Joe Saam - Director

Joe Saam is a professional improviser and instructor who has been involved with the theatre since he was 14. His improvisational career began in 2007 with Concord’s Rumor Has It Improv, where he spent almost 3 years, studying, performing and teaching different styles of improv. Feeling he had the pulse of what the East Bay was looking for, he founded Trapped In A Rumor Improv in 2009. Joe’s approach to improv is that you always have the opportunity to learn more, to grow as a performer. He has implemented this in his teaching and directing. Joe has a vast library of improv books, his favorites being “Truth In Comedy” and “Improvise: Scene From The Inside Out.” Joe is writing his own book, in hopes of offering a new vision on “how to improvise.”

Joe has lived in the East Bay of California all his life. He was married to his longtime girlfriend, Catherine (our house manager), on Halloween morning, 2010 and is in the process of adopting her two children, whom he loves as his own. He would like to thank his family for their continued support, his improvisers for their dedication, and the Town of Danville for giving Trapped In A Rumor a home.

Andy Bardin

Andrew Bardin is a 25 year-old man-child with comedic impulse symptoms: he can't stop having funny times.

Andrew Bardin was born and raised in the Bay Area, where he hopes to live the rest of his life . He was born and college educated in San Francisco, but has spent the majority of his time in the East Bay. He is a 25 year-old elementary educator, who is passionate about facilitating young developing minds. Andrew is a young man who has never given up his own childhood. He has grown into an adult, with adult responsibility, but he cherishes many aspects of his life necessary to maintaining his happiness: comic books, playing games, cuddling, and improv. To Andrew, part of being a child is having imagination, and improv is an exercise in imagination. He relishes each moment he gets to improv. He started dating his sweetheart, Kat, in high school, and they are engaged to marry. He thanks her deeply for being his best friend and love, and he’s glad they shared that bus ride into New York.

Bill Younger

Bill Younger first entered the world of improvisation in an effort to become a better auctioneer. His children‘s elementary school was in need of one for their annual auction. Having been a performing musician most of his life, Bill thought being an auctioneer seemed easy. As his first auction approached, he began to worry about his wit. Being the center of attention, a la public-speaking, was different than being witty with friends. A radio comedian Bill listened to, Adam Carolla, spoke about his extensive education in Improv and how it developed his wit. Bill endeavored to find Improv training, and found a studio 15 minutes from home. It was there that he met our leader - Joe.

Trapped In A Rumor is Bill’s first formal experience with any acting company. His experience with this talented group has made him an effective auctioneer. “If the truth were known, if people understood that Improv serves to enhance our life experience as critically as physical and mental exercise, then there would be as many Improv-shops as there are gyms.”

Improv is not for performers only. It's for you too. Try it!

Jon Cordova

Jon Cordova is new to improv and Trapped in A Rumor is his inaugural Troupe experience. Actually, he wanted to take guitar lessons but that class was filled, so here he is. Jon is looking to move into stand-up comedy and improv is his first experience.

Jon’s prior stage experience had been either getting diplomas for graduation, or early on, receiving merit badges at the Boy Scout’s Court of Honor. Furthering his theatrical prowess, Jon has performed on stage with Innuendo Improv. Jon frequently watches TV and has seen several movies, but has yet to appear on either. Jon once saw Cats on Broadway and has gone to many of his kids’ plays.

When not consumed with Improv, Jon is a serial entrepreneur, that’s a fancy way of saying he works for underfunded technology startups. He uses these skills with the troupe and supports the business affairs, including marketing and community affairs. Jon lives in Danville, has a supportive wife, Janet and three grown (debatable) kids in college. Not quite empty nesters, but close!!!

Kathy Neubecker

Kathy Neubecker started off in the mid-west and was always the goofy kid doing anything for a laugh. In the mid-80s, when she reached her 20s, she thought she would try her hand at standup. Hearing the laughter she was creating made her very happy, but bills made her focus on her career.

During the early 90s, Kathy attended Diablo Valley College to study drama where she felt she had some definite range with character acting. Her schedule became increasingly busy, even more so when she became a mother. She spent much of her time, energy and focus on being a mother. One day in 2009, she saw a posting for improv!

Kathy thought this would be an excellent way to expand on both the areas of comedy and drama. “What a fit,” she thought! Kathy found her home and she loves performing with all her gifted troupe members.

Alice Kwong-Van Dusen

Alice Kwong-Van Dusen has a love affair with all things improv. Her first experience was at the local junior college where she discovered the fun and playfulness of improvisational theatre. She loved it so much, she continued to learn, play and practice with a wide variety of people, places and troupes.

After starting her family, Alice took a break from improvisation. Luckily, the improv bug never left her. In 2009, she began going to improv jams where she was able to play with people who were very kind, supportive and knowledgeable. As a result, she later auditioned and was accepted as a member of Trapped in a Rumor Improv Troupe.

Alice is also a professional actress – you may have seen her in a River Rock Casino commercial, on the Wells Fargo V-Safe internet site, or perhaps just a flash of her derriere as an extra in the TV show “Trauma”. Be sure to look for the blur of her body as a pedestrian in the upcoming TV show “Alcatraz”.

Alice is very grateful and thankful to her family, friends and improv family for all the fun, love and support on this amazing journey.

Eddie Roberts

Prior to joining TIR Eddie Roberts performed with Innuendo Improv, Rumor Has It Improv and Zen Improv. A native Californian, Eddie spent his youth in Southern California, (note the careful phrasing, as not to imply he has or ever will grow up). Eddie has been known to do/say goofy/bizarre things in an attempt to get a laugh and believes it still counts even if he is the only one laughing.

Eddie’s philosophy is that improv is like knowledge, you can never get enough of it.  He has been known to drop in on improv auditions/classes while out of town.

With his “advanced years” he brings a wealth of life experience to Trapped In A Rumor.  He is always ready with a joke or a pun that might be new, or just “new to you.”  Eddie is always happy to see you and is seldom seen without a smile on his face or on the faces of those around him.

Stacey Winn

Stacey Winn has been acting and improvising for as long as she can remember. She loves both scripted and unscripted theater, and is thrilled to be performing with Trapped in a Rumor.  She received her BA in Theater Studies and English from UC Berkeley, and some of her favorite roles include Lucy in You're a Good Man Charlie Brown, Roxie in Chicago, Abigail in The Crucible and Alice in You Can't Take it With You. She has also previously performed with Rumor Has It Improv at Under the Sun Studios and jericho! (sic) Improv at UC Berkeley.

Her favorite improv quote is Del Close's directive to "Play to the height of your intelligence." She attempts to live up to this principle in art and in life, and sometimes she succeeds. She is also an accomplished teaching artist, providing individual and group lessons in theatrical improvisation, audition preparation, language arts and public speaking. In her other life, she is a marketing specialist and independent beauty consultant with Mary Kay. For more information about her teaching and consulting work, please call (510) 779-2386.

Brady Hicks

Brady likes to play.  While studying acting in college, he discovered the art of improvisation.  After studying at the GEM Theatre in Garden Grove, Brady appeared in Los Angeles with the L.A. Connection before moving up to the San Francisco East Bay Area. Here he studied with BATS Improv before performing briefly with Rumor Improv at Under the Sun Studios.

Brady is thrilled to be the newest member of Trapped in a Rumor, and happy to be performing in Danville's Village Theatre.  When not improvising on stage, Brady can be found making noises with computers and playing his Moog Etherwave Theremin.  Brady likes to play.