Hawk & Wayne

American Stage Improv co-founders

About the Hawk &  Wayne

Gavin Hawk grew up in the Los Angeles area. He studied Long-Form Improvisation and Sketch Comedy in Chicago at Second City and The Annoyance Theatre, and he earned his undergraduate degree in Theatre from The Juilliard School, and his masters degree in Theatre from California State University, Long Beach. In addition to improvising, he regularly acts and directs for theatre companies in the Tampa Bay area. Recent acting credits include The Pitmen Painters, Art, Barefoot in the Park,The Foreigner (American Stage), and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (freeFall Theatre). Recent directing credits include Cloud 9, The Last Night of Ballyhoo, Closetland (Jobsite Theater), One Slight Hitch (American Stage), Death and the Maiden, Congratulations, Joe!, Good Egg, and Miracle on South Division Street (A Simple Theatre). He received a Theatre Tampa Bay award along with his fellow cast members in The Pitmen Painters in the category of Outstanding Ensemble in a Play, and was nominated by Theatre Tampa Bay in the category of Outstanding Director of a Play for his direction of Good Egg. In addition to co-creating and being a Teaching Artist for the Long-Form Improvisation program at American Stage, Gavin is also a Professor of Theatre at Eckerd College, a member of the National Alliance of Acting Teachers, and a member of Actors’ Equity Association.

Ricky Wayne was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area. He has trained and taught at Children’s Theatre Workshop and American Conservatory Theatre in theatre and acting, and at The Groundlings in Los Angeles in improvisation and sketch comedy writing. American Stage audiences might remember him as Carl from OPUS in 2010, Marc in ART in 2013 and as Tartuffe in TARTUFFE in 2016. Currently he is in his 9th year in residence here at American Stage performing the first Sunday of the month as one half of Hawk and Wayne, a long form improv comedy duo with local actor and director Gavin Hawk in KARAOKE-PROV (THE DUMB SHOW, 321, THE MEMORY, NEWS OF THE WEIRD: LIVE!, IT’S A LIVING!, THIS IS A COMEDY SHOW, THE MOCKUMENTARY and ANYWHERE, USA) and is a founding member of American Stage Improv. Other local theatre credits include A Simple Theatre’s CONGRATULATIONS, JOE! and The Heather’s SPEED-THE-PLOW, ON TIDY ENDINGS and GLENGARRY GLEN ROSS. He currently works in television and film. Recent film credits include Girls Trip, Mark Felt: The Man Who Brought Down the White House. Television credits include recurring roles in WGN’s Outsiders, Netflix’s Bloodline, AMC’s The Walking Dead and Sundance Channel’s Rectify.  Most recently he can be seen in Madden NFL 18: Longshot as Ross Fountain. He is a proud member of SAG-AFTRA and Actors’ Equity Association.  www.rickywayne.com

Swipe Right

A Short Form Improv Team

Swipe Right Cast

PATRICK A JACKSON is an actor, teaching artists and creative from Richmond, VA. He is an alumnus of Morehouse College in Atlanta, GA, where he received his B.A. in Drama and has studied with the British American Drama Academy. Patrick is the Adult Education Associate at American Stage, and is currently the director of Swipe Right. He likes to imagine he’s a cross between Janelle Monae, Lizzo and Chance the Rapper. www.patrickajackson.com

TRAVIS TYLER is a full-fledged comedy nerd. He is also an alumnus of Eckerd College and the American Stage Improv Long-Form Foundations Program. Currently, Travis plays on American Stage’s short-form house team: Swipe Right. When he’s not performing, he dabbles in other improv formats such as musical and long-form.  During the day, Travis is a content writer for a global software company, where he tries to make people laugh in the private sector (spoiler: it’s not easy). While his driver’s license says his name is Travis Scott, he is regrettably of no relation to the popular hip-hop artist. Twitter:@iamtravistyler

