Siobhan O’Hara :: EDUCATION DIRECTOR

Siobhan O’Hara is a Philly based comedian performing improv for 10 years in New York and Philadelphia. In addition to ComedySportz, Siobhan worked as a cast member of The She-Quel and Dun-Dun: Improvized Crime Unit. Siobhan has performed at Philly Improv Theater, Crossroads Comedy Theater, performs in This Week Sucked at The Lab in Ambler and is a member of the indie improv team, Daddy Issues. She is also the co-author of The Comedy Improv Handbook.

Mary Carpenter :: INSTRUCTOR

Mary Carpenter has been with ComedySportz Philadelphia since 1992, where she has worked as a performer, teacher, Education Director and Artistic Director. She holds degrees in theatre from Northwestern University and the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts. Her improv training began at The Second City in Chicago and continued with Mick Napier, Keith Johnstone, Joe Bill, Todd Stashwick, Jill Bernard, and Jeff Wirth. She has appeared in plays with Stephen Colbert, and David Schwimmer, and developed and performed in an original two-woman show with SNL alum Ana Gasteyer. Mary co-founded Philadelphia’s first non-profit Improvisation Company, Freefall Productions where she produced Philly’s first women’s improv ensemble 13 Skirts, as well as the fully improvised musical Choosical. In addition to ComedySportz Philadelphia, Mary’s improvisation experience includes City of Nutterly Love with The Second City, Dangerous Fools with Thomas Fowler, ‘Til Death Do Us Part, Wisdom Teeth and Smoochy & Me. Mary also works as an actress, writer and director. Most recent projects include directing I Love You, You're Perfect Now Change at Act II. She is the author of the improv guide Do or Do Not: How to Improvise Like a Jedi.

Kristin Finger :: INSTRUCTOR

KRISTIN FINGER has studied/performed improv since 2001 and has been a member of CSz Philadelphia since 2007, where she is currently the Artistic Director. At CSz Philadelphia, Kristin created the hit shows Murder Manor: An Improvised Game of Clue and Murder Manor: The Golden Girls Edition.

Her acting and improv training include the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater, Second City Chicago, CSz Worldwide, and The American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City. She has studied under Paul Scheer (The League), Seth Morris (Parks and Recreation), Jill Bernard, Jen Childs (1812 Productions), and Tara DeFrancisco. While in New York, Kristin performed stand-up in clubs including The Comedy Cellar and Standup NY alongside Jim Gaffigan and Dave Attell.

A few other projects/shows she’s been a part of are Improvukkah at 1812 Productions, Just Wingin’ it at Act II Playhouse; independent groups include Grey Gardens, Kris&Chips, Wisdom Teeth, The Real Housewives of Philadelphia, Spirit Animal, which have performed in different festivals across the US. She has also been teaching/coaching improv since 2010 in cities including Philadelphia, Boston, San Jose, Richmond, and Chicago.

Sue Taney :: Instructor

SUE TANEY has been performing on stage since before birth. As the daughter of an 80’s punk-rocker, she spent a lot of time on stage with her mom during her childhood. She decided to learn more about performance and earned a BA from Rowan University in 2006. When a friend brought her to a CSz show later that year, it was love at first sight.

Sue studied at CSz Philly and took all of their classes (including musical improv) with Karen Getz, Dave Dristas, Kelly Jennings, and Mary Carpenter from 2007-2010. She also studied at the PHIT training center with Nick Gilette, Kristen Schier, and Mark Binghurst from 2009-2010. She has performed with the indie long-form improv group Rookie Card from 2010-2013 under the direction of Matt Holmes. She attended festivals such as the DelClose Marathon 12 & 13, NCCAF 2012 & 2013, and the Philadelphia Improv Festival with them. She was a writer and actress in the PHIT series The Gross Show and is on the PHIT sketch comedy house team Goat Rodeo. She played the part of Andie in John Hughes High at Figment Theater and is in CityBeatz, a improvised rap group with some of her CSz buddies. She is also part of the 2012 WitOut award winning group for best improv group, Hate Speech Committee. Contact

Jake Lucas :: Instructor

Jake Lucas (they/them) is a queer, nonbinary artist and educator based in Lenni-Lanape land (Philly) since 2016. They currently serve as ComedySportz Philly's Education Coordinator. Their specialty in play, game, and social and emotional learning (SEL) helps ensure everyone can put the imp in impulse. Jake has improvised, devised, and consulted with the City of Philadelphia, Playworks, Fab Youth Philly, Pseudonym Productions and more. You can see them performing in the cast of RollPlay, Hallmarkable, Be Kind, The Neighborhood, and, of course, ComedySportz.

