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From his humble beginnings in Reno, NV., Spike has always been destined to a life of
performance. Spike's official stage debut was at the ripe old age of four and to a crowd of over
seventeen hundred screaming people on the world's largest stage at The Ziegfeld Theater in
the Reno Hilton. It was these cunning acts of balance and buffoonery that would solidify
Spike's tiny little foot in the first step of a life long journey.
Spike started on stage unofficially even earlier (at the age of two), as a shill in his old man's
juggling act. That's right, Spike is from a circus family, but not only was Spike's dad a juggler,
he was also the Entertainment Director at Circus Circus Reno. This added much fuel to Spike's
fire as he had the unique opportunity to spend his childhood learning from top shelf variety
performers including Anthony Gatto and Charlie Frye. He also spent his fair share of time at
festivals including visits to MotionFest and the annual festival held by the International
Juggler's Asociation, where he got the chance to take workshops from the likes of Kenny
Raskin, Sean Gandini, and Robert Nelson.
It wasn't long before he took to the road joining the all youth cast of Circus Smirkus, for their
2002 tour of New England. Of course, he didn't leave Reno without a bang; his final pre-tour
appearance was alongside such notables as Ron Lucas, Jeff Hobson and The Raspyni Brothers
in "Laughing Matters", an all-star variety show at the Pioneer Center for Performing Arts.
After completing the tour he returned home and picked up where he left off, providing the
headlining entertainment at Circus Circus Hotel/Casino for their New Year's Eve celebration,
leading a crowd of