Steve Benelli is a native of New Orleans but has been living in Lafayette since 1998 when he became a founding member of UL-Lafayette based improv troupe, Cult of the Stage Monkey – Lafayette. He has been doing improv ever since, also appearing in a few other theatrical productions over that span. Steve is not a real pirate, but he plays one on the weekends as a member of a pirate band, The Whiskey Bay Rovers.
Sarah Mikayla Brown has followed her obsessions with theatre and improv into the wacky life of a Talented Theatre teacher and performer. She is an ensemble member of Acting Up (in Acadiana) and artistic director of Silverbacks Improv Theatre. Brown is mildly “Cajun Famous” for her work with fellow theatre artist Lian Cheramie on projects such as “Cajun Face.” She is a graduate from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and the improvisation program at the Annoyance Theatre in Chicago. She lived what seems like a whole other life in Chicago at one time, and will happily discuss it with you at any opportunity.
Aren Chaisson III is from Lafayette, LA and teaches Talented Theatre in Iberia Parish. Since moving back from New York City in May 2011, he has performed in many productions, including John Proctor in The Crucible, Huey P. Long in The Kingfish, Dale Pittman in The North Plan, Harry “Jazzbo” Haywood in It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play, Lenny in Of Mice and Men, Foreman in Twelve Angry Men, Cliff in Cabaret, Officer Lockstock in Urinetown and William Shakespeare in William and Judith. In the summer of 2018 he was in his first CCT production as Jud in Oklahoma! Since graduating from University of Louisiana at Lafayette with a BFA in Performing Arts, he has performed in NYC, Chicago, Syracuse, Alabama, Indiana, on regional and national tours, and in short films and commercials. He studied improv with Armando Diaz at the Magnet Theatre in NYC and performs with Silverbacks Improv Theatre in Lafayette.
Elaine Kibodeaux Paramore has been acting for 25 years and improvising for 21. She is a founding member and the current Artistic Director of Silverbacks Improv Theatre, a Cult of the Stage Monkey (UL-Lafayette) Alumna (’01-’08), Co-Director of Your Spooky Friends (an Improvised Horror Troupe), and has studied and performed improv in Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas, Washington, D.C., and Chicago. Elaine began teaching Improv Fundamentals for Beginners in 2009 and has since added Improv Acting Techniques for Dancers and Movement for the Actor to her instruction repertoire. She is a belly dancer with Habibi Hips and Bal Amira, celebrating 15 at Oasis Bellydance Studio, where she leads “BellyFit” classes. She regularly uses her improv and acting experience to enhance her stage presence when dancing. She can also be found on your favorite podcast app, alongside her creative partner, Mads Manuel, on Storybroke: Miserably Ever After.
Mads Manuel has been improvising since 2007, when they join UL’s Cult of the Stage Monkey. They grew with the organization and served as Director, training several successful classes of new improvisers while also working to continue the development of intermediate and advanced performers. In 2012, they began performing with the professional group that would eventually become Silverbacks Improv Theatre. In addition to their Improv experience, Mads appeared regularly in local community theatre productions and is proud to have cobbled together their anxiety into a convincing human personality.
Monique R. Morton is a native of Shreveport, Louisiana and graduated from Southern University in Baton Rouge in 2006. She Studied improvisation at The Second City Hollywood Training Center and entered the conservatory program. Monique moved to the Lafayette area after completing an M.F.A in writing for TV, Film, and Theatre at California State University Los Angeles in 2013. She joined the Silverbacks in July 2014. Monique is a screenwriter, actor, director, and filmmaker. She loves to create and perform in all entertainment mediums.
Andrew Lee has been studying music since 1988, the same year he moved to Lafayette. Under the tutelage of a myriad of teachers from a very young age through his college years, he has honed his craft, and performed instrumentally in the AYSO, several musical pit orchestras, and numerous choral productions, as well as produced music for ULSVGA’s video games. His activities with improv theatre began in 2003, when he joined the Cult of the Stage Monkey – Lafayette at ULL, and has been contributing music on and off for a decade. He also produces music under the moniker alittlepeace.