The Team
Howdy Stranger is...
Ryan Huban
Founder, Instructor & Performer
Ryan founded Howdy Stranger, through which he performs improv, produces sketch comedy, and emcees events and open mics. The team has won several improv competitions over the years, including the The Arena, Summer Improv League, and the NYC Tournament of Improvisers. Ryan facilitates improv and team-building workshops for schools, businesses, and festivals, and he has collaborated with the NJ and PA State Thespian Societies to restructure how high school students learn and approach improv. He serves as a judge at the state-wide improv competitions for STANJ and the NJ Thespian Festival. Ryan is also a faculty member at ATC Studios in Clifton, NJ, where he developed and runs the tiered improv curriculum. He studied comedy at The Upright Citizens Brigade Theater, The Magnet Theater, and Armando Diaz Studios. Ryan has appeared on stage as a stand-up comic and performed in countless improv shows over the years, with “Out of Order” at Dover Little Theater, “Flea Flurkus” and “Unwritten History” at The Magnet, and “Fury” at The PIT.
Dreena Moran
Vice President, Instructor & Performer
Dreena is a voice actor, improvisor, and singer/songwriter based in New Jersey. She received her comedy training at The Peoples Improv Theater, as well as The Upright Citizens Brigade Theater in NYC and cut her teeth as a house team member on The PIT stages in NYC. She has been a member of Howdy Stranger for five years and currently teaches improv workshops and classes. Her original music is available on iTunes and all streaming services.
Josh Hurley
Instructor & Performer
Josh originally hails from Idaho and earned a B.S. in Acting/Directing from Idaho State University. In 2004, he co-created his hometown troupe, The Comedy Project. After moving to New York in 2008, he studied and performed at The PIT and The Upright Citizens Brigade Theater. He has played with many improv and sketch groups, including Desperado, TurtleDove Impruv, ComedySportz, Denied From New York, The National Comedy Theatre, and the comedy duo, The Chris & Paul Show, as seen on NBC’s “Bring the Funny.” Josh is also a narrator and performer in over 130 audiobooks.
Chris Fitzgerald
Instructor & Performer
In addition to being a featured improviser, Chris manages the sketch comedy division of Howdy Stranger. He teaches sketch writing classes and facilitates improv workshops. He currently performs stand-up all over New York City and creates sketch comedy shows with the NYC-based group, "Only Sketches About." At Stevens Institute of Technology, Chris was a featured member of “Off Center,” performing regularly in sketch comedy and improv shows to packed houses. He placed fourth in “The College Improv Tournament” against teams from all over the country. Chris studied comedy at The Upright Citizens Brigade Theater and The Brooklyn Comedy Collective.
JJ Lynn
Performer
JJ is part of a team that won an Academy Award®. JJ played Quidditch in college and appears in the credits of over ten feature films. He was told by a hairdresser that he has “an unusual amount of hair.”
Mallory Kinney
Performer
You may recognize this face from buses and billboards all over NJ. Mallory taught specialized workshops at Yale University and recently checked “Go to Alaska and see the northern lights” off her bucket list.
Mike Brown
Host
Mike’s first improv job? Crowd work for the Philadelphia Phillies. He teaches and performs around the world, on cruise ships, and even created his own improv television show. Mike met his wife in improv class!
Jeffrey Mondoro
Host
Jeff is a Teaching Artist for CO/LAB Theater Group (theater programs for individuals with developmental disabilities) and directs a sketch comedy team called “Road Pizza” at the People’s Improv Theater in New York. He holds a BA in Finance with minors in Economics and Spanish from The College of New Jersey and has trained in sketch and improv at the People’s Improv Theater and Upright Citizens Brigade.
