS
WORKSHOP: Intro to LongForm
Gabrus has been studying at the UCB since 2003, and performed there in a slew of shows including: UCBW, Hot Sauce: 4th Floor Walk-up, The Documentary, Glue Trap Theatre. Harold Night (Mailer Daemon and fwand). He is one half of the duo Tybrus whose show, You're Out Too Far ran at the theater and abroad for over a year. Gabrus has written for The Spike Video Game Awards and an upcoming Spike sitcom in which he is also starring. Jonathan has written for the web too! Credits include: College Humor, Friendspacebook, Heavy, and a web sketch show entitled El Vacio. Gabrus has appeared on Late Night with Conan O' Brien, Best Week Ever, The Video Game Awards, Luncbbox on IFC.com and a number of commercials and web videos usually as the slacker, or shirtless slacker. He has a BA in film production from Marist College. He is a proud member of the Harold team The Law Firm.


JIM KARWISCH
WORKSHOP: Solo Improv
Jim Karwisch has been improvising for over 16 years. He was trained by Charna Halpern, T.J. Jagodowski, Bob Dassi, and Miles Stroth at IO in Chicago (Formerly the Improv Olympic.) Before getting into Improvisation, Jim toured the US as an actor and director At Valdosta State University he earned his bachelors degree in Theatre with an emphasis in Playwrighting and Directing. He performs most Saturday Nights at the Relapse Theatre in Midtown and coaches the touring team Einstein meets Elvis and house team Babies mit Bearden. Jim is one half of the original JaCKPie Duo and the Artistic Director for the JaCKPie Theatre Workshop.


TONY LAWRY
WORKSHOP: The Future
Tony has been performing, teaching and directing improv for 10 years in Detroit and Chicago. In Chicago, he founded the internationally recognized Underage Sugar Addicts which is an improv group comprised of solely 13-17 years olds that have performed at festivals all over the Midwest, Southeast and Canada. Tony has taught workshops in Chicago, Seattle and St. Louis specifically for the teen improvisor.


MIKE LENESKI
WORKSHOP: Death in a Scene - What To Do?
Michael has been both performing, teaching and emceeing Improv comedy for almost a decade and a half. Most notably he hosted the wildly popular Whose Line Is It Anyway style competition at Atlanta's Dragon*Con for eight years. In fall of 2007 he helped found the University of Georgia modern Improv troupe Laugh Out Loud, where he has served as their Instructor and primary emcee ever since. More information can be found at http://improv.uga.edu


ROBERT LOWE
WORKSHOP: Improvisation in the Dark
Robert Lowe is the author of Improvisation, Inc.: Harnessing Spontaneity to Engage People and Groups, (Jossey-Bass Pfeiffer, 2000). This book is the pioneering work in the use of Improvisational Theatre techniques for organizational development and business and professional communication. Robert is known as the Grandfather (sometimes the Godfather) of Improvisational Comedy in Atlanta having founded "The Lightside City Players" in 1983, "Comedy Atlanta" in 1985, and "The Next City Comedy Theatre" in 1988. In 1989 Robert had a significant influence in the founding of Georgia Tech's "Let's Try This" Improv Comedy movement. For nearly 20 years he has brought Improv technique, fun, and exploration to business and organizations of every size and form. His work is known in more than 20 countries, and it has been noted that either Robert, or his students, and now students of his students, have had an influence on almost every venue of Improv comedy in the Atlanta region. Mr. Lowe's public Improv Comedy Workshops have provided the inspiration and the formula for programs that have placed hundreds of non-performers on live Improv stages throughout the region.


MEREDITH MELVILLE
WORKSHOP: Selling It!!
Meredith Melville holds a BA in Theatre form University of North Texas. Meredith has also studied at Agnes Scott College, the Second City Training Center and Chicago Improv Festival. Meredith has performed with the Second City Musical Improv Ensemble, GayCo, the Alliance, as well as Rogue Theatre and Open Door Repertory Theatre. Meredith teaches improv with Open Door and ImprovPlayhouse.


SHANA MERLIN
WORKSHOP: Subtext, Symbolism, and Theme
Awarded "The Best Improv Teacher" and "Best Female Improviser" by the Austin Improv Collective, Shana Merlin has been a professional improviser since 1995, performing from Calgary to San Francisco to Atlanta to Las Vegas to London. Shana founded Merlin Works in 2003, providing custom training, interactive presentations, and comedy shows to businesses and organizations using improvisation and founded The Merlin Works Institute for Improvisation in 2008, offering shortform gameplay and narrative longform improv classes to adults in central Texas. You can see Shana perform in the improv troupes Get Up and the winner of “Best Improv Troupe” in Austin Chronicle Readers Poll, Girls Girls Girls Improvised Musicals. For information on training, workshops, and shows head to www.merlin-works.com.


