Meet the people bringing you the 2018 Pittsburgh Comedy Festival!
- All
- Programming
- Marketing
- Operations
- Production
Aaron TarnowExecutive and Technical DirectorAaron has been working on the technical side of the Pittsburgh comedy scene (and other local theatre) for over a decade. He is the technical director of the Arcade Comedy Theater and the unseen third wheel of the Justin and Jerome Experience, and was the technical director of Uncumber Theatrics's Serpentine and Her Things. Favorite local comedy work includes lighting and technical direction for the Death Show and Grammelot, and he's been lucky to have worked throughout his career with great theatres throughout Pittsburgh, including Quantum Theatre, City Theatre, Pittsburgh Festival Opera, and many others. He currently serves as the Vice President of Comedy Arts Pittsburgh and has been Pittsburgh Comedy Festival's technical director since its inaugural year in 2014.
Greg GillottiProgramming and Improv DirectorGreg has been improvising since 2006. He has taught at Steel City Improv Theater, and continues to coach and direct. He has been involved with PCF since its inception and lived in Pittsburgh since his conception. Greg can't wait to see what great troupes will be in PCF 2018!
Day BraceyStand-Up DirectorDay is a producer and stand-up comedian, and one-half of the craft beer-fueled Drinking Partners Podcast. When he’s not on stage, in the studio, or at a local brewery, he is producing shows featuring some of Pittsburgh’s best comics and musicians.
Brian GrayEducation DirectorBrian Gray is President of the Comedy Arts Pittsburgh Board of Directors. An improviser since 2002, Brian has coordinated workshops in Pittsburgh for performers such as Kevin McDonald and Katie Rich, and is excited to be focusing on education again for PCF 2018.
Derek MintoStand-Up Competition DirectorDerek Minto is stand-up comedian, storyteller and writer currently residing in historic Mt. Washington. He was voted by Pittsburgh City Paper as 2016 best local comic. Derek has been a featured comic for the WDVE comedy festival, Burning Bridges comedy festival and won best of fest at Chicago's Stubfest 2017. Derek has opened for Hannibal Buress, Dan St. Germaine, John Heffon, Jim Brewer and Amy Schumer once drunkenly told him he was very funny. He has won several Moth storyslams and been part of two moth grandslams. Derek Minto is the host of Hambone’s comedy open stage as well as the stand up rumble. Derek is also the head-writer for Secondhand Sketch, voted 2016 City Paper's best sketch group.
Nilesh ShahProgramming ConsultantNilesh Shah began improvising in 2004 and is a graduate of the Second City-Detroit Conservatory program and writing program. At the Second City training center, Nilesh co-wrote the sketch shows Monday is a Four Letter Word and Massages From The Surgeon General, in which he also performed. He also performed in Joke Jams: NOW That's What I Call Writing 5!, and was a member of the Detroit improv troupe Vegan Meat Locker . Since moving to Pittsburgh, Nilesh has been a member of the long running group Irony City, and has performed a one man improv act called The Nilesh Show. He performs regularly with Irony City, The Writers' Room, and Ground Rule Double. Nilesh served as the programming director for PCF in 2016 and 2017.
Amanda AverellMarketing DirectorAmanda is a stand up comedian, improviser, producer, and writer. In addition to performing, she's House Manager and Intern Manager at Arcade Comedy Theater. She also really likes naps.
Allie BrownSocial Media Marketing ManagerAllie has been improvising since 2015 and has fallen in love with the art form as well as the community. She is an improviser and a producer at Steel City Improv Theater. She is also currently the assistant artistic director at Steel City Improv Theater. Oh yeah, she is very enthusiastic about sunny days.
Megan KleinWeb Marketing Manager
Brandon BittnerDesign LeadBrandon is a designer and illustrator who has been working in the Pittsburgh tech scene since 2005. Currently a UX designer at AllVision, he spends the better part of his days trying to figure out the simplest and most elegant way to shoot lasers at things. When he's not siring his two offspring in the evenings he can often be found breaking his knuckles within the twisted bowels of one of his project cars. Sometimes he plays guitar.- Jonathan MarekGraphic Designer
Nick StamatakisTreasurerNick is a musician who moonlights as a business analyst during the day. In the Pittsburgh performing arts scene, Nick has played with numerous musical improv teams at theaters across the city, and has worked as a music director and accompanist for high schools, colleges, community theaters and professional theaters in the region.
