WILL LUERA is the Director of Improvisation at FST and also serves as the Producing Artistic Director of Atomica Arts, Artistic Director of the Pilsen Improv Festival, Artistic Adviser to the Women in Comedy Festival, Artistic Associate of the Chicago Improv Festival and part-time faculty for the theater department at Boston College. In 2012, Will received the life-time title of Artistic Director Emeritus of ImprovBoston after serving 12 years as the Artistic Director. Will is a globally renowned improv and theater actor, director and instructor that performs and teaches regularly all across North America, South America, Europe and Asia. He is excited to be joining the FST team and the Sarasota community!

CHRISTINE ALEXANDER is a founding member of the FST Improv’s program and because of that, is now Locally World Famous. Little known fact: FST built this new Bowne’s Lab - just for her. (That’s the real story, don’t let them tell you anything different). During the day you can find Christine leading improv workshops of all kinds and in the evenings, here at FST teaching improv or performing on her brand new stage. Whatever her job is that day, it includes “making people laugh and feel comfortable and courageous.” Her motto is: If it feels good to laugh, then laugh to feel good. Find her on the internets at ChristineAlexander.net (.com isn’t funny at all).

LARRY BUKOVEY | Improv has been at the heart of all that Larry does since he entered the bizarre yet wonderful world of improvisational comedy in 1999. Since then, he continues his lifelong journey as a student, a performer, a professor and as a liaison for the improv community, at home and abroad. He is on a quest not only for more knowledge, experience and the perfect scene but also to serve as a conduit or “Jar of Play” for the improv community at large by encouraging the “Yes, anding” of the concept of “Cross-Pollination”, which is the sharing of ideas, philosophies, promotional duties, performance space and even improvisers across imaginary borders and between groups through cooperation and collaboration to not only make your scene partner look good but the improv universe as well. Larry is a film, stage and TV actor based in Palm Harbor and was recently seen on Netflix’s Bloodline.

CHRIS FRIDAY coaches and develops curriculum for all levels of Junior and Elite athletes for game on Nation at IMG Academies. In addition to being a founding member of FST Improv, he is a professional writer, improviser, and teacher/corporate trainer of 15 years. Chris’ corporate clients include: NFL Players Association, Prince Sports, IMG College, USO Wounded Warriors, ESPN Women’s Resource Group, Thorbahn Benefits Services, The Ringling School of Art and Design, St. Stephen’s Episcopal School, and the School Board of Manatee County. Chris’ Professional and College Athlete clients include: Pittsburgh Pirates, University of Alabama Football, FSU Football, and AFC Ajax. In his spare time, Chris is the Setter’s Coach for the Sarasota High School Varsity Volleyball Team, and was named 2011 “Coach of The Year.”

PATRICK A. JACKSON is an actor, playwright and teaching artist from Richmond, VA but claims Atlanta, GA as his home because of his addiction to sweet tea and all things Chic Fil A. Patrick is an alumnus of Morehouse College and is working on his Masters in Social Media with a concentration in hashtags. He holds the world record for the most hours of Netflix watched in one session. www.patrickajackson.com

JOEY JAMES is excited to continue performing with FST Improv and recently completed a two year acting apprenticeship at Florida Studio Theatre. He is Beyoncé’s number one fan, classically trained in twerking and an avid lover of doughnuts. Although they are often confused, he’d like everyone to know that he and Patrick (the other black guy in the cast) are NOT related. Enjoy the show.

DARRYL KNAPP Is a Director, Teacher, and performer in various troupes in the Tampa Bay area and can be seen doing one of those many nights a week. Darryl is an avid volleyball player and loves the Tampa Bay Rays and enjoys visiting various baseball stadiums. A professed cat lover he has two Norton and Trixie named after the neighbors on The Honeymooners. He enjoys salads and listening to music but never at the same time.

EMILY LEVIN is a recovering attorney who originally studied and performed improv in the Chicago area. She was a founding member of an all female improv troupe called Lady HaHa and performed in the Chicago suburbs for drunk women having a ladies’ night out. Emily has since gone on to become a total embarrassment to her children. In 2013, Emily moved to Sarasota with her husband and is thrilled to be living here instead of freezing and shoveling mounds of snow in Illinois. Emily hopes that her career at FST will rise to new heights of embarrassment for her family.

