AMANDA AUSTIN
Founder/Director/Instructor
Amanda is excited to be teaching improv at Dallas Comedy House. She is the co-creator and instructor for the Improv Program at DCH and creator and instructor for the writing program at DCH. She has studied at KD Studios (Dallas) The Second City, Los Angeles, and with instructors from IO (Chicago) The PIT (NYC), The New Movement (Austin), The Annoyance (Chicago). Amanda is a graduate of the Ad-Libs School of Improvisation in Dallas,TX. Amanda is a certified Dale Carnegie instructor, teaching human relations and public speaking courses. Amanda’s professional training experience allows her to use the fundamentals of improvisational comedy to develop custom corporate training programs for small and large organizations. Amanda holds a bachelor of Science in Journalism and Minor in Business from Texas A&M University.
CLAY BARTON
Founder/Director/Instructor
Clay is like a wolf on a tee shirt with the full moon partially covered by an incoming thunderstorm. You may not quite get it, but you know it’s pretty awesome. Clay is a graduate of the Ad-Libs school of improvisation. There he met other improvisers that would eventually form Sucker Punch Improv. Clay has studied improv at The Hideout Theatre and The New Movement Theatre in Austin, TX. At TNM, Clay studied, performed, and taught under two of Austin’s most experienced and respected improvisers, Chris Trew and Tami Nelson. Clay has studied under instructors from IO (Chicago) and The Annoyance (Chicago). Clay is the co-creator of the Improv Program at DCH. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Texas A&M University. Clay has an unparalleled enthusiasm for improv and love for improvisers. He loves to share what he has learned about improv and is excited to further a community where improv can thrive.
KYLE AUSTIN
Instructor/Director
Kyle Austin is an amazing human. He graduated with a B.A. in Telecommunications from Baylor University. After graduating, he worked for Inside Baylor Sports as director of production for home football and basketball games. He is currently the Director of Cross and Flame Media for Whites Chapel United Methodist Church. He is responsible for all print and web material as well as all pre, post, and live production aspects. Kyle has worked on hundreds of different videos and enjoys teaching people how to edit video and use it to tell a story. Kyle is a founding member of Sucker Punch Improv where he enjoys performing with them on a monthly basis. Kyle is an instructor for all levels of the Improv Program at DCH. He is the creator and instructor of the Production Program at DCH. Kyle is a graduate of the Ad-Libs School of Improvisation and has studied with instructors from The New Movement (Austin). Kyle would like to thank his parents for all their support. Stay funny, America.
RAYMOND FISCHER
Creative Consultant
Raymond is brimming with knowledge and creativity. He received his Bachelor of Science in Political Science from Texas A&M University. He then received his Juris Doctor and Bachelor of Civil Law Degree from LSU. Like the rest of the staff of the DCH, Raymond sought a more creative outlet than the law and found himself performing with Sucker Punch Improv. He is a graduate of the Ad-Libs School of Improvisation. Raymond is excited to use his knowledge of improv and sketch comedy as the creative consultant for the Dallas Comedy House. Raymond would like to thank his lovely wife, Lee, for her continued support. When Raymond isn’t busy being “creative” he enjoys college football, comic books (or graphic novels as he will quickly correct you), and a good game of flip cup.
CODY DEARING
Instructor/Director
Cody Dearing is a performer, instructor, and director at the Dallas Comedy House. He has studied around the country with instructors from Improv Olympic (Chicago), the Upright Citizen’s Brigade (LA/NY), Second City (Chicago), The Annoyance (Chicago), The New Movement (Austin), Coldtowne Theater (Austin), and more. During the last few years, Cody has performed with several improv troupes around the country. He has performed at SXSW with nerdcore hip-hop group Terp2It, and can currently also be seen playing in his band HARD TIMES. He has received several awards and recognitions including: “First Date” Winner of the 2009 Austin’s Funniest Filmmaker competition; Best New Format “Look Cookie” from 2008 Austin Improv Collective Awards; Nominated by the Austin Improv Collective in 2008 and 2007 for Best Absurd Scenes, and Most Fearless Improviser, Best Improv Troupe “Look Cookie” from 2007 The A-List (Austin). Best Sketch “The Shower Scene” in the 2006 Lone Star Sketch Fest (Austin).
TIM GEORGEFF
Musical Director
Musical Director Tim Georgeff has been performing and directing around DFW for over ten years. Tim is currently on tour with Marc Anthony. Tim’s recent credits include the completion of his musical Mildred!, musical director for The Full Monty, I Love You – You’re Perfect – Now Change, and Urinetown, which won him a Column Award for best Musical. Prior to his recent full time work as Director of Creative Arts at White’s Chapel United Methodist Church, Tim was the owner of two Dallas restaurants, which he had built in response to his wife’s demands to “get a real job” after spending a number of years on the road touring. A few years of the restaurant biz were all it took for Tim to convince his wife that music was a better career choice and he has been back on the bench ever since. Able to play by ear since age four, Tim enjoys all styles and genres of music and one never knows where they may catch him playing next.
TAMI NELSON
Instructor
Tami Nelson has founded and directed two independent Austin-based improv training centers and theaters, currently directing and teaching at The New Movement Theater, a Dallas Comedy House affiliate. Tami has studied comedy since 2003 and has been a full time performer and improv instructor since 2006. Her formative training was with The Comedy Conservatory in New Orleans, LA where she took classes as well as performed weekly with house troupes and ComedySportz NOLA. In addition to attending nearly every comedy festival in North America, she has studied improv with notable instructors from ImprovOlympic, The Second City, The Annoyance Theater and The Upright Citizens Brigade and was a recipient of the Chicago Improv Festival 9 Education Scholarship. Since her arrival in Austin in 2005, Tami has worked diligently in the improv community to become one of Austin’s most notable improv talents. She has been recognized by The Austin Chronicle’s Best of Austin Awards, The B. Iden Payne Awards, The Lone Star Sketch Fest, The Austin Improv Collective Awards and won Best of Fest at the 2008 Frontera Fest. In addition to her stage work, Tami has performed in videos and short films with Los Angeles based Studio8.net, Austin’s The P! Company and with director Will Elliot, Winner of the 2007 SXSW Click Festival for Peterson’s Savings and Loan. Tami also performs with nerdcore hip hop artist Terp2it.
CHRIS TREW
Instructor
Chris Trew has founded and directed two independent Austin-based improv training centers and theaters, currently directing and teaching at The New Movement Theater, a Dallas Comedy House affiliate. Chris was at the forefront of an improv revival and played a major role in exploding the burgeoning Austin improv scene. From 2006 to 2009 he has performed in hundreds of shows as well as training hundreds of students. Chris has worked with kids (Brite Lights Acting Studio, CAST), teenagers (OutYouth), college students (UT Informal Classes, Oberlin Improv Conference), and everyone in between. From casual performers to people aggressively pursuing a career in comedy. In addition to having coached almost every Austin improviser at some point, Chris has taught workshops to groups in Atlanta GA, Jackson MS, New Orleans LA, Covington LA, Los Angeles CA, Baltimore MD, Philadelphia PA, Dallas TX, St. Louis MO, Myrtle Beach SC, and Oberlin OH. He’s also been hired to teach at the following national comedy festivals: North Carolina Comedy Arts Festival, New Orleans Improv Festival and Out of Bounds Comedy Festival. He has trained with Comedy Conservatory (New Orleans, La), is a Graduate of Improv Olympic Summer Intensive program (2005), Graduate of Annoyance Theater Summer Intensive program (2007), Graduate of Upright Citizens Brigade Summer Intensive program (2007), and recipient of the Chicago Improv Festival 9 Education Scholarship.
CHAD HAUGHT
Instructor
Chad has the gift of embellishment. He turns everything that happens to him into an amusing anecdote for the people around him. Chad has been improvising since 1994. This cat current teaches classes at Dallas Comedy House and performs with their Mainstage cast. He started Pavlov’s Dogs in 1998 with some friends and still performs with them as well. Chad has taken workshops from the likes of Del Close, Mick Napier, Armando Diaz, Charna Halpern, Joe Bill, Susan Messing, David Koechner and Adam McKay. He has also shaken hands with Conan O’Brien and has a framed autograph that says, “Chad, Stay Cool, Chris Farley”. When he’s not improvising, he likes to hang out with his wife, 2.5 kids and golden retriever.
