Meet The Instructors
James Dugan
James Dugan was born in Northern California but moved to Chicago to learn what this whole "winter" thing is. In his nearly 20 years of improv experience he has performed for The Second City, iO, The Annoyance, and any other stage in Chicago that will give him the chance. He currently can be seen with Clued In at Second City, Hitchcocktails at The Annoyance, The Armando and Whirled News Tonight at iO, and all over the country with his duo Jaymes Gretchky.
Gretchen Eng
Gretchen Eng has worked in the Chicago comedy community since her salad days in the Second City Teen Ensemble. Following a brief stint studying classical voice and doing sketch comedy at Vassar College, she has been a producer and performer at iO for ten years, specifically with Devil's Daughter, The Armando Diaz Experience, and in her duo Jaymes Gretchky. She is a professor in Roosevelt University's Chicago College of Performing Arts, teaches all levels of the training center at iO, coaches, and designs curricula for an array of corporate, non-profit, and educational organizations as the Director of Professional Development and Partnerships for the theater.
Andi Sharavsky
Andi Sharavsky has performed musical improv with such headlining groups as The Deltones, The Musical Armando, and Fraudway at iO Chicago; ImprovAcadia, Infinite Sundaes - The Second City Training Center’s musical house ensemble; and Anarchy: An Improvised Rock Opera. Andi served as a contributor for The Onion News Network, The Chicago Tribune, Reductress, McSweeney’s, Splitsider, and BuzzFeed.
David Yontz
David Yontz (Music Director) has been slinging musical goofs in Chicago since 2010, both as a solo act and as music director for countless sketch and improv shows at such venues as The Second City, iO Chicago, Comedy Sportz, and The Annoyance. His accolades include winning the Deli Magazine Chicago Artist of the Month poll in October 2013 and receiving an artist grant from The City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events in 2015 and 2019. He wants everybody to know that he feels fortunate to be turning his dreams into his profession, and needs $2.25 to take the bus home after the show.