The Gym: Improv and Sketch Comedy

Sofia Gonzalez is very proud to be a founding member of The Gym.

Sofia is often referred to as “the Latina one” and if she were a superhero, that would be on her cape. She studied Politics at UC Santa Cruz and loves political and topical humor. She currently studies improv and sketch comedy at The Groundlings Theatre and is waiting for Advanced. She is a graduate of the sketch program at Upright Citizens Brigade.  Sofia has been honored to perform on the main stages of The Groundlings, UCB, I.O West, Second City and Westside Comedy with improv troupes such as Trust Fall, Serious V-Neck, and The Thunder of Mount Stallion. Sofia is also very proud to have been “Blossom Girl” on NBC’s Community. She knows right from wrong, wrong from right, and where the heart of the ocean is. Yup, she was spying on the old lady from Titanic. The Gym is where the heart is. And remember: Laughter Burns Calories.

Favorite Gym Exercise: Face stretching.
Favorite Dance Move: The Lisa.
Favorite Thing About Poodles: Can’t decide. 

Links:

Official Website
IMDB Page
Youtube Page

Videos:

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Chris Caldwell Eckert is excited you’re here, ya’ll. Originally from the bay area, he moved to LA many years ago to pursue comedy. Chris is honored to be a current member of the Groundlings Sunday Company. He’s also a graduate of The American Academy Of Dramatic Arts, a decent cook, and an overall pretty swell guy. Beyond the Groundlings, he’s performed at UCB, I.O West, and the Comedy Store. He also played Carmen Ghia in the Ovation Recommended production of The Producers at Cabrillo Music Theatre, for which he was nominated for a 2011 Broadway World Award. TV credits: Raising Hope, Doin’ It Yourself (pilot presentation), Mad TV. Film: I Snatched Andy Warhol. He loves his fellow gym members and knows that you probably do too. You have that in common. PS: That picture is from a real boxing match. PPS: He also lies sometimes to build up street cred for the ladies dragons.

Favorite Gym Exercise: The double donut thrust and pivot.
Favorite Jon Lovitz Single: Lovitz You Is Easy Cause You’re Beautiful.
Favorite Dangerous Dessert: Vanilla Ice Cream… while free falling.

Links:

IMDB Page
Youtube page
Groundlings Sunday Company

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Navaris Darson is like a comedic version of Chuck Norris. But younger, darker, and deadlier. He currently studies improv and sketch comedy at The Groundlings Theatre, and he guest performs with improv troupes all over the great city of Los Angeles. Navaris isn’t the kind of person who “name drops,” but you should know that he once worked at a bake shop where he had the distinct privilege of selling cupcakes to celebrities such as John Malkovich, Heather Graham, George Takei, and Amanda Bynes. Selling cupcakes to celebrities was exactly why he moved to California, and having fulfilled that dream, everything since has just been gravy for Navaris. He’s is proud to be an original member of The Gym and even prouder to be an American who roundhouse kicks first and asks questions later.

Favorite Gym Exercise: 2 hours on the elliptical at maximum speed and highest incline while blindfolded and facing backwards. i.e. light cardio.
Favorite Dance Craze: The Urkel.
Favorite Child: My youngest one, DeRaymontay. The first three were mistakes.

Links:

Official Site
Youtube Page
IMDB Page

Videos:

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Selyna Greenman is Jewish, despite her misleading last name. Ms. Greenman is a writer, musical theatre enthusiast and generally against child labor laws. While she doesn’t laugh easily, you’ll see her crack a smile if you injure yourself. So, come on down to a show and maybe trip. Because seein’ Selyna smile…WORTH IT.

Favorite Gym Exercise: Kegals.
Favorite Sexy Villian: Lex Luthor.
Favorite Place For A Tat: Butt crack.

Links:

Official Site
Serious V-Neck
URDB

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Sara Cravens is a real loud, sweaty kid who grew up in the backwoods of Cookeville, Tennessee.  Sara works as a voiceover actress in various commercials and animation, as well as performing in many sketch and improv comedy shows around town.  Sara wrote and starred in a two-woman show, “Freak Like Tennessee,” that showcased at the Comedy Central Stage in Hollywood, as well as touring the show with a two-night run at The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville, Tennessee.  Sara’s most recent project is a comedy musical collaboration with Parachute Musical’s Andrew Samples, and she is thrilled about their upcoming album!  Outside of the comedy circuit, Sara enjoys yoga, cucumber martinis, and peanut butter.

