Sketchworks+ (Plus)

THE SKETCHES

Content Programming Meeting
by Brad Reason

The Discarded Chicken Wing: Icon of Atlanta
by Amanda Vick

Sketchworks+ (Plus) Plus AI
by Birton Cowden

Video | Are You Smarter Than a TV?
written by Cathy Poley, directed by Tim Millard

These Things Happen
by John D. Babcock III

The Return of Nicky Spirit
by John D. Babcock III

The End of a (Short-Lived) Era
by Tonni Lane

Video | The Borrowers
written by Cathy Poley, directed by Tim Millard

Captain Fling
by Brad Reason

INTERMISSION

Stream Girls
by Shannon Byrd

Pilot Episode
by Monica McFawn

ICE: Borderline Decency
by April Sargent

Video | A Hallmark Moment
written by Cathy Poley, directed by Tim Millard

The Cult That Never Was
by Monica McFawn

Grandma Remembers
by John D. Babcock III

Return of the Breakfast Club
by Tim Millard

JENNY STEARNS

For decades, too many to mention, Jenny Stearns graced the stage as a dancer. In 2013 her passion for performance turned her attention to film and television, giving it a go in the vocal world of performance. In 2018, after many failed attempts at the big screen, Sketchworks scooped her up and brought her back to the stage. Shortly after, Covid closed those stages, but here we are, once again back to the stage.

Jenny made her directorial debut in the Sketchworks show Sketchin 9 to 5, arguably the BEST show of 2023 (keep on mind Jenny wrote this bio.)

And now back to reclaim her title, Jenny brings to the stage Sketchworks+ (Plus), a new show all about streaming (whatever that means.)

BRIAN TROXELL

Brian has been a fan of sketch comedy since he was a little kid and was as excited as a little kid on Christmas morning when he discovered Sketchworks in 2009. He joined as an actor in 2010, directed his first show in 2013, and became an owner-producer in 2015.

Brian is an actor and voice artist in Atlanta, appearing in shows such as Hawkeye and Cobra Kai. He has narrated nearly 200 audiobooks so far and is still cranking them out. He graduated from Georgia Tech with a degree in computer science that he never uses anymore and has completely forgotten everything about. Brian’s personal mantra is “#NeverProduce”.

He is owned by his two cats Winston and Malachi. You can check out everything he’s up to at https://linktr.ee/troxbirds.

CHRISTOPHER GARDNER

An Atlanta-based audio professional, Chris brings over a decade of experience to the realm of audio production. Specializing as an audio producer, recording engineer, mixer, editor, sound designer, and film composer, Chris's journey began at the age of 16 within recording studios, initially as a horn player. His early career saw him collaborating on projects with renowned musicians like Mariah Carey, The Dream, and Ne-Yo, with a notable stint in Los Angeles where he honed his skills. Chris has lent his expertise to reputable clientele such as Nike Basketball, Capstone Pictures, Keywords Studios, Amazon, Titmouse, iHeartRadio, Penguin Random House, and more.

JOHN PHILIP BUISMAN

John has been doing sketch comedy since he was very young. He would invite friends over and pester them into creating a mini sketch show with him on the spot. John pursued Theatre at the University of Georgia, where he acted in plays ranging from Thornton Wilder's Skin of Our Teeth to Sophie Treadwell's Machinal. In addition to his work with Sketchworks, John has participated at the Atlanta Fringe Festival as both actor and director. Since graduating, John has led summer camps for Sketchworks Education.

BIRTON COWDEN

Birton Cowden is an alleged human person. He began doing improv in 2008, and had such success after one show, he retired from comedy. During these dark times, he sold his soul and got a PhD. After the Covid-19 pandemic, there was overwhelming support for Birton to come out of retirement from his fan base (i.e. his wife). In 2023, Birton became a Sketchworks mainstage actor and writer. Birton has also weaseled his way to acting in commercials and other live performances. His star is rising so much that ChatGPT had this to say: As of my last knowledge update in September 2021, I do not have any information on an individual named "Birton Cowden." It's possible that this person gained prominence or became known after my last update, or they might not be widely recognized.

MICHAEL DONELAN

Michael joined Sketchworks in 2018 and made his debut in Moby Sketch. With a face for radio, Michael has also tried his hand at voice-over acting and has appeared on the Harry Strange Radio Drama podcast. He has also recently appeared recently in Merely Players Presents' production of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time.

