Directors
Nick Armstrong, Camp Director and Founder
Nick's desire to start Camp ImprovUtopia comes from his twin loves of camping and improv. On the camping side, Nick is an Eagle Scout who has been exploring California since childhood. On the improv side, Nick has been teaching and performing improv at the iO West for over 6 years. While at iO West Nick has performed and toured with the legendary Cog and Kind Strangers . You can currently find him performing there with Local 132, God Squad, iO Repertory, The Friday Forty and Kind Strangers. email website
John Abbott - Assistant Camp Director
John performs each week with the Los Angeles long-form improv troupe Trophy Wife. Other improv credits include Cog, Nite Terrors, and coaching Mud Hen and MPG. On the scripted side, he is in the cast of Top Story! Weekly, the iO West’s news-driven sketch show. John has taken improv classes at the iO West, B.A.T.S., and with Shelley Berman.
As assistant camp director, John draws on both his improv background and 10+ years working in university student services--financial aid, registrar's office, admissions, student organizations. email website
Brian O'Connell - Camp Outreach Manager
Brian James O'Connell is an actor, writer, director, filmmaker and improviser in Los Angeles. He is also the Bar Manager for the world-renowned iOWest Theater in Hollywood. Brian is a graduate of the North Carolina School of the Arts and moved to Los Angeles in 2000 to follow his dreams of a career in filmmaking.
Brian has been with the iOWest Theater since March of 2003. With his internationally touring improv duo Billyhawk and iOWest's legendary improv group Dr. God, Brian has performed in festivals in Denver, Phoenix, Toronto, Philadelphia, Austin, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Chapel Hill, NC. Brian can be seen performing at iOWest currently with Dr. God, EXTRA STRENGTH, garguilO’connell, and Tigerpants.
His first feature film as writer/director, KILLER VIEW, will be released theatrically in the Fall of 2010 by Fabrication Films/Grindstone Entertainment. website
Jessica Young - Camp Program Manager
Jessica has attended her share of summer camps, improv fests, and hippie reunions. These experiences have only made her stonger. She improvises in Los Angeles with The Cartel and Kind Strangers each week. Jessica won't say it, but the smart money is betting that she will be your favorite fellow camper at Camp Improv Utopia. website
