Player Bios

Joey BlandJoey Bland
Joey Bland is from Richmond, VA. He got his start in comedy co-directing I.T. (Improvisational Theater) at the College of William and Mary and then moved to Chicago to study improvisation. In addition to performing with The Improvised Shakespeare Company, Joey tours with The Second City National Touring Company. He is a five-year ensemble member at ComedySportz Chicago, a cast member of the improvised musical ensemble, Baby Wants Candy, and he performs regularly at the iO Theater with the house team Bullet Lounge.

Ross BryantRoss Bryant
Ross began improvising in North Carolina before moving to Chicago to study at the iO Theater and ComedySportz. As a member of The Beatbox, Ross has toured all over the United States and Canada. In addition to the Improvised Shakespeare Company, Ross currently performs with Baby Wants Candy, ComedySportz and Bullet Lounge. Time Out Chicago recently named him one of the ten "things that made us laugh in 07." They meant that in a good way.

Joe BurtonJoe Burton
When not donning his tunic with the Shakespeare cast he is putting on more modern types of clothing and improvising with The Strangers at iO and his best friends of five years, Otis. Also, as co-creater and cast member, he performs all over the country with The Fowler Family Radio Hour, a southern institution born in Chicago. He likes making films, writing, painting, frisbee, and fun things. Thanks to his family and Shelby. 

Andy CareyAndy Carey
After graduating from the University of Idaho in 1999, Andy acted, toured and taught with the Oregon Shakespeare Festival and the Idaho Shakespeare Festival. Since moving to Chicago he has trained at the Second City Conservatory, The Annoyance, and i.O., where hew performed with Quincy, Rattlesnake High School and is a current faculty member. In addition to improvising, he has worked with A Crew of Patches (Romeo & Juliet, Twelfth Night, Macbeth, Compleat Works of William Shakepeare... Abridged), The Next Theatre (Accidental Death of an Anarchist), and the Sandbox Theater Company (Can you Spot Me?, Bottle Can Draft ). He can also be seen performing with the musical ensemble Baby Wants Candy and the hip-hop ensemble The Beatbox.

Greg HessGreg Hess
A native of Virginia and a graduate of William & Mary, Greg Hess moved to Chicago to study at the Improv Olympic and The Second City. He has performed with iO's Sturgis and Athens; Show Pony; Mission Improvable; and Shecky Kulhan: Theatre of the Mind. Currently, Greg is a faculty member at iO Chicago, and performs as an ensemble member of Baby Wants Candy, the critically acclaimed four-man powerhouse Cook County Social Club, and understudies with the Second City's national touring company.

Barry HiteBarry Hite
Barry is incredibly excited to work with the talented cast of The Improvised Shakespeare Company. Originally from the hard-bitten streets of Mechanicsville, VA, he moved to Chicago to study improvisation while extolling the virtues of ACC basketball. Barry performs weekly at iO with the house ensemble Bullet Lounge, regularly runs the floor with Tha Weave and performs at The Playground with Space Robbers. Other credits include A Moment Alone, Strawberry/Justice, Hooray for Fun, Tons of Fun, and The Gambino Crew. He thanks his parents, The Whethermen, Sean Singletary and you.

Joe JanesJoe Janes
Joe is a part-time faculty member in the theater department of Columbia College. He is a founding member of the WNEP Theater Foundation and Teatro Bastardo. He is a playwright and Emmy Award-winning television writer. His writing credits include; Metaluna and the Amazing Science of the Mind Revue, Soiree Dada, The Armageddon Radio Hour, A Hard Day’s Journey Into Night and You Don’t Know Jack– various volumes. For Second City, he has been a member of the national touring company, a director of the national touring company, Second City-Detroit and Second City – Las Vegas, and has taught for the training center since 1997. He studied theater at Wright State University and the first production he was cast in was an experimental piece called A Macbeth - he was both Banquo and Macduff.

Thomas MiddleditchThomas Middleditch
Thomas comes from Canada where he was one half of the famed Toronto sketch duo, The Iliads. In Chicago he was a member of Baby Wants Candy, iO's Bullet Lounge, The iO Road Show, and was listed as one of the "Top 5 Male Performer's" by Newcity Chicago. He enjoys bicycle riding, the book "The World According to Garp" by John Irving, and wants to one day own a miniature dachshund and call it Aesop or Nitro. He currently lives in New York. 

Rich ProutyRich Prouty
Rich has performed with the legendary improv groups Valhalla, The Lindbergh Babies and Bullet Lounge as well as portraying Mr. Winston in the internationally acclaimed The Winston Revue. He performs locally and nationally with ComedySportz and hosts the long-running cult game show The Improv Match Game, which you should really see.

Jacob SchneiderJacob Schneider
Jacob attended Webster University in St. Louis where he earned a BFA in theatre. Since moving to Illinois in 2000, he has been actively involved in Regional Theater and even more actively involved in the Chicago improv scene. Jacob can also be seen at iO performing with Armando Diaz, L.I.L.O, The Improv Rebellion, and the iO house team, The Reckoning. Past shows include Hi 5, TV Show, Dinner for Six, and Thriller Theater 5. He recently sailed the high seas with Norwegian Cruise Lines where he was an ensemble member in The Second City’s Boat Company. He also teaches improvisation while taking care of his three fish: Mindsaw, Duck Lighting, and Albert Pujols.

Blaine SwenBlaine Swen
Blaine comes from California where he performed with ComedySportz, Ultimate Improv, and iO West. At iO West, he was part of the long-running and critically acclaimed Spontaneous Shakespeare Company. Blaine can currently be seen performing with The iO Musical and Bullet Lounge at iO. He also enjoys touring with the iO Road Show. He was an original member of The Second City's Education Touring Company and a long time performer with the Pegasus Players Outreach Program. Blaine teaches improvisation at The Second City and iO Chicago and travels the country teaching improvised Shakespeare.

Ric WalkerRic Walker
With the exception of trapeze, lion taming and cliff diving, Ric Walker has done nearly every type of legal performance there is, including an extremely hazardous Lysol & Lighter show. Ric is extremely happy, grateful, and excited to play with The Improvised Shakespeare Company. Currently, Ric can also be seen performing with Comedy Sportz, with the internationally touring comedy troupe, Wavelength, and in Serendipity Collective’s Second Story series as both a writer and performer. Ric is also a veteran of theater, stand up and film. Google him immediately.

Martin WilsonMartin Wilson
Martin Wilson moved to Chicago after growing up in Washington DC and graduating from the College of William & Mary in Virginia. In Chicago he has trained at the iO Theater, the Annoyance, and ComedySportz Chicago. He is both an ensemble and faculty member at ComedySportz, while performing long-form improvisation regularly at the iO Theater with the Harold team, The Diplomat Motel, and The Improvised Shakespeare Company. In addition, he is a member of the exclusive Billionaire Boys Club, having performed in their productions Toast and Concept Album: Shuffle at iO.