Barren Mind Improv Cast
Barren Mind Improv is all improvised comedy. They put on free shows, every Thursday at noon, at the MUstage under Taco Bell in the Memorial Union.
Samuel John Lowy - Director
Samuel John Lowy has been a member of ASU Comedy for four semesters now, and is absolutely thrilled to be directing Barren Mind improv. Sam has been on the stage for nearly ten years doing community theatre, high school theatre and some film productions. A sophomore majoring in English Literature, Sam enjoys playing music, freestyle rapping, writing, and beautiful women. Sam is also a news-writing member of the Farce Side Comedy Hour at ASU and a founding member of Marvin's Room at the Torch Theatre in downtown Phoenix
Danny Vega - Asst. Director
Danny Vega has been a member of ASU Comedy for only three semesters now and is looking incredibly forward to assisting Samuel in directing the troupe. He has been doing improv for several years, before ASU with EXiT 185 Improv, and The Torch Theatre. He is a sophomore majoring in Interdisciplinary Studies with the concentrations of film and theater. His hobbies include making phat beats, flowing, and eating really spicy food. Danny is also a proud member of Farce Side Comedy, The Thirteenth Floor, and PITA (like PETA, but the opposite).
Carly Kastner - ASU Comedy Producer
Carly Kastner is (kind of) a senior at ASU as an Interdisciplinary Studies Major with concentrations in Theatre for Youth and Communication. This is Carly’s fifth and final semester with ASU Comedy. Carly also performs with the Farce Side Comedy Hour and The Thirteenth Floor. Her current hobbies include: enjoying Netflix. That’s it. Just hour after pathetic hour of Netflix instant watch. Oh, and Glee! Thanks, Fox network, for finally making a show that I like. For Carly’s Resume, please visit: http://sites.google.com/site/carlykastnersresume/
Michael Margetis
Fresh from his winter sabbatical in a dope cabin in Flagstaff, Michael Margetis has emerged to bring you some of the most righteous sketch comedy this campus hath ever seen. Along with being the performance director of Farce Side Comedy Hour and cast member of Barren Mind Improv, Michael intends on attempting stand-up comedy in the near future. While this is only his second semester involved with ASU Comedy, Michael has been featured in two of last year's ASU Mainstage productions; Camino Real and Anon(ymous) as a sweat shop manager / pedophilic truck driver. He was also seen in last ASU's Prism Theatre production Hamlet [Redux] crawling under people's seats and growling at them. No stranger of intimidating strangers, Michael Margetis has also been sighted screwing with random people around campus including religious protesters, dudes who hang around Einsteins and the occassional custodian. Michael one day hopes to play in the NBA.
Roman Grisby
Roman Erik Grisby is a Communications (BS) major in his fourth of an untold amount of years at ASU. Although this is his first time with ASU Comedy, he has prior theatre experience working with African American Childrens' Theatre of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the Marquette University High School Prep Players as well as the Handsberry-Sands Theatre Company of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. In his spare time, Roman is a writer and performer of hip hop and an avid comic book reader and pro wrestling fan. When it comes to life, Roman has two philosophies: Nut up or Shut Up and eat as much free food as possible...
Richie Tolway
Richie Tolway is 35 years old, and does nothing except for smoke cigarettes. He enjoys…well nothing; his life is only darkness. He partakes in skateboarding around campus with earphones in his ears so that no one will talk to him, looking angry in general, and talking in an ultra-deep gruff voice. He also begins 90% of his sentences with “My name is Richie and… (something about himself).”
Connor McAlpine
Although he's had plenty of practice making shit up this is Connor's virgin semester of Improv comedy. Connor is a sophomore theatre major going for his performance concentration. On average he consumes more than 2 kilograms of pretzels a month. He used to like banana until one fateful day he slipped on a peel and now swears off the yellow fruit altogether. He will eat plantains.
David Robles - Understudy
A shout from the soggy south, David Elias Robles (Print Journalism) was raised in Little Rock, Arkansas and transplanted to sunny Phoenix before his junior year of high school. Realizing how shitty life was in Peoria, AZ, he left his senior year for the cold of Milan, Italy. Finally settled in downtown Phoenix, David speaks three-and-a-half languages fluently: English, Spanish, Italian, and that gibberish language that girls in elementary school speak. A natural born lady-killer, David loves fine cuisine, high-end liquors, and all things out of his price range. When not killing ladies or his liver, David enjoys a wide variety of music, cycling, and toying the idea of playing guitar.
Ben Backhaus-Understudy
Ben Backhaus is a freshman journalism student at ASU. His poop curdles from the euphoric delight of embarking on another semester of comedy with the motley crew that is Barren Mind and Farce Side. He loves making music, writing, movies, and the idea of gardening.
Michael Skarsten-Understudy
Michael Skarsten is currently a freshman studying journalism at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism at ASU. This is Michael's second semester with ASU comedy. He has performed in several theatrical productions and was a member of Rebels Without Applause. Michael also enjoys music making, stylish duds, and furniture. He is also a member of The Thirteenth Floor improv.
