Roland Mechanik

Roland has been teaching improv at Kickstand for over 7 years now! Roland has a BFA from Tisch School of the Arts at NYU and studied at UCB NY before moving to Portland and joining up with Kickstand Comedy about a decade ago. Roland co-produces/co-hosts a monthly queer improv variety show at Kickstand called Small Fruits. He also performs regularly as one half of the world-famous human mannequin cabaret act The Roland and Muriel Show, which was just featured at SF Sketchfest and was the winner at Portland’s First Annual Comedy Pageant in 2024. Improv credits include: SF Sketchfest, Vancouver Improv Festival (Vancouver, BC), Stumptown Improv Festival, Portland Queer Comedy Festival, All Jane Comedy Fest. Stand up credits include: Kickstand Comedy in the Park (x3), headlining the Tomorrow Theater, and hosting for Nico Santos at Helium. Roland was featured on OPB for a spotlight on queer storytellers and is proud to have been the first openly trans masc improviser in Portland (as far as he knows)!