SADIE LOCKHART is from Rhodesdale, Maryland. She received her BFA in Acting from Towson University in 2015, with minors in International Studies and Spanish. She has been a teaching artist in Ecuador, Costa Rica, Honduras, and the U.S.  Recently she toured with Missoula Children’s Theatre acting and directing a show with young artists across the mid-West.  She was an acting and production apprentice at American Stage for the 2016-2017 season and has performed in A.S’s school tour.  Sadie is a founding member of ‘The Oven,’ a theater for social change company in Baltimore, MD. Her recent credits include: THE LITTLE MERMAID (MCT); RIKKI TIKKI TAVI; HAIRSPRAY; IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE; AMERICA:A MOSAIC and GEORGE’S MARVELLOUS MEDICINE (American Stage); COMMODITIES and GONE (The Oven); TAMING OF THE SHREW and HENRY IV PART 1 (Baltimore Shakespeare Factory).Hat City audiences saw Culver sing at Danbury Green’s band shell for two consecutive summer pops concerts and at the Hat City Christmas Pops concert under the baton of acclaimed Maestro David Katz. Culver spent two years as a performer for New Dramatist’s Nautilus Music Theater Program, performing  over 25 new works by upcoming composers from around the country, and  partaking in readings of new plays and musicals by New York-based authors/composers/playwrights. Culver studied with  WORKING /SWEET SMELL OF SUCCESS composer/lyricist and teacher Craig Carnelia, and acclaimed director/ Broadway/TV performer Eric Michael Gillet.

DONOVAN WHITNEY is from Indianapolis, Indiana but lives here in St. Pete. He is overjoyed to be joining old and new friends in SWIPE RIGHT! He takes improv classes at American Stage (go sign up!), loves Rick & Morty and Stranger Things (I’ll share my passwords!), and has read all of the  Harry Potter books (FACTS!). He would like to thank Tiffany and Patrick for their hard work in helping create a space for improvisers, and also the fact they’re pretty awesome people!

Definitely Not Murderers

A Musical Improv Team
You can’t spell man-slaughter without laughter!

Definitely Not Murderers Cast

Colleen Cherry is a St. Pete based actor, singer, and Definitely Not A Murderer. Theatrical credits include starring in the the Straz/Jobsite Theater co-production of LIZZE and all three years of IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE at American Stage. Local regional credits include: BLITHE SPIRIT (Stageworks); THE THREEPENNY OPERA, SILENCE! (Jobsite Theater/Straz Center); MY FAIR LADY (Asolo Repertory Theatre); GREASE (Show Palace Dinner Theatre); ROCKY HORROR (Straz Center), and performances with The Radio Theatre Project at the Studio@620. She has recently performed in ensembles backing Sarah Brightman and Josh Groban. She is a vocalist with The Florida Bjorkestra previously featured in Life on Venus: The Florida Bjorkestra Plays Bowie and as everyone’s favorite vampire slayer in BuffyFest.

Christian Torres is an improviser. He loves improv. He likes to think that he’s pretty good at it.

Culver Casson has had a diverse performance career, spanning both the world of opera and musical theater.   She attended both Northwestern University and The Juilliard School and was graduated from the prestigious William Esper Studio, a Meisner technique 2-year program in New York City. In New York, she performed the lead role of  Jessica Gatewood in the acclaimed OFF-Broadway musical SPLENDORA by Stephen Hoffman/Mark Campbell/ Peter Webb as well as the role of Agnes Pullens, which earned her praise from NY critics. She also performed a one woman cabaret show, “Island Magic”, to critical acclaim at Judy’s and Don’t Tell Mama  in Manhattan and a second cabaret, “Heart and Home,” at the Marion Anderson Studio’s inaugural event in Danbury as well as a third cabaret show entitled “Wishful Thinking” for Westport, CT’s 1st night.  Regional roles include Sophie in MASTER CLASS at Playmakers Rep, Johanna in SWEENEY TODD at Skylight Opera, Monica in THE MEDIUM at Bronx Opera, Rosabella in THE MOST HAPPY FELLA and Penelope in THE GOLDEN APPLE at  Chicago’s Light Opera Works, Gretchen in THE STUDENT PRINCE at North Shore Music Theatre, Mary Turner in OF THEE I SING at Madison Opera , Anne Draper in STRIKE UP THE BAND at Lyric Opera Cleveland,  Maria in WEST SIDE STORY with Chicago Sinfonietta  which toured the Canary Islands as a part of the International Festival di Musica.  OFF-OFF Broadway productions include an Obie Award Nomination for Norma Aho in THE CRY PITCH CARROLLS at HERE Theatre,  Monica Lewinsky in REWRITING LEWINSKY at New Dramatists,  Linda Solo in THE MINISTER’S  WIFE at The Women’s Project,  Vampyre Harpie in Fred Ho’s vampyre opera  NIGHTVISION at Cooperarts  at Cooper Union , Isabella’s Number One Girl in THE RISE AND FALL OF ISABELLA RICO at The Director’s Company and Redwood Mother in FLORIDA by Randall Eng at the Public Theatre. Favorite regional opera roles are Despina in COSI FAN TUTTE , Susanna in THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO, Adele in DIE FLEDERMAUS, Susanna  in SUSANNA’S SECRET, and Flora in THE TURN OF THE SCREW. She sang an evening of Broadway’s greatest its with the Connecticut Ballet at the Stamford Palace. Hat City audiences saw Culver sing at Danbury Green’s band shell for two consecutive summer pops concerts and at the Hat City Christmas Pops concert under the baton of acclaimed Maestro David Katz. Culver spent two years as a performer for New Dramatist’s Nautilus Music Theater Program, performing  over 25 new works by upcoming composers from around the country, and  partaking in readings of new plays and musicals by New York-based authors/composers/playwrights. Culver studied with  WORKING /SWEET SMELL OF SUCCESS composer/lyricist and teacher Craig Carnelia, and acclaimed director/ Broadway/TV performer Eric Michael Gillet.

