Music Director

Playing for RIFF at the iO Theater, January 2019.

I’m a music director for improv, sketch, and musical theatre. This involves:

  • playing piano
  • writing songs and music
  • building and operating sound design
  • teaching songs and vocal coaching
  • teaching skills of music improv and comedy songwriting
  • improvising and keeping the show going!

Improv

Working for Second City aboard the Norwegian Breakaway, 2017.

My current regular groups are:

  • RIFF – Chicago’s music improv party, playing every Saturday at 10pm at The Annoyance Theater
  • ComedySportz Chicago – competitive short-form improv comedy, playing Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays in Piper’s Alley.
  • Chicago Magic Lounge – providing accompaniment for that venue’s Signature Shows while magicians do illusions I’m not capable of.

I’ve played with other groups like:

Promoting Hitch*cocktails at the Ogilvie Transportation Center in Chicago, 2015.

Sketch

Poster for A Boy/Girl Party, a 2017 sketch show by Legends in the Game.

I’ve music directed, composed, and done sound design for these sketch groups:

Teaching

I used to regularly teach musical skills for improv and sketch at the Second City Training Center and the ComedySportz Chicago Training Center. Outside improv, I was a Composer and Teaching Artist in Chicago Opera Theater‘s education program.

I’ve also taught workshops at:

Musicals

Two 2016 musicals: Ask Your Doctor and Camp Psychopathways.

I’ve been music director for musicals with these companies:

In some of these instances I also wrote the music. (See Composer.)

Former companies

Back when I lived in New Zealand I worked a lot with these improv companies:

Festivals I’ve done

At the 2016 New York Music Improv Festival.

I perpetually keep meaning to go back.

With Lori Dungey, Colin Mochrie and Penny Ashton at ConArtists’ 20th anniversary, Auckland 2007.