Nyima Funk
Encyclopedia
Nyima Funk is an American
actress, comedian
and singer. She is best known for her work on MTV
's improvisation
show Wild 'n Out
.
at age 4 and performed in the Pittsburgh Ballet Theater by age 7. Her mother, Wendy Woods, was a City Council member from 2001 to 2007 in Ann Arbor
. She attended the University of Michigan
, majoring in musical theater, where she met her husband Joshua Funk. Nyima, along with her brothers Raleigh and Renan Woods, was a founding member of the Detroit
-based techno
group "The Sound Odyssey" as its lead singer.
performances. Most notably, she served as a cast member of The Second City
in both Chicago
and Detroit and has performed at the Goodman Theatre
and Planet Ant Theatre
. During this time, Nyima wrote, along with Keegan-Michael Key
and her husband Joshua, several Joseph Jefferson Award
-winning revues including "Curious George Goes To War
", and "Pants on Fire". She also regularly performs in Los Angeles
with 313 Improv, "Baby Wants Candy", and "Opening Night, the Improvised Musical".
On television
, she was a cast member of the 2007 NBC
improvisation
show Thank God You're Here
and MTV
's improvisation
show Wild 'n Out
. Additionally, she has appeared on Kitten vs. Newborn, Chocolate News
, Short Circuitz
, According to Jim
, Girlfriends
, and The Oprah Winfrey Show
. She also narrates a show on the Style Network
called Style Star.
with him.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
actress, comedian
Comedian
A comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain an audience, primarily by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting a fool, as in slapstick, or employing prop comedy...
and singer. She is best known for her work on MTV
Music television
Music television is a type of television programming which focuses predominantly on playing music videos from bands, usually on dedicated television channels broadcasting on satellite or cable. Music TVs may host their own shows charts, award prizes. Examples are VIVA, Scuzz, MTV, JBTV, MuchMusic,...
's improvisation
Improvisation
Improvisation is the practice of acting, singing, talking and reacting, of making and creating, in the moment and in response to the stimulus of one's immediate environment and inner feelings. This can result in the invention of new thought patterns, new practices, new structures or symbols, and/or...
show Wild 'n Out
Wild 'N Out
Nick Cannon Presents Wild 'n Out is a game show on MTV starring Nick Cannon.-Premise:Similar in premise to game-type shows such as Whose Line Is It Anyway?, the show puts two teams of comedians: the "Red Squad", captained by Cannon and contained Katt Williams for the first 3 seasons, and the "Black...
.
Early life
Funk started studying classical balletClassical ballet
Classical Ballet is the most formal of the ballet styles, it adheres to traditional ballet technique. There are variations relating to area of origin, such as Russian ballet, French ballet, British ballet and Italian ballet...
at age 4 and performed in the Pittsburgh Ballet Theater by age 7. Her mother, Wendy Woods, was a City Council member from 2001 to 2007 in Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Ann Arbor is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Washtenaw County. The 2010 census places the population at 113,934, making it the sixth largest city in Michigan. The Ann Arbor Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 344,791 as of 2010...
. She attended the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
, majoring in musical theater, where she met her husband Joshua Funk. Nyima, along with her brothers Raleigh and Renan Woods, was a founding member of the Detroit
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
-based techno
Techno
Techno is a form of electronic dance music that emerged in Detroit, Michigan in the United States during the mid to late 1980s. The first recorded use of the word techno, in reference to a genre of music, was in 1988...
group "The Sound Odyssey" as its lead singer.
Career
Nyima's career has extensively featured stageStage (theatre)
In theatre or performance arts, the stage is a designated space for the performance productions. The stage serves as a space for actors or performers and a focal point for the members of the audience...
performances. Most notably, she served as a cast member of The Second City
The Second City
The Second City is a improvisational comedy enterprise which originated in Chicago's Old Town neighborhood.The Second City Theatre opened on December 16, 1959 and has since expanded its presence to several other cities, including Toronto and Los Angeles...
in both Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
and Detroit and has performed at the Goodman Theatre
Goodman Theatre
The Goodman Theatre is a professional theater company located in Chicago's Loop. A major part of Chicago theatre, it is the city's oldest currently active nonprofit theater organization...
and Planet Ant Theatre
Planet Ant
Planet Ant is a non-profit artist community housed in a three-story tenement in Hamtramck, Michigan. The community has several branches, including a record label, a theatre company, an improv colony and a film production company....
