Let’s meet the teachers, shall we?
Rocket Improv instructors have decades of experience performing and teaching improvisation.
We have studied with many Improv Masters, but the bulk of our expertise comes from our time on the boards performing hundreds of improv shows in front of live audiences!
We are also now offering process-based electives with incredible instructors who are experts in their respective fields!
Here are some of the fantastic teaching artists we work with…
The photographer’s cat is not amused.
Lulu French
Director/Head Instructor
Lulu French first took improv classes at Gotham City Improv over two and a half decades ago and has been improvising ever since. In addition to being a graduate of GCI, she has also studied improv under Amy Poehler, Matt Walsh, and Matt Besser — original members of the Upright Citizens Brigade, Armando Diaz — founder of the Magnet Theater, various Second City alumni such as Todd Stashwick (Star Trek: Picard), and improv masters Michael Gellman, Dave Razowsky, and Aretha Sills. She has appeared in numerous improv performances in NYC improv theaters such as Gotham City Improv, the Magnet Theater, the People’s Improv Theater, Improvolution, and Upright Citizens Brigade.
She currently performs with Vivid Stage’s improv troupe the Flip Side in Summit, NJ, Montclair Improv Comedy in Montclair, NJ, and Improvolution in NYC.
She was seen in the JCPenney viral campaign, "Return to the Doghouse," did extra work on Late Night with Conan O’Brien, and wrote and performed in video segments called the "Mommy Minute" for the parenting website, Parent Society. She co-starred in a video short for MTV.com with Pete Davidson, and can be seen playing opposite Rachel Dratch in a video short for Everytown for Gun Safety. Corporate industrial credits include performing for companies such as Pfizer, Cephalon, Johnson & Johnson, and Merck.
Lulu has been an improv instructor since 2000 and has had the privilege to teach for organizations such as Gotham City Improv, The Queens Theater in the Park, Arts Horizons, The Theater Project, IN Studios, Vivid Stage, and Improvolution in addition to teaching corporate improv workshops for companies such as Pfizer, Novartis, Johnson & Johnson, Ferrer Rocher, Google, and L’Oréal.
Lulu first started out as a musical theater performer. In her youth she danced with the Appalachian Ballet Company, received voice scholarships while a Music Major at The University of Tennessee and eventually graduated from the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York City. She has numerous stock and regional theater credits performing in musicals such as Into the Woods, Tomfoolery, and Nunsense, and the national tours of My Fair Lady and She Loves Me.
She currently lives in Maplewood, NJ with her husband and two boys ages 20 and 10.
Lulu Performs Regularly:
the Flip Side
Vivd Stage, Summit, NJ
Faculty Shows
Improvolution, NYC, NY
Montclair Improv Comedy
Montclair Film, Montclair, NJ
Irene Carroll
Improv Instructor •Improv Camp Manager
Irene is an Actor, Improviser, Writer, Director, Producer and Teacher. She honed her teaching skills as the Artistic Director of Gotham City Improv and as a master instructor for ANDTheatre Company. She is an active performer and producer in NYC performing regularly at places like The People's Improv Theatre, The Creek & The Cave, Q.E.D. & Shetler's Studio Theatre 54. Irene loves teaching and has worked with kids of all ages from kindergarten through college. She learned a long time ago to give our youth the benefit of the doubt. They always live up to and exceed what you expect, and can do more then you ever knew. irenecarrollimprov.com
Irene Performs Regularly:
The Internet Disagrees
The Tank, NYC
Turron Kofi Alleyne
Improv Camp Counselor
Award-Nominated Actor, Turron Kofi Alleyne, has worked with some of Hollywood’s most esteemed A-List directors, producers, and actors such as: Spike Lee, Jonathan Nolan, Mark Wahlberg, Zoe Saldana, Michael B. Jordan, Lawrence Fishburne, and others. He’s been featured in Independent Films that have premiered at various prestigious Film Festivals which include: Sundance, Tribeca, ABFF, LA Film Festival, Vails Film Festival and more.
He’s currently featured as a Recurring Guest Star in the new ABC hit series “FOR LIFE” as Officer Calvin Newcombe.
Mr. Alleyne is also a Writer, Director and Producer for the screen as well as the stage. He is married with three beautiful children and he honors, thanks, and dedicates his life, ministries, and career to Jesus Christ.
Kofi Performs Regularly:
As Officer Calvin Newcombe in “For Life”
ABC
Watch acting reel. (It’s real good, y’all!)
