Tara DeFrancisco believes in the power of connection & collaboration of comedic work on a cellular level.
Globally, she is celebrated for her hilarious and encouraging work on platforms like Instagram (180k) and TikTok (75k), with multiple viral messages shared to millions around the world.
As an improviser and comedic performer, she is primarily known as a veteran performer of 8000+ shows on multiple world-renowned stages, including iO Chicago (defrancisCo, Armando, HERE, Chaos Theory, The DelTones), Second City (TourCo, Dysfunctional Holiday Revue, understudy of Mainstage/etc), and ComedySportz (Chicago + CBus). As a comedic instructor, Tara is honored to be brought all over the world for her bohemian-yet-professional approach to scenework - leading things like sketch revue creation, duoprov, musical work, organic Harolds, stand-up clinics, and more. Most notably, her greatest love is “HERE: The (Improvised) Musical” – a two person improvisational show called “Nothing Short of Genius” by NPR and rated 4 stars by the Chicago Tribune, Critics Choice by Sun Times, Not to Miss by Chicago Reader; HERE been brought as a headliner to 24 countries and 88 cities worldwide to date.
One of the best things she’s ever made with her friends is The Improv Retreat, an event gathering hundreds of US/international artists each year for a sleepaway conference with teachers from multiple cities to celebrate their craft, brainstormed and founded in 2012, with next event June 2025.
Additionally – She is the Co-Founder, Artistic Director, instructor & mainstage performer for beloved The Nest Theatre (CBus, OH), a leading performance & educational community in Ohio, producing 40+ original mainstage shows and teams year-round, a space with active COE & "no-paperwork" scholarships for those underamplified in the arts (LGBTIQ+, BIPOC, persons with disabilities, vets, and those over 65). She is an esteemed educator who has created curriculum for theatres all over the world, including all mentioned above as well as scholastic systems, and also a liaison on Ethics implementation in artistic homes. She has been a Guest Professor to the Ohio University School of Performance (Athens), as well as an Adjunct Professor of Acting for Animation at Columbus College of Art & Design.
You may also hear her in jingles or voiceovers (Sirius, Rocky Rococo, Crocs, 7 Little Johnstons), a podcast (Debatables), see her in commercials or industrials (Sheetz, Dish TV, Vegas.com, US Cellular, Sears, OH Lotto, SunTrust), in movies (The Life + Times of An Unhappily Married Man), an internet game show (One Hot Dollar), or here and there in television (ABC Family, LOGO TV).
As a speaker, she keynotes regarding the importance of play + presence, active listening, and connection potential for organizations seeking breakthroughs and innovation.
She believes in that the tenets of improvisation & vulnerability of comedy are transformational and life-changing, and hopes she gets to share the joy it has brought her with you.