. During this time, Nyima wrote, along with Keegan-Michael Key
Keegan-Michael Key
Keegan-Michael Key is an American comic actor best known for his roles as a cast member on MADtv for six seasons. He has also had recurring roles on Reno 911! and Gary Unmarried. He used to be the host of The Planet's Funniest Animals...
and her husband Joshua, several Joseph Jefferson Award
Joseph Jefferson Awards
The Joseph Jefferson Awards are given annually by a volunteer non-profit committee to acknowledge excellence in theatre in the Chicago area. Founded in 1968, the awards are given in tribute to actor Joseph Jefferson...
-winning revues including "Curious George Goes To War
Curious George
Curious George is the protagonist of a series of popular children's books by the same name, written by Hans Augusto Rey and Margret Rey. The books feature a curious brown monkey named George, who is brought from his home in Africa by "The Man with The Yellow Hat" to live with him in a big city.When...
", and "Pants on Fire". She also regularly performs in Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
with 313 Improv, "Baby Wants Candy", and "Opening Night, the Improvised Musical".
On television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
, she was a cast member of the 2007 NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
improvisation
Improvisation
Improvisation is the practice of acting, singing, talking and reacting, of making and creating, in the moment and in response to the stimulus of one's immediate environment and inner feelings. This can result in the invention of new thought patterns, new practices, new structures or symbols, and/or...
show Thank God You're Here
Thank God You're Here (U.S. TV series)
Thank God You're Here is a partially improvised comedy television program based on the Australian TV show, broadcast by NBC. The show was hosted by David Alan Grier and presided over by judge Dave Foley. The pilot was shot on November 9, 2006 and NBC initially ordered six episodes. The show...
and MTV
Music television
Music television is a type of television programming which focuses predominantly on playing music videos from bands, usually on dedicated television channels broadcasting on satellite or cable. Music TVs may host their own shows charts, award prizes. Examples are VIVA, Scuzz, MTV, JBTV, MuchMusic,...
's improvisation
Improvisation
Improvisation is the practice of acting, singing, talking and reacting, of making and creating, in the moment and in response to the stimulus of one's immediate environment and inner feelings. This can result in the invention of new thought patterns, new practices, new structures or symbols, and/or...
show Wild 'n Out
Wild 'N Out
Nick Cannon Presents Wild 'n Out is a game show on MTV starring Nick Cannon.-Premise:Similar in premise to game-type shows such as Whose Line Is It Anyway?, the show puts two teams of comedians: the "Red Squad", captained by Cannon and contained Katt Williams for the first 3 seasons, and the "Black...
. Additionally, she has appeared on Kitten vs. Newborn, Chocolate News
Chocolate News
Chocolate News is a satirical news show hosted and head written by David Alan Grier with an emphasis on African American culture. The show aired on Wednesday nights at 10:30 PM on Comedy Central as a lead-in to their other news satire programs, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart and The Colbert...
, Short Circuitz
Short Circuitz
Short Circutz was a series of short computer animated videos that were played on YTV.Most videos were 30 to 120 seconds long, often played between other computer animated shows, such as ReBoot and Beasties. The videos were all sampled from three film collections: The Mind's Eye, its sequel Beyond...
, According to Jim
According to Jim
According to Jim is an American sitcom television series starring Jim Belushi in the title role as a suburban father of three children. It originally ran on ABC from October 3, 2001 to June 2, 2009.-Synopsis:Jim is an abrasive but lovable suburban father...
, Girlfriends
Girlfriends
Girlfriends is an American comedy-drama sitcom that premiered on September 11, 2000, on UPN and aired on UPN's successor network, The CW, before being cancelled in 2008...
, and The Oprah Winfrey Show
The Oprah Winfrey Show
The Oprah Winfrey Show is an American syndicated talk show hosted and produced by its namesake Oprah Winfrey. It ran nationally for 25 seasons beginning in 1986, before concluding in 2011. It is the highest-rated talk show in American television history....
. She also narrates a show on the Style Network
Style Network
The Style Network is an American cable television network based in Los Angeles.Owned by NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of General Electric and Comcast, its sister channels include E! Entertainment Television, USA Network, Syfy, G4, Golf Channel, and Versus, among others.-Network Overview:Style's...
called Style Star.
Personal life
Nyima is married to Joshua Funk and currently resides in Los Angeles, CaliforniaLos Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
with him.