Meet the Cast

Alan Ng

Bio coming soon.

Alex Badham

Alex has been doing improv since 2003. He started at his high school, performing in the NCT High School League. During college, Alex eagerly joined the improv club at Colorado State University, Improv Acting at CSU. His senior year, he became the vice-president IA@CSU. With a few of his friends, he helped start the experimental improv group Massive Arcana, wrote a musical called "Zombie Apocalypse: The Musical", and became a member of the longest running improv group in Fort Collins, Co, the Clownbox. Upon returning to California, Alex decided to return to his roots, the National Comedy Theatre, where he happily performs all he can.

Amy Lisewski

Amy joined the cast of NCT in 2009. Her background in the performing arts includes dance, theater, and improv.

She has danced with San Diego's Tango Caminito, created multimedia art for The Wooster Group in NY, acted at the New Orleans Contemporary Art Center, and taught creative movement and improv to students in New Orleans and New York. She is a student of the Second City Conservatory in Hollywood where she performs regularly with "Hell Toupee".

Born and raised in New York, Amy comes to San Diego by way of New Orleans where she served two years with Teach For America. She holds a BA from Ithaca College in Communications and Theater and a Masters in Library Science from SJSU.

Outside of NCT she works as a library and information management consultant and serves as the President of the Board of Directors for Culture Shock Dance Troupe.

Andrew Barbot

After completing workshops at NCT San Diego, Andrew joined the main stage cast in 2009. A San Diego native, he has performed locally with Starlight Theatre, St. Martin's Players and long-form improv troupe Stage Monkeys San Diego. Andrew earned his Bachelor's in TV and Film at SDSU and completed UCLA's Professional's Program in Screenwriting in 2008. He continues to write, sing songs and perform comedy from his new home in Pasadena, CA.

Angie Engelbert

Angie joined the National Comedy Theatre in 2007 and served as the commissioner and a coach for the NCT High School League from 2008-2010. Most of her improv training comes from performing for the last eight years with "Joey and Maria's Comedy Italian Wedding" in San Diego and Las Vegas.

Entertainment highlights include singing and dancing as a mummy in Legoland, CA's show, "Journey to the Lost Temple," playing Lucy/Snow Queen in a national tour of "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe" with Traveling Lantern Theatre Company, casting for MTV's 'World's Strictest Parents, and stage managing/ performing at Equity theatres in Indiana, California, Kansas, and Illinois.

She holds a B.A. MCL in Theatre from Indiana State University and an English Teaching Credential from SDSU.

Casey Gardner

Casey has been with the National Comedy Theatre since 2005. Initially working as a "Mr. Voice" and house staff, he later became a member of the National Comedy Theatre's main stage cast in 2007. Since then he has been heavily involved with the theatre, collaborating on the annual Halloween Spooktacular, as well as teaching improv for the high school league and NCT workshops.

No stranger to the finer performing venue in San Diego he has been seen onstage at the Casa Del Prado Theatre, Fern Street Circus, San Diego Civic Center, Coronado Playhouse and the Old Globe Theatre. Casey has been at SeaWorld San Diego for the past 3 years, first in the Dolphin show and for the past 2 years appearing as "Biff" in the Sea Lion and Otter Show.

Although he appeared on the sophisticated hit MTV show "NEXT", Casey's true passion is live performance. He plans to be entertaining audience around the world for many years to come.

Charles Webber

Charles tried improv on a whim in 2007 at the Patio Playhouse in Escondido and became instantly hooked. He performed in a handful of shows there with both short-form and long-form elements. Shortly thereafter, he began taking workshops at NCT and a few months later was invited to join the main team.

Hailing all the way from Texas, Charles has lived in San Diego since 2004. He works as a mechanical engineer in his life away from the theater and earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Texas and completed his Master's at UC San Diego.

Chris Daily

Chris has been performing with National Comedy Theatre since 2006. He has been performing improv since 2003, performed with Comedy Sportz, San Jose, and also trained with Upright Citizen's Brigade, New York.

He is also the director of the Sunday Company, NCT's new up-and-coming improv group. Chris also teaches improv workshops at NCT and proudly has the role of facilities manager. Chris was also a performer and writer in the sketch groups Wimbly Humor Institute and 7th Grade.

He holds a B.A. in Theatre and Art from the College of William and Mary, and an M.F.A. from Savannah College of Art and Design.

Chris is also the artist of two popular webcomics: Punch an' Pie (www.punchanpie.net) and Striptease (www.stripteasecomic.com).

