Mad Cowford Comedy Improv Theatre

""Matt mistakenly joined Mad Cowford after originally searching for organizations that shared his anger at cows and the Detroit auto giant, Ford.  After serveral awkward meetings/rehearsals, Matt caught on and learned the trade of improvisation.  Matt would love to perform with you, hopefully during our performances.  Matt also would love to discuss our nation's crippling cow lobbyist group as well as the ridiculously low miles per gallon of a Ford Escort. 

""Matt Shuman is more or less a native of Jacksonville.  After graduating from William M. Raines Sr. High, he became involved with acting while studying theatre at Jacksonville University under the instruction of Debbie Jordan and Devlin Mann.  At JU he was involved in such productions as "You Can't Take It With You", "The Threepenny Opera", "Twelfth Night", and "Buried Child" for which he received the honor of the best actor of 2005 from Jacksonville University's fine arts department.  During a brief absence from the stage he studied art as well as stage lighting.  He returned to the theatre scene in "Biloxi Blues" at the Limelight Theatre in St. Augustine and recently in "Home On Deranged" at Players by the Sea.  He is currently involved in an independent film being produced by KillaCozzy productions.  Matt is proud to be working with everyone involved with MadCowford and looks forward to a rewarding experience.

""Collin began improvising in 1978 and was later born in 1991. He has never stopped a crime but almost witnessed one once. He feeds on applause and vegetable platters. A framed Aaron Carter autograph is his most prized possession. All jokes aside, he performs comedy while facing to the left.

""Courtney is a girl who is blondish. Unlike other blondish girls, she can read. Like most blondish girls, she began life as a common street thug. Now that she is reformed she strives to bring about world peace with laughter while dominating the world with the gang at Mad Cowford.

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""Born the love child of "In Loving Color" and Nickelodeon's "Roundhouse", Jass was then raised by "The Golden Girls" quenching her thirst for knowledge and her times tables with the product formally known as Pepsi Vanilla. She enjoys rubbing elbows with the Mad Cowford crew, laughing at lemons, and crying in the presence of clowns. By day, Jass is the President of the company in her head, collecting old issues of Teen Beat, BB, and Tiger Beat. Whether she is losing her mind, gaining perspective, or singing/rapping in her car, Jass has her eye on that bowl of ice cream and keeps regrets to a minimum.

""Scott joined Mad Cowford shortly after retiring from his ten-year stint as a contract killer for Murder Mystery Players, Inc., contributing to Jacksonville's ever-escalating homicide rate by making people laugh to death.  Prior to directing over forty interactive comedies of intrigue, Scott taught improvisation workshops here in North Florida and performed competitive short-form improv in Daytona Beach, with games very similar to those performed at Mad Cowford.  A commercial pilot, Scott knows how to perform with precision, as well as flying by the seat of his pants.  Now, he has landed on our stage...so fasten your seat-belts!

""While Lyra hasn't had any formal improv training, she has followed the route of most Americans and received her improv education from television. As a child growing up in St. Louis, she became a fan of SNL, Second City, Monty Python, Kids in the Hall, The State and many other ensemble comedy troupes. Lyra's love for improv and impressions have both entertained and annoyed friends and co-workers as they never truly know if they're talking to Lyra or another co-worker. Glad to be among the herd at Mad Cowford, Lyra looks forward to honing her skills amongst her fellow calves!

A nerd by trade, Shavone first dipped her toes into the world of funny by participating in the writing program at Second City in Chicago.    However, it wasn't until Shavone ventured back to Northeast Florida from Chicago that she discovered her deep lust for performing improv.  On any given day, you can find Shavone yelling at her cat, Fat Gato, reading a dorky book, making something or other from yams, or speaking in random voices to Ms. Beeb Magee (daughter).  Shavone is adamant about finding a significant other in the next 5-7 years in order to prevent further progression toward a crazy cat lady. 

""Nick Davis is a drummer who never attends a formal occasion unless he's dressed in a cat t-shirt and/or a set of Nintendo power gloves. Firmly obsessed with never holding a world record in anything, Nick brings his three and a half semesters of being a drama major to the mainstage, and his communications degree to the job fair. He enjoys calling his own cell phone from random landlines and having long conversations with himself, discussing dinosaurs, Stephen Baldwin movies, and the state of Delaware (he's such a good listener). Nick is overjoyed to be a member of Mad Cowford, but is "extremely irritated with the new fax machine at work."

Britney Barber has been doing stuff since high school.  In college, she started doing more stuff, which continued until she graduated and went to Chicago.  Now, Britney is living in Florida because of love and she's grateful to once again do stuff with people.  She has performed in Chicago, Philly, and now the First Coast; Mad Cowford is glad to have her be a part of our cast. 

""James Allen was a former child star in shows like Full House, Mr. Belvedere.  He joined Mad Cowford to bring class back to the troupe, which was noticeably lacking before his arrival.  On his days away from the troupe, James enjoys lying to strangers and making fun of childrens' sense of style.  In all honesty, James thinks Mad Cowford is awesome, and he is extremely proud to be a part of the troupe.

""In elementary school Steven was often picked on for his improbable appearance. Steven had developed two industrial-sized front teeth which protruded from his mouth regardless of whether or not his lips were closed. He was held back by his fourth grade teacher who claimed that he had not "matured correctly". In addition, his curly hair was a breeding ground for put-downs and a small family of pocket mice. His turning point in life occurred after a family picnic when he stepped in a big pile of poop. He realized then that improv was the future.

""Meagan was on loan to us from New York City for a period of time and quickly established herself as a crowd favorite.  Meagan has since moved to where all crowd favorites go: Los Angeles.  She will live on in such fairytales as "Jamaican and the Beanstalk"  and we hope there might be a word for us in her eventual Oscar speech.

""Taylor was a beloved member of our troupe until the Navy was tired of her consorting with us.  She was reassigned for national security reasons and likely knows what really goes on in Area 51.

David teaches theatre and religion and directs at St. John's Country Day School.  He has been acting most of his life and had his first television appearance at 4 in a local PSA.  He began improvising at ComedySportz Richmond.  He earned his Master of Fine Arts at Virginia Commonwealth University with his thesis on the "Pedagogy and Ethics of Improvisation Using the Harold" (available online at http://etd.vcu.edu/theses/available/etd-05142007-122233/unrestricted/pattondd_thesis.pdf).  David recently moved from Chicago where he studied with some of the greats of improv and sketch at IO and the Second City, including Michael Gellman, Bernie Sills, Pat O'Brien, Anne Libera and Charna Halpern.  He taught improv and acting in Chicago and is most proud of his time teaching in the Improv Program at Second City Chicago.  Most recently, he performed with the two man long-form group Yorick.  In June of 2009, David will marry the love of his life, Tamara Merfeld.  He is very excited to join the ranks of Mad Cowford.