Caroline Rhoads :: Instructor

CAROLINE RHOADS was first bit by the improv bug in college where, while receiving her B.F.A. in Performing Arts, she coached and performed with her campus troupe (The Happy Tuesday Players). After taking her first intensive with Second City, she was hooked. She then made her way to Philly where, through her apprenticeship at the Walnut Street Theater, she was able to connect with and bolster her acting chops under the guidance of Seth Rozin, Ellen Tobie, Jennie Eisenhower, and Susie Stephens. Caroline then decided to supplement her love for performing with her love for teaching. Teaching credits include Mighty Writers: Girl Power Theater (A grant-funded program she developed for young women to find their voice through improvisation), Barrymore Award Winning Program: Of Mythic Proportions, Art Reach, Story Up!, Child Drama workshops, and the Delaware Art’s Initiative: Camp Imagine. In between planning  lessons she made time to study long and short form improvisation with such talented comedians as Susan Messing (IO), Jen Childs (1812 Productions), Maggy Keegan (Figment Theater), Nathan Edmondson (PHIT), Kristin Finger, and Dave Jadico. She largely credits the training she's received through the Comedy Sportz for the skills she possesses today. 

Susannah Beckett :: Instructor

Susannah has been a performing member of ComedySportz since 2007. She holds a theater degree from Rutgers University, New Brunswick. After University she toured the East coast for six months with the KingFisher Theater Company performing two original plays - both used puppets, one used fire. She has had the opportunity to teach with many great organizations including: Story-Up! as the Artistic Director 2018-2020, Open Circle as the lead instructor for the senior citizen improv group, Hedgerow Theater, Temple University, Thomas Jefferson University, and many more. She loves ComedySportz and for over a decade has been teaching for CSz as a class instructor, workshop leader and team building facilitator for non-profits, corporate clients and private events. Off the stage, she works as an Environmental Educator for Philadelphia Parks & Rec and teaches Landscape Ecology at TJU. She is delighted to use her improv skills everyday to help people connect to each other and the planet.

Tanya Morgan :: Instructor

Tanya Morgan is a director, performer, writer, teaching artist, and host. She began her career acting on stage and in films and commercials. Tanya has been writing and performing sketch comedy with her sketch team The Rhubarbs since they were thrown together as part of a competition more than three years ago. Tanya's last acting performance was at Allen’s Lane Theatre as Suzanne in the hilarious comedy “Dearly Departed”. Tanya performs comedy improv regularly with indie improv teams: Daddy Issues, the N Crowd, Not Yet Rated, No Diggity and Nyteshift. Tanya became a teaching artist in 2018. Since then, she has taught acting and improv classes and workshops at the Philly Improv Theater, Crossroads Comedy Theater, Pulley and Buttonhole Theatre Company, Philly Dance Fitness, The Unscripted Project and Philly Young Playwrights (as an actor). Tanya has also started her own organization in New Jersey, Sawubona Creativity Project, LLC, where she uses improv to teach social-emotional learning skills in a fun and interactive way,  to students of all ages. 

Kris O’Brien :: Instructor

Kris O’Brien has been performing on stage for over 40 years! She earned her BA in Theater from the University of Delaware, and currently teaches Public Speaking and Theater to middle school students (now that takes improv skills!) Before she was introduced to CSz Philadelphia, Kris performed in the area with the Ritz Theater, the Bridge Street Players, and the Burlington County Footlighters. Once enlightened, Kris studied improv through the CSz Education program and had the good fortune to learn from the greats: Karen Getz, Mary Carpenter, Kelly Jennings, Dave Jadico, and Kristin Finger. In fact, she continues to learn every time she’s on stage with her fellow players. Kris was cast as a member of the CSz Philadelphia Main Company in 2002, and has been performing consistently ever since. As a player with CSz Philadelphia, she has been able to perform at the Orpheum Theater in Los Angeles and at the Wilma Theater here in Philadelphia. She’s excited to share her love of teaching and improv with her students here at CSz Philadelphia and to spread the fun!

Rob O’Neill :: Instructor

Rob O’Neill is an actor, writer, improv performer and teacher based out of Philadelphia. He is a member of the improv teams The Future, Not Yet Rated and Study Hall. He has also been on the teams Double Play and Outside Voices, as well as the sketch comedy team Tiny Arson. He has appeared in numerous shows in the Philadelphia area, including ‘SorkinCorp,’ ‘Shark Tank: The Final Episode,’ ‘Town’ and the House of Solitude shows ‘McNickel’ and ‘A Galaxy Uncherished.’

Jim Burns :: Instructor

Jim Burns is so grateful to be an instructor and performer with CSz Philly. Jim attended ComedySportz Philly roadshows while in college back in the mid-90s and became an avid fan! Twenty years later - in 2014 - he was in the cast! Before and during his time with CsZ, Jim studied improv, performed on a long-form house team (Hot Dish!), and did a Star Trek-like show (Warp Jawn!) with Philly Improv Theater. Additionally, Jim has been stage acting since 1990 - including performing in school tours and facilitating educational workshops. He's done a few internet series, been an extra in a few movies and tv shows, and also worked as a mascot for several years. He is currently in the midst of a 10-year commitment to learn how to tap dance. Meanwhile, he tries to "Yes, And" the relentless offers of fatherhood.