The Instructors

Tim Progosh is an award-winning actor, director, and producer with a professional career spanning four decades. with over 70 film and Television credits as well as having appeared in over 100 commercials, Tim has written and produced hundreds of hours of broadcast television shows and toured as a stand-up comic and sketch comedy director and performer. An honours graduate in drama from the University of Western Ontario, Tim also studied with The Second City and the National Film Board. His production company, Higher Ground Productions, has won six Canadian Country Music awards for best television production and he has been nominated for six Gemini awards. 

Wharton is a Second City Toronto alumnus performing with both the touring company and under study for main-stage productions. For five years, Space: The Imagination Station viewers  enjoyed Rick's character “The Conspiracy Guy” which was nominated in 2002 for Best Male Performance for the Canadian Comedy Awards. Rick was nominated again in 2006 for best male improvisor at the Canadian Comedy Awards. Rick was also the winner of TMN'S Standup “The Next Jerry Seinfeld” Award. Wharton's concept touring show, The Canadian Comic Witness Protection Program showcases not only Rick but other Canadian comedians who perform both improv and standup. High energy live performance on stage for private corporate functions, soft seaters and clubs..  National television commercials have included Nicorette, UPS, Sprint, Wheel of Fortune, McDonald's, Coca Cola, Ford, Wal-mart, Visine, Leons, Cheerios . 

John has been an actor, director, producer and playwright for over 30 years. Past acting credits include David Mamet's Glengarry Glen Ross (Best Production 2015 Capital Critics Awards), Speed-The-Plow (Outstanding Male Actor nomination Prix Rideau Awards, Best Actor nomination Capital Critics Circle Awards), and The Extremely Short New Play Festival 2017 to name a few. On television John has appeared in Mayday, Starhunter and Vision TV, and was  a writer on Mann to Mann (directed by Derek Diorio [Hard Rock Medicine, House of Luc], featuring Patrick McKenna). A member of ACTRA, The Canadian Actors Equity Association and the Playwrights Guild of Canada, John was a long time cast member of Second City's Tony 'n Tina's Wedding in Toronto, appearing in over 650 performances.

Mary was with the Second City Touring Company for three years. As Andrea Martin’s understudy, she had the pleasure of performing on stage with John Candy, Dan Ackroyd and Catherine O’Hara, to drop a few names.  

Mary has been using Improv techniques ever since to help people find their unique voice, express themselves clearly, and think faster on their feet. She is known as the gentle Improv teacher.  

In Improv, we say "Yes… and!" It works well in real life too. Mary is working on a book for caregivers of people living with dementia. She provides Improv tools to help communicate in the moment. Ask her about it!

You will laugh, you will have fun, and you will learn a little something about yourself to help through awkward moments!