MAD LIBrarians

Margarita Archilla first performed improv at her high school in Colorado Springs, in the group, “Theatrical Garbage.”  She loved it so much, she thought she’d skip performing improv altogether in college, resuming her journey in 2005 with the now-veteran improv troupe, the RiP.  With the RiP, Margarita has performed improv in festivals and shows in Denver, Boston, Omaha, Kansas City, San Francisco, Syracuse (Kansas), Wichita, and possibly a few more places. She is a member of Rise Comedy’s Rise Repertory Theater and Last Laugh Standing. Aside from improv, Margarita has performed scripted works on stages throughout Colorado, including Star Bar Players, Theatre D’Art, and the Millibo Art Theater. She has also been on screens of various sizes in commercials, films, and sketch comedy. Margarita is also one of the co-hosts of the hit podcast How Have You Not Seen That?

Sheevani Desai is an actor, improviser, writer & podcaster who came to Colorado from Michigan about 6 years ago. In addition to her blog about imposter syndrome (Impressionista.me), Sheevani enjoys writing everything from comedy sketches to full-length television pilots. After studying improv and sketch comedy in Detroit, she decided to go all in with her lifelong dream of acting professionally which has afforded her roles in everything from feature films to national commercials.In addition to all the acting and writing, Sheevani has joined the podcasting world with her show, Hot & Heavy: The Elaine Benes Podcast which explores the genius of Julia Louis-Dreyfus’ portrayal of Elaine Benes on Seinfeld, one of her biggest comedic influences. Sheevani is also a mother of two stellar children with her husband, Paul who is her biggest fan.

Asa Erlendson and Improv officially met in 2007 at Pitzer College in the group Without A Box. Things got hot and heavy when he co-founded a group called ImpRAWv in which he had a transcendent experience in an experiment called The Beehive (watch “My Dinner With Andre” to get the reference). When he moved back home to Denver in 2011, Asa and Improv started going steady while at the Bovine Metropolis. First, as a student, and eventually as a coach and teacher. Things got really serious when he joined the group Governor Jack. With Governor Jack, Asa was able to meet, study with, and perform with amazing improvisers from cities and schools all around the country while absconding to festivals in Denver, and from New York City to Salt Lake City, but no further West than that… yet. Since they first met, Improv has introduced Asa to a variety of genres, styles, and forms. He can truly say he is a better person for knowing Improv. And even though he has messed around with sketch and has a growing friendship with stand-up, his heart will always belong to Improv, its community and all of its teachers and students.

Adrian Holguin has been improvising and teaching since the late 1900s. In addition to appearances at various stages around town, he was the assistant director for Impulse Theater for 14 years, and coached the Smoky Hill improv group, Spontaneous Combustion for over 23 years. He is grateful for every student, performer, and audience member who every shared a scene with him.

Brian Kusic has worked onstage in Colorado for the past 15 years and was born and raised in Denver. He is a founding creator of “Pants on Fire: An improvised Childrens’ Musical” and a longtime member of “Boomtown” at Creede Repertory Theatre in Creede Colorado. Currently, Brian works as an Educator/Performer at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. He is overjoyed to be returning to BETC for this new adventure into children’s theatre.

Archer Rosenkrantz (They/Him) is excited to be performing with MAD LIBrarians!Credits: Avery in Holly, Alaska! (BETC); Joe Crowell/Wally Webb in Our Town (The Arvada Center); Brad Majors in The Rocky Horror Picture Show (Colorado’s Elusive Ingredient); Prince Humperdinck in The Princess Bride, and Wadsworth in Clue (The Anticipations); Norm in Norm’s Newsstand (Meow Wolf); Ghost Tours (THEATREdART). Jurassic World the Exhibition (Universal NBC); Dinner Detective (The Dinner Detective) @archiebeshort

Jean Schuman has been acting, storytelling, and doing improv in and around Denver for 20 years. She is currently improvising with the Dishwater Blondes in their show, SCRIPTprov, making up radio broadcasts with the King Penny Radio Show, and entertaining the kiddos (and their adults) with MAD LIBrarians.

Mitchell Slevc has co-written, produced, and performed over 200 shows for young audiences with Buntport Theater (tRUNks, Duck Duck Dupe, Siren Song), and the Denver Art Museum (Foxy & Shmoxy: art detectives, Art Emergency).  These days he can be found making sound effects for the King Penny Radio Show and pretending to be an astronaut at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science.

Nanna Thompson has been performing and teaching improvisational theater for over twenty years. She has performed on stages all over the world and has participated in numerous improv festivals throughout the country, including the Chicago Improv Festival and the Del Close Marathon. She draws much of her improv training from the iO Chicago improv theater.

• Website: www.betc.org/shows/mad-librarians

Savoy Denver

2700 Arapahoe St, Denver, CO 80205

Entrance: The main entrance is on 27th Ave. 

Parking: Free street parking is available on neighboring streets; we have reserved the Montessori school parking lot on 26th and Curtis St

Accessibility: Ramps, elevator and ADA bathrooms  

Admission: You must show your ticket confirmation or purchase a ticket at the venue; all seating is general admission, audiences will wait in a queue before entry to the show