Eileen McArdle
As the youngest of six children, Eileen was always performing. She received her BA in theater at Loyola University and later graduated from the Second City Conservatory.
Eileen is a professional "Garbologist" and has been working in the recycling industry for 15 years. If you invite her over, ready yourself for dumpster diving and unsolicited recycling tips. She’s Not Sorry.
Marriage, motherhood, and career put improv in the backseat until a nearly empty nest in 2019 afforded her the time to join Westside. As, Julia Cameron, Author of the Artist Way, says, “It is never too late to begin again.”
She is thankful to be part of the Westside family
UPCOMING SHOWS
PERFORMS WITH
Kyle Tasch
Kyle Tasch is an improviser, improv teacher, writer, musician, filmmaker, actor, comedian and oaf from the Chicago suburbs. He began performing music and comedy in middle school. He currently lives in Urbana, Illinois across the street from corn and cows.
Kyle has been improvising since 2004. Kyle began improvising at Westside in 2015 and is an alumni of the Westside Improv Players Workshop. He spent years studying under the brilliant Jeff Ash. He has performed regularly with house team Flexible Boat since 2016.
Kyle is a filmmaker who often makes films and videos for various projects. Kyle has produced, written, acted, and directed his own independent films and web series. Many of the films and videos he has created utilize improv as a technique crossed with storytelling narratives. There are over 100 original comedic films and videos available to watch online today - no good ones unfortunately.
Since Kyle began writing comedy, his comedy sketches have been performed in Chicago and suburban theaters. Kyle is a published poet and photographer. His original humorous lyrics are used with his own original music.
Kyle graduated from Roosevelt University with a degree in Communications. As a freelance media creator, he has made video commercials for several businesses and even two local politicians who won their heavily contested elections.
Kyle is also a longtime musician and also often incorporates comedy into his music. Since fronting a punk band in the 2000's, he has since played music for folk projects, jam bands, comedy bands, and has many original solo recordings available on every major music streaming platform. Since 2005, he has performed music regularly at a wide variety of venues and festivals. Kyle has played live music in locations as far as Edinburgh, Scotland and Indianapolis. His instruments of choice are guitar, vocals, and harmonica. Many music videos and live music recordings are available online to view today.
Kyle holds the world record for longest amount of time spent breathing through a harmonica (this record is not confirmed).
UPCOMING SHOWS
PERFORMS WITH
Jason Parker
Jason began his improv career in Texas in 1997, starting in college and continuing on to perform across venues in Dallas for eight years. In addition to performing regularly during that time he made frequent trips to Chicago to study with iO and Annoyance, taught improv to college and high school students, did some corporate gigs, and even once performed at a prom. After a nine year hiatus from performing, Jason is excited to be getting back into things with Westside.
Jason directs Formal Bonfire.
UPCOMING SHOWS
PERFORMS WITH
Alyssa Barringer
Alyssa Barringer has been doing improv of various kinds since 2001. She is a graduate of i.O. Training Center (formerly ImprovOlympic), and she has studied just enough at the School for Theatre Creators to know how scary clowning is. She has performed with and coached several Wheaton Improv and Open Source Improv teams.
When she’s not performing at Westside, you might find Alyssa teaching Latin and improv at the Greenhouse.
Check out her improv blog.
UPCOMING SHOWS
PERFORMS WITH
Ann Marie Trepkowski
Ann Marie Trepkowski is from Rochester Hills, MI and saw her first improv show at The Planet Ant Theatre in Detroit. The show was so funny she decided she had to do improv too. Twelve years later, Ann Marie has done a lot of improv, sketch and standup comedy. She is a graduate of The Second City Conservatory and has also trained at iO Chicago, The Magnet Theater, People’s Improv Theater, and the Philly Improv Theater.
UPCOMING SHOWS
PERFORMS WITH
Beth Brousil
Considering that being loud and talking in weird voices are two of Beth’s favorite things, it’s surprising that it took her until March 2018 to find Westside and start studying improv. When Beth isn’t spending too much time at the theater, she’s probably working as graphic designer, listening to podcasts (about murder), watching too much Investigation Discovery (about murder), or watching animal gifs (not about murder). Beth knows Grease 2 is the superior Grease and she will dance fight you in a bowling alley to prove it.
UPCOMING SHOWS
PERFORMS WITH
Matt Guglielmi
Matt started doing improv back in 1998 at Fredonia University in Western New York with the comedy group Random Acts. After graduating, Matt with two friends moved to Chicago to try life in the big city. Matt completed the training program at iO and performed on the team Ralphies Rug for two years. He was also on various teams at the Playground theater. He then took time off from improv to help repopulate the Earth. He is excited to return to improv at his new home Westside Improv.
UPCOMING SHOWS
PERFORMS WITH
Lisa Schmela
Lisa is a member of SAG-AFTRA. She worked professionally as an actress in NYC and LA before moving to Chicago. Her career highlights include two years with Shakespeare in the Park, a recurring role as Candice Howard on General Hospital, and guest star spots on ED, Even Stevens, and several national commercials. She has trained with Second City Detroit and performed on the main stage in Blah Blah Sista-Hood. Now she is a sought-after acting coach and guest artist for several Dupage County schools.
UPCOMING SHOWS
PERFORMS WITH
Josh Hepler
Josh Hepler has been performing Improv ever since he stumbled upon it in High School. He is a graduate of the Second City Training Center Conservatory, and formerly performed with Frank Frank at One Group Mind in Chicago. He also teaches Youth Theater Acting and Improv classes.
He enjoys film, attempts to write a novel every November, and has completed several Pokédexes.
Josh directs BOINK!.