Dreena Moran
Improv Instructor
Dreena Moran is a voice actor, improvisor, and singer/songwriter based in New Jersey. She received her comedy training at The Peoples Improv Theater, as well as The Upright Citizens Brigade Theater and cut her teeth performing weekly as a house team member on The PIT stages in NYC. She has been performing both short and long form improv comedy in Hackensack, NJ with professional improv team, Howdy Stranger, since 2016.
Dreena has been teaching improv comedy to students of all ages since 2018. She instructed "Intro to Improv" at ATC Studios in Clifton, NJ and created the elective "Comedy on the Spot" for middle schoolers at SAR Academy in the Bronx, NY. With Howdy Stranger, Dreena also teaches specialized improv workshops to high school students and judges the annual New Jersey and Pennsylvania Thespian Festivals and STANJ (Speech and Theater Association of New Jersey) competitions. She also teaches workshops annually at the NJ and PA Thespian Festivals for both beginner and intermediate improvisors. In recent years, Dreena has led corporate workshops for companies such as GE, helping them incorporate an improv mindset in the professional world.
As a voice actor, Dreena uses her improv skills on a day-to-day basis, creating animated and video game characters and giving life to commercial copy. You can also find her original music on iTunes and all streaming services under the name "Dreena."
Dreena Performs Regularly:
Howdy Stranger
Hackensack, NJ
Latifa Elivia Hinds
Improv Camp Counselor
Latifa Elivia Hinds started her love affair with improv in college when she joined the Improv Technicians, the Rutgers-NJIT improv troupe. After two years she became president of her troupe. During the pandemic she was able to keep her troupe afloat with conducting online meetings and rehearsals. These zoom meetings gave her the idea to start teaching acting and improv online to children aged 7-11. The online improv program was intended to help kids who didn’t have their extracurriculars due to the pandemic, and it helped to foster Elivia’s fondness for teaching, seeing the magic kids could create. Once out of college Elivia started teaching performing arts at Lincoln Park Middle School grades 5-8. In addition to being the school’s primary performing arts instructor and show director, Elivia started a drama club in which she helped students write a play based on their ideas. She also facilitated improv games for the students. Recently she has been accepted into the NY WinterFest for her short play and hopes to continue teaching, writing, and doing all the things she loves.
Sarah Paige
Improv Instructor
Sarah Paige has a degree in Education, taught 6th grade in Austin and was a volunteer teacher with the United States Peace Corps. Upon moving to New York City she studied at Upright Citizen's Brigade, American Academy of Dramatic Arts as well as with Alan Arkin and Bob Krakower.
Sarah has combined her loves of teaching and acting to work as an audition coach and improv teacher for kids and adults since 2011. She has been a guest teacher at NYU Stonestreet Studios, TVI Actors Studio, Esther's Follies Comedy Troupe Teen Program and Performers Theater Workshop. Sarah also created a program called Story Players, a combination of theater games and storytelling skills that travels to New Jersey schools. Her writing has been produced as short films, a web series and essays have been published in the Austin American Statesman and Newsweek.
She lives in West Orange with her husband and two sons. Sarah's favorite thing about teaching improv is its unique ability to combine teamwork, social emotional skills, empathy, learning and downright silliness.
Sandy Fenelus
Improv Instructor
Sandy Fenelus has been teaching improv for about 8 years, from teaching as a summer theater camp director to teaching as a high school teacher. She received her bachelor's degree in Theater & Comedy and deems herself a “certified comedian”. She has worked with The Theater Project's production of Crowns as "Yolanda". LiveIn Theater as "Trixipop" in their flash mob film project. The Bullet Theater Collaborative's Godspell as a disciple. Vivid Stage’s The Electric Baby as "Rozie". Edison Valley Playhouse's Nunsense II: The Second Coming as "Sister Robert Ann".
When she is not on the stage or teaching, you’ll find her drawing on her iPad or having dance parties with her toddler and husband.
Scotty Watson
Improv Instructor
Scotty has been working in Improv for over 30 years. He taught at The Second City NYC and was Head of NYC Faculty for ANDtheatre’s improv program. He worked closely with Gary Austin, the founder of The Groundlings Theatre in LA. Scotty has been a senior faculty member and/or director for many of New York's finest theatres and schools dedicated to the art of improv.
Off-Broadway Scotty was seen as a disembodied head in the Off-Broadway musical Walmartopia! He is an alumnus of The Second City Canadian National Touring Company and served as an alternate for, “Bebe,” in Cirque du Soleil's Mystere.
