Person Biography:
Gary, a renowned master improvisational acting coach, has spent the last three decades honing his craft as a performer and teacher. His extensive experience has positively impacted the lives of thousands of individuals, both on and off-screen. Gary's 18-year association with the world-renowned theater educator and author, Viola Spolin, has been instrumental in shaping his work. He co-founded the Spolin Players improv troupe in 1988 and is the only master teacher to have earned an endorsement from both Viola Spolin and her son, Paul Sills, the legendary original director of Second City.
Gary's professional career began at the age of 13, when he started performing as a mime along the Hudson River with notable folk entertainers such as Pete Seegar and Arlo Guthrie. In the 1970s and 1980s, he appeared in various film and television projects, including the Oscar-winning feature film Quest for Fire and 65 episodes of the Emmy-winning TV series Zoobilee Zoo, starring Ben Vereen. As a voice actor, Gary has had the opportunity to work with acclaimed directors such as Robert Redford, Barbra Streisand, Tim Burton, and Kenneth Brannagh.
Today, Gary is a passionate and dynamic improvisational coach and facilitator. He is the founder of Improv Odyssey, an innovative approach to changing the way people work and play, based on Spolin's techniques. Gary has also served on the counsel of the Seattle branch of the Actors Guild SAG-AFTRA and is the founder and Artistic Director of the Valley Center Stage Community Theater in the Seattle area.
Currently residing in Washington state, Gary teaches theater games in the US and around the world. He also teaches acting for animation and writes about Spolin's work.
