House Team Program
Fostering the next generation of Pittsburgh improv.
Our House Team program is designed to foster the next generation of improv talent in Pittsburgh.
Join us on Friday nights to witness the brilliance of our house teams. Whether you’re a long-time fan of improv or new to the scene, these teams offer an evening of unpredictable, high-energy comedy that will leave you laughing long after the show ends.
House Team Update
October 29, 2026
A huge congratulations to our 3 new House Teams, which have all premiered on the Arcade stage this past month! If you want to see these talented new teams, as well as the hilarious new short-form and musical teams, don’t miss the upcoming Rough Magic and Hot Spot shows on Friday nights. Keep reading for the full cast lists and show info.
Rough Magic: An Improvised Shakespeare… ish Fantasy
Our newest concept House Team is inspired by the Tempest long-form improv structure first developed by the 2025 Arcade Academy IMPROV 310 class. This show only runs for 6 weeks, so make sure to check out the dates and reserve your tickets before it wraps!
Cast: Aaron Crutchfield, Cassie Pfannenstiel, Dave Sinneway, Hank McAnallen, Jon Hartwell, Karen White, Lily Grbach, Marta Napoleone Mazzoni, Philip Mazzoni, and Sarah Schultz
Coach: Connor McCanlus
Producer and Tech: Will Snavely
Accompanists: Jonathan Drucker and Nathan Zoob
Harold House Teams
Arcade’s new Harold teams started rehearsals in the first week of October and will have a 6-month duration with their final shows in April 2027.
J’acuzzi
Cast: Mary Ann Augustine, Rachel Bachy, Sophie Christensen, Emma Hays, Ryan Nuzzo, Gavin O’Connor, Drew Sieber, Jesse Solomon, and Jen Str
Coach: Raina Deerwater
Apprentice Coach: Jim Kappas
House Team Hot Spot on Friday, October 30
Opening for Irony City on Saturday, November 7th
House Team Hot Spot on Friday, December 4th
House Team Hot Spot on Friday, December 18th
Party Bus
Cast: Aaron Booz, Caleb Breckon, Claire Fenelon, Matty Frances, Rachael Gunning, Danny Herz, Jocelyn Hillen, Talia Paone, and Alex Stypula
Coach: Olivia Hartle
Apprentice Coach: Sydney DuBose
House Team Hot Spot on Friday, October 30
Opening for Imposters! on Friday, November 6th
House Team Hot Spot on Friday, December 4th
House Team Hot Spot on Friday, December 18th
Musical and Short-Form Teams
Finally a shoutout to our awesome musical and short-form teams which have their final House Team shows in November. Check out their show dates below.
Grand Theft Alto
Musical
Cast: Paddy Bresnahan, Danielle Cerrie, Plumm Dunkley, Anna Failla, Victoria Kallsen, Sarah McDavis, Bob Rudenborg, and Tabitha Topham
Coach: Kevin O’Brien
Accompanist: Scott Hughes
House Team Hot Spot on Friday, November 6th
Musical Improv Night on Thursday, November 19th
House Team Hot Spot on Friday, November 20th
Opener set for Co-Workers on Saturday, December 12th
Undercover Peanut Butter
Short-Form
Cast: Alex Bastianini, Elliott Beach, Leandro Bilello, Misty Lynne Cauthen, Erin Green, Arnab Guha Biswas, Val Koester, Sydnei Lewis, Mary Quick, Matt Solter, and Anthony Zabiegalski
Coach: Beth Geatches
House Team Hot Spot on Friday, November 6th
Opener for Co-Workers on Saturday, November 14th
House Team Hot Spot on Friday, November 20th
Laugh Long and Prosper
After a show run full of stargazing and alien invaders, The Bridge Crew of the sci-fi space adventure Laugh Long and Prosper has concluded their time as a House Team. But the space voyage does not end there! You can see them performing at Arcade in their first LLAP show as an indie team on Saturday, November 28th at 8 pm.
About House Teams
Improv comedy has a rich and vibrant history, tracing its roots back to the legendary stages of places like Second City in Chicago and the Upright Citizens Brigade in New York. These pioneering theaters revolutionized comedy by embracing the art of improvisation—creating comedy on the fly, without a script, relying on the performers’ wit and audience’s imagination. House teams at these iconic venues have nurtured countless comedic talents, offering a playground for comedians to hone their craft, take creative risks, and grow as performers.
