Happy Valley Improv Company
Our Founders
Andrea McCloskey
Director of Community Outreach
Andrea’s improv journey began with a Google Search: “Is there such a thing as comedy camp for adults?” That search turned up Camp Improv Utopia, which Andrea attended in the summer of 2016. She realized that improv was what she needed in her life, even though her life was already full of very fun things such as her career in Curriculum and Instruction at Penn State, her family, and her friends. She’s mostly interested in improv as a way to get her husband to do all of the chores. Yes, and!
Nathan Rufo
Artistic Director
Nate has been doing improv since 2013. He got his start as a company member at Theatre 99 in Charleston, SC, and quickly fell in love with improv as an art form and a way to build community.
Nate is a communicator in Penn State's Global Programs. When he's not doing improv or working, he can be found competing in Smash Ultimate, playing music, or hanging with his cat Murphy Brown. Nate is also a published author. You can check out his series, the Salastrom Saga, on his website. |
James Tierney
Managing Director
James has been studying improv theatre since 2006 and has been part of teams in Massachusetts, California, New York, and now Pennsylvania. James trained with Spectacles Improv Engine, iO West, and ImprovUtopia. Off stage, James teaches economics at Penn State and enjoys spending time with his wife and dog.
Sam TannerArtistic Director
Sam Tanner is an assistant professor of literacy education at Penn State Altoona, and graduate faculty in Curriculum and Instruction at Penn State's University Park campus. Improvisation deeply informs Sam's scholarly agenda, and he has been directing and teaching improvisation for nearly 15 years. Sam was a high school English and drama teacher in the Twin Cities before moving to State College. The high school improv troupes that Sam directed grew out of the tradition of Brave New Workshop in Minneapolis. Sam likes doing improv. He's also a creative writer. Buy and read his work here: https://www.samjtanner.com/
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Our Company Members
Andrea BoitoAndrea Boito is an aspiring improv performer. You can catch her shows daily in statistics classes throughout the buildings of Penn State Altoona, where she enjoys several rounds of mandatory laughs each semester. Some days, she can even bring students to tears.
Dawn Rosenbaum
Dawn was raised in State College PA and gets most of their improv experience through their Collegiate experience in New England and acting in Harrisburg, PA. When not on stage, Dawn spends time enjoying food, cooking, and outdoor activities with their significant other Brant, and their two amazing dogs, Watson and Ham.
Jason Browne
Radio personality, video-game streamer, and expert-hotdog maker, Jason is always ready to hop on stage with the squad and share the joy that is improv. Humbled to be a part of such a talented team.
Luke Streich
One fateful day thousands of years ago, Luke saw an ad for Happy Valley Improv classes. He stumbled towards the fear of being judged by a crowd of people and embraced it. He fell in love with the immediate flow, connection, and collaboration that the art of improvisation inspires. Does this work, Nate?
Scott Yabiku
Scott began improv in Happy Valley Improv classes, and he enjoys continuing to learn and practice within the growing improv community in State College. His wife and two kids are thankful he finally found another outlet for telling his bizarre stories.
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Dan McKenrick
Dan’s mission is to make people laugh. So, when Happy Valley Improv began offering classes, he said “Yes, and!” and hasn't looked back! Dan loves discovering new worlds with the hilarious and supportive improv community.
Dan moved to State College pursuing a career in public service. He enjoys helping out people in need, so that means he is relying on his student loans being forgiven. Outside of improv and work, Dan will be with his wife (Jill) and son (Jonas) or volunteering with local and state organizations. 
Jackie Gianico
Jackie caught the improv bug after doing a faculty workshop with Happy Valley Improv through the Schreyer Institute for Teaching Excellence at Penn State. She has since led improv workshops in the local community for teachers, professionals, and English language learners. When not teaching for the departments of Applied Linguistics and Communication Arts and Sciences, you might see Jackie leading a sip-and-paint at the Arena Bar and Grill in State College.
Lori Bedell
With her two daughters grown and moved away, Lori thought she'd try something new. She took Happy Valley Improv classes and met lots of amazing people. She's pretty darn excited to be a part of Happy Valley Improv!
When not practicing improv, she's busy teaching in the Communication Arts and Sciences department at Penn State, working as part of the SCASD School Board, or hanging out with her silver fox husband and entertaining friends. Cheers to new adventures! 
Rich De LucaBorn and raised in State College, Rich De Luca went to Lock Haven University to learn Computer Science. But not long after, he arrived at the college's theatre department. There he was bitten by a radioactive acting-bug, and mild mannered geek Rich De Luca developed incredible improv powers. He uses these powers to entertain and amuse onlookers and mildly annoy his wife.
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