KATELYN MCKELLEY just completed her second year here at FST as an acting apprentice and is super excited to now be a part of the Improv Troupe while working as a Teaching Artist. An Idaho native, she is rather concerned about whether or not she will survive the Florida summer, so she’d appreciate Mother Nature sending cooling vibes more often than not. In her non-existent free-time, Katelyn enjoys rearranging furniture, beaching (at night mostly as it’s too hot for her during the day), completing recipes incorrectly, and making to-do lists for things she never plans to do.

JOEY PANEK hails originally from Syracuse, NY. He toured professionally as a stage actor for 15 years before making his home in Sarasota. He is a web and media personality who can be found exploring pop culture and trends at WhatsUpJoey.com and introducing local trends every week on daytime television. In his spare time he plans to save the world through entertainment and martinis. JoeyPanek.com

ANGEL M. PARKER is in her ninth season at FST Improv and plays the tall dark haired girl this year. Her favorite color is orange.

ADAM RATNER is jumping for joy like a bunny hopped up on Red Bull for another HOT Summer Season of FST IMPROV! Adam has been performing Improv at FST since he was a mere infant, starting as a member of the “Original” Kids Komedy Club in the mid 1980’s. Since that time, Adam has become the Lead Teaching Artist here at Florida Studio Theatre, instructing several levels of improvisation and acting classes. When not on stage, Adam spends his limited free time checking random pockets for spare change.

NATASHA SAMRENY | A fellow comedian described Natasha Samreny as “the girl who told the story that ruined my love for peanut M&Ms.” Samreny found storytelling in radio, and comedy in Chicago where she trained with The Second City, Moving Dock Theatre and independent sketch and improv groups around the Midwest. She produces life histories by day, performing stand-up and storytelling by night. A Resident Playwright with Three Brothers Theatre, she’s thrilled to join FST. Join her @NatashaSamreny!

STEVE TURRISI Began with the FST Improv Troupe in 2004. Wonderful things have happened ever since; end scene!

HUNTER BROWN | After ten years of being locked in his room, practicing piano incessantly, the only big accomplishment Hunter achieved was being the guy who could play “Stairway to Heaven” on piano at every party. It’d get a few laughs, sure, but it always left him feeling empty. One day, in his depressed state, he wondered about Sarasota and found FST Improv. The rest is history, but he still does the “Stairway to Heaven” bit. huntrbrown@gmail.com

MICHELLE NEAL is a Music Director for the Manatee Players, a private music teacher, and was born and raised in Florida. She hopes to one day find someone to collaborate with and pursue her dream of composing in various musical styles.

JIM PROSSER is the featured pianist with the FST Improv troupe. He has been involved in the creation of many of FST’s cabaret productions, including Never Marry A Girl With Cold Feet, The Prima Donnettes, Too Darn Hot,That’s Life, That’s Life Again, Reflections, European Cabaret, Harry Who?, and British Invasion. He has also written scores for numerous children’s musicals at FST, including The Emperor’s New Clothes, Androcles and the Lion, The Princess and the Pea, Poof and Immigrant Children.

REBECCA HOPKINS  is the founder and producer of FST Improv and the Sarasota Improv Festival. In addition she has been actively involved in new play development at FST since her arrival in 1998. She has helped create over 25 musical revue’s for FST’s Cabaret Theatres. This season, Mrs. Hopkins was the lead developer on American Pie. She also co-wrote Dancing In The Street and Never Marry A Girl With Cold Feet. Last season she was the lead developer on Poems, Prayers, and Promises and Co-Writer on The Prima Donnettes and Too Darn Hot. She has been the head writer on all four Laughing Matters shows. Some of her favorite shows she helped develop include: That’s Life, The Wanderers, My One and Only Gershwin, Hot and Cole, Shakespeare’s Greatest Hits, Piano Men, The British Invasion, The Flip Side, Outlaws and Angels, and Steppin’ Out. Mrs. Hopkins serves as Managing Director for Florida Studio Theatre, and as such, is the Chief Operations Officer. Mrs. Hopkins is responsible for oversight of FST’s Administration, including the Business Office, Development, Marketing, Box Office, Front of House, Restaurant, budgeting, and maintaining the overall quality of FST’s internal management. Under her leadership FST has grown from a 2 theatre to a 5 theatre operation reaching over 190,000 attendees a year. Nationally, Mrs. Hopkins serves on the Executive Committee for the National New Play Network and for the League of Resident Theatres. In 2012, the Arts & Cultural Alliance awarded Mrs. Hopkins the Cultural Champion Award in recognition of her many years of accomplishment and growth with Florida Studio Theatre.