In 2010, IGP began honoring great comedians as their Player of the Year (POTY). The award is not strictly annual, founded by Scott Levin-Gesundheit ’10 with the intent that group hopes “to give this award as much as possible, devaluing it to the point where it basically means nothing." The POTY performs in a show with the troupe and receives the signature yellow-and-red tie.
Jason Mantzoukas (2023-2024)
Jason Mantzoukas is famous for his iconic roles in The Dictator, Big Mouth, Invincible, Parks and Rec, Brooklyn 99, the Good Place, and many many more. Jason Mantzoukas is a master of improv, having discovered it at Middlebury and continuing it at the Upright Citizens Brigade.
Rachel Bloom (2019-2020)
Rachel Bloom is the star and creator of the television show Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. She has won a Critic’s Choice Award, a Golden Globe, and a Primetime Emmy award for her acting and writing. In October of 2019, Bloom was honored as IGP’s first female POTY.
Angela Kinsey (2022-2023)
Angela Kinsey played Angela Martin in the hit NBC sitcom The Office. She has also appeared in the sitcom Haters Back Off and Netflix's Tall Girl. Over the past four years, she has given an exclusive look into The Office's greatness on her podcast Office Ladies, which won "Best Podcast" at the 2021 iHeartRadio podcast awards.
Colin Mochrie (2016-2017)
Colin Mochrie serves as many people’s introduction to improv comedy with his performance on the show Whose Line Is It Anyway? It was an absolute honor having him perform with us as our most recent Player of the Year.
Nick Offerman (2015-2016)
Nick Offerman, famed for his role as Ron Swanson on the hit comedy Parks and Recreation, is an accomplished actor, writer and woodworker. Delivering a dry, witty gravitas like no one else, Offerman joined us for an Armando as our 2016 Player of the Year.
Keegan-Michael Key (2014-2015)
Keegan-Michael Key stars in Key and Peele, a sketch comedy show on Comedy Central. As a member of Second City Chicago, Key has roots in improvisation. He was also a cast member of MADtv for six seasons, and stars in the new hit comedies Keanu and Don't Think Twice.
Jason Alexander (2012-2013)
Jason Alexander is best known for his role of George Constanza on the record-shattering sitcom Seinfeld, but is also a fabulously talented triple threat, pulling down a Tony in his pre-Seinfeld days.
Wayne Brady (2010-2011)
Famous for his unparalleled improvised singing on Whose Line is it Anyway?, Wayne Brady was one of the improvisers who helped bring the art form to mainstream comedy tv. An accomplished singer, dancer, actor, and comedian, Brady went to perform in Kinky Boots after performing with IGP at Harvard. A direct connection has not been proven, but we think the causation is pretty clear.
Jeff Garlin (2009-2010)
Jeff Garlin is beloved for his role of Jeff Greene on HBO’s Curb Your Enthusiasm. An alumnus of The Second City, Garlin has also had an impressive career performing improv, stand-up, and sketch comedy. Garlin later wore the IGP tie on an episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm.