When not trying to be funny, Michael enjoys playing guitar (poorly), singing in a choir (poorly), exercising (irregularly) and exploring conspiracy theories on Reddit. He is a loving husband to a long-suffering wife and a father to two often mortified teenagers.

BRUCE GIBSON

Bruce Gibson has always had a love for TV, movies, and the stage! He has played improv comedy throughout Atlanta including The Basement Theatre, Relapse Theater, and the Red Door Playhouse in addition to Star Wars Celebration conventions. He has also performed stand-up comedy at Atlanta venues such as The Punchline. Funny is fun! Bruce is well-known in the Star Wars and Star Trek fan communities as a moderator/panelist at fan conventions, such as DragonCon, Star Wars Celebration, and Star Trek Mission. He has been a producer/co-host of various podcasts including The Star Wars Report, Trekfm, and Positively Trek. In his younger days, Bruce studied British theatre at Oxford University and broadcasting at Penn State University. Today, Bruce is married with two daughters, lives in Alpharetta, and is an executive in network television distribution for comedian and entrepreneur, Byron Allen. Can you tell he loves TV, movies and the stage?

CRYSTAL LO

Crystal Lo is an actor, content creator, and business graduate of Georgia State University. She saw her first live sketch show at Sketchworks (SW) and immediately knew she had to get involved!

Along with fellow SW Cogs (Kirsten Krehbiel and Sanna Erica), she is the co-founder of Feminine Odor, a comedy coven producing content about pop culture and the female experience. Her past stage performances include Where the Mountain Meets the Moon and Clybourne Park.

She hopes to die onstage at age 130. (All things Crystal)

MATT METZGER

Matt Metzger is the GM/Producer at Limelight Theater. His previous works include: The Campaign, Halt & Catch Fire, The Walking Dead and Fall in Love With Me (Passionflix.)

He is a producer, writer, actor, famed dungeon master and pro wrestler (Thom Foolery) based in Atlanta. To find out how true all of that is, follow him at matt_metzger812.

TIM MILLARD

Tim Millard is an actor and writer. His journey began after his own mother named him after a 1971 one-hit-wonder song about implied cannibalism. A childhood of watching cartoons, movies, and late-night television — combined with his prior career in journalism — molded and warped Tim’s mind with all sorts of absurd and silly ideas. You now get to see those ideas come to life in the work he does for Sketchworks Comedy!

Tim also acts on stage around Atlanta and on screens worldwide. Follow him on Instagram at @thetimmillard for his latest creative endeavors and for photos of his six-toed cat, Noodle.

CATHY POLEY

Cathy Poley, an award-winning writer/producer and comedian, has written/produced Emmy-winning videos and was once voted Funniest Person in Atlanta. She has been seen in TV series such as Eastbound and Down and Ozark and is proud to be a performer/writer/director with Sketchworks.

Cathy has a keen sense of humor, a dazzling personality, and a VHS tape of the Princess Bride that belongs to her former roommate Brandi. If you see Brandi, tell her to come get her stuff!

KATHLEEN SECONDER

Kathleen is stoked to be working with her talented Sketchworks Teammates once again! You may have seen her in productions at Stage Door Players, Actor’s Express, Atlanta Opera, Onstage Atlanta, Act 3, Gypsy Theater, or Lionheart Theater and Off-Broadway in NYC in The Limousine Ride at the historic McGinn-Cazale Theater among others. She has also performed overseas with the Copenhagen Theater Circle, and Kensington Drama Company in London.

She has appeared in film and television projects in the burgeoning SE production scene and enjoys hiking, travel, music and a host of other fun and varied pursuits when not performing onstage. Thanks for supporting live sketch comedy and here’s to humor!

AMANDA VICK

Amanda Vick’s love of comedy precedes her time as a Sketchworks Comedy writer and actor. It goes back to her childhood, as an eight year old raised on a farm in Alabama, where she wrote comedy and song parodies with her sister. That passion for comedy and the performing arts has taken Amanda to New York City to study acting at William Esper Studio and improv with Upright Citizens Brigade. Amanda previously performed with Sketchworks Comedy in the cast of The Dream Cafe Experience.

JOHN D. BABCOCK III
Head Writer

John's comedy career began when he was a kid. He and his friends would write and perform sketches for neighbors in his backyard. John joined Sketchworks Comedy in January 2017 as a cast member of LAUGHTER REHAB. In addition to writing and performing for Sketchworks, John writes murder mystery plays for Murder, Mystery, and Mayhem at Petite Violette and the Mystery Café of Indianapolis. He also contributed on-air scripts to Turner Classic Movies - having written for the late Robert Osborne, and Ben Mankiewicz. His play INDEPENDENT, about filmmaker John Cassavetes, received its world premiere at Essential Theatre's 2017 Summer Festival. John is a loving and dedicated husband and father who drives a sensible car and has no pets.

SHANNON BYRD

Shannon is a native Atlantan and is super excited to be a part of the Sketchworks family!

With theatre as her first love, writing has long been a passion of hers as well as comedy. She is one half of the Like a Mug Podcast, a podcast that discusses pop culture, and the extraness of life! Shannon is co-founder, choreographer and co-artistic Director of Djoli Kelen, Inc. a non-profit organization dedicated to advancing and highlighting African and African diaspora, Dance, arts and culture.

TONNI LANE

Tonni's performing arts career started when he was cast as Judah Maccabee in his 4th grade Hannukah play, beating out all three other males in the class. His career has been on a downward trajectory ever since, with highlights including being named an alternate for his high school a cappella group and running over Michael Cera's foot with a rolling suitcase (Michael apologized).

Tonni enjoys spending time with his family and binge eating Ruffles.

MONICA MCFAWN

Monica McFawn is a writer, comedian, and artist living in Michigan. Her short story collection, Bright Shards of Someplace Else, won the Flannery O’Connor Award for Short Fiction. Her comedy writing has appeared in The Offing and The Belladonna, and was selected for Second City’s 2019 Mary Scruggs Works by Women Festival.

McFawn is a recipient of a NEA Fellowship in Literature and Walter E. Dakin Fellowship from Sewanee Writers’ Conference. She is an Associate Professor at Northern Michigan University, where she teaches fiction and scriptwriting.

When she isn’t writing, drawing, or teaching, she trains horses, cat, and mice. Her horse can catch a plastic bag in midair and her cat can give a hi-five and dance on command. Jealous?

TIM MILLARD

Tim Millard is an actor and writer whose own mother named him after a 1971 one-hit wonder song about cannibalism. A childhood of watching movies and late-night television, combined with his prior career in journalism, molded and warped Tim’s mind with all sorts of absurd and silly ideas. You now get to see those ideas come to life in the work he does for Sketchworks Comedy!

Follow him on Instagram and Twitter at @thetimmillard for mostly photos of his six-toed cat, Noodle.

CATHY POLEY

Cathy Poley, an award-winning writer/producer and comedian, has written/produced Emmy-winning videos and was once voted Funniest Person in Atlanta. She has been seen in TV series such as Eastbound and Down and Ozark and is proud to be a performer/writer/director with Sketchworks. Cathy has a keen sense of humor, a dazzling personality, and a VHS tape of the Princess Bride that belongs to her former roommate Brandi. If you see Brandi, tell her to come get her stuff!

APRIL SARGENT

Not too long ago, back in the early days of 2022, April's comedic adventure began. As a director of revenue operations for a tech company (is that even a real job?), she craved something beyond the everyday. And, between the pandemic's grip slowly easing and the faint whisper of a midlife crisis on the horizon, she knew she needed a creative outlet.

Beginning as an unassuming scribbler, she plunged headfirst into sketch comedy writing classes. The world of comedy soon captivated her far beyond her initial expectations. It didn't take long for April to recognize that being behind the scenes wouldn't satisfy her newfound appetite – she needed to perform! Though she hadn't formally graced a stage before, April always possessed a touch of theatrical flair, often jesting, "I'm not dramatic, I'm animated!"

Following her sketch comedy acting graduation show earlier this year, April has managed to secure a spot on stage for every subsequent Sketchworks performance. Eager to broaden her sketch comedy horizons, she also assumed the role of Assistant Director for the June show and now harbors ambitions to direct. To her, it feels like a natural fit to think about how her 9-to-5 skills (orchestrating technology, data, and processes) could be applied to directing a sketch show. (We'll wait to see how her directorial aspirations unfold!)

With a knack for finding humor in everyday moments, April is a true comedy enthusiast. Her experience thus far reminds her that comedy isn't just about punchlines or "being funny" – it's about the journey of self-discovery, the joy of connection, and the magic of turning life's quirks into shared laughter.