INSTRUCTOR: Jared Brustad

What I do:

I am currently Director of Operations/Referee/Mr. Voice/Performer at ComedyCity, as well as Producer/Emcee/Belt Bedazzler for Improv Thunderdome.

I competed in Improvised Duet Acting (I.D.A.) in forensics all 4 years at Shawnee Mission West high school. Shortly after graduation in 1996, I successfully auditioned for the Lighten Up Improv Company (co-founded by Trish Berrong) and started performing with the Kansas City Theatresports League, and not too long after that, coaching and running tech for the very first KC High School Improv League.

In the 17 years that I have been doing this, I have performed with Lighten Up, Funny Outfit, ComedyCity, Straight Man, Holy Cow, and The Trip Fives, and the Thunderdome teams Temporary Sanity and Slightly Erotic. I’ve performed in numerous, let’s say seven, improv festivals in KC, and one in Austin, TX.

Background & Influences:

Thanks to Trish Berrong, I have been privileged to have taken so many workshops and classes from some of the top name instructors improv has to offer. Here’s some of them now! Armando Diaz (Magnet Theater, Upright Citizens Brigade, iO), Mick Napier, Joe Bill and Mark Sutton (Annoyance Productions), Dan O’Conner (Improv Theatre), Dan Izzo (Improv Inferno) and Del Close (iO Chicago). And really, just go take a look at Trish Berrong’s bio. I’ve learned the majority of stuff from her.

Teaching philosophy:

Don’t try and be funny. Just be yourself. You’re good at improv. You do it every day.

Weirdest improv thang:

Once I hit the stage, I honestly have know idea what on earth is going on. Things just happen.