TIM ORR
WORKSHOP: Uber-Specificity & Advanced Wheres/Action
Tim has improvised since 1988 with many San Francisco groups, including BATS Improv, Rafe Chase's groundbreaking longform troupe Improv Theatre, the renowned True Fiction Magazine, and with the acclaimed troupe 3 For All. He has appeared in numerous plays in the San Francisco Bay Area, and received critical acclaim for his roles Brien Burrough's mprovised feature films, Suckerfish and Security. With Stephen Kearin, Tim co-wrote, and originated the role of Dirk Manly in, An Evening with Dirk & Blaine. Tim has taught improvisation at the American Conservatory Theatre, BATS Improv Stanford University, and many other venues nationally and internationally. He is currently the director of the BATS Improv Long-Form Intensive. Tim returns to the BBIF for the third time, having also played the festival in 2007 (3 For All) and 2008 (An Evening with Dirk & Blaine).


LISA ROWLAND
WORKSHOP: Improvising in the Stage Play Format
Lisa began improvising in The Devil Mountain Improv League at her high school in Walnut Creek, CA in 1997. She moved on to become an active member of the Stanford Improvisers at Stanford University and then joined San Francisco's BATS Improv Company in 2005. At BATS, she has directed shows, taught improv classes in dialect and Shakespeare, as well as leading corporate improv trainings. She coaches high school improv teams and is also a regular guest improv coach at Stanford University. She and Dave Dennison developed Awkward Dinner Party in 2008.


JOHN SEXTON
WORKSHOP: Conflict Resolution
John is co-Founder, Managing Director, and Director of Education for FuseBox Theatre. He currently directs the FuseBox Ensemble in improvisation. John has trained and performed at Chicago's Annoyance Theater and Second City, and with members of the Upright Citizen's Brigade, iO, and Dad's Garage. John is also a co-founder of Improv Nashville, where he served as Director of Development, instructor, and performer in the Mainstage cast before leaving to form FuseBox Theatre.


REGINA SAISI
WORKSHOP: Character and Commitment & Advanced Wheres/Action
Regina Saisi has been a professional actor/improvisor and teacher for 25 years. Her theatrical experience includes work with such directors as Maria Irene Fornes, Jose Rivera, Darrah Cloud and Gary Leon Hill. The focus of her work throughout her career has been improvisational theatre. She has been deeply involved in the fertile San Francisco improvisation community, helping to start several improv companies including Riot Squad, Improv Theatre, Pulp Playhouse, and her current company True Fiction Magazine. She is currently the Dean of the BATS School of Improv.


DAN SIPP
WORKSHOP: Group Improvistation
Dan Sipp began improvising in 1988 with Transactors Improv Company (Chapel Hill, NC) and has taught improvisation for over 10 years. He also studied, performed and directed in Chicago for eight years. He is a graduate of The Annoyance and The iO (formerly ImprovOlympic) training centers and has studied with such improv luminaries as Paul Sills, Del Close, Charna Halpern, Mick Napier, Joe Bill and The Second City. Dan has taught at festivals around the country as well as Duke University, The iO and ran workshops for NASA. He now directs The Worx Training Center in Raleigh.


GREG TAVARES
WORKSHOP: 10 Habits of Highly Successful Improvisers & 10 Habits of Highly Successful Improvisers II
Greg Tavares is a co-founder of The Have Nots! improv company, Theatre 99, Piccolo Fringe & The Charleston Comedy Festival. He has created the training program at Theatre 99 and taught thousands of people in hundreds of classes. Greg lives in Charleston, SC where he performs improv with The Have Nots!, Moral Fixation and many other groups.


DAN TRIANDIFLOU
WORKSHOP: Stagecraft and Physicality in Improv
Dan Triandiflou is the Director of Improvisation at Dad's Garage Theatre and an actor throughout the Southeast. He is a union actor who has performed in over thirty professional plays and nearly a dozen independent and studio films. He plays Joe Chess in the soon to be released Who Do You Love?, directed by Jerry Zaks and distributed by Lion's Gate.


GREG TUCULESCU
WORKSHOP: Advanced Improv Workshop
Greg Tuculescu is the son of a Romanian immigrant and a Queens, NY native. After graduating from Rutgers College, where he major in English and Italian Literature, Greg worked for several years as a writer and editor for an educational publishing company. In March of 2004 he began taking classes at the UCB Theater and since then has been in many student shows. Greg is one of the founding members of the sketch comedy group Quiet Library. He also recently appeared in the independent TV pilot "Oh, Be Joyful!" and he can be heard weekly on the comedy podcast Boulevard East. Greg's last name is pronounced too-koo-less-koo.