CBS Diversity Sketch Comedy Showcase Sets Its 2019 Cast

Denise Petski

CBS has announced the 21 participants for the 2019 CBS Diversity Sketch Comedy Showcase. The performers will be seen in six shows beginning January 15 at the El Portal Theatre in Los Angeles.

The CBS Diversity Sketch Comedy Showcase is attended by executives, showrunners and casting directors from CBS and other networks as well as talent agents and managers from across the entertainment industry. Participants of the 2018 showcase have landed roles on Criminal Minds, NCIS, NCIS: Los Angeles, Life in Pieces, Hawaii 5-0, American Vandal, Charmed and Jane the Virgin, among others.

Stephen Guarino (I’m Dying Up Here) will return to direct the 2019 showcase with Sheila Carrasco (Jane the Virgin) serving as head writer, Tess Paras (Crazy Ex-Girlfriend) serving as assistant director and 11 former showcase alumni making up the showcase’s first writers’ room.

Here are the 2019 participants, along with where they’re from, where they’ve trained and/or credits, and rep info (if provided).

Alex Ellis, Charlotte, N.C.
Education: BFA in musical theater from Elon University
Training: Upright Citizens Brigade (Los Angeles), The Groundlings, Allen Savage, Stan Kirsch Studios
Television credits: Vampirina, Hot in Cleveland
Film credit: Moose
Broadway credits: Catch Me If You Can, On A Clear Day

Andy Bustillos, Queens, N.Y.
Training: Upright Citizens Brigade (New York)
Television credits: Bull, Divorce, Girls
Film credits: Carrie Pilby, Most Likely To Murder
Rep Info: Buchwald, JHA Management

Anna Rajo, Los Angeles
Education: BA, English, Tulane University
Training: Upright Citizens Brigade (Los Angeles)
Sketch comedy credits: If College Movies Were Honest (sketch, College Humor), You’re Not Edgy, You’re Just Lazy (sketch, College Humor) and Oh Boy, Free Crap! (sketch, College Humor).

Carolina Montenegro, Los Angeles
Education: BA, theater arts performance, CSU Long Beach
Training: Upright Citizens Brigade (Los Angeles), The Idiot Workshop
Film credit: Fred Needs a Friend
Stage credits: Untitled Communion (stage, Critical Mass Performance Group, REDCAT) and An Odyssey (stage, Hollywood Fringe Festival 2018).
Rep Info: British American Talent Management, LB Talent (Commercial)

Chris Renfro, Riverside, Calif.
Education: BA, drama, University of California, Irvine
Training: Upright Citizens Brigade (Los Angeles), The Groundlings
Sketch comedy credit: Maude Night (Upright Citizens Brigade LA house team).
Off Broadway credit: My Little Brony
Rep Info: JC Robbins (Management), Reign Agency (Commercial)

Dan Lee, North Potomac, Md.
Education: BS, finance, University of Maryland, College Park
Training: Upright Citizens Brigade (New York)
Film credit: Rough Night
Rep Info: Authentic Talent and Literary Management

DJ Pryor, Richmond, Va.
Training: Kim Hardin workshop and Chris Berube’s improv class
Film credits: Country Strong, The Konichiwa Kid and Message Read
Commercial credits: Allstate and Jack Daniels.
Web series credit: The DJ Pryor Show (web series via Facebook).
Rep Info: Dan Talent Group

Emily Fightmaster, Cincinnati, Ohio
Education: BA, women and gender studies, DePaul University
Training: Second City (Chicago)
Stage credits: Gaslight District (stage, Second City Chicago) and New Kids on the Gracht (stage, Boom Chicago, Amsterdam)
Rep Info: 3Arts

Filip Jeremic, Toronto, Canada
Education: BFA, theater performance/acting, Ryerson University, Toronto
Training: Upright Citizens Brigade (New York), The Second City (Toronto)
Television credits: The Amazing Gayl Pile, Cooks vs. Cons
Sketch comedy credits: Maude Night (Upright Citizens Brigade NYC house team) and Characters Welcome (Upright Citizens Brigade NYC house team).
Rep Info: Bleecker Street Entertainment

Fray Forde, Atlanta, Ga.
Television credits: Dynasty, Legacies, Messiah, The Florida Files and Rory Scovel Tries Stand-Up For The First Time
Film credit: Daphne & Velma
Festival credit: Just For Laughs 2017
Rep Info: People Store (GA)

Katy Fullan, Chicago, Ill.
Training: iO (Chicago), The Artistic Home (Chicago)
Short credits: Company (Short, New Orleans Film Festival) and She Keeps Me Young (Short)
Sketch credit: My Truth As I Know It

Lou Gonzalez, Bronx, N.Y.
Education: BA, mass communications, Lehman College
Training: Upright Citizens Brigade (New York),
Television credits: Channel Surfing, (Series, Viceland) and Cop Show (Series, L Studio).

Marc-Sully Saint-Fleur, Miami, Fla.
Education: American Musical and Dramatic Academy, N.Y.
Training: Upright Citizens Brigade (Los Angeles), The Groundlings, Ivana Chubbuck Studio
Stageplay credits: Fat Camp the Musical, Les Miserables, Hair, Guys and Dolls
Standup credit: The Comedy Store

Mike Millan, Bay Shore, N.Y.
Education: BFA, musical theater, The Hartt School
Training: Upright Citizens Brigade (New York)
Television credit: High Maintenance (series, HBO).
Broadway credit: Escape To Margaritaville and Sister Act (National Tour).

Nikki Mckenzie, San Francisco, Calif.
Education: BA, theater arts, Loyola Marymount University
Training: The Groundlings, Upright Citizens Brigade (Los Angeles), Annie Grindlay (Los Angeles), Stan Kirsch (Los Angeles), Sara Mornell (Los Angeles).
Television credits: The Joe Schmo Show, Fameless, Forever, House of Lies, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia
Rep Info: JC Robbins Management and Prestige Talent

Rashawn Nadine Scott, Tacoma, Wash.
Education: BA, theater arts, Western Washington University
Training: iO Theater (Chicago), The Second City (Chicago)
Television credits: Shrink, Empire, Southside
Film credit: Win It All
Rep Info: Gray Talent Group

Rasheda S. Crockett, Long Island, N.Y.
Education: BBA, finance, Temple University
Training: The Upright Citizens Brigade (New York)
Television credits: Talk Show the Game Show (staff writer, series, truTV), Adam Ruins Everything (staff writer, series, truTV) and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (series, Netflix).
Sketch comedy credit: The People’s Improv Theatre’s sketch comedy team BoogieManja
Rep Info: WME and Seven Summits Pictures & Management

Shukri R. Abdi, Potomac, Md.
Education: BA, Latin-American studies and Spanish, Wellesley College
Training: Upright Citizens Brigade (Los Angeles), iO West
Television credit: Adam Ruins Everything (truTV/CollegeHumor, digital), Gerrymander Jewelry (digital), Tight 5 (writer/performer, WhoHaha) and Black Card Revoked (Head of Content/Supervising Producer, BET).
Sketch comedy credit: Maude Night (Upright Citizens Brigade LA house team).
Stage credit: Baby Wants Candy

Tien Tran, Erie, Pa.
Education: BS in biology, pre-med, Boston College
Training: The Second City (Chicago), Mainstage
Television credits: Hot Date (series, Netflix), Easy (series, Netflix), Southside (series, Comedy Central) and A Legendary Christmas (special, NBC).
Web series credits: Control Room (web series, Comedy Central) and Studio B (web series).
Rep Info: Mosaic, CAA, Grossman & Jack

Waleed Mansour, Dexter, Mich.
Education: BA, mathematics, University of Michigan
Training: iO Theater (Chicago)
Web series credit: And The Findings
Rep Info: Odenkirk Provissiero Entertainment, Grossman & Jack Talent

Yasmin Kassim, Perth, Western Australia
Education: BA, arts, University of Western Australia
Training: Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute (NYC), The Groundlings
Television credit: Neighbours (AUS series, Ch 10).
Film credits: Jungle and Guardians of the Tomb
Rep Info: Open Bar Entertainment, Active Artists Management

 

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