masterscrop

	Jason Bindas Jason has been with Stevie Ray’s since 1998 as a performer, teacher, and director. A student of several schools of improv, he directs our Showcase Troupe, “The Outtakes,” helping to develop new performers for the stage.
	Zach Coulter
	Tim Dybevik Tim’s stage career began down in Rochester, MN during the mid-1990’s performing with the Rochester Radio Theatre Guild. After a few years in the U.S. Peace Corps, (no joke) he came home to the Twin Cities and tried his hand at stand-up comedy but realized he missed performing with a troupe. Improv was definitely the way to go! Stevie Ray’s is the perfect venue to release the many characters that come from Tim’s abnormal brain!
	Adam Litz
	Chris “Mookie” Harrington Mookie's comedy education began in snowy Upstate New York. He spent six years performing in Rochester with the University of Rochester's "In Between the Lines" (2000 to 2003), and Geva Theatre's "Geva Comedy Improv Troupe" (2003 to 2006). Mookie joined Stevie Ray's in the fall of 2006 after getting married and moving to Minnesota. His professional life varies between working as a Marketing Business Analyst and hosting, "Indeed Wrestling Weekly," a popular and internationally successful pro-wrestling podcast.
	Manfred Haeusler (Honorary Troupe Member ) Fred began his associate with Stevie in 1977 while they attended Minnesota State University - Moorhead. They formed a comedy duo that gained fame and led to their expulsion. Fred has performed as an improvisational comedian, actor, and father. He is funny, no matter what his mother says. He drops by the cabaret every now and then to show the young’uns how improv is really supposed to be done. We are happy every time he does.
	David Kappelhoff
	Michael Erickson - Music Director Michael has been writing/directing and playing for theatrical productions for way too long. After growing up in the Twin Cities, he got confused and headed to California to work for Disney and Nickelodeon, and also served as Artistic Director of the San Diego Junior Theatre. In his other life, he worked for Fox Sports in Los Angeles and ended up working for two seasons as a baseball play-by-play announcer in the Milwaukee Brewers organization. He hosted a daily radio talk show and a morning comedy show in Wisconsin, before moving to New York as a Director for the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music in 2001. He now lives in Edina where he mostly plays whiffle ball with his son, Quincy.
	Kevin Pearson Kevin moved to the Twin Cities 15 years ago from Milwaukee and never went back (he doesn't know that the Statute of Limitations has expired). He started working with Stevie Ray's Improv Company in 1991, becoming one of our highest standing troupe members, performing at our cabaret as well as when the troupe was featured at the Chanhassen Dinner Theatres from 1994-1995. After an almost 10-year hiaitus he has come back to improv. Kevin tried traditional theatre, but "It was too hard to memorize stuff."

	Brett Williams The cast member most closely resembling Benicio Del Toro, Brett started training at Stevie ray’s in October of 2000 and rose to troupe membership very quickly. His stage energy has been used to power small townships and the Xcel company is considering a franchise option. Brett is also the creator and star of the hit trivia game show, "MatchWits with Brett Williams."
	Peter Butler Peter spent his formative teen years studying televisions great comedic actors: Boss Hogg, Gopher and Tattoo. Hoping to overcome the resulting social and intellectual impairment, he enrolled at the Brave New Institute in 2004. Joining Stevie Ray’s troupe marks Peter’s mainstreaming into society. When not improvising, he enjoys therapeutic baking and curbside recycling. Peter is proud to be a high school graduate and AAA member. He is a life-long St. Paul resident and hopes he can find his way home after each show.
	Luciano Patino Originally from the Dominican Republic, Luciano gave up his straw skirt and coconuts for more sophisticated drag back in the late 90s. After a long and, ultimately, unsuccessful bout with SAD, he realized that the drugs weren't working and decided to try a different approach. He joined Stevie Rays in 2005 after reading the wrong ad in the back of the City Pages. He loves playing characters in the vein of our greatest fictional heroes ( i.e., Jack McFarland, Agador). He is prone to Tonks-ian appearance changes and considers himself the personification of Scarlatti's Sonata K.141.
	Samantha Pereira As a result of years of hard work, dedication, and other women leaving the troupe, Samantha enjoys the self-proclaimed Alpha Female status as a Stevie Ray’s performer. An aspiring cynic, Samantha is trying to believe that no good deed goes unpunished, people are truly only looking out for themselves, and that love is just a load of crap...but has yet to be successful in this endeavor. To date, the closest she’s gotten is some pretty good resignation, but even that doesn’t last for long.
	Cristi Rumpza Cristi is a 5’2 Leo who enjoys long walks on the beach... oh wait wrong ad. A student of Stevie Ray’s for just seven months, Cristi is one of the newest members of the troupe. She comes to Stevie Ray’s with experience in theater, improv, dance, film theory, and disc jockey. Her hobbies include experimenting with embarrassment and filling awkward silences.
	Peter Ruohoniemi Peter Ruohoniemi has been doing improv for nearly six years. He started with the teen troupe at the Brave New Institute, and has since realized that improv is the perfect way for him to be naturally creepy and get away with it. Occasionally, he even receives applause and laughter. Less frequently, he gets digits from the ladies. Don't let his boyish charm and Ferris Bueller/Keanu Reaves-esque face fool you, though; Peter spends his days being super masculine and refinishing/installing hardwood floors. Peter can also be seen performing at Six Ring Circus. He obviously loves Stevie Ray's with a passion few could begin to understand.
	Tom Reed Tom began performing at a young age- in his living room dancing to Michael Jackson- and at age six writing and starring in “The Lone Ranger Meets Sleeping Beauty” a collaboration that resulted after Tom and the other first grader in theatre class couldn’t agree on one fictional world to bring to life for an audience of three. Since then Tom has taken to the stage in musicals, competitive forensics, satirical storytelling, choir, slam poetry, a dash each of opera and stand up, and straight shows including a production of the Vagina Monologues (for real). After graduating from college in 2004, Tom moved to Minneapolis and completed the Brave New Institute’s Performance Track. He can be seen performing regularly at Six Ring Circus, Improv-a-go-go and other improv shows in the area, Poetry Slams, and in the background of the occasional TV commercial.
	Maureen Tubbs Prom queen, honor student, all-state track star... they all went to high school with Maureen. “It’s all about who you know,” claims Maureen. Using her connections and a six-year plan, Maureen earned a coveted bachelor’s degree in liberal arts from the University of Iowa. And, in less than several years, she climbed the corporate ladder from temp to perm. She joined Stevie Ray’s in 2005. Improv has given her confidence as she has found that after all these years there’s finally a good reason for people to laugh at her. Grateful for her day job, she enjoys being the marketing director for Minneapolis/St. Paul’s leading business newspaper.
	Mary K. Wright Mary K. has most of a Master’s degree in theater. Consequently, she also has an Associate’s degree in computer programming and works as a software trainer. She specializes in characters whose names begin with ‘A’ (Annie, Alma, Agnes, Agatha). Mary K. began studying improv with Stevie Ray’s in January of 2006 because her best friend from high school was adopting a child from Russia (it’s a long story). She loves community theater musicals, excellent bargains, and wireless Internet.