Holly Mandel Named Founding Faculty of Uptown Improv Academy
Improv educators Holly Mandel and Billy Soco, Founding Faculty of the Uptown Improv Academy at the Uptown Theatre for Creative Arts.
Mandel in a sketch with fellow Groundlings Jennifer Coolidge and Maggie Baird
Improv educator Holly Mandel, a frequent speaker on improvisation who shares insights from her decades of experience studying, performing, and teaching the craft.
Veteran improviser, Pace University professor, and creator of LA’s longest-running long-form improv show helps launch new training hub.
The inaugural Academy weekend will take place April 24–26 in Utica, New York, bringing together dedicated improvisers for immersive workshops, ensemble development, and performance opportunities.
Mandel joins fellow founding faculty member Billy Soco of The Second City and Magnet Theater. Together, the faculty will shape a program focused on strengthening improvisational technique and building a vibrant training hub for improv in Central New York and the Northeast.
Holly Mandel is an internationally respected improv teacher, director, and performer with decades of experience developing improvisers and ensembles. She trained and performed at The Groundlings Theatre & School in its esteemed Main Company, where she later served as a director and senior instructor, guiding performers and contributing to curriculum development.
During her time in Los Angeles, Mandel created and directed “The Crazy Uncle Joe Show,” widely regarded as the longest-running long-form improv show in Los Angeles, and founded The Lowbar, a studio dedicated to exploring and expanding new forms of improvisation.
In New York, Mandel continued building institutions for improv training. In 2001, she founded the first female-founded and operated improv school in New York City, expanding opportunities for performers and encouraging a more inclusive improv community. Mandel also designed the Comedy Studies BFA program at Pace University, where she teaches beginner and advanced improvisation as well as sketch comedy writing, preparing the next generation of comedic performers and creators.
In addition to her teaching and directing work, Mandel is currently writing a forthcoming book on improvisation that introduces foundational self-assessment tools for improv students, enabling performers to better understand their development needs and take a more active role in their artistic growth.
Beyond the stage and classroom, Mandel has also translated the principles of improvisation into the business world. She is the founder of iMERGENCE, a team-focused communication training company that applies improv-based methods to help organizations strengthen collaboration, adaptability, and creative problem-solving. Through iMERGENCE, Mandel has worked with executives, teams, and organizations across industries, including IBM, Pfizer, Apple, Skadden, Google and Walt Disney Studios.
The Uptown Improv Academy will offer intensive training, performance opportunities, and ensemble development, with the long-term goal of establishing Central New York as a major regional hub for improv education and performance.
Liz Coin
iMergence Corporate Improv
hellothere@hollymandel.com
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