Favorite Gym Exercise: Pretending to stretch and checking out my tricep bulge in the wall mirror.
Favorite Mid-Week Activity: Licking my fingers after I’ve eaten something with BBQ sauce.
Favorite Bragging Right: Knowing all the words to the ‘David The Gnome’ theme song.

Links:

Official Site
Youtube Page
Funny Or Die Page

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Gary M. Soldati is a mere Massachusetts-bred mortal, though many mistake him for Wolverine (or so he says).  His love for comic books and basketball have led him to two little-known career choices: Gary’s comic book reviews can be found all over the internet and he has coached a woman’s college basketball team to their first win.  Ever.  No, seriously.  Gary has also been graying since high school, which makes him a great typecast father for commercials like those now airing with Continental Tires and Direct TV (now if only his girlfriend would typecast him the same).   After years of stage and Shakespeare work, Gary studied under Barbara Marchant from the William Esper Studio and performed stand-up in New York.  Since moving to Los Angeles, Gary has been writing his own comic series, studying at Groundlings, performing in various sketch and improv theater groups.  Gary recently volunteered in Haiti where he was supposed to be helping those whose lives were devastated by the earthquake but mostly he just realized how F@#$ing lucky he is to do what he loves everyday.

Favorite Gym Exercise: The rice crispy crunch.

Links:

Official Site

Videos:

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ON HIATUS FROM THE GYM

Claudia Black was born before time. She has played a genetically modified space babe on tv who lacked the glands necessary to produce sweat. Now she sweats. Buckets. For her comrades in this gym. Come and enjoy this dexterity. Despite having the coolest last name, Claudia has been a full time dork since people hated her at school. She sought solace in 21 Jumpstreet and aspired to being Richard Greico. At 14 she cut her hair accordingly. She is good at anger. Her greatest life achievements include convincing someone to marry her, giving him progeny and successfully threatening the comedy gym owners into a full time membership. At gun point- but with an improv gun-you know, where you don’t point your finger out. Don’t do that. Assholes do that.

Favorite Gym Exercise: Kicking my personal trainer in the nuts.
Favorite Date Night Line: It puts the lotion on it’s skin or else it gets the hose again.
Favorite Emotion: Outrage.

Links:

IMDB Page

Daniel Acker grew up in Columbus, Ohio and at a young age he knew he wanted to get out of there. He ventured west to the University of Southern California. There he worked with the improv and sketch group Commedus Interruptus. After university, Daniel joined up with fellow Commedus members, forming the troupe Trust Fall. He’s taken classes at UCB where he has joined a group of improvisers called Frenemies. He also takes improv classes through The Groundlings where he’s met the fun bunch that form The Gym. Basically, Daniel keeps busy with performing comedy. He frequents stand up clubs as well. So, if you don’t see him performing improv or sketch, perhaps, you can catch him doing some stand up. He hopes to make you laugh or at the very least turn to your friend and whisper, “He’s very funny.”

Favorite Gym Exercise: The Bench Press (I don’t lift the bar, but I find it relaxing to lay there)
Favorite Dance: The Robot (It’s a dance that robots will do in the future, but it’s sick…oh yeah, Daniel also can time travel).
Favorite Flavor of Otter Pop: Tough one, but I’m going to have to go with Little Orphan Orange. Definitely NOT Alexander the Grape.

Links:

Trust Fall

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Lee Newton spawns from a Yosemite National Park where she learned how to identify many different forms of poisonous foliage and once played “tap the bear” as an initiation into her first real Job. She moved to Los Angeles to pursue bio-chemical engineering but then quickly realized that acting was a far easier field to make it in. She loves the nickname “sassy pant” even though no one has given it to her yet. You can see “Sassy Pants” perform on various stages around Hollywood. She like many gym members is awaiting Advanced at The Groundlings, 2013 here she comes…. She hopes you enjoyed getting to know her and feels like we should hang out again soon.

Favorite Gym Exercise: Bitterly watching the skinny girls while eating.
Favorite Pastime: Touching.
Favorite Drug: Coke Zero.

Links:

IMDB Page

Videos:

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Paul Benton was born and raised in LA. The product of a Philippino/Romanian genetic cocktail, Paul had no choice but mimic his parent’s equally hilarious accents. After a brief stint overseas working for The Man, Paul said goodbye to the world of political assassinations to pursue Sketch Comedy. One day he found The Groundlings, and all the wonderful people therein, and his life was changed forever! (Starring Paul Benton, Jennifer Connelly, and Ving Rhames as ‘Coach Pete’.)

