Congrats to the seventh class of comedians chosen to participate earlier this month in NBC’s Late Night Writers Workshop: Jill Cepela, Dylan Eshbaugh, Shenovia Large, Alexandria McCale, Mona Mira and Chloe Radcliffe.
They were picked from 1,000 applicants to participate in an intensive five-day program at 30 Rock designed to help them in seeking careers as late-night TV writers. Created in 2013, NBC’s Late Night Writers Workshop alumni includes Jenny Hagel (Late Night with Seth Meyers), Kate Sidley (The Late Show with Stephen Colbert) and Nedaa Sweiss (The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon).
“Our Late Night Writers Workshop has been a major change agent in the late night and sketch comedy landscape, which has been historically homogenous,” said Karen Horne, Senior Vice President, Programming Talent Development & Inclusion, NBC Entertainment and Universal Television. “Our program infuses diverse talent into the writers’ rooms, which helps these shows in presenting fresh and relatable cultural commentary on the big headlines of the day.”
NBC follows up on the weeklong program by helping participants secure representation and even putting them up for open staffing jobs on NBC’s programs.
JILL CEPELA: Chicago native Cepela is a writer and comedian based in Los Angeles. After graduating from San Diego State University, she studied improv and sketch comedy at the Upright Citizen’s Brigade and The Groundlings. Cepela is currently a writer for the UCB Maude sketch team “Moon Goon.” Her notable achievements include being selected as a finalist for the UCLA Extension Spec Writing Competition, and having sketches featured on Whohaha and Funny or Die.
DYLAN ESHBAUGH:Eshbaugh discovered his passion for writing and performing at the age of 12. With the emergence of YouTube, he created a web series that won three Webby Honorees, including Best Host and Best Comedy Series. Eshbaugh graduated from NYU’s Tisch School of Arts with a BFA in theatre and a minor in film production, where he studied TV writing and wrote short plays and films. He currently writes and performs with the sketch team Like Butter and has performed at UCB and the Peoples Improv Theater. Eshbaugh also co-produces a show called “Scrapped: A Show for Writers.” When not writing comedy, he enjoys making music with his band, The Ruby Shots.
SHENOVIA LARGE:Large performs improv at the Upright Citizens Brigade on Lloyd Night with the team, Statham, and is also a writer for Maude Night with the sketch team, House of Birds. She is a creative producer for “Who Made the Potato Salad?” a sketch comedy show starring people of color. Large has appeared in “Broad City,” “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon,” and “Full Frontal with Samantha Bee.” She is repped by Innovative Artists.
ALEXANDRIA McCALE:McCale has been writing and performing sketch comedy for over six years. She has extensive training from the Upright Citizens Brigade and iO West. McCale’s writing credits include a recently produced pilot called “K-Pop!” and the sketch comedy YouTube series, “The Zach Callison Show.” She has also appeared as a featured comedian in multiple videos on comedy channels, including Buzzfeed, Funny or Die and All Def Digital.
MONA MIRA:An Atlanta native, Mira is an Iranian-American actress, writer and stand-up comedian. She earned a degree in neuroscience and behavioral biology and worked in a medical cannabis analytical testing laboratory before pursuing comedy full time. Mira performs all over the country and was recently featured in the Laugh Factory’s Fresh Faces stand-up showcase in Los Angeles. Her original musical sketch, “Kegels,” was featured on Funny or Die and aired on the Emmy Award-winning talk show “The Doctors.” She currently produces an Instagram story series called “Mona Murder Monday” that recaps famous and obscure murders every week. Her upcoming television appearances include “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” and “Sherman’s Showcase.” Mira is repped by Authentic Talent and Pakula/King & Associates.
CHLOE RADCLIFFE:Radcliffe is a New York City-based comic who was recently named a TBS Comic to Watch at the New York Comedy Festival. In 2017, Radcliffe was a semi-finalist in StandUp, NBC nationwide search for diverse comedians as well as at the Laughing Skull Comedy Festival. In 2018, she appeared in an episode of Epix’s “Unprotected Sets” and was listed as one of Thrillist’s 50 Best Undiscovered Comics. The Minneapolis Star Tribune featured Radcliffe as one of nine Minnesotan artists to watch in 2019. She is currently on the production team for Minneapolis’ 10,000 Laughs Comedy Festival, which is entering its ninth year. Prior to her career in comedy, she competed in speech and debate for 10 years, winning two national championships at the college level. She also worked as a corporate speechwriter for three years. Along with stand-up comedy, she produces house sketch shows in her living room where she writes and performs personal, grounded sketches for alt-comedy audiences. Radcliffe is repped by Artists First.