Andrew Strano

A director, writer, improviser, cabaret artist and musical theatre performer, Andrew is a graduate of The Victorian College of the Arts (Music Theatre), the iO Theater in Chicago, Melbourne’s Improv Conspiracy and Danceworld 301.

He has performed Improv professionally since 2012, including on the Annoyance & iO theatre stages in Chicago, and was nominated for Best Comedy as a part of the Improv Conspiracy’s touring company’s Perth Fringeworld season in 2015.

Improvised shows Andrew has conceived include Quiet Achievers: completely silent improvisation (“Done so well that it’s hard to tell it’s improv. ★★★★” The Herald Sun), One-Man-Musical (in which he interactively improvises an entire musical by incorporating the audience) and Pano-Stritch (an improvised one act play with co-creator Daniel Pavatich). He has performed since 2012 as a member of Improv Conspiracy house Harold teams The Wrong Shoulder, Foggy Windows, Dirt Squad & Endless Cash, also playing as a member of flagship shows The Remix, The Movie, and 3 Mad Rituals.

Andrew has directed Soothplayers (Completely Improvised Shakespeare) since their inception. He has also coached the Harold team AIRBLADE, directed sketch duo Pat & Josh in their debut show, Decent Human Beings, teaches for The Improv Conspiracy, and co-founded and co-directed Impromptunes: The Fully Improvised Musical, leading them to their acclaimed debut in the 2013 Melbourne Fringe Festival.
 

Andrew's other great passion is his work as a writer and lyricist, and it is in this capacity he has completed his master's degree of writing for performance at the Victorian College of the Arts, and took up the position of Aritst in Residence at Monash University.

Andrew has toured nationally and internationally as a Musical Theatre & Cabaret performer and qualified twice as one of only 30 semifinalists for the Australian National Music Theatre award, the Rob Guest Endowment. He has been writing new musical theatre with composer Loclan Mackenzie-Spencer since their debut as the joint Melbourne winners of the 10th Annual YTICC International Cabaret Showcase in 2012. Mackenzie-Spencer & Strano opened “Nailed It!” (★★★★★ from Theatrepeople, The Australian Times, ThreeWeeks Edinburgh & Broadway Baby) - a showcase of their work - to great critical acclaim before touring to the Edinburgh Fringe in 2015 where they performed a sold out season to standing ovations. "Nailed It" also garnered Andrew a nomination for Theatrepeople's Best Male Cabaret Performer and won the Green Room Award for Best Original Songs.

You can get in touch or follow him:
@andrewstrano on Twitter and Instagram.