Favorite Gym Exercise: The McRib
Favorite Non-Existent Horror Movie Title: Hellevator
Favorite Brain Part: Hippocampus

Links:

Youtube Page

Videos:

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Josh  Duvendeck was born in Santa Barbara, which is why he likes saying “dude”. He’s a huge supporter of comedy, especially groups like The Gym, Trust Fall and Frenemies, all of which he may be a part of. He’s been doing improv for many years, while training in high school, USC and now with The Groundlings and Upright Citizen’s Brigade. He also does stand-up all over LA and has been on NBC’s Parks and Recreation a few times. His other interests include baseball, dogs and chillin’. His lifelong dream is to make you have a good time. So help him fulfill his dream and just have a good time already!

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Jessica Green is a Film/TV executive moonlighting as a performer in order to study the unique behaviors of sketch/improv personalities. Known in scientific circles as the “Jane Goodall of Comedy,” Jessica is obsessed with Wonder Woman, people with accents and the color purple. The actual color, not the movie which she thinks is good but not worth being obsessed about. Speaking of black people, unlike her gym-mate Navaris, Jessica IS the kind of person that “name drops” so be sure to be on guard if having a conversation with her about movies, television or Greek theater. A proud Jewess with loose ties to the Mossad, Jessica will wrap her freakishly long legs around anyone who doesn’t laugh when she’s on stage until they die of asphyxiation. Jim Carrey.

Favorite Gym Exercise: Comparing herself to every other girl in the gym.
Favorite Home Exercise: Sex.
Favorite Sports Drink: Birthday Cake Shots.

Links:

IMDB Page

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Dominic Burgess is the secret love child of Cheetara and Lion-O, Lord of the Thundercats. Anyone wondering where his cat like prowess comes from can now sleep soundly at night. Now you’re asking yourself if that were really true, why does he have a British accent? Only one of the previous statements is true. He’s currently waiting for Advanced at Groundlings; he’s also waiting for a bus, for he is a public transport user. If you stole his iPod, he’d first feel shame at what music play lists you’d find on there before he felt anger and an unmitigated taste for revenge. Then he’d tell you that there’s nothing wrong with having that much Celine Dion on one music playing device. Because there isn’t. OK?

Favorite Gym exercise: The drive to yogurtland.
Favorite way to spell favorite: Favourite.
Favorite future movie pitch: Saw meets Sex and the City.

Links:

Official Site
IMDB page

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Cammy Brickell may or may not be an adult and isn’t quite sure if she’s married to a Mexican or not. If you find out the answers to any of the above, please tell her. Other than wandering around aimlessly looking for the next best taco salad, Cammy is waiting for Advanced at The Groundlings Theatre where she has performed numerous times on the main stage as well as random back alleys near Melrose Street.  She is a graduate of Berklee College of Music where she studied voice and songwriting. She has also enjoyed performing musical theatre around the country. You can see Cammy on a daily basis on the 101 freeway going north or south depending on how she feels.

Favorite Gym Exercise: Eating dunkaroos while getting ready to get ready.
Favorite Silverware: Stainless steel
Favorite Type of Electricity: Light Bulb

Links:

Official Site

Videos:

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ON HIATUS FROM THE GYM

Ashley Bell recently starred in The Last Exorcism, for which she was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award. She is a graduate of New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts and a pretty classy lady.

Patty Guggenheim shimmied out west, mid-university, to intern at The Showbiz Show with David Spade. There, she was bit by the bug…the LA comedy bug. We’re talking about an incurable here. Luckily, it’s like the most fun disease to catch ever!! Patty has had the opportunity to work with some of her comedy heroes and now, she is honored to be able to continue that dream-come-true-scenario as she bellies up to the bar bell bench (er, yeah) to work-out with these talented hotties at The Gym. You can catch Patty’s awkward comedy stylings around town at UBC, iO, The Improv from time to time, and the Groundlings, where she awaits Advanced. Patty recently had a blast doing all the female voices for a film that snagged the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance 2011. She’s also dabbled in HBO’s Funny or Die Series. But, besides biz shizz, she frackin luuurves livin’ life, spending time with crazy friends and fam, and beverages with bourbon inside of them.

Favorite Gym Exercise: People watching.
Favorite Word: Biscuit.
Favorite Thing To Do (Of All Time): People watch while also saying the word biscuit and while also at the same time eating a biscuit.

Links:

Official Site
Blog
IMDB Page

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