The purpose of house teams is to create a consistent platform where a group of dedicated performers can develop a unique comedic voice and chemistry, performing regularly to build their skills and connect with audiences. At Arcade Comedy Theater, our house teams are the backbone of our improv programming. They embody the spirit of spontaneity, creativity, and collaboration that makes improv such a magical experience.
Arcade Comedy Theater’s House Team Program is designed to foster the next generation of improv talent in Pittsburgh. Some teams have a concentrated duration of 12 weeks and are coached based on a show concept. Other teams have a longer duration and practice a specific form for several months. House team shows are on Friday nights, usually at 6:30 pm and 8:30 pm. The teams also get performance opportunities in other shows on Arcade’s stages, such as Co-Workers, Under the Radar, and form-specific Thursday night shows like Speedrun and Musical Improv Night.
2026-2027 House Teams
The Bridge Crew
The Bridge Crew is a 12-week, long-form team that performs in Laugh Long and Prosper, an improvised sci-fi adventure show.
Cast: Hillary Niblock, Avery Maycock, Mike Madsen, Ryan Nuzzo, Charlie Kanter, Justin Baumgarten, Lily Grbach, Lisa Baker, Christina Powers, and Andy Fennick.
Coach: Kevin Flinn
Producer: Andy Fennick
Grand Theft Alto
A musical improv team.
Cast: Paddy Bresnahan, Anna Failla, Victoria Kallsen, Danielle Kemick, Sarah McDavis, Plumm Mullins, Bob Rudenborg, and Tabitha Topham.
Coach: Kevin O’Brien
Accompanist: Scott Hughes
Undercover Peanut Butter
A short-form improv team.
Cast: Alex Bastianini, Elliott Beach, Leandro Bilello, Misty Lynne Cauthen, Erin Green, Arnab Guha Biswas, Val Koester, Sydnei Lewis, Mary Quick, Matt Solter, and Anthony Zabiegalski.
Coach: Beth Geatches
J'acuzzi
A long-form team that performs a 3-beat Harold structure.
Cast: Mary Ann Augustine, Rachel Bachy, Sophie Christensen, Emma Hays, Ryan Nuzzo, Gavin O’Connor, Drew Sieber, Jesse Solomon, and Jen Str
Coach: Raina Deerwater
Apprentice Coach: Jim Kappas
Party Bus
A long-form team that performs a 3-beat Harold structure.
Cast: Aaron Booz, Caleb Breckon, Claire Fenelon, Matty Frances, Rachael Gunning, Danny Herz, Jocelyn Hillen, Talia Paone, and Alex Stypula
Coach: Olivia Hartle
Apprentice Coach: Sydney DuBose
Tempest
A 12-week, long-form improv team performing a narrative set with a big shift or tempest midway. This form was first developed by the 2025 Arcade Academy IMPROV 310 class.
Cast: Aaron Crutchfield, Cassie Pfannenstiel, Dave Sinneway, Hank McAnallen, Jon Hartwell, Karen White, Lily Grbach, Marta Napoleone Mazzoni, Philip Mazzoni, and Sarah Schultz
Coach: Connor McCanlus
Producer: Will Snavely
Accompanists: Jonathan Drucker and Nathan Zoob
2025-2026 House Teams
The Allegheny Story Society
An advanced-level, long-form improv team with performances in the House Team Spotlight show.
Danger Stage
An advanced-level, short-form improv team with performances in the House Team Spotlight show.
Horse Divorce
A long-form improv team with performances in the House Team Hot Spot.
Hostile Makeover
A long-form improv team with performances in the House Team Hot Spot.
Ready or Not
A short-form improv team with performances in the House Team Hot Spot.
2024-2025 House Teams
Danger Stage
A short-form improv team with performances in the House Team Hot Spot.
Grave Sugar
A long-form improv team with performances in the House Team Hot Spot.
Most Murderous Cat
A short-form improv team with performances in the House Team Hot Spot.
Scam Likely
A long-form improv team with performances in the House Team Hot Spot.
WORM
A long-form improv team with performances in the House Team Hot Spot.