Jeremy Douglass is a pianist, deep sea welder and leader of acclaimed megasuperband The Florida Bjorkestra. Recently he’s been Jobsite Theater’s resident music director in productions of LIZZIE: A Killer Rock Musical, The Threepenny Opera, and Jobsite’s #1 selling show Hedwig And The Angry Inch. He’s composed original music for Jobsite’s productions of The Tempest, Edgar And Emily and Othello. He’s also the improv music director and instructor at American Stage Improv, and a performer with their house team Definitely Not Murderers. Currently he’s resident pianist at Straz Center for the Performing Arts and can be found during Broadway series opening nights on the piano in the lobby of Morsani Hall. If you’re looking. He makes records, too, but jeez this bio is getting long already and we can talk about that later.

Kara Goldberg, a St. Petersburg native, graduated from Flagler College with a Bachelor’s Degree in Theatre Arts in 2010. Since then, she has been working as a professional theatre artist for companies throughout the Tampa Bay area such as, American Stage, freeFall, The Straz, Tampa Rep, Early Bird and more. Kara recently started her own company, Kara Gold, LLC., which specializes in digital marketing consultation for the theatre, with a focus on publicity photography and videography. Kara can also often be seen on stage as well as behind the scenes in various roles. For more info, visit Kara-Gold.com.

Tiffany Ford is a director, producer, and teaching artist dedicated to igniting artistic, intellectual, and emotional growth through Devised Works, Theatre for Young Audiences, and Theatre Education. She is the Director of Education & Outreach, and the Director of Improv at American Stage in St. Petersburg, FL. Prior to her work with American Stage, Tiffany worked with Asolo Repertory Theatre as the Education Specialist. While she is a native Floridian, she spent the first 8 years of her career in Washington DC where she worked with The American Alliance for Theatre & Education, Imagination Stage, and founded the youth improv theater, Wobble Rocket Stage. Her teaching and directing work additionally includes The Kennedy Center Page to Stage Festival, Washington Improv Theatre, Art Stream, Source DC, Madcap Players, The National Cathedral School, and more. Tiffany is a graduate of Theatre UCF, where she founded Project Spotlight (the student-run production company still running for over a decade), and was a recipient of the Gene Columbus Award.

Patrick A. Jackson is an actor, creative and teaching artist originally from Richmond, VA. He is an alumnus of Morehouse College and the British American Drama Academy. Currently he is the Education & Improv Associate at American Stage where he directs the new short form improv team, and a mainstage cast member of FST Improv in Sarasota. Although he is commonly mistaken for Sammy Davis, Jr., Patrick consider’s his spirit animal to be a mix between Cardi B, Beyonce and Sterling K. Brown. @famouspatjackson www.patrickajackson.com

AS IF!
(American Stage Improv Festival)