On television Scotty appeared in a series of commercials for the NYC TV market and has dressed up as David Crosby, a human heart, and Carmen Miranda. Scotty has done feature films with Ed Asner, Eric Stoltz, and Gerard Depardieu.
His favorite food is carrots.
Scotty Performs Regularly:
Rocket Improv Touring Company (NJ)
ANDtheatre Company (NYC)
The Magnet Theatre (NYC)
UCB Theatre (NYC)
Social Capital Theatre (Toronto)
Logan Square Improv (Chicago)
Clash On Clarke Improv (Chicago)
Dave Maulbeck
Improv Instructor
Dave Maulbeck is a performer, artist, and teaching artist based in Maplewood, NJ. He specializes in Improv, Acting, Storytelling, and home-brewed animation.
Mr. Maulbeck has a substantial teaching background. Most recently he taught film making for teens at Arts Garage in Montclair, NJ. Before that he was the arts and crafts instructor at the Summit Area YMCA. He also taught for the Leadership Program in NYC where he worked with "at risk" youths teaching violence prevention and leadership & life skills development through art, as well as a wide variety of subjects including acting, improv, cartooning, and mural painting. For several years he served as acting and improv teacher for both Dreamcatcher Repertory Theatre Company and American Ballet Academy’s summer youth program. Dave has also taught improv and acting to grown-ups at the Magnet Theater in New York City.
As a professional actor Dave Maulbeck is a member of the Screen Actors Guild and has starred in several national commercials for companies such as Friendly’s, truTV, Burger King, Snapple, AT&T and many more. His film credits include the evil Dr. Wily in Megaman and the main character in the independent television pilot Dracula Goes to Camp. His comedic work includes performing sketch and improv at The Upright Citizens Brigade Theater, The People’s Improv Theater, Magnet Theater, Gotham City Improv and many many more. Dave is a company member and the director of improv at Dreamcatcher Rep where his stage production of Expecting Isabel was rated in the top ten productions of 2006 by The Star-Ledger. In 2007 Dave co-founded Chicken Scoop Productions where he executive produced several spec pilots, music videos, and web series. More recently he has been developing animation projects with BEHIND the BAG! Productions, Austin Basis' company.
Abby Sher
Improv Instructor
I’ve written and performed at The Second City, The Upright Citizen's Brigade, HBO, Nick Jr., and NPR. I’ve also written six books: Miss You Love You Hate You Bye (which was optioned for television), All the Ways the World Can End, Breaking Free: True Stories of Girls Who Escaped Modern Slavery, Amen, Amen, Amen: Memoir of a Girl Who Couldn't Stop Praying, Kissing Snowflakes, Sanctuary, and the upcoming Solis, which I was honored to co-write with the phenomenal activist, Paola Mendoza.
My essays have appeared in The New York Times, The New Yorker, The Washington Post, The Los Angeles Times, Self, Jane, Elle, and one was adapted for the television series, Modern Love.
I’ve also been the voice for several cartoons and I co-host the Chucklepatch Comedy Show in New Jersey.
Jason Scott Quinn
Improv Instructor
Jason Scott Quinn is an actor, improviser, instructor, and professional speaker who has been improvising since 2001. He received his improv training at The Upright Citizen Brigade Theater, Magnet Theater, and The Peoples Improv Theater. Improv credits include: The Documentary at UCB, ComedySportz NC & NYC, Meanwhile…, Improvised Lifetime Movie, Impro-vention, Pumpkin, The Living Room, MISTER DIPLOMAT, as well as numerous house teams & musical house teams at DSI, Magnet, The Armory and The PIT. Jason is an AEA/SAG-AFTRA actor, who has performed at theaters in NY, NC, NJ, FL, VA, and OH and on-camera in TV, Film, web series, and commercials including an appearance on One Tree Hill.
As a professional speaker, facilitator, and coach, he has made over 130 college campus appearances. He has taught Communication Studies & Theatre at many colleges and has taught improv for ComedySportz NYC & NC, DSI, The PIT, and Bucks County Community College. In the corporate space, Jason has provided Applied Improv training for many companies including Prudential, Morgan Stanley, and Janssen Pharmaceutical. He holds a BA in Theatre Arts from the University of South Florida, an MA in Communication Studies and an MFA in Acting from The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, and is a graduate of The Circle in the Square Theatre School. In his spare time, Jason feeds his obsession with Professional Wrestling, watches Tampa Bay sports, and hangs out at home in Hillsborough, NJ with his amazing wife, Emily, his hilarious daughter, Zoe, and his poorly behaved Siberian Husky, Sonya.
