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
Chris runs the sketch comedy side of Howdy Stranger, in addition to performing and teaching classes and workshops. He studied comedy at The Upright Citizens Brigade Theater and The Magnet Theater. Chris currently performs stand-up all over New York City and creates audio sketch comedy shows with the NYC-based group, Only Sketches About. He also performed in dozens of improv shows with his college team, “Off Center,” through-which he took 4th place in “The College Improv Tournament” against teams from all over the country.
Kimberley Hellem
Performer
Kimberley started her comedy career in Chicago where she graduated from Second City’s Conservatory Program. Her early days were spent writing for Pottymouth TV and the award-winning sketch group, Adjusted Gratuity. Kimberley is currently in pre-production for We Stand Comedy’s scripted series, “Rehab,” and will be recording for a new animated series in January 2022. You can also watch her award-winning comedy short, “The Chart”, at westandcomedy.com
Mick Murtha
Performer
Mick is an improvisor and comedian who discovered his love of performing when he played a drunk in eigth grade drama club. It killed, and he was hooked. He began improvising in 2010, and has performed and taken workshops up and down the East Coast. In addition to Howdy Stranger, Mick plays with Death By Improv, and writes and performs with Riff-Raff: A Live Movie Riffing Experience. He lives in Central Jersey with his wife, Katelyn, and the cutest, dumbest Cocker Spaniel you’ve ever met.
Jeffrey Mondoro
Performer
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.
Joe DeGise II
Host and Troupe Director
Joe was the director and co-star of the main stage company of Chicago City Limits, New York’s longest-running improv comedy review. He was also a founding member of Unexpected Company, an improv comedy group that held regular runs off-Broadway. He also co-founded, performed with and wrote for the sketch comedy groups, Bitter Harmless People and Rent This Space. TV credits include Nickelodeon and Live! With Regis and Kelly. Joe has been featured at both the Aspen and Toyota Comedy festivals. He’s been heard and seen on several radio and television commercials and he’s played guitar in the acoustic-rock band, The Hillary Step. You can also find him featured in the mockumentary film, Hacks (with Jim Gaffigan). He currently teaches at the New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts and has hosted, performed, and led workshops for countless corporate events. In addition, Joe has developed a series of workshops using improvisational techniques and theater exercises to aid in meditation and spiritual growth, and has been holding sessions at ashrams and retreats from New York to India.
