Holly Tarnower

Holly Tarnower is a teaching artist, actor and director from Boston MA. Holly Tarnower teaches classes in the Comedic and Performing Arts Departments ranging in improv and sketch comedy, comedic scene study and acting fundamentals. Her teaching philosophy centers around multiple intelligence theory and creating community in the classroom. Tarnower received her BA from Drew University in Theater and Dance and continued her education at Emerson, receiving her MA in Theater Education ('17)  and MFA in Applied Theater ('20).

Tarnower has been performing Improv and Sketch Comedy for over a decade around the Boston area and throughout the country. After training at IO Chicago, Second City Chicago and ImprovBoston, Holly has performed on Mainstage casts and at national festivals. She has also worked with the Boston applied theater company, Rehearsal for Life: Urban Improv for 10 years as an actor, facilitator, Interim Director of Education and currently as the Resident Scholar and Researcher. Tarnower's research focuses on multicultural education and the benefits of improvisation and forum theater on SEL competencies.