Chris Reed

Chris is a local actor who has appeared onstage at the La Jolla Playhouse and Lyceum Theatre. He currently plays Filthy Phil on the hit FX show, Sons of Anarchy. He is a graduate of the Mesa College Theatre Company and has trained with the Groundlings in Los Angeles. He thanks everyone for coming to the show!

Dave George

Dave George has been doing improvisational comedy in San Diego since 1990. He performed with Comedy Codependents, TheatreSports, and Sub-Atomic Jenkins Clan (SJC) before joining National Comedy Theatre in 1999. Dave was a the multimedia show director for and traveled around the world with Tony Robbins for many years producing seminars. He took a variety of drama classes throughout his education and first starred as Jerry Flynn in his ninth grade production of "My Client Curly". Dave graduated UC Santa Cruz with a double degree of computer science and sociology. Now he refuses to work or look for work, but does enjoy teaching improv at NCT.

David Armstrong

David has been around NCT for three years. He started on the College Team as one of its original members. Next, he was Mr. Voice for two years. He auditioned for and joined the NCT cast in 2010. David's first show was actually the Halloween Spooktacular, which was his favorite show to watch when he was younger.

Outside of NCT, David is finishing his BA in theater from SDSU, where he has appeared as Demetrius in Midsummer Night's Dream and Matt Galloway in Laramie Project.

David is also a dancer, singer and writer. Also, if you're ever at the Wild Animal Park, come see his voiceover work as Robert the Zebra.

Denver Warth

Denver got his start back in 1997 with ComedySportz in Santa Barbara after being amazed by their antics while seeing a show. He has long history in local muscial theater wherever he has lived, which has included California, Alaska, Hawaii, and Japan. He enjoys reading, playing soccer or tennis, and entertaining groups of people through laughter.

Emily Fousek

Emily Fousek has been with the National Comedy Theatre main cast since 2005. During her tenure she has also taught several workshops including the NCT Minor League and High School League. Emily is also proud to be in charge of the annual NCT New Years Eve Extravaganza.

Born and raised in San Diego, Emily earned a BS in Biology and Psychology from UCSD and an MSW from CSULB. She now brings the funny as a child and family therapist for a nonprofit organization.

Gary Kramer

Gary Kramer is the Artistic Director of the National Comedy Theatre both in New York as well as in San Diego. He has performed throughout the country, as well as internationally in places such as Iraq, Egypt, Germany, Greece, Italy, Turkey and Spain. In addition to NCT, Gary has directed and performed with ComedySportz in Santa Barbara and has been a member of the sketch and improv groups Rough Cut and Wits End.

Gary has been a morning radio personality, appeared in a handful of commercials, was interviewed on Air America Radio and was shot by cyborgs in the brilliantly awful movie Cybernator. Television: Law & Order, Totally Hidden Video. Los Angeles Stage: Hamlet, Wall of Water, Elaine's Daughter, Bouncers.

Greg Rojcewicz

Greg is originally from Silver Spring, Maryland and has lived in San Diego since 1998. He is a graduate of the NCT workshops and has been performing improv with NCT since 2008.

Jamie Fox

Jamie is the Director of the National Comedy Theatre as well as an original cast member. She has been regularly performing improv comedy for over 15 years, including stints with the groups Theatersports and Huge in Japan.

With NCT, Jamie has performed in hundreds of shows and events including our sketch shows, midnight performances, corporate events and more. She is also an instructor for our improv comedy workshops.

In addition to her duties at NCT, Jamie has a legitimate career. She works in politics, serving as Chief of Staff for a San Diego City Council member. She also has a young daughter, for whom she serves as Chief of Staff as well. In her spare time she … wait, she has no spare time.

Jeff Frank

Jeff has been performing with the National Comedy Theatre since 2005. He got his start in Improv from the NCT High School League for Ramona High School. Jeff currently works for a local television station, directing the morning news and often freelancing for local sports venues.

A third generation San Diegan, Jeff graduated from UCSD with a Bachelor's Degree in Visual Art: Film and Video.

Joe Birdsong

Joe has been involved with virtually every facet of National Comedy Theatre. Immediately after he graduated from high school (where he was a part of the NCT High School League), he was hired to work in the box office and sell concessions. Within three months he was working as "Mr. Voice" for the show. Within a year's time, he was a full fledged member of the cast.

In addition to performing, Joe also helps occasionally teaching workshops, and runs the NCT Twitter. Starting this year, Joe will also become the new High School League Commissioner, where he will direct all youth activities for the theatre. He is the first commissioner to have previously been a participant in the high school league itself.

