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“Point Blank Comedy Club did an amazing job collaborating with local colleges and bringing even more joy and happiness to the Point Park campus."

Dana Jo DeSantis, junior SAEM major

Point Blank Comedy Club at Point Park University recently hosted “Yinz'prov: A Steel City Celebration of Comedy N’At,” in collaboration with Carnegie Mellon University, University of Pittsburgh and Mosaic Media Group, at the Pittsburgh Playhouse

Jimmy Miller, a 1980 alumnus of Point Park and University trustee from 2001 to 2016, is a talent manager, producer and founder of Mosaic Media Group, one of the most respected talent management companies in Los Angeles. Miller manages actors such as Will Ferrell and Tea Leoni, as well as writers/directors/comedians Judd Apatow, Jay Roach, Tessa Thompson and Kumail Nanjani.

"It was great to see Point Park's comedy club come together with CMU and Pitt's comedy clubs to put on an entertaining show open to the public that hopefully will become an annual event,” said Ed Traversari, MBA, associate professor of sports, arts and entertainment management.

The comedy club at Point Park was started by junior interdisciplinary design major Chris Copen and includes sketch shows, standup shows, improv nights, short films and more. 

“Point Blank Comedy Club is a full student production company filled with talented people from across the University, handling everything from writing to advertising to performing,” said Copen, a graduate of Walkersville High School in Walkersville, Md.

Copen is interning in Los Angeles this fall for Mosaic Media Group.

“The SAEM department, and Ed specifically, are the ones who introduced me to Olivia and Mosaic. Through the planning process of this event, I was able to develop an excellent working relationship with Mosaic and Olivia, which eventually resulted in an internship in Los Angeles for me,” Copen explained.

Copen served as the liaison between Mosaic and Point Park, pitching concepts for the show’s format, connecting with various people and helping to lead the project to its completion. 

“I participated in everything from working with the venue to booking the acts and guests, and eventually flying out from Los Angeles to oversee the actual show as Mosaic’s representative,” Copen added.

“Point Blank Comedy Club did an amazing job collaborating with local colleges and bringing even more joy and happiness to the Point Park campus,” said junior SAEM major Dana Jo DeSantis, who graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School in Jefferson Hills, Pa.

As director of marketing, PR and social media for Pioneer Records, the University’s student-run record label, DeSantis helped promoted “Yinz'prov” at the Playhouse.

DeSantis added: “Having the opportunity to be a part of Pioneer Records has secured my love for music and live entertainment.”


More About: Rowland School of Business, interdisciplinary studies, internships, Pittsburgh Playhouse, sports, arts and entertainment management, Pioneer Records