“NOT FOR PEOPLE WHO THINK THOMAS KINKADE IS A GREAT ARTIST.”
““Fred was one of the best teachers I’ve ever had (from any field). He was always enthusiastic, engaging, insightful, and entertaining. It was obvious the entire class felt that way too.” ”
WHO AM I?
I am a performer, improviser,
composer, and teacher
I have performed, directed, and coached improv comedy since 2013. I started out in Philadelphia, spent some time in Ithaca NY, and now am settled in Pittsburgh PA. I have performed in improv festivals all around North America. I offer classes independently at the Glitterbox Theater on longform improvisation and Lecoq-based physical theater and clown.
I work as a freelance facilitator, trainer, and team coach, focused on collaborative skills and applied improvisation. I have facilitated team-building workshops for organizations like Comcast, the Wharton School of Business, and the Johnson School of Business at Cornell University.
Recently in Pittsburgh, I composed music for Speed the Musical, an original musical adaptation of the action movie Speed. I also acted in and directed it. It was voted “Best Theatrical Production” by readers of Pittsburgh’s City Paper.
I earned my MFA in Lecoq-based physical theater from the Pig Iron School in Philadelphia, with training in mask, mime, clown, devising, and pedagogy. Before that, for eight years, I was a Latin and Ancient Greek teacher with an undergraduate degree in Classical Philology from Harvard University.
Anonymous Student Testimonials
“Fred is a fabulous teacher. Incredibly knowledgeable, creative, thoughtful and great at giving clear examples to illustrate techniques. Gives helpful and nuanced feedback and clearly enjoys teaching. Really happy to have lucked into him as an instructor.”
“Fred has honestly been such a guiding light into this new world of comedy for me. He made class so enjoyable, comfortable, and just amazing. I would take his classes over and over if I could.”
“Fred did a fantastic job teaching to the many styles in which people learned. His feedback was thorough and thoughtful. He listened and considered questions. I definitely feel like I learned a lot.”
“Fred is a master of teaching improv in many ways. He created an incredibly supportive environment. He has a terrific ability to deliver criticism in a positive way that leaves you feeling really good about how you just did and what you can also do for next time. He clearly has a deep love and passion not only for teaching but also for improv and performing. He shared intriguing insights into developing our understanding between each exercise. As a result of his class, I walked away with not only a better understanding of performance but also a better understanding of myself.”