Happier Valley Comedy, Inc. is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that brings laughter, joy, and ease to Western Massachusetts (and the world) through the principles of improvisation. We serve up the happy through our training center, shows, and professional/personal development programs. Happier Valley Comedy is committed to using the tenets of improvisation as a tool to amplify each person’s authentic voice and creativity in an inclusive, welcoming community inspired and empowered by the diversity of all members.
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Happier Valley Comedy Core Values
Follow the Joy and Ease Assume Good Will Be of Service Redefine and Disempower Failure Play More |
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Please see our full statement, commitment, and list of resources here
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PAM VICTOR is the founder/president and Head of Happiness of Happier Valley Comedy. She has been improvising professionally since 2003 when she founded The Ha-Ha's who performed together for 17 years. Pam Victor is a nationally-touring improv teacher and co-author of "Improvisation at the Speed of Life: The TJ & Dave Book" along with TJ Jagodowski and Dave Pasquesi. Pam has studied improv at iO Chicago, The Annoyance Theatre (Chicago,) ImprovBoston, and from Second City Chicago teachers. Pam has improvised and done her live interview show at numerous festivals, such as The Women in Comedy Festival, Boston Comedy Arts Festival, Detroit Improv Festival, and Chicago Improv Festival. In 2019, Pam was awarded the New England Public Radio Arts & Humanities Award. She also is a TEDx speaker. Pam is a nice person and she likes you already.
SCOTT BRAIDMAN is our General Manager and Artistic Director. Scott started improvising in 2002 with Mission: Improvable at UMass Amherst, and since then he has studied and performed at The iO Theater and One Group Mind in Chicago, The UCB Theatre in New York, and ImprovBoston and Improv Asylum in Boston. He was an instructor with the ImprovBoston Comedy School. Scott produces and directs all of Happier Valley Comedy's shows as well as teaching Advanced Improv classes and performing with many improvised shows, the most impressive of which is called "Being A Dad", and it isn't a real show, it's just actually being a dad. He gets a little better at it each day.
MADDY BENJAMIN is the Program Manager and Facilitator of Fun at Happier Valley Comedy. She got her start in improv in 2010 with IT: Improvisational Theater at the College of William & Mary, and joined the HVC community in 2017. Maddy is a founding member of "Not In Charge" and "2nd Saturdays Presents," and performs with several HVC casts. You'll also catch her teaching Short Form and Improv 4, hosting the monthly Comedy Quiz Show on WHMP, solving the NYT crossword puzzle, and serving as the unofficial laugh track for any show or class she attends.
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OUR "BOARDextrordinaire"
(board OF DIRECTORS)
Pam Victor - President
Scott Braidman - Vice President (non-voting)
Scott Braidman - Vice President (non-voting)
Angélica Canlas Castro
Angélica Canlas Castro (she, they), the (R)EVOLutionary LOVE Coach, spreads LOVE: Listening, Openness, Vulnerability and Empathy, whether she's inspiring women entrepreneurs from the stage, educating institutions and organizations about JEDI: Justice, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, or parenting her four beautiful and brilliant children. She has taken Storytelling Stand-Up, an Improviser's Guide to Mindfulness, Improv 1 & 2, is enrolled in Improv 3, and is a regular for Scripted/Unscripted!
Angélica Canlas Castro (she, they), the (R)EVOLutionary LOVE Coach, spreads LOVE: Listening, Openness, Vulnerability and Empathy, whether she's inspiring women entrepreneurs from the stage, educating institutions and organizations about JEDI: Justice, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, or parenting her four beautiful and brilliant children. She has taken Storytelling Stand-Up, an Improviser's Guide to Mindfulness, Improv 1 & 2, is enrolled in Improv 3, and is a regular for Scripted/Unscripted!
Sally Ekus
When not securing book deals and sponsorships for culinary talent at The Ekus Group, Sally can be found improvising. Sally can be seen onstage with The Happier FAMILY Comedy Show as well as Not in Charge. Sally loves spicy food, tacos, and following her foot.
When not securing book deals and sponsorships for culinary talent at The Ekus Group, Sally can be found improvising. Sally can be seen onstage with The Happier FAMILY Comedy Show as well as Not in Charge. Sally loves spicy food, tacos, and following her foot.
Melenie Freedom Flynn
Melenie is an author, actor, and brand identity strategist and copywriter. Her recent writing appears in Vela, Provincetown Arts Magazine, and Straw Dog Pandemic Poetry and Prose. Some of her recent branding work is here and here. She has been a recipient of a MacDowell Fellowship, Djerassi Residency, and Atlantic Center for the Arts Residency.
Melenie is an author, actor, and brand identity strategist and copywriter. Her recent writing appears in Vela, Provincetown Arts Magazine, and Straw Dog Pandemic Poetry and Prose. Some of her recent branding work is here and here. She has been a recipient of a MacDowell Fellowship, Djerassi Residency, and Atlantic Center for the Arts Residency.
Jeff Hausthor - Treasurer, Secretary
Jeff is our technology, financial, and entrepreneurial advisor. He's the COO of Qnect, a company that develops software for the steel industry. You've probably seen him at a HVC improv show (or two or ten.) He's also a musician, a Dead Head, and father of two adult daughters.
Jeff is our technology, financial, and entrepreneurial advisor. He's the COO of Qnect, a company that develops software for the steel industry. You've probably seen him at a HVC improv show (or two or ten.) He's also a musician, a Dead Head, and father of two adult daughters.
Meghan Lynch
Meghan is the Founder and CEO of Six-Point Creative, a brand strategy agency that helps “second-stage” companies breakthrough growth plateaus. Meghan was named an Enterprising Women of the Year in 2019, and she enjoys testing her limits as an endurance runner.
Meghan is the Founder and CEO of Six-Point Creative, a brand strategy agency that helps “second-stage” companies breakthrough growth plateaus. Meghan was named an Enterprising Women of the Year in 2019, and she enjoys testing her limits as an endurance runner.
OUR impartial mediator
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Elizabeth Solomon
Elizabeth Solomon is a certified Emotional Intelligence Coach, Systemic Constellations Facilitator, writer, researcher, and workplace strategist invested in equity, transformation, and positive social change. She has spent over two decades at the intersection of organizational culture, storytelling, and leadership development—a place where transformation happens. |
HVC In the world
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Pam Victor presented "Thank Your Inner Critic (and Tell It to Pipe Down)" at TEDxEasthamptonWomen in 2019
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Our cover story in BusinessWest
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Scott & Pam regularly appear on MassAppeal
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"Around here, a hydra-headed beastie called Happier Valley Comedy is delivering improv to eager audiences --
while also stretching the boundaries of the form."
- Chris Rohmann, The Valley Advocate, "Happier Valley Comedy Expanding on Improv"
while also stretching the boundaries of the form."
- Chris Rohmann, The Valley Advocate, "Happier Valley Comedy Expanding on Improv"
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60 SECONDS WITH A STARTUP: HAPPIER VALLEY COMEDYPam Victor is interviewed on 60 Seconds with a Startup talking about what inspired her to launch Happier Valley Comedy, how she measures success, the challenges she has experienced, the skills she has found useful as an entrepreneur, and how she envisions Happier Valley Comedy growing.
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Happier Valley Comedy, Inc. is 501c3 non-profit organization.
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Happier Valley Comedy is a grateful recipient of a Gateway Grant from The Massachusetts Cultural Council.
