Braving the Unknown: Susan Messing at TEDxUChicago 2014

Post-Production: Hamid Bendaas | Fire Escape Films ()

Susan Messing, a NJ native and graduate of Northwestern University's Theatre School, has been an improviser and comedian for over twenty-five years.

In the course of her career, she has been named "Improviser of the Year" at the Chicago Improv Festival, "Best Improviser" by the Chicago Reader, and "Funniest Woman in Chicago" by Chicago Magazine.

Messing is an alumna of the iO Theater and the Second City Mainstage, as well as a founding member of Chicago's infamous Annoyance Theatre. Susan created and teaches her curriculum at iO Chicago, iO West in Hollywood, The Annoyance Theatre, The Second City, and around the world. She also teaches classes at DePaul University and the School at Steppenwolf.

Her standup act with her puppet, Jolly, was featured at the HBO/US Comedy Arts Festival in Aspen, and on Comedy Central's Premium Blend and NBC's Late Fridays.

Messing has taught Improv & Sketch at the University of Chicago intermittently since 2008. She has also performed in all five TBS Just For Laughs Festivals in Chicago, and every Chicago Improv Festival since it began seventeen years ago.

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In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized.* (*Subject to certain rules and regulations)