Performer
Casem Abulughod
Casem AbuLughod loves to create bold, unique characters and never gives less than one hundred percent in any game. His generous spirit on and off stage make him one our most beloved cast members. Usually bearded, often vested, always huggable, this experienced improviser and teacher of hundreds of Monkey Business students has a name that rhymes with awesome and he is nothing less than that.
Sarah Bousman
Sarah is a dog mom, and a mom mom. She runs marathons, and she recycles and composts aggressively. Sarah is skillful and unflappable, both on stage and off. Expect boundless enthusiasm and commitment to the teamwork side of the improv craft: she’s always attentive to her fellow players, and appreciates and supports what they bring to the table. And that makes for the most fun, connected kind of improv there is.
Sean Cairns
Sean bears the distinction of being fearlessly willing to do anything on stage. No really––no suggestion is too outrageous, as long as the scene needs it. He’s a committed, energetic player in hot pursuit of drawing out his “inner weird.” Expect grand choices, lots of physicality, and original characters with deep psychologies. Among other notable extra-curriculars, Sean is an advocate for non-Euclidean geometry and has built a stereo out of a suitcase.
Leo Costello
Leo Costello’s winning improv recipe: a little deadpan, a lot witty, and just a dash of absurd. Leo has been improvising with MBI since 2025, with previous training at UW Oshkosh and Backlot Comedy House (Oshkosh). During the day, he’s a multimedia producer at a nonprofit; in his off time, he’s a film enthusiast, vintage lover, and a gifted photographer. He is also a wizard at platformer video games.
James DeBano
James DeBano isn’t just an improviser: He’s also a software engineer and licensed pilot who remains cool under pressure — so it’s no wonder he’s a whiz at fast-moving improv games like ABC and What Are You Doing. James started improv with MBI in 2023, and hasn’t been able to quit us since. Count on James for improv that’s polished, grounded, and just a bit silly. Favorite MBI Show: The Grown-Up Show
Al Hart
Al “Young At” Hart, our resident master of puns and rhymes, is an experienced actor and improviser, skilled bartender and blackjack dealer, dog lover and avid collector of nerd-tastic toys and celebrity autographs. Al delights in playing character-driven improv games like Switch Interview and Advice Panel.
Michael Hartwell
No onstage detail goes unnoticed by Michael Hartwell, whose precise, impish brand of improv surprises both audiences and fellow performers (ask us how we know). Michael has been improvising since 2013, and has studied at Upright Citizens Brigade (NYC), The Annoyance, and Baltimore Improv Group, where he also served as the education director. Michael is from Upstate New York and is still basking in the NBA Championship victory of his beloved New York Knicks. Favorite MBI show: The Merge
Brett Hermanson
Brett Hermanson will woo you with his instantly loveable stage presence, big gorgeous singing voice, enviable sweater collection, and totally endearing improv style. Brett is a warm, welcoming host and a committed, supportive player who rules in musical games like Foreign Opera or Point-N-Sing.
Peggy Hurley
Peggy is our Den-Mother-with-a-bawdy-streak. She is deft and skillful on stage, always pushing at the boundaries of comedic form for herself and her stage partners, and very frequently introduces the element of surprise in a scene. Peggy is inspired by other women in comedy, especially when they actively support other women's voices on the comedy stage. In short, Peggy is a huge (self-proclaimed) ham, with an even huge-er heart of gold.
Brandon Jensen
Brandon Jensen is a sharp improviser and charismatic host with a wonderfully weird sense of humor who not only performs onstage in our shows, but also serves as our accompanist for musical improv. A disturbingly proficient multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, songwriter, self-engineered recording artist, and cat dad (tone it down, Brandon), Brandon brings sneaky hilarity and refreshing immediacy to the mix.
Craig Johnson
Craig Johnson is an aficionado of film, literature, music, and theatre whose improv style is full of joy and wit. He’s developed a theory about the archetypes of improvisers that you should ask him about some time. He excels at games that play with genre and character and is just as comfortable taking the lead in a scene as providing a delightfully unexpected supporting role.
Shauna Jungdahl
Shauna Jungdahl is a spitfire, bringing big characters and bigger energy to every improv show she’s in. What else you can expect from Shauna onstage and off: infectious laughter, a keen passion for comedy, and a delightfully unhinged sense of humor. In addition to her work with MBI, Shauna also hosts Story-Prov (a longform improv show inspired by storytelling) and writes and performs sketch comedy with Lucid Dreaming. She lives with her landlords (cats), Squeaky and Peep. Favorite MBI game: What Are You Doing?
Heather Klinke
A Heather Klinke improv scene is the perfect balance of emotionally touching and truly, madly, deeply zany. She does a killer Scottish accent and can recite every line from the movie Heathers (no relation). Heather studied improv at ComedySportz (St. Louis), Second City Conservatory (Los Angeles), Upright Citizens Brigade (Los Angeles), and Nerdist (Los Angeles) before moving to Madison. By day, she is an actor (credits: Whoopensocker, Strange Studies of Strange Stories podcast). By night, she is also an actor. Favorite MBI game: Switch Interview
Brad Knight
Brad Knight is the co-founder of Monkey Business Institute. A brilliant and passionate improviser, Brad has taught hundreds of improv classes to thousands of students and always brings an open mind and sharp sense of storytelling to the stage. A talented singer, actor, impersonator of all D&D monsters, lover of snow, Santa, and Wisconsin winters, Brad excels at improv guessing games as well as our more advanced brain- bending games such as Adjacent Spaces and ABC.
