Dan Oster | |
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Born |
Daniel Wheatley Oster October 12, 1981 Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
Occupation | Actor/Comedian |
Years active | 2000–present |
Website | http://www.danoster.com |
Daniel Wheatley "Dan" Oster (born October 12, 1981) is an American comedic actor and improv artist. He is most famous for being a member of Boom Chicago and a member of the MADtv cast.
Oster was born in Los Angeles, California. Prior to his comedy career, Oster was a Universal Studios tour guide and a karaoke jockey. He first discovered his love for improv during his senior year of high school, when his girlfriend at the time took him to see his first live improv show. Upon learning the troupe responsible for the show, Ultimate Improv, was offering paid workshops to foot the bill for their theater space, Dan decided to take the plunge and sign-up. This led to an impressive five-year tenure with the Ultimate Improv, which ended when Oster joined Boom Chicago in July 2005.
During his time with Boom Chicago, Dan co-wrote and performed in one of the troupe's biggest hit shows to date: "Me, MySpace and iPod". This send-up of the digital age was hailed by many critics as "the best Boom Chicago show ever" in addition to becoming the longest-running show in the theater's 15-year history. Between major productions, Oster found himself trying a bit of everything by way of his fearless stage persona, from jokingly discussing penile inadequacy to performing freestyle raps as obscure pop culture icons like Paul Reiser and Cobra Commander from G.I. Joe. Outside the Boom theater, one of Dan's most noteworthy pre-MADtv gigs came in the form of a 30-minute mockumentary-style television program entitled "The Digital Difference".
Oster joined the cast of MADtv in 2007, as a featured performer, for the thirteenth season. He made his debut on the show on November 24, 2007. Oster is also the fifth MADtv cast member to have been a member of Boom Chicago, joining former cast members Ike Barinholtz, Josh Meyers, Nicole Parker, and Jordan Peele.
In September 2010, Oster launched the sketch comedy website "Titled Sketch Project", featuring independent material created by writers and actors from MADtv, The Colbert Report, the Groundlings, and Boom Chicago. The cast includes Oster himself as well as Jen Burton, Laurel Coppock, Lauren Flans, Will Maier, and Bobby Mort. This same team also performs live comedy shows in Los Angeles as "Jerk Circus".