Nicole HavranekVolunteer CoordinatorNicole is a sketch writer, improviser, and born and raised Pittsburgher. Nicole has produced, directed, acted in and written for many sketch shows produced at Arcade Comedy Theater including 66Canada, Boys with Hats, Persons of Disinterest and Feelings: A Magical Time Traveling Love Story. She also performs regularly at Arcade’s Bonus Stage with her house team Mini Dungeon.
Mary StewartHospitality CoordinatorMary has volunteered with PCF in some capacity since the beginning and is so happy to be back! The festival brings together all her favorite things: comedy, parties, complicated timelines, and lots of little details to plan. Mary works as a Project Manager IRL and loves to take things and splice and dice them into all the little steps and decisions that make an event/project/video/show/house renovation into a reality. Mary has been improvising since 2014 and is always making something up (like this bio), working with a wonderful group of folks to build something, or on occasion sleeping.
Josie NortonSponsorship CoordinatorJosie is a Pittsburgh native with several years of experience in event organization and an unhealthy passion for spreadsheets. You can catch her being a food weirdo on her podcast, 'Food Weirdos', at Unplanned Comedy Warehouse. She also performs improv with her house team, Mini Dungeon, and occasionally writes sketches about sandwiches at Arcade Comedy Theatre.
Tony LiconWebmasterWhat a tangled web we weave...
Kevin O’BrienAssistant Technical DirectorReturning to the PCF staff for a fourth year, Assistant Stage Manager Kevin O'Brien brings a wealth of experience. Before moving to Pittsburgh in 2013, Kevin studied music and worked in concert logistics at James Madison University and the University of Tennessee. While pursuing his Ph.D. in music at the University of Pittsburgh, Kevin fell in love with the Pittsburgh comedy scene. He performs with his long-form improv teams The Ted City Yodelers and Arcade Comedy Theater house team Kill Screen; co-produces the monthly improvised musical "Your Life: The Musical;" plays guitar in his musical improv duo "Miniature Table Concerts;" writes and performs sketches with his group "2Stoopid: A One Man Show;" and coaches Arcade Comedy Theater's musical short-form house team: The High Scores. When he is not on the stage, he's often working behind it as a stage manager for Arcade Comedy Theater.
Anna FaillaAssistant Stage ManagerAnna has been on and off the stage for over 15 years, finding a home in comedy just 7 years ago with her debut in the No Parking Players. Presently, Anna stage manages at Arcade Comedy Theater, run's Slow Jam--Pittsburgh's monthly afternoon Improv Jam, and coaches improv teams. In her spare time you can find Anna covered in plaster or paint as an interior designer who likes to get hands-on with the renovation process.
Drake MaHouse ManagerDrake Ma is a playwright, lyricist, director, producer, and performer based in Pittsburgh. Born and raised in northwestern China, Drake is a proud member of Musical Theatre Artists of Pittsburgh (MTAP) and a 2017 New York Musical Festival Songwriting Workshop lyricist. Between writing musicals and working on different projects, you will most likely catch Drake making theater happen as the Creative Marketing Director of Front Porch Theatricals, and doing improv and sketch comedy at Arcade Comedy Theater in downtown Pittsburgh, where he also works as a House Manager. This is Drake’s first time working at PCF. Many thanks to Aaron Tarnow for this incredible opportunity, and the rest of the staff team for their tremendous love, support, and friendship. @thedrakema
Nia JohnsonHouse ManagerHometown weirdo Nia Johnson is an improviser performing with The Collective, Change Machine and Jeffrey the Plant She’s also a regular cast member of both Playlist and the Smallest Show in Town. This is her second year volunteering with the Pittsburgh Comedy Festival. Look for her if you have any good Dad jokes.
