The only place in Myrtle Beach for Improv
ABOUT US

Gina Trimarco
Founder & Director of Training and Entertainment

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Gina is the founder of Carolina Improv Company and oversees all aspects of the company, including teaching all individual adult classes, facilitating corporate training programs and directing/producing improv shows. Originally from Chicago, Gina earned her Bachelor of Arts in Communications from DePaul University. While in college she studied improvisational theatre at Chicago’s famed Second City Conservatory and Player’s Workshop of the Second City. She has also studied with Zach Ward, owner and producer of DSI Comedy Theater in North Carolina. When she discovered that improv entertainment and classes didn’t exist in Myrtle Beach she decided to start teaching improv herself!

Gina relocated to the Myrtle Beach, SC in 2007 after more than a decade of experience in the entertainment, hospitality and tourism industries in Chicago. Before arriving to Myrtle Beach, Gina was the General Manager for the Navy Pier IMAX Theatre, a tourist attraction similar to Broadway at the Beach. A former television producer, she held marketing director positions with Spirit Cruises, Tony n’ Tina’s Wedding and Butterfields’ Auctioneers. Additionally, she worked in public relations for the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce and City Colleges of Chicago.

Giving back to the community is important to Gina. When not teaching, Gina serves the Myrtle Beach community as a Rotarian and Elk, in addition to serving on the Board of Regents of Leadership Grand Strand, advising as a committee member of the Myrtle Beach Area Arts & Cultural Committee and as a committee member of the Small Business Council for the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce. She is also a graduate of Leadership Grand Strand XXIX.

"Improv your life and you'll laugh more!"

- Gina Trimarco

Gina's career highlights are available on LinkedIn.


Marilou Cook, Ensemble Member & Instructor
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Marilou often jokes that she's busier more now in retirement than when she was working full time as a school teacher in Fairfax County, VA. She has 23 years of classroom experience teaching at various levels, including pre-school, middle school, standard high school and adult education in English, Speech, Theatre and Math. Her theatre curriculum included "theatre sports" (improv) for children and teens. Marilou has more than 25 years experience directing and producing theatrical productions including one-act plays, comedy productions, cabaret acts, variety shows, festivals, touring companies, improv troupes, theatrical competitions and professional development workshops. Cast members ranged in age and experience from pre-school through adult professionals. Additionally, Marilou has 30 years of public speaking and interpersonal communications activities - including one-on-one presentations and appearances before large audiences, along with personal performances in theatrical productions including classic theatre, comedies, musicals, cabaret acts, USO tours, summer stock, dinner theatre and variety productions. Locally, she has performed at Theatre of the Republic, with the Castaways Repertory Theatre, and has her own one-woman show about being a Southern Belle. Her education includes a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre/Speech in addition to post-graduate studies in English, Directing and Acting. With Carolina Improv Company, Marilou is a performing ensemble member, coordinates the youth program and assists with corporate training facilitation.


Kevin Cox, Ensemble Member & Instructor
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Kevin is one of the few remaining natives of Myrtle Beach. He grew up in Conway and graduated from Coastal Carolina University’s Honors Program with a Bachelor of Science in Marketing and Finance along with a minor in Biology. Kevin claims to have too much sand in his shoes to ever leave the Grand Strand. During the day he works full time for Horry Telephone Cooperative as a communications expert in the Business Services department. Kevin’s career on stage first started in 1996 when he became 1st Runner Up in the Mr. Conway High School pageant. Kevin’s talent for the pageant was performing a lip synch of Billy Ray Cyrus’ “Achy Breaky Heart” while sliding across the stage. His career in pageants later continued into college as a representative for his fraternity Pi Kappa Phi in the Big Man on Campus competition and also winning Mr. Greek in 2001. In 2008 Kevin placed 1st Runner Up in the womanless beauty pageant named “The Cutie Pie Pageant” to raise money for the Conway Main Street organization and several children’s charities. Kevin performed a very intricately detailed rendition of Taylor Swift’s “Should’ve Said No” for his talent. Finally being able to dress like a man again, Kevin claimed the title of Mr. Myrtle Beach in 2009. With the help of Mike Ritchie on air guitar and Gina Trimarco as his biggest “fan”, Kevin performed a parody of Michael Jackson’s “Dirty Diana”. He first started with Carolina Improv in the summer of 2009 as a student and later transitioned into a performer, a director and eventually a teacher. When Kevin is not working or showing off his ability to lip synch, he enjoys giving back to the community. Kevin remains active with his alumni chapter of Pi Kappa Phi fraternity, a board member for the Waccamaw Youth Center, Past President and Past Lieutenant Governor of the Grand Strand Optimist Club, past member of gsSCENE’s steering committee for young professionals, member of the Grand Strand Technology Council, graduate of Leadership Grand Strand’s Class 30, and currently sits on the Board of Regents for Leadership Grand Strand. In 2009 he was awarded Volunteer of the Year by readers of the Myrtle Beach Herald and in February of 2010 he was a recipient of the award for Incredible Customer Experience in the Communications Category by the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce.

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