Meet the alumna finding success in the world of sketch comedy
Marina Hart, B.A. '17, founds three comedy troupes
Marina Hart performs at the Second City Conservatory in Chicago.
Marina Hart plays Gloria Thorpe in the Indiana University Theater Department's production of "Damn Yankees!"
For Marina Hart, B.A. ’17, the best part of working in theater is the sense of family and community.
“It’s such a unique feeling you get when you put on a show,” said Hart. “Everyone works so hard at this one common goal, and when you get to experience that final bow as a company, nothing is quite like it.”
After graduating from IU Southeast with a Bachelor of Arts in communications with a concentration in theater arts, Hart performed at several local theaters including Derby Dinner Playhouse in Clarksville, Indiana, and CenterStage at the Jewish Community Center in Louisville, Kentucky.
“I absolutely loved my time at IU Southeast,” said Hart. “I really feel like the smaller classroom sizes allowed me to grow and learn at a deeper level as well as really cultivate relationships with my peers as well as the faculty and staff. I don’t feel like I would have been taught at such a detailed level if I had gone elsewhere. IU Southeast really trains students from the ground up. ”
After exploring the local theater scene, Hart and her husband and fellow IU Southeast graduate Mitch Donahue, B.A. '14, decided to move to Chicago in 2017. Hart pursued comedy, while Mitch focused on television and film. Hart graduated from Chicago’s Second City Conservatory program in 2019. The Second City Training Center is renowned for training performers in sketch comedy through a process of improvisational techniques.
Since graduating from the conservatory program, Hart has been a founding member of three sketch comedy and improv troupes.
One of the troupes, nicknamed G&C, is a team of all women. G&C’s sketches focus on the everyday life of women and connection through shared experiences. Their show about the joys of being women was selected for the Stage 773's Chicago Women's Funny Festival and the Chicago Sketch Comedy Festival.
“We all graduated from the same conservatory class together and decided that we really enjoyed each other's company and comedy styles,” said Hart. “Most of our shows include singing, scenes, improvisation and even dance sometimes.”
Agent Carol, another troupe founded in 2017, performs improvised spy novels.
“We typically ask for an audience suggestion of a noun and an adjective and incorporate that suggestion into the title of the latest ‘Agent Carol’ spy novel and go from there,” said Hart. “They are so much fun and made up right on the spot!”
Agent Carol recently wrote a sketch show called "Stranger Flings" and they were going to do a month-long series of performances at the Second City Theater, but the show was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Like most performers, Hart has recently had to adapt and find creative ways to entertain online due to the coronavirus.
“While traditional performances are not happening, the virtual world is growing and growing,” said Hart. “I’ve been a part of a couple of online shows, and while it is strange to get used to, it’s also kind of fun!”
Hart was recently accepted into Loyola University Chicago and plans to pursue a master’s degree in digital media and storytelling.
“I've really been eager to learn about filmmaking,” said Hart. “I want to take my experience in live performance and learn how to bring those art styles into the digital landscape."
Header image: G&C performs at the Chicago Women's Funny Festival.