Upright Citizens Brigade Improvisation and Sketch Comedy Training Center

Shira Piven and Tarvis Watson

Shira Piven grew up in a theatre family. She spent many years in Chicago directing, teaching and performing. She was the Artistic Director of Water Theatre Company in New York City from 1999-2003 where she also co-founded Burn Manhattan Spontaneous Theatre, and directed at places like H.B. Playwrights and the Ontological. She also directed three plays for Theatre J in Washington D.C.

In LA since 2003 she has directed/taught at the actorsgang, UCB, The Hothouse, Pasadena Playhouse and with Nora Ephron, helping her develop a book into a play. Shira has worked with performers like

Ed Asner, SNL's Tracy Morgan and Cynthia Caponera, Joan and John Cusack, Paula Killen, Kate Walsh, and many others. Other film work includes 12 episodes of the original Web Series Tastes Like Home, preliminary filming on an original film The Perfect Conversation, in collaboration with brother Jeremy Piven and Tarvis Watson, The I-Human series and several original improvised short films also with Tarvis through their UCB classes. She lives with her husband Adam McKay and their two daughters Lili and Pearl.

Tarvis Watson graduated from NYU film school. He went on to work at Tribeca Film Center (Robert Deniro) in story development. His film work includes documentaries, filmed segments for theatre pieces, and promotional videos. Specific credits include creating films with Obie award winner Phil Soltanoff on the experimental theatre piece Lem Nation, filming pieces for Fuse network with Stephanie Mnookin and Eliot Laurence of Guile and a Documentary called Power Farm about Organic farming and S and M fetishism.

Shira and Tarvis have collaborated on 8 short films as well other pieces for theatre and the Internet.