About Us
Blind Tiger Improv has performed across the Hudson Valley region at theaters in Peekskill, Beacon, and Suffern, NY. This year you’ll be able to find us monthly at the Westchester Collaborative Theater in Ossining. We’re proud to be versatile improvisers, creating a mix of short-form games and long-form performance pieces. Scroll down to meet our teachers, click through to see some of our performers, or read our code of conduct.
People
These are some of the faces behind the magic. And we're always interested in meeting new improvisers! Our performers are not required to pay dues or take our classes in order to play with us; all that you need is a genuine love of performing and skill in improv. Head over to our contact page and drop us line if you're curious about playing with us.
Mike Amori (he, him) lives in Hartsdale, NY where he coaches chess professionally during the week and improvises on the weekends. He's studied with World Class Indifference in Norwalk, CT. With Blind Tiger Mike found a welcoming group of very talented improvisors and instructors who are always willing to make that next bold choice. Mike is currently performing with the Hip Replacements and has added Improv to his scholastic teaching schedule.
Nicole Arcieri (she/her) is an actor living and working in the Greater New York area. She has been performing for a little over a decade. Most recently, she played Peter Simple in The Merry Wives of Windsor at American Theatre of Actors and Stacey in Ode to Clouds at Westchester Collaborative Theater. She has also worked on several short films and on an indie TV series as a day player. She is currently playing several roles in The Laramie Project with YCP TheaterWorks.
Brian Bagot (he/him) discovered improv with the local art and theater group Embark Peekskill. In addition to performing with Blind Tiger, he also acts in community theater productions in and around Westchester County, and is a member of Westchester Collaborative Theater in Ossining. When he isn’t doing improv or involved in a theater project, Brian can be found playing guitar with his bluegrass friends at jams in Riverdale, Upper Manhattan, and Riverside Park.
Lauren Baino (she/her) is an actor, writer, and fledgling variety streamer who is definitely not putting on that British accent - she's actually from London. After getting away with completing an MA in Stand-Up Comedy at The University of Kent, she continued her improv training with The Second City, The Nursery Theatre, and The Free Association. She has since been a member of the first Nursery Theatre Online House Team "Tiny Dinos", and the ComedySportz Rec League Team "Extreme Couponing". She is also the co-creator of the improvised mockumentary "Honesty Counts: Episode 3" and the improvised dramatic trilogy "Sticky Love".
Brett Eidman (he/him) is an award winning comedian/writer/actor who is best known for his song parody Shaft, Barack Theme and his comedy album What’s So F#@k’n Funny? A graduate of The Second City and UCB, Brett has been seen on Saturday Night Live, Netflix’s Daredevil, Law & Order, CollegeHumor, and more. Recently, Brett co-starred with Bruce Willis in a Funny or Die promo for the film Death Wish.
Michele Evans (she/her) is an actress by day and an improvista by night. She has been seen in various shows with Blind Tiger both online and in person. Her various improv training began in 2019 under Blind Tiger, Westchester Improvisers, and Ralph MacLeod. Playing different characters is one of her favorite things to do in improv, just ask her original character, Miss Emmilene!
Brian Godleski (he/him) is a writer/actor/improviser originally from Atlanta, Georgia. He’s performed improv extensively since 2005 with NYC-based groups such as Playing in Traffic, Empty Casket, and Pez Junket. In addition to improv, he co-created the critically acclaimed web series “Avengers Assemble!” featuring the late, great Stan Lee. He resides in Croton with his wife Katie and son Brady. He only rhymes some of the…occasionally.
Stage Manager Stephanie L. Hare (she/her) has a degree in Dance & Theater from Manhattanville College where she studied all aspects of Theater from stage management and lighting design to acting and directing. Steph worked at the Schoolhouse Theater in Croton Falls, NY in any backstage opportunity available for several years before moving on to working in the world of nonprofit administration. She has kept her toe in the local theater scene, periodically showing up onstage in plays in various small theaters in the Hudson River towns. Steph is tremendously thrilled to have been so warmly welcomed into the Improv community of Blind Tiger.
Cheryl Hughes (she, her) moved to New York City in 1997 after graduating from The Ohio State University with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and business. She worked in Public Relations and Sales. While living in the city, she studied improv and acting at HB Studio. Years later, after having a family and moving to Westchester, she wandered back into acting and writing and is now developing her first feature film. She has studied at the Ridgefield Playhouse, One-on-One Acting Studio, and Groundlings doing monologues, scene studies, improv, and sketch-writing. Her stage experience includes stand-up comedy, class showcase, and community theater.
Gina Goodenow (she/her) found her love of improv through training at Blind Tiger. Her previous stage experience included high school productions and college level courses in theater. In her career, Gina works in the finance department at a private foundation where she helps nonprofits fund their missions. Gina resides in Cortlandt Manor with her family and enjoys skiing, travel and experiencing nature.
Jennifer Nordmark (she/her) has been studying and performing with Blind Tiger since 2019. In her wild youth, she founded and ran the Nevergreen sketch comedy troupe at Loyola University in Maryland. Jen daylights in animated film production with credits on Epic, The Peanuts Movie, Ferdinand, Spies in Disguise, and the Ice Age and Rio franchises. She spends her free time talking to her cat and playing the recorder when no one asked.
