How do we both play absurd without a voice of reason? How do you move a scene forward when everyone is absurd? In this workshop we will focus on playing absurd at the top of our intelligence. What are ways we can keep heightening the unusual thing without having to play the voice of reason.

MONIKA SMITH (from Los Angeles) is an actor, writer and comedian from Canada who modeled internationally for years until realizing she preferred food and smiling. Monika toured with The Second City and has been performing improv and sketch at UCB since 2007 in shows like ASSSSCAT, AssssCanada, Harold Night, Form Night, Maude Night and more. She’s written for numerous comedy websites, and networks like Comedy Central, MTV, TBS, Quibi. She has performed improv at the Kennedy Center, Io, Second City, WGIS, and at improv festivals in Copenhagen, Berlin, Canada, Australia, Edinburgh, China and a few more fun places. You might not recognize her from pranking celebs on Punk’d for 3 seasons, and shows like Blunt Talk, Two and A Half Men, Comedy Bang Bang and many more. When she’s not hanging with her dog in Los Angeles, Monika is touring her solo improv show. 

Monika has been teaching at UCB for over 10 years, taught at Second City, WGIS, Io, workshops at improv festivals internationally. She has written curriculums for schools in China, Canada and America, including the LA Second City Long Form Programs.