Our Global Ensemble Coaches
Cale Evans
Ensemble Coach for Close Distance and Smells Like Ghosts
Cale Evans is an actor, improviser, host, coach, trainer, and producer who has built a vibrant career on stage, behind the mic, and in the classroom. He began his improv journey at Charlotte Comedy Theater, where he now coaches and mentors new performers. He is the Founder of Queen City Comedy and Now Are the Foxes Improv Comedy, two ensembles that have become mainstays of Charlotte’s comedy community. Cale also performs with Improv Charlotte and Background Noise Musical Improv, bringing audiences everything from thoughtful storytelling to high-energy musical improv.
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Cale has showcased his talents at festivals across the U.S. and abroad, including performing in and producing the Royal Improv Festival, as well as appearing at the Strange Charlotte Fringe Festival. His festival work highlights not only his versatility as a performer but also his dedication to building platforms where comedy and improvisation can thrive.
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Beyond the stage, Cale’s voice reaches listeners worldwide through his roles on the popular podcasts The Podcast from Hell and Bat Boys Comedy Podcast. As a producer, he co-creates some of the region’s most exciting comedy events, including the Queen City Comedy Experience, the Ain’t She Funny Fest, and the Queen City Spotlight, in partnership with the Blumenthal Performing Arts Center and the Charlotte Comedy Zone.​
Karla Dingle
Ensemble Coach for Ridgeley
and Horrible Friends of Mine
Karla Dingle has dedicated her life to the stage, beginning her theater journey at the age of five and earning a B.A. in Theater from the University of Georgia in 1998. Since diving into the world of improv in 2009, she has studied with renowned institutions such as The Second City, Hoopla, and The Groundlings. ​Based in Charlotte, NC, Karla serves as the Education Director and instructor at Queen City Comedy and is also the Improv Director and Acting Instructor at a local studio. She performs regularly with Now Are the Foxes, Cul-de-Sac Improv, Close Distance Improv, and British American Experience.
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A passionate teacher and coach, Karla specializes in blending acting and improvisation to strengthen performance skills. Her global teaching résumé includes students from across six continents, and she has been featured as a guest instructor at international festivals and organizations including Improv Fest Ireland, Vintage Improv Festival, Highwire Improv, and the Bangalore Improv Community. In 2023, she was honored as a Theater IDA Artist-in-Residence in Zurich, Switzerland. In 2025, she was named one of the International Instructors for The Improv Boost’s Sudden Impact program.
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Karla’s students have gone on to success in film, television, voiceover, and commercial work for major brands like Apple TV, CBS, Netflix, Amazon Prime, CVS, and Atrium Health.
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