Lindsay Ostrander (She/Her/They/Them) is a board-certified psychiatric nurse and improviser. She completed her minor in theatre at Mount Saint Mary College, performed in Main Stage productions and was co-director of the improv club for two years. She has performed as a member of Blind Tiger on the team Juice Bae, taught drop-in lessons, and is a current member of team Here Hold This. Now located in the New York City area.
Technical Director Jeffrey Ramsey (he/him) passionately enjoys improv, comedy, and artistic awkwardness. Blind Tiger Improv provides an amazing array of emotions that he explores through sounds and lighting cues. Jeff’s experience in providing technical support for jazz and theater shows has set the stage for providing a powerful punch to the Blind Tiger Cast and audience members. He finds improv is the perfect outlet for him to explore his artistic side. Jeff hopes for Blind Tiger Improv to continue to grow in community and exploration of performance activities.
Stacey Venzel (she/her) has performed on the stage in Ohio, Florida, Washington, and New York, including improv training in Chicago at Annoyance! and Improv Olympic. She has also acted in numerous film productions, but improv is her first love. Acting is both a hobby and side career alongside a decade of work in wildlife conservation and veterinary medicine and now, a career as an elementary teacher. She finds improv frequently comes in handy for the latter. Her adult life has taken her all over the world seeking adventure and culture. Stacey is also a published author and freelance writer.
Artistic Director Michael Short (he/they) has been performing improv since 2000 as a founding member of his college's improv group. Over the years he has trained with notable improv theaters like the Second City, the Magnet, the Annoyance, and the Upright Citizen’s Brigade. He's been a part of house ensembles at the Magnet and Annoyance and has performed on improv stages across the country. In 2014 and 2015 Michael worked for the Second City as one of their performers aboard the Norwegian Cruise Lines in weekly sketch and improv shows.
Nicole Syrlik (she/her/hers) found her love of improv more than 20 years ago, when she walked into what she then thought was an acting class. Since then, she continued her improv journey by taking classes and performing wherever and whenever she can. She has studied with local teachers, Blind Tiger, Hudson Valley Improv, and teachers who come from UCB, Second City, The Assembly, and the Magnet Theater. When not doing improv, she enjoys learning Irish, contra dancing, trying to play the bodhrán (Irish drum) and of course growing carnivorous plants. She lives in Kingston, NY with her wife Kaity, stepson Caleb, and Hades the cat.
Code of Conduct
Blind Tiger Improv is a non-equity, non-union theater company, and due to its small size and organizational structure does not qualify under EEOC standards. However, inspired by the Chicago Theater Standards, we believe that it is necessary to hold ourselves accountable and to create a Code of Conduct outlining what is acceptable behavior. Our Code of Conduct applies to everyone participating in Blind Tiger events in any capacity: this includes students, performers, teachers, directors, and volunteers.
We understand that, due to the unscripted nature of improv, productions can veer into unsafe territory if there are no procedures for prevention, communication, and when necessary, response. We believe that having pathways for response to unsafe conditions and harassment help to maintain the integrity of the work, its participants, and the organization. To that end, we are instituting an anonymous reporting form, accessible at the bottom of this page.
Due to the anonymous nature of the report, we cannot follow up with complaints directly. However, we can promise that each report will be taken with the utmost seriousness, be met with an investigation, and steps will be taken to prevent such an occurrence from happening again.
In the event of civil or criminal misconduct or liability, these standards are not a replacement for legal advice or action, nor does it stand in stead of any local, state or federal law. A violation of civil rights can be reported to the NY Attorney General’s office.
THE CODE OF CONDUCT:
• Both on-stage and off, performers, directors, students, and teachers are expected to treat tech support, hosts, fellow performers and students, audience, and the playing space in accordance with the Code of Conduct. Help welcome everybody into the larger improv community.
• Respect physical boundaries and don’t do anything physically dangerous to yourself or your scene partner. Do not hit, shove, lift, tackle, or otherwise place others in the way of physical harm.
• Respect sexual boundaries, on and off stage. Do not grope, simulate sex, touch sexual areas, or be otherwise sexually aggressive toward others.
• Respect the space you are in and don’t do anything to damage it. Do not punch walls or doors, throw chairs, or place yourself in a physically dangerous position.
• Ensure that you have consent before engaging physically with your classmates or fellow performers.
• Create and maintain a harassment-free environment. Harassment includes but is not limited to unwelcome sexual attention, deliberate intimidation, inappropriate physical contact, offensive comments relating to race, gender, religion, or identity, and advocation or encouragement of any of the above behaviors.
• Participants in classes, shows, or rehearsals are expected to arrive ready to work. This means showing up on time, sober, and dressed properly for movement. Those who are late, drunk or inebriated, or dressed inappropriately may be denied the ability to participate.
• Be each other’s advocates; Help everybody have fun and engage in the joy of improv in a safe, supportive atmosphere.
Anyone who is abusive, bullying or harassing, or otherwise violating any of the terms of the CoC may be asked to leave our venues and may be barred from returning and performing again.
ANONYMOUS REPORTING FORM:
