Instructors
Annie Kouris and Levin O'Connor
Levin O'Connor fell into his improv career in Chicago in 2002, studying and performing at both iO Chicago (formerly ImprovOlympic) and The Second City training centers. He performed weekly as an original cast member of the iO team Rattlesnake High School. In 2006 he packed his bags and moved out to Los Angeles to pursue film and television work, and has continued to perform improv regularly at iO West. Levin has been fortunate to learn from some of the great mind in this craft and he works hard to pass that along to his students. Improv is more than a fun performance outlet for Levin, it is a life philosophy and one he is eager to share with the world. Levin teaches a variety of classes at both iO West and MI’s Westside Comedy Theater, he won the 2005 Del Close Award for Coach of the Year and is a proud member of USS Rock N Roll, The iO Repertory Company and Now? with Annie and Levin.
Annie Kouris has been performing improv since 1997 and has been a part of many long and short forms. Annie trained with iO West and over the years a strong philosophy of team over individual and performing in the now emerged. With this idea in place, Annie began coaching which eventually turned into teaching and in 2010 won the “Del” Coach of the Year award. She currently teaches at AMDA, MI’s Westside Comedy Theater and at iO West where she also runs the student performance program, The Lottery. Annie is proud to perform with the Del Close awarded "Best Harold Team", USS Rock N Roll as well as in the MI's Westside Comedy Theater house team NOW? w/Annie &Levin. Annie is also a working commercial actor and has appeared in several national and local spots. But mostly she gets totally jazzed-off about improv, and yes, that is how she talks about it!
