Stacey Smith

Stacey is a powerhouse performer, director, and educator with over a decade of experience. Known for her explosive shows, relentless positivity, and unmatched work ethic, she previously served as Artistic Director and Director of Education at the legendary Boom Chicago Theater in Amsterdam, where she was also a mainstage cast member. Originally from Long Island, New York, Stacey grew up steeped in music and musical theater before studying theater, speech, and music at university. She moved to Chicago to pursue comedy, where she trained at The Second City, iO, and The Annoyance, landing her first full-time gig touring with The Second City in 2012. As a performer, Stacey has toured internationally with The Second City, starred in the theatricals Life Hacks and #DateMe, and shared the stage with comedy royalty including Jason Sudeikis, Brendan Hunt, Heather Anne Campbell, Taran Killam, Amber Ruffin, Chris Redd, Kevin McDonald, Arjen Lubach, Dickie Smothers and more. She is also the creator of Stacejam, an improvised solo musical extravaganza that has earned critical acclaim. Stacey has performed and taught across Europe and North America, appearing 67 times at 25 international improv festivals, many as a headliner. An accomplished educator and program builder, Stacey has designed training programs for multiple schools and created specialized workshops, including S.H.E. (Sisterhood Humor Empowerment), a program for young female-identifying students. She has led and taught at major institutions including The Second City, iO Chicago, ImprovBoston, and ComedySportz Chicago. Stacey is also a prolific producer. She founded the Chicago Musical Improv Festival, has produced countless shows including The Musical Armando and Fraudway, and served as Boom Chicago Comedy Festival Artistic Director from 2021-2025.