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Our Faculty

Director

Andrew Clark

Andrew Clark, An award-winning author and screenwriter, Globe and Mail columnist Jeffrey Simpson called Andrew “the foremost chronicler of Canadian comedy." His first book, Stand and Deliver: Inside Canadian Comedy, was an examination of Canadian comedy from both a historical and pop culture perspective. His last book, A Keen Soldier: The Execution of Second World War Private Harold Pringle, was nominated for the Pearson Writers' Trust Non-fiction Prize, Drainie-Taylor Biography Prize and the Governor General's Award for Literary Non-fiction. He is a contributing editor for The Walrus Magazine and has written for such publications as Maclean’s, The Toronto Star and The New York Times. He produced an NFB documentary entitled The Next Big Thing and currently has a one-hour dramatic series in development with the CBC. Andrew teaches a course in Comedy History and in comedic writing. (www.andrewclark.ca)

Comedy Writing & Performance

Lewis Baumander (Acting & Voice)

A much sought after acting coach, with over 30 years experience directing actors such as Malcolm McDowell, Michael Rappaport, Cynthia Dale, Sonia Smits, Rosemary Dunsmore, Diane Flacks, Richard Monette, Eric Mcormick and Keanu Reeves (in his remarkable performance in Hamlet) The Globe and Mail notes, “Baumander seems to get the max out of his young stars, partly through intensive coaching.” Lewis is currently working with a new generation of actors from Degrassi. He directed the full-length sci-fi feature film Future Fear for Roger Corman and episodic TV (Deepwater Black). He founded Skylight, Toronto’s first professional outdoor theatre and was Artistic Director for 13 years. Lewis has consulted for and cast three feature films and three TV Series. He has taught at the University of Windsor, York University, Ryerson and now, Humber College

Mark Breslin (Chair of the Advisory Board of the Humber Comedy Program)

One of the driving forces in stand-up comedy in North America, Mark is an accomplished impresario and the founder and director of yuk Yuk's, the world’s largest chain of comedy clubs. Mark has produced and written a variety of shows, including The Late Show, starring Joan Rivers, Yuk Yuk's: The TV Show and Friday Night with Ralph Benmergui. He is the author of three screenplays and several books, including Son of Meech: The Brian Mulroney Jokes, Zen and Now , and Control Freaked.

Kevin Bundy (Physical Comedy)

An actor with over 20 years experience, the New Yorker described Kevin's performance as Erwin in the Shaw Festival 2004's production of Three Men on a Horse as "sheer comic genius." A graduate of the National Theatre School of Canada, Kevin spent six seasons at Shaw and prior to that was member of the Young Company at the Stratford Festival (under the direction of Richard Rose). Some of his featured Stratford roles included Dromio of Syracuse in Comedy of Errors and Touchstonein As You Like It. Kevin has studied and worked with Leah Churniak, co-founder of Theatre Columbus and Dean Gilmour, co-founder of Theatre Smith-Gilmour, two physical, clown-based companies in Toronto. Currently Bundy is in his third season as a member of the Soulpepper Theatre Company.

Shawn Campbell (Acting & Voice)

Shawn is an acting coach and director, as well as a teacher. Shawn has extensive experience in teaching Acting Technique, Scene Study, Audition, etc. at Theatre Humber and The George Brown Theatre School. He is a member of the Ontario Talent Bank, and of the Toronto Association of Acting Studios.

Millan Curry-Sharples (Comedy Video and Production)

Millan is one of Canada’s most talented and in-demand television comedy producers. His numerous stand-up, improvisation and sketch series (The Bob Room, Not to be Repeated, Comedy Inc., Comedy Now) have won dozens of international awards and are seen in Canada (CTV and The Comedy Network) and in the United States (Spike TV and Comedy Central).

Robin Duke (Sketch)

Robin is best known for her work in television on SCTV and Saturday Night Live. She appeared in films such as Ground Hog Day and Hostage for a Day, and received an Emmy nomination for writing on SNL and a Gemini nomination for North of 60. She has received an Earle Grey Award and a Star on Canada’s Walk of Fame. Robin is currently writing, performing and producing the successful Women Fully Clothed, a sketch comedy troupe.

Linda Ellis (Assistant to the Coordinator of the Comedy Program)

Linda earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Theatre at Dalhousie University and went on to graduate from Humber’s Postgraduate Comedy Program in 2002. She was both a Phil Hartman Nominee as well as a Tim Sims Encouragement Fund Nominee. Linda is now a professional comedian with appearances at The Halifax Comedy Festival and on The Mike Bullard Show to her credit.

Joe Flaherty (Artist in Residence)

Joe began his career at Second City in Chicago and is best known for his work on the legendary series SCTV, which earned him two Emmy Awards for writing. His countless feature film roles include appearances in The Wrong Guy, Back to the Future II, Who is Harry Crumb?, Stripes, and many more. Television credits include, among others, the critically acclaimed Freaks and Geeks, Ellen, Married with Children, Frasier, The King of Queens, and Maniac Mansion, in which he starred.

Allan Guttman (Improvisation)

For 17 years he was director of the Second City Training Centre in Toronto. Among his students were Mike Myers, Colin Mochrie and Ryan Stiles (Who’s Line Is It, Anyway?) the members of The Kids in the Hall and The Chumps comedy troupes, several generations of Second City performers and writers, and most of the instructors who have taught at the Second City Training Centre/Conservatory. He was, for several years, co-artistic director of The Actors Workshop in Toronto. Allan has taught at the Actors Studio and the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City.

Larry Horowitz (Stand-up Comedy)

Larry worked with theatre groups such as Festival Four and Home Made Theatre before trying stand-up comedy in 1973. After assisting in the establishment of Mark Breslin’s Yuk Yuk’s comedy chain, he maintained his involvement as a shareholder and headline performer. These days Larry specializes in performing custom corporate shows as well as making numerous media appearances. He has been a comedy teacher for thirty years, ten of those as New Talent Director for Yuk Yuk’s. Prior to his involvement with Humber College, he organized instructional sessions for The Skills Exchange, Centre in the Square, The Learning Annex and The Canadian Living Arts Centre.

Melody A. Johnson (Improvisation)

For over a decade Melody has acted in numerous theatres across Canada and has received a total of five Dora Mavor Moore Award nominations for her work, winning the award in 2003. She was a member of the 1998 Stratford Festival Company, and the Toronto Second City Mainstage cast where her last show, Nude Beachwear, 100% Off, earned her a Canadian Comedy Award Nomination. Melody was also a member of the last cast to perform at The Second City Firehall (Last Tango on Lombard) and performed in the improvised weekly soap opera Sin City. She is an active volunteer with Gilda’s Club Greater Toronto, and a teacher of improvisation at Toronto Second City.

Robert Trick Johnston (Physical Comedy)

Rob has worked in comedy and theatre since 1983. After time spent studying drama at the University of Guelph, he studied at Second City with Allan Guttman, Mime Unlimited with Ron East, and Clown with Richard Pochinko. He counts among his mentors Mark Christmann, Dean Gilmour, Gord Anderson and Bruce Hunter. Rob started performing comedy at Yuk Yuk’s in 1986, going on to win The Labatt’s Crystal Comedy Pageant, hosted by Eugene Levy on Global TV. He has appeared in films, TV and on the stage. Coming from a physical theatre background, he has also studied and performed extensively with Masks and Commedia Dell’arte. After finishing his Bachelors Degree in 1996, Rob went on to study Education at the University of Toronto while continuing to perform stand-up comedy and improvising with his troupe, Improvagogo, in Toronto.

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