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East Bay IMpRoV Performance Group Bios
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Dave Patterson
is Artistic Director of EAST BAY IMpRoV and the founder of its
performance group. Dave has been performing, directing, and teaching
improv for over 14 years. He has performed with a variety of
improv groups over the years, including Loose Moose Theatre in
Calgary Canada, Action Figures, LA Theatre Sports, BATS Improv,
Ventura Theatresports, San Diego Theatre Sports, How We First
Met and Um.. Gee ... Um. Here are some pictures of the performers that influence his work. |
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Zackary Quinn Patterson
is EAST BAY IMpRoV's Creative Director, Director of our Pinole
Projects, Senior instructor, and a professional improvisor and
corporate trainer with over fifteen years of experience. She’s
instructed and performed in Canada, the US and Europe. Among
her extensive credits are performances with Theatregroep Lawine
in the Netherlands; a First place finish at the Orlando Improvisation
Competition, and most recently, a First place finish at the Helsinki
International Theatre Festival. |
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Linda Patterson
founded EAST BAY IMpRoV in 1994. After a 6 year hiatus, she's
back to teach in 2007! |
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Jennifer Simmons
is an Albany resident who stumbled upon an East Bay Improv class
one night, laughed for two straight hours, and never looked back.
Having dreamed as a child of becoming an actress, she's tickled
to take the stage with East Bay Improv. Off stage, she can be
found grocery shopping, swing dancing, or at the park, improvising
with her 4-year-old son. |
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Chet Anderson
is a mystery within a riddle and he likes playing cops. He owes
Dave a Bio. |
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Jonathan Stern's
interest in improv stems from his deep-seated love of the random
- a sense that thought processes neither need to be logical nor
sequential. After years of study with BATS, Pan Theatre and East
Bay Improv exercising his randomness, Jonathan is finally ready
to be seen in public - "It sure as hell beats working".
On those rare instances when he is not
improvising or working -- where he frequently subjects his co-workers
to improv games in corporate meetings, "What genre would
you like to hold this meeting in?" -- Jonathan flies his
airplane
and writes songs. |
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Mair Dundon
was warming up for improv all of her life. For a couple of years
as a child she was somewhere in every picture that was taken
by her family, particularly those pesky landscapes that can be
so boring. Church singing gave way to high school plays and college
opera singing and children's theater. A yen to act got channeled
into film directing and then to teaching and presenting in the
computer world. Having stumbled into an East Bay improv class
she knows she's found her tribe and an excellent place to play
and practice the idea that there are no mistakes - just the funnier
and more human bits in improv and life. |
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When Nikki Mirghafori was a teeny weeny four
year old, she missed mostof her kindergarten class 'cause she
was sick :-(. When she walked into a LifePlays Improv class in
2001, she finally found a way to make up for the lost childhood
playtime. Back then, she had no intention of ever performing
on stage (oh, horror!). Fast forward to 2004, and she can be
found in the spotlight! Nikki's philosophy of improv, which she
calls "kindergarten for adults", is simple: to get
absorbed in the pure fun and joy of infinite play. Aside from
improv and a few other interests (list furnished upon request),
Nikki spends her waking hours (and many when she shouldn't be)
improvising in a left-brained kind of way. |
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Adriana Russell finds
improv a wonderful balance to her work as a Marriage and Family
Therapist. Lured to improv by her sister (Jennifer) with promises
of fun and hilarity, she soon found that her belly hurt from
so much laughter. |
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Dan has strange
powers over sound. |
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Emily Duffy is infamous for two
ArtCars, and her giant BraBall
sculpture, Emily has appeared in local parades for many years
including, the Solano Stroll, andHow Berkeley Can You Be? She's
become seriously addicted to costumes while strutting her stuff
during the annual ArtCar Fest fashion show. A fellow Cartist
suggested she add performance to her wacky wardrobe. After checking
out just one East Bay Improv class, she was hooked! |
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