Susan Messing (born December 26, 1963) is an American
improvisational theatre performer, teacher and author associated with the
Annoyance Theater and
iO Theater in
Chicago.
Career
A New Jersey native, Susan Messing graduated from
Northwestern University with a degree in theater. Following graduation, she began performing improvisation at
iO Theater, where she appeared on the Harold team Blue Velveeta. In 1998, she was hired as a performer on The Second City mainstage.
Messing is an ensemble member of
Annoyance Theater where she performed in "Co-ed Prison Sluts," "The Miss Vagina Pageant," "The Real Live Brady Bunch" as well as directing ''What Every Girl Should Know... An Ode to Judy Blume'' (based on the work of Judy Blume).
She has performed on NBC's ''
Late Friday'' and Comedy Central's ''
Premium Blend'' along with her puppet Jolly after showcasing at the HBO/US Comedy Arts Festival in Aspen. She also voiced the character "Eos" in the 2001 video game ''Red Faction''.
The Annoyance Theater
Susan is a founding member of The
Annoyance Theater (1989) where she has created roles in over thirty original productions including
Co-Ed Prison Sluts
''Co-Ed Prison Sluts'' is a musical revue that originally opened at the Annoyance Theatre in April 1989, closed in June 2000, and reopened in 2008, making it the longest-running musical in Chicago, Illinois, a title that still holds to this day.
...
(the longest-running musical in Chicago), ''That Darn Anti-Christ'', ''The Real Live Brady Bunch'' and the famed Judy Blume adaptation, ''What Every Girl Should Know''. Other shows include ''The Miss Vagina Pageant'' and ''Your Butt'', among others.
She is regarded as one of Chicago's finest improvisers—male or female by Tribune reporter Kevin Pang.
Messing was cited as “Best Improviser” in the Chicago Reader's 2008 Best Of Chicago issue,
and is currently running a show at The Annoyance Theater called ''Messing with a Friend''. The evening includes guests improvisers from the
iO Theater,
Second City, and The
Annoyance Theater. In a favorable review, Ryan Hubbard of the Chicago Reader wrote that her skill improvising with others, "…is a testament to her congeniality, experience, and broad intelligence."
She can also be seen improvising in the shows ''Molly'' alongside Second City director Norm Holly at iO every Tuesday night and ''The Boys'' alongside Rachael Mason at The Second City on every Friday night.
Teaching
Susan teaches and performs at the
Annoyance Theater and the
iO Theater. She also teaches
improvisational comedy for
DePaul University, The
University of Chicago and Loyola University.
As a writer, her essays have been published in
The Second City Almanac of Improvisation and in
Charna Halpern's book, ''Art By Committee'' and endorsed Jon Jon Lannen's book ''The Giraffe That Taught Me How To Laugh''.
Susan married former ''Saturday Night Live'' and ''Sesame Street'' writer Michael Clayton McCarthy on September 30, 2012. McCarthy passed away on April 8, 2020.
References
External links
*
Radio Interview with Susan Messing
{{DEFAULTSORT:Messing, Susan
Actresses from Chicago
20th-century American Jews
Living people
1963 births
Northwestern University School of Communication alumni
DePaul University people
Loyola University Chicago faculty
University of Chicago staff
American women academics
21st-century American Jews
20th-century American women
21st-century American women