CBS has announced the 20 performers who will participate in its diversity sketch comedy showcase for 2020. The showcase will begin its six-show run on Jan. 14 at the El Portal Theatre in Los Angeles.
Beginning 14 years ago, the showcase was created to spotlight diverse talent, and it has developed into a hybrid comedy show with live performances and original writing. The showcase is attended by executives, showrunners, and casting directors from CBS and other networks as well as talent agents and managers from across the entertainment industry.
To date, 418 multitalented actors have appeared in the showcase, with notable alumni including Kate McKinnon, Tiffany Haddish, Diona Reasonover, Justin Hires, Geoffrey Arend, Nico Santos, Nicole Bayer and Ego Nwodim. Recent performers from the 2018 and 2019 showcases have booked shows such as “All Rise,” “Bob Hearts Abishola” and “Carol’s Second Act.”
Here are the performers in the 2020 showcase:
Aida Osman
Credits: “Wild ‘N Out” (MTV), “Group Therapy” (Complex), host of “Keep It!” (Crooked Media), writer for “Big Mouth” (Netflix)
Caitlin Frain
Credits: The Groundlings School, Upright Citizens Brigade (Los Angeles)
Carl Foreman, Jr.
Credits: Television: “Search Party” (TBS), “Jon Glaser Loves Gear” (TruTV), “Late Night with Seth Meyers” (NBC), “The Following” (Fox)
Danielle Perez
Credits: “Decoded” (MTV), “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” (ABC), “Turning Points” (CNN), “StandUp” (NBC) and an upcoming show on Netflix.
Dave Mizzoni
Credits: Television: “Gayme Show!” (Quibi), “The Good Cop” (Netflix), “The Get Down” (Netflix)
Gregory Santos
Credits: “American Housewife” (ABC), “Brian Regan’s Stand Up & Away” (Netflix), “Great News” (NBC), “Angel from Hell” (CBS), “The Muppets” (ABC)
G-Su Paek
Credits: “The Leftovers” (HBO)
Jacklyn Uweh
Credits: “The Ballad of Whistler’s Creek,” “Legacy”
Jared Goldstein
Credits: “Modern Family” (ABC), “Rizzoli & Isles” (TNT), “Counterpart” (STARZ), “Daybreak” (Netflix)
Laurie Magers
Credits: “Grief” (Short Film)
Manuela Mendoza
Credits: “Pre-Existing” (Web series), “The Campaign” (Web series)
Nabeel Muscatwalla
Credits: “Mission Unstoppable”
Nathan Ramos-Park
Credits: Television: “The Kelly Clarkson Show” (NBC), “Catfish Killer” (Short)
Nohely Quiroz
Credits: “Camp Camp,” “Azteca Musica: La Academia”
Sai Lang
Credits: “Man With a Plan,” (CBS), “Mapleworth Murders” (Quibi), “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” (The CW), “Single Parents” (ABC), “Big Mouth” (Netflix), “Law & Order: SVU” (NBC)
Sarah Khasrovi
Credits: “What If Snapchat Filters Were Characters” (Buzzfeed, Snapchat Discover), “Let’s Get Coffee” (Funny or Die), “GasX Commercial Parody” (Funny or Die)
Tessa Skara
Credits: “Crashing” (HBO), “High Maintenance” (HBO), “The Detour” (TBS), “Little America” (Apple TV) “The Special: Without Brett Davis” (MNN)
Tyler Davis
Credits: “Work In Progress” (SHOWTIME), “South Side” (Comedy Central)
Vasthy Mompoint
Credits: “Awkwafina” (Comedy Central), “Mysteries of Laura” (NBC), “Spongebob Squarepants” (Nickelodeon), “The Prom” (Netflix), “Dick Johnson Is Dead” (Netflix)
Zack Colonna
Credits: “Open” (short), “Best Friend” (short)