JAMIE ASHLAW
JAMIE is a seasoned improviser, visual artist, and educator. He performed with HVI at Stissing Center, Boughton Place, ASK, Pride-Prov and festivals. He is a founding ensemble member of HVI’s immersive cast at the annual Destination Stars Hollow event in Brighton, MI. Past credits include The Sean Cassidy Fan Club, Razor Spirits, and Pork Pie Hat. Jamie trained with HVI and Second City NY. His paintings and sculptures have appeared in numerous films and theatrical productions.
HEATHER DELL'AMORE
HEATHER once quipped, “oh, I could NEVER do improv!” And then, of course, she tried it. Never one to do things nonchalantly, she immersed herself in improv and was very “chalant” about it all. When not creating with castmates, Heather tours her solo show No Hope for OZ. She's a MOTH Story Slam winner, and performed at QED in New Tricks Stories. Ham-it-up-Heather lives in the sleepy town of Pine Plains with her supportive spouse and their three not-so-nonchalant children.
LOU DENISE
LOU is thrilled to be on the house team. Years ago, he dreamed of being a stand-up, but life led him to 30 years of teaching phys ed and coaching. After a tough personal chapter, a friend nudged him into improv—and he fell in love. He’s a former karaoke and wedding DJ, often mistaken for Carlton from Fresh Prince. Lou lives in Saugerties with two of his three sons, Jordan and Cameron; his eldest lives in Albany.
PATRICK DOMERY
PATRICK is a recovering theater kid who rediscovered his love for performance through taking classes at Hudson Valley Improv. Patrick seeks to continue growing as an artist and exploring new creative outlets, like writing and performing monologues. Patrick's past credits include choking on a piece of chicken during his high school production of Inherit the Wind. Patrick lives in Rensselaer, NY, and has two incredible kids that he will someday push into performing… but in a totally healthy way.
JENNIFER FARMER
JEN began her improv journey as a proud mom inspired by watching her son on stage. After much cajoling, he convinced her to try it herself. She’s been learning ever since. Her previous credits include performing stand up at the Secret Open Mic and read alouds as a classroom teacher. Her other favorite activities are walking the rail trail with her dog, playing board games with friends, and spending time with her handsome husband and two amazing kids.
SUSAN GRAY
SUSAN is delighted to be fulfilling a long-held dream of performing improv and is elated to be on the HVI House Team! She recently returned to the New York area after nearly 30 years in California’s Bay Area, where she performed sketch comedy and lots and lots of karaoke. She started taking improv classes at HVI as soon as she hit town and hasn’t looked back since. A collector of wind-up toys, Susan lives in Poughkeepsie with her husband Jonah and their two dogs.
SAMANTHA JONES
SAM is a professional actor, director, and master improv teacher with over 30 years of experience in the industry. She is the founder of Hudson Valley Improv, where she created the Improv Empowerment method—an approach rooted in authenticity, personal liberation, and creative risk-taking. Samantha has taught thousands of adults and performed on stages across the country.
Her television credits include FBI: Most Wanted, Law & Order: SVU, Bull, and A Murder at the End of the World. She is also the creator and star of the acclaimed solo show Butterfly Suicide. Samantha is known for helping people break through creative blocks and rediscover their voice—onstage and off.
ELIZABETH SAYDAH
LIZ started improv after college at Second City Chicago. She moved to LA in 2006 to be an actor—debuting as a “Final Girl” and winning $276 on MTV's Next. After scraping by as a kids’ entertainer and rooming with an ex-stripper from Jersey, she launched Elizabeth Saydah Voiceover in 2015. She’s voiced thousands of projects for brands like Google, Disney, Aetna, and PayPal, plus promos for SiriusXM and games like Oxenfree 2 and The Evil Within 2. She's thrilled to be a part of HVI!
MICHAEL WITHALL
MICHAEL is an actor, director, instructor and founding member of Hudson Valley Improv. Since 2014, he has been a co-creative force behind HVI’s performances across the region and managing the touring company.
Improv appearances include Stissing Center, Art Society of Kingston, Hudson Valley Pride-Prov as well as multiple festivals around the country. As a director, Michael most recently helmed HVI’s original Jaws tribute show, bringing cinematic suspense to the stage with the touring company's signature humor and style. He is co-producer and cast in HVI’s multi-day immersive performance at the annual Destination Stars Hollow festival in Brighton, MI.
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