Teacher Advisory Group

TAG at ITS

The ITS Teacher Advisory Group (TAG) supports the teaching and practice of improvisation in primary and secondary schools in the Greater Sydney area. Our mission is to deepen the knowledge and appreciation of improvisation for NSW teachers and students by providing access to high-quality resources and programs. Our vision is to create a professional, creative network that advocates for improvisation as both a performance tool and an essential life skill in schools across NSW. TAG members consult with the ITS schools coordinator and share their input on how ITS programs and resources can be accessible and valuable to both teachers and students.

Meet our TAG

Stephanie Merriman

Stephanie Merriman (she/her) is a secondary school teacher with a Master of Creative Writing. Beyond the classroom, some of her professional contributions include producing digital content for The Arts Unit, writing publications for Drama NSW’s E-Magazine, and facilitating an interactive workshop at the ETA NSW Conference. She is also a former NIDA Creative Ambassador (2017) and recipient of the NSW Public Schools Drama Ensemble ‘Teacher of the Year’ Award (2019). Stephanie has been an improv nerd since discovering short form in high school, where she performed at the Enmore Theatre as part of the Theatresports Schools Challenge. After focusing on her teaching career, she graduated from ITS in 2022 before gaining a coveted position on one of their House Teams. She has since produced and performed in several shows for the ITS Comedy Festival over the years, including the 2025 Smackdown Grand Final at Eternity Playhouse. When not improvising, she remains a proud advocate for public schools and currently teaches English, Drama and VET Entertainment at a co-educational high school in Sydney’s Inner West.

Genevieve De Souza

Genevieve De Souza (she/her) started her dramatic career in utero when her mother performed in a musical while pregnant. She has since developed a passionate love of performance and the power of shared creativity to connect and transform communities. After completing a double degree in Arts and Education at the University of Sydney, she taught English and Drama at Epping Boys High School while directing various student productions. Her love of creative arts education has culminated in working with The Arts Unit programs for the last five years, where she has relished the opportunities to work with students from diverse backgrounds in the collective pursuit of powerful theatrical experience and personal growth. When she’s not teaching or creating, Gen (with a G) can be found reading a good novel with a cup of tea and her wobbly cat Arnott.

APPLY HERE

Interested in joining?

This is your opportunity to be part of Improv Theatre Sydney’s vibrant and growing arts community. It’s a chance to stay connected to a leading arts organisation in the Sydney region and receive training and resources to support your pedagogy. Members meet with the ITS Schools Coordinator once a term to provide feedback and advice on ITS Schools programs and engagement, ensuring alignment with the current NSW Drama syllabus and the broader NSW classroom curriculum. Members also share knowledge of ITS programs and opportunities in their professional and creative networks where appropriate.

To acknowledge the time and commitment involved, members receive a range of incentives, including discounted classes at ITS, free shows at ITS, and a free workshop and a show for their school.

The ITS TAG is open to teachers, educators, and administrators who:

Currently work in schools, or the wider education sector, in the metropolitan and Greater Sydney area
Have a minimum of 2 years experience teaching in primary or secondary schools
Have completed Levels 1 – 3 of the Improv Theatre Sydney curriculum

Improv is participatory and, at its best, should reflect a diverse community of practice, and we are acutely aware of how different identities can have different access to institutions. We strongly encourage people of any identity to apply, regardless of gender, sexuality, nationality or nationhood, ethnicity, race, ability, or age.

Submit your expression of interest here!

For a full description of our Teacher’s Advisory Group and what it involves, you can read more here, or contact:Chelsea Zeller, ITS Schools Coordinator at schools@improvtheatresydney.com.au

Or how about…

Are you a teacher wanting to bring improv to your school?

Visit our schools page for more info!

Are you looking for some school holiday workshops?

Check out our upcoming workshops here!

Are you an adult looking to dip your toes in first?

Try our no-commitment Taster Classes!