Performing

I perform and tour with ColdTowne (wikipedia), one of the house troupes at the ColdTowne Theater. We’ve performed at almost every major comedy festival in North America including the Chicago, Twin Cities, New Orleans, Washington D.C., Phoenix, Toronto and Oberlin Improv Festival. In addition to ColdTowne, I perform in Austin’s All-Star weekly showcase, Stool Pigeon, one a.m., The Faculty, 321 Kill, Aw Shit, Rubin and I host the variety show Thursday Night Awesome.

I’ve also been a cast member of Whirled News Tonight, Fart Clown Glasses, Comedy Sportz NOLA, and Chris Trew and Arthur Simone Sing Will Smith Songs and have performed at iO West, University of Arizona, LSU, Rice University, the Alamo Drafthouse, Maker Faire, the Austin Museum of Art, the Westside Eclectic, Harrah’s Casino, the Washington D.C. Arts Center and the Austin Film Festival, among others.

2007 B. Iden Payne Award - Most Outstanding Improv Ensemble
2007 Austin Chronicle Readers Poll - Best Comedy Group
2007 Austin Improv Collective Awards - Hardest Working Troupe (ColdTowne), Best Format (321 Kill)
2007 Austin Improv Collective Awards Nominations - Best Host, Best Absurd Scenes, Most Fearless Improviser
2006 Austin Chronicle Readers Poll - Best Improv Group
2006 Austin Improv Collective Awards - Most Fearless Improviser, Hardest Working Individual for the Collective, Hardest Working Troupe for the Collective (ColdTowne), Best Format (321 Kill)
2006 Austin Improv Collective Awards Nominations - Most Playful and Accepting Improviser, Best Male Improviser, Best Troupe (ColdTowne)

“Trew is out of his fucking mind.”

- The Austin Chronicle

“Hilarious…a tireless performer.”

- The Austinist

“An improv master.”

- The Onion A.V. Club

Training

I discovered improv at the Comedy Conservatory in New Orleans, La. After 7 months of training there, I sold my car to afford the Improv Olympic Summer Intensive in Chicago. After Hurricane Katrina, I moved to Austin with most of my New Orleans student group, ColdTowne and we aggressively toured the festival circuit which allowed me the opportunity to study with Mark Sutton, Joe Bill, Mick Napier, Asaf Ronen, Susan Messing and Miles Stroth among others. I also completed intensives with the Annoyance and Upright Citizens Brigade Theaters. ColdTowne has since opened their own training center, The ColdTowne Conservatory, based in Austin, Tx.

Teaching

I’ve been teaching and coaching improv regularly since May 2006 when the ColdTowne Conservatory originally opened in an empty room connected to I Luv Video. Since then I’ve coached or directed over 10 groups in Austin in addition to running workshops that range from freestyle rapping to building tension in scenework.

“Chris is the kind of person who you just look at and you trust him –
you immediately realize that he’s a dedicated and gifted performer and teacher who knows what he’s doing. He’s extremely positive and knows just the right things to say in order to help you learn.”

- Former student Kristin Hillery

“Chris has an excellent sense of listening and processing what is happening around him. His unabashed passion for what he is teaching is exciting.”

- Former student Jerry Bilbo

“Chris inhales improv and exhales comedy. When you’ve run out of things to do in a scene, and you think the scene is dead, he still has 50 additional, amazing places you could have gone with it — and It emboldens you when he brings you to that realization.”

- Former student Eric Heiberg

If you’re interested in a workshop for your group, company or family (!!) then contact me and ColdTowne will get to work!