History
Atlas Improv was founded in early 2004 by Mary Parmentier and Bryan Judkins. Their dream was to explore and innovate beyond what was familiar.Our story goes back further than just a few years though. In the mid 1980s, Dick Chudnow, founder of ComedySportz, brought his brand of competitive improv comedy to Madison, and a figurative seed was figuratively planted.
As ComedySportz - Madison, we performed mainly short-form, a type of improvisational theatre where a show is segmented into five-to-ten-minute scenes and games. We loved what we were doing, and, during that time, we developed one of the show formats that we still perform today. It's as engaging for audiences and performers as ever. Each show is fresh and fun.
As managers, Parmentier and Judkins sought a creative environment that challenged and fulfilled us artistically. They knew that we were capable of more and wanted to push us to new heights. They realized short-form wasn't enough. In 2004, they started Atlas Improv. The active members of ComedySportz - Madison followed Parmentier and Judkins to do something new and amazing.
Today, Atlas Improv fosters an expert in each of its players. In story arc, character building, or pure wit, every performer is a master.
Bios
Dan Row
Dan Row joined Atlas as the winner of The Cut 2015.Growing up in rural Nebraska, Dan developed a love of storytelling, theatre, and puns, which he incorporates into his improv today. Outside of Atlas, Dan curates his ever-expanding collection of soundtracks from movies, TV, and video games, but opts to listen to a single song on repeat for hours on end--like a crazy person would do.
GRIFFIN LOWMASTER
Griffin joined Atlas in December 2016. Originally from Ohio, he is an avid Cleveland sports fan and would love to talk to you about the Browns or Lebron's homecoming. When not performing in Atlas you can probably catch him dancing at a downtown bar with no discernible rhythm or style.
JON HENDRIX
Jon joined Atlas in Fall of 2013. Originally from the Milwaukee area where he did improv in high school, he came to Madison for school and (for the most part) never left. When not at Atlas or proving facts at his day job, he enjoys many things normal humans like yourself probably would, like using a bicycle, reading a book or futzing around with music. When at Atlas, he enjoys scaring himself, like a new swimmer thrust into a pool of scenework. He recommends that you try the beer on tap at bars, because draft beer is generally better.
JOSH JOHNSON
Josh Johnson has been improvising with Atlas Improv Co. since 2005. Highlights of his career at Atlas include his time on the Shakespeare team, hosting The Cut, and living with three other company members in the hallowed "Atlas House."
LAURA GREGOR
Laura joined Atlas as the *winner* of The Cut 2016 and has been improvising nearly every weekend since then. Her roles at Atlas include performing, teaching, and coaching independent teams. She is the oldest sibling in her family and it shows.
MICHAEL THOMAS
Michael joined Atlas in July of 2015. Born and raised in Orlando, Florida, he came to live with the snow and ice but stayed for the sweet Improv. When not working, you can find him playing games wherever he goes or doodling on any piece of paper he can get his hands on. Come speak to him if you are having problems with a riddle.
STEVE WYETH
Steve joined Atlas in May of 2014. He has no prior experience in Improv, but an extensive background in theatre. He works in Madison, but isn't really wild about his job, and would prefer that you please not ask him about it. Steve is a wonderful cook, and improvises in the kitchen as well as on stage.
TABATHA WETHAL
Tabatha Wethal joined Atlas Improv in December 2012. Outside Atlas, she is a multimedia journalist, writing and editing for a variety of publications since 2005 about everything from controversial federal legislation to mayo. She grew up in the Madison area, graduated from UW-Whitewater and works as a reporter at a daily news outfit in Madison. She is interested in sleeping late, reading memoirs, time travel and learning how to use the three shells.
Caroline Lynch
After taking a class at Atlas, Caroline was hooked. A few months later, she made the cut (not The Cut, mind you) and joined the Atlas roster in December 2018. Hailing from a small island commonwealth just north of Guam, she made stops at the Naval Academy and U.S. Navy before landing in Madison as an organizational and talent development professional. When not on stage, she's probably walking her dog.
jonathan jibson
Jonathan joined Atlas as the 2018 winner of The Cut. He was quite new to improv and has learned even more since joining the company. He moved to Madison for grad school in linguistics, which doesn’t mean he speaks lots of languages, but does mean he knows some sweet etymologies. He teaches writing to college freshmen and runs an Etsy shop on the side. For recreation, he enjoys listening to audiobooks and podcasts, and he has soft spots for urban planning and despair.
lauren shuster aquino
Lauren joined Atlas in August 2017. She was born and grew up in Paraguay. Moved to Madison in 2011 to further her education. On stage she enjoys long-form improv and exploring new and varied characters. When she is not at Atlas, she likes reading thriller books, watching horror documentaries and adding people on weird social media applications like: Goodreads, YouTube and LinkedIn. She also enjoys dancing to Latin music and making up songs while singing to her dog. If you ever had any questions about Capybaras or even what a Capybara is, she’d be happy to help!
Amanda Rogers
Amanda joined Atlas by winning The Cut in 2017. She is from Madison and spends most of her spare time with her husband, Casey, and her dog Sugarbear. Atlas was the first improv she had done and she's sticking to because she's a ride or die type lady. Amanda’s interests include hanging with friends, music, and art projects.