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Est. 2024

about The Nova Comedy Collective

The Nova Comedy Collective, is a new theater group committed to creating new spaces and shows for the Boston comedy community to flourish.

Rising from the ashes of spaces lost to the pandemic, this new collective of comedians and creators is embracing radical hope, limitless fun, and uncompromising inclusivity.

Comedy is for everyone. Our mission is to create live shows and other adventures in creativity that are unique, daring, and authentic. We promote belonging and community, encourage collaboration and continuous learning, and celebrate imagination, honesty, and risk-taking. At The Nova Comedy Collective, we’re always laughing with you.

The team behind The Nova Comedy Collective has close to a century of combined experience in comedy, performance, and production, and have lended a hand to the success of popular shows such as “Clueprov: a comedy of murders”, “Dungeons and To Be Determined”, Entropy Theatre’s “The Rocky Horror Show”, “The ImprovBoston Family Show”, many iterations of the annual messy masterpiece “GoreFest”, and more. The Nova Comedy Collective plans to burst onto the scene with vigor, innovation, and the know-how to make it all happen.

 

Learn More About Our

SHOWS  |  CLASSES  |  TEAM  |  POLICIES

MEET THE TEAM

 

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Shiyanbade Animashaun

(she/her)

Shiyanbade Animashaun is a creative and tech consultant. She enjoys solving complex problems and influencing people positively. Via ImprovBoston, Catalyst Comedy, the Women in Comedy Festival, and more, she has performed in various corporate training, resident and indie improv casts. Shiyanbade has worked in storytelling / sketch teams, musicals, podcasts, and video productions. She has co-led, directed, produced, and taught various improv casts and workshops. With 10+ years of formal improv training, she believes that care is its greatest lesson.

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Tim Booker

(he/him)


Tim Booker started in comedy at ImprovBoston in 2015, becoming the go-to guy for everything from slinging drinks behind the bar, to managing the chaos as a house manager, and even a theater tech. Whether performing in indie improv and resident casts, coaching and directing improv, acting in musicals, trying stand-up and sketch writing, and finally co-producing, Tim has done it all. He’s excited to lend his comedic and professional experience and is all about spreading joy and making sure everyone has easy access to the world of laughter that brought him so much happiness.

 
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colin closson

(he/him)

 

Colin Closson has a passion for the comedic arts and a proven track record in arts management. He has over a decade of experience in various roles, including most recently the Executive Director for Entropy Theatre. He is a graduate of the Improv Boston Comedy School, where he fell in love with improv and sketch comedy, although these days he’s more likely to be found backstage than onstage. Colin is excited to be able to use his business acumen to support growing arts organizations and help foster a robust Boston comedy community.

 
 
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Marissa Farmer

(she/her)

 

Marissa Farmer boasts a track record spanning over six years as a contributor to the realm of improv comedy. Notably, she served as the driving force behind Comedy Lab, a longstanding showcase that featured up to six comedy acts per week. Additionally, Marissa spearheaded the production of Queer Qomedy Hour, a comedy show that prominently featured and celebrated individuals within the LGBTQIA+ community. Marissa has consistently demonstrated the ability to curate and participate in a spectrum of projects in comedy.

 
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Whitney Hawkins

(she/her)

 

Whitney Hawkins has a robust and successful history with family-friendly improv. She directed and performed in ImprovBoston’s Family Show for 6 seasons. Under her direction, Family Show was consistently one of the theaters’ highest-earning shows. She created and directed ‘ClueProv: A Comedy of Murders’ to two sold-out showcases at ImprovBoston, and a full show at the Rockwell. She created and directed Gorefest XVII: Maul of America. She took each from concept to profitable production, built structured formats to support spontaneity and boundary-pushing comedy.

 

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Sam Hoar

(they/them)

 

Sam Hoar has been performing, directing, and teaching improv for over a decade. They spent several seasons on the ImprovBoston National Touring Company, as well as the Family Show, FaceOff, and Harold Night. They are passionate about spreading the joy of improv beyond the stage and enjoy creating original tabletop role-playing games for people to create their own characters and worlds from the comfort of their homes. They have a reputation in the Boston comedy community for fostering safe spaces and upholds the principle that good comedy is inclusive comedy.

 

 

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Kayleigh Kane

(she/her)

 

Kayleigh Kane is a live artist with over decade of professional experience on the stage and screen, including work with Huntington Theatre Company, Central Square Theatre, American Repertory Theater, and more. She holds a certification from Intimacy Directors & Coordinators, is a founding company member of Entropy Theatre, and has a passion for creating inclusive experimental artspaces. As an improviser, she has performed at comedy festivals across the country, including the Del Close Marathon in New York City, and the Las Vegas Improv Festival.

 
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Tooky Kavanagh

(she/her)

 

Tooky (rhymes with cookie) Kavanagh is a Boston-based stand-up comedian, actor, and pop culture enthusiast whose charm was once described as “ineffable.” In addition to headlining local shows, she’s opened for national acts such as Maria Bamford, Dave Attell, Matteo Lane, and Atsuko Okatsuka, and has even graced the stage of Boston’s historic Wilbur Theater. When not performing on the road, she can be regularly seen at comedy venues all throughout New England. Also, she’s the one who described her own charm as “ineffable,” but it’s still true!

 
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David Thomas

(he/him)

 

David Thomas broke into Boston standup comedy by hosting a weekly show, Stand Up Break In, at The Riot Theater. He has opened for Tim Heidecker, Doug Lussenhop and Brent Weinbach of “Tim and Eric” from Adult Swim, hosted for Rory Scovel, and performed in HBO’s Women In Comedy Festival. Taking inspiration from comedians such as Eugene Mirman, Tig Notaro and Demetri Martin, and performing at theaters and colleges across the US, David approaches standup comedy the same way he thinks you oughta approach everything else: by being yourself.