Anthony Novich Leonard
Anthony Novich Leonard fell in love with MBI thanks to its community; we fell in love with Anthony thanks to his silly, absurd humor and offbeat physicality. Anthony cut his improv teeth at Comedy Sportz in Milwaukee back in 2011, and he’s also studied with LA Connection and Nest Theatre (Columbus, OH). Oh, and by the way: Anthony’s an Actor-with-a-capital-A who’s performed with Children’s Theater of Madison and Forward Theater Company, not to mention various sketch shows around Madison. Favorite MBI show: Anything musical
Adam Loux
Adam Loux plays piano, has the voice of an angel, and shines in musical improv games like Songs from a Hat. A world traveler, Lego expert, native Iowan, video gamer, and all-around delightful human being, Adam is an observant and supportive player who brings unexpected characters and bright energy to every scene. He looks great in purple.
Kelly Maxwell
Kelly is a writer/actor/graphic artist with Madison theatre collective Are We Delicious?, a writer/director of two Broom Street Theater productions- “Held: A Musical Fantasy” and “Playscapes”, and a singer with Madison band The Fauxtons.
Could You Be Our Next Member?
Would you like to be the next Monkey Business star? If you’ve taken our classes (or are taking them), have improv experience in another city or organization, or simply dream of becoming a professional improv performer—email us at info@monkeybusinessinstitute.com
Maximillian Olmsted
Maximillian Olmsted might just be a real-life Disney prince, with a joyful air that makes you want to burst into song or befriend a squirrel. Max’s signature improv is built on curiosity, playfulness, and 100% positive and supportive energy. He can also make an origami crane really fast, though that hasn’t come into play in any of his improv shows (yet!!!!!!). Max is a professional video editor who’s made a home in Madison with his wife, daughter, and two dogs. Favorite MBI Show: The Grown-Up Show
Tara Ptasnik
Tara Ptasnik is a brilliant, brave improviser whose amazing brain works a million miles a minute. A teacher, devourer of podcasts and books, spreadsheet-maker, master of wordplay, walkin' talkin' encyclopedia of presidential and other facts, Tara is a force onstage. When Tara is playing, expect silliness and greatness.
Doug Reed
Doug Reed is an accomplished playwright whose limitless imagination and knack for storytelling make a killer combination in scene games like Replay or Movie Synopsis. An avid road tripper, visitor of presidential gravesites, ukulele strummer, Beatles lover, novelist, and creator of theater, this blue-eyed crooner is always up for an improv adventure.
Sheila Robertson
Sheila Robertson may be the actual sun in human form; we can't confirm or deny. An experienced improviser who plays hard, loves to dance and sing, never stops teaching, learning, and helping others grow, she radiates energy and is up for anything as long as it's ridiculously fun.
Sarah Rogers
Hailing from Central Illinois, Sarah discovered she was lactose intolerant in 2007, right after she moved to live among you Cheeseheads. She arrived to comedy late, but is otherwise notably punctual. You can rely on Sarah to tell you if have something in your teeth.
Andrew Rohn
Andrew Rohn is our beloved music man, bringing creativity, inspiration, and skill to his role as musical improv accompanist. A prolific composer of beautiful songs for musical theatre and beyond (he wrote and performed the Monkey Business theme song we play at the beginning of our shows!), Andrew loves nature, massages, uninhibited dancing, disco, animals, vintage fashion, cooking delicious food, and singalongs with friends.
Jess Schuknecht
Jess Schuknecht takes good care of the people in his life, both onstage and off. One of our most experienced players, Jess possesses a deep knowledge of graphic novels, comics, movie trivia, and improv games. He's a strong storyteller, instinctual "yes, and- er", and an extremely supportive scene partner who improvises with his whole heart and mind, approaching every warm-up and game with unrelenting laser focus.
Ben Seidensticker
Ben is a patient and thoughtful improviser. He has relentlessly risen through the ranks of our group through sheer moxie and persistent belief in his abilities. His philosophical approach creates sudden breakthroughs and moments of magic and mayhem. Catch him on other stages around town or directing his sketch group Lucid Dreaming in one of their brilliant productions.
Jason Stephens
Jason Stephens is a consummate voice actor and impressionist (ask him for his Morgan Freeman). His trivia knowledge of video games, music, and pop culture is hard to top. He has the weird skill of being able to name a movie off of one still frame. This whole Monkey Business Institute was Jason’s idea, as he asked Brad to co-found it with him. Jason’s improv is smart and giving. You may see him committing to a background character harder than anyone. He excels at challenging games like Naive Replay and Guess What.
Vanessa Tortolano
Vanessa Tortolano is a fearless performer of stand-up comedy and improv with a big heart and big hair. An accomplished singer, songwriter, and guitarist, creator of the most delicious craft kombucha on the planet, mother of sons, and lover of herbs, oils, and vegetables, when Vanessa is playing you can expect bold choices and loud voices.
Marc Turnes
Marc Turnes is a Monkey Business Institute DJ. Lover of clever wordplay, superheroes, games, and all things nerdy, Marc's positive personality shines through in his work as a DJ. He is the host of the improv podcast "It Came From the Headlines", and is a prolific internet comic artist who holds a degree in history and enjoys scolding politicians.