Outside of the NCT, Joe has worked in various positions with Disneyland and the YMCA. He graduated from Cal State Fullerton with a degree in American Studies, and has become more or less the team's resident historian.

Jonathan (JT) Taylor

JT first started doing Improv in 2003 with the Modesto based group The Unscriptables, but wasn’t funny until 2007 when NCT picked him up for the main cast. He was one of the founding members of his college improv troupe where he practiced for two years and has trained with Upright Citizens Brigade in Los Angeles. He also taught for the NCT High School League for a year where his school, Mt. Carmel, won the tournament with style and grace.

JT graduated from SDSU with a degree in Televion Film and New media in 2008. He now resides in Los Angeles where he continues to flex his creative mind while working in commercial and Feature film production.

 

Marina Mastros

In Los Angeles, Marina began improvising at 16 through the ComedySportz High School League. She came aboard the National Comedy Theatre three years later.

At NCT, Marina is a regular performer, Director of the College Team, High School League coach and occasional workshop instructor. In addition she writes, produces and performs sketch comedy for NCT Productions. Marina can be seen outside NCT with the improv groups Buddy System, Partial Credit and String Theory. She also performs with the LA-based improv group, Kindergarten Fathead.

Marina trained at the Upright Citizens Brigade in Los Angeles under Billy Merritt, Julie Brister and Gil Ozeri. She has a B.A. in Literature/Writing from UC San Diego and an M.A. in Rhetoric & Writing from San Diego State University.

Matt Messerman

Matt got his start with the National Comedy Theatre taking workshops, and from there was recruited to help start NCT's own Sunday Company. As a founding member, Matt performed with the Sunday Company from their first show until late 2011, when he was invited to join the main stage cast.

When he's not busy improvising comedy, Matt can be found working as a Software Engineer, or at home with his wife and daughter.

Mike McFarland

Mike McFarland began improvising with the National Comedy Theatre in 2003, although he has been saying untrue things with complete and unyielding confidence since he was a child.

A veteran instructor and performer, Mike has taught improv to hundreds of students, ranging from children and teens to working professionals. He currently teaches our improv workshops at NCT and is the director of The Midnight Show.

In addition to a long-standing love affair with improvisational theatre, Mike is an avid musician, writer, and rider of fixed-gear bicycles. He holds a B.A. in Advertising and Marketing, and can be found working for Natural Encounters, Inc. at the San Diego Zoo.

Tom Hart

Thomas Hart is originally from the Midwest - the Quad Cities! Tom has been performing with NCT since the group’s beginning. Tom has also performed and studied with such improv groups a ComedySportz, IOwest (formerly the ImprovOlympic), Bang Studio LA, and with various other silly and sordid improv companies, troupes, groups, yahoos, and chuckleheads.

Outside of performing improv at NCT, Tom is an Emmy nominated writer, story editor, and producer in children’s animation, having written for such shows as: The Penguins of Madagascar, Kim Possible, Mouseworks, Get Ed, Dave the Barbarian, Care Bears, and lotsa’ other notable, and not so notable, children’s shows. Interestingly, long ago, Tom wrote, produced, and starred on his own local late-night comedy TV show called Live on Tape – the show aired on a FOX station in Davenport, Iowa and it was a great example of low-budget, local TV at its cheesiest --- and its where Tom honed most of his comedy skills.

Tom graduated from the University of Iowa with a B.A. in Film and Theatre.

Zach Stones

Zach has been a member of the National Comedy Theatre since 2003 and is currently the Associate Director. He is also a frequent facilitator with the WITS teambuilding program and occasional guest workshop teacher.

In the past Zach has written for television animation series such as Buzz Lightyear of Star Command and Kim Possible, directed "Little Shop of Horrors" with the Muir Musical Ensemble and written and directed the original productions "Truth Behind the Faces", "The Star Blaster Murders" and "Who Killed John Muir?"

Zach attended UCSD and graduated with a double major in Theatre and Psychology. He went on to get his Master's Degree in Marriage and Family Therapy at USD and is developing programs to make use of improvisation training and philosophy in a therapeutic setting.

Sacha Volek

Sacha began improvising with Comedy Sportz Santa Barbara in 1992(with Gary Kramer), all the while pursuing a BFA in Acting from UC Santa Barbara. After a not so brief hiatus wherein she waited many tables, bartended, and snowboarded at the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, she returned to Southern California.

Following the birth of her first child in 2010, Sacha decided she wanted some interaction with adults and she found her way back to the improv world.

Little did she know that the definition of “adults” is relative here at NCT.