Cast-and-Crew-toronto-mainstage

Liz Johnston (she/her) is an award winning improviser, actor, and producer. She is so happy to be joining the Second City Mainstage company! Liz has been a repertory member of the Bad Dog Theatre Company and the co-creator of the hit show, and Canadian Comedy Award nominated Entrances & Exits. She has also worked collaboratively to bring other hit shows to the stage including Roses & Thorns (Bad Dog Theatre), The Ministry of Mundane Mysteries (Outside The March), Hookup (Bad Dog Theatre). On TV, you can catch her as a series regular on Nickelodeon’s Star Falls, or CMT’s Almost Genius, as well as on Murdoch Mysteries, CBC Comedy, and several commercials for snack food and eggs.

IG: @lizjohnston12

Paloma Nuñez is an award-winning Canadian-American actor who has been performing across North America for the past 15 years. Recent theatre credits include: the Canadian Comedy award-winning She The People (Second City), The MAD Show (Theater Aspen), The Wonder Pageant, winner of a Dora Award (Coal Mine Theatre). Paloma has directed with Second City for a couple of years, starting with the Bob Curry Fellowship and the Second City Education Program. Her most recent directorial work was the Mainstage show, Welcome Back to the Future, in 2021. If you are up for an adventure, Paloma and her partner, Kevin Whalen (Second City Alum) wrote a panto being performed in Port Hope, at the Capitol Theatre, called Sleeping Beauty, running until Christmas 2022. Follow her on Twitter @palomanuñez and on instagram @thepalomanunez.

TIYAWNDA (Ensemble) (She/Her) is a Toronto based writer and performer whose main focuses include playwriting; creative nonfiction; and performing sketch, stand-up, improv, and musical comedy. Tia is excited to join Second City’s Mainstage, after being at part of Second City’s Tourco, and being one of the 2019 Bob Curry Fellows.

CHRISTIAN SMITH (Ensemble) (He/Him) is an Actor, Writer, Director and Improviser from Toronto. Co-Creator of the CBC Digital Comedy; Soul Decision Comedy and writer for new television series Made for TV. He is one half of YouTube darlings Christian & Nat and was co-founder of popular channel Pulp Comedy alongside notable Second City alumni. Christian is also apart of award winning sketch comedy troupe Soul Decision whose performed all around North America and Europe including JFL, JFL42, Zoofest and more! Catch him on screen in the new series Abroad, or on Run The Burbs, Workin‘ Moms or You’re My Hero. Christian is also a Dad. He saved it for last because it’s the coolest and best things he’s ever done.

SCOTT YAMAMURA (Ensemble) (He/Him) has been performing on comedy stages for over 2 decades. His screen performance credits include Transplant, Orphan Black: Echoes, and Deep Six. He has also performed in various Second City ensembles including Tourco, The Education Company, as Mainstage Understudy and now as a Mainstage cast member. Despite all of this, Scott still can’t dunk a basketball and at this point everyone agrees, it’s highly unlikely. 

TIM BLAIR (Ensemble) (He/Him) is a comedian and founding member of the acclaimed comedy troupe, TallBoyz II Men. Together with Bruce McCulloch from Kids In The Hall, they created the multiple Canadian Screen Award-winning sketch show, TallBoyz. A seasoned live performer, Tim excels in stand-up, sketch, and improv. He’s an alumnus of Second City’s House Co. and has showcased his talent at festivals like Just for Laughs Toronto and the NBC Breakout Festival in Chicago.

ELISE WATTMAN (Music Director) (She/Her) is a grammy nominated composer and pianist who specializes in audio design for visual media. As Audio Lead for Jackbox Games, Elise created the music & sound for Let Me Finish, TimeJinx, Junktopia and Weapons Drawn. Elise has toured internationally on keyboards and her favourite venue is Preservation Hall in New Orleans. Elise served as Music Director for Second City Chicago e.t.c’s 44th revue, “She the People” San Diego, “Deck the Hallmark” Chicago, “America It’s Complicated” at the Kennedy Center, DC. For her work accompanying modern dance performance, Elise designed a patented digital module for live scoring. Follow her @soupysounds for kayaking and hockey fun.

MATT KEEVINS (Stage Manager + Lighting Designer) (He/Him) is a stage manager, who specializes in improv and sketch comedy. Select credits include The weight of it all (Toronto Fringe), An evening with Devon and Jackie (Toronto Fringe), Something Small, Something Sweet (Hamilton Fringe), Come Here Often? (Buddies in Bad Times). He’s worked as a theatre tech at Comedy Bar, in The Second City Training Center and has understudied Mainstage and Tourco. He’s often shocked that he has made a whole career out of pushing buttons with great comedic timing!

Etan Muskat is an alumni of the Second City Mainstage. He began his improv journey in Montreal, where he wrote and directed the acclaimed webseries The Bitter End with his troupe of the same name. Etan was an essential director and cast-member at Bad Dog Theatre, where he also served as Interim Artistic Director. Acting credits include The Expanse, Designated Survivor, and the pilot episode of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. Etan is an accomplished screenwriter for live action, animation and gaming, and winner of the prestigious Screencraft Screenwriting Fellowship. A veteran teacher, Etan has trained students in all styles of Improv, as well as sketch comedy, acting, hosting and screenwriting. He currently serves as the Artistic Director of the Second City Toronto.