Awkward Sass
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When the Awkward met the Sass
Myiea Coy and Jill Zwarensteyn met while studying at the famed improvisation school, The Groundlings. During their time at Groundlings, Myiea and Jill became comedy confidants and good friends.
The following year Myiea was in the process of directing the film Bully Avengers. She reached out to Jill and offered her the role of Teal in the film. Jill joined the cast of Bully Avengers, which gave the girls the opportunity to work together for the first time.
In the Fall of 2012, Myiea and Jill officially joined forces to create the comedy team Awkward Sass. Their very first short, Roomies: A Jewish Christmas, won the Wize Guys Comedy Make the Cut Contest. Roomies was also featured at the Laugh Fest Comedy Festival in Michigan. The real friendship and positive working relationship between Myiea Coy and Jill Zwarensteyn are what make Awkward Sass a success.
Myiea Coy was born in White Plains, NY but spent her formative years in Maryland. Granddaughter to playwright Pearl Thomas, Myiea was immersed in the theatre from a very early age. On stage is where she thrived, however in her late teens she also found a passion for writing. After relocating to Los Angeles, CA in 2006 she quickly booked her first starring role in Lion gate's The Butcher, followed by a national Chevy commercial and began studying at The Groundlings School and Upright Citizen Brigade. In 2011 she co-wrote along with Jeffrey Lorenzo Davis and directed the short film "Bully Avengers" which is being used by schools nationwide to combat the bullying epidemic. While the film was in development Myiea along with her husband Kelly Troy Howard started Think Big Not Small Productions. In addition to acting, directing, and producing, Myiea is a writer for the Huffington Post, and she estabalished the website and blog, Females in Film, which celebrates the accomplishments of women in the entertainment industry.
Jill Zwarensteyn originally hails from Grand Rapids, Michigan. She is a graduate of Grand Valley State University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Theatre. During college Jill performed in university productions, including “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”, “Nickel and Dimed”, “The Vagina Monologues”, and the theater program’s international Shakespeare touring show “Bard to Go: Lovestruck”. Jill has studied improv comedy at The Groundlings and the Upright Citizens Brigade in Los Angeles. She has appeared in a commercial for LG Mobile, as Teal in the film Bully Avengers, and as Angela in a PSA on distracted driving for teens. Most recently, Jill completed work as a lead in the new comedy web series Life's Lemonade and flew to Sydney, Australia to film a new media comedy project with Australian-based production company Grumpy Sailor. She is thrilled to be collaborating with her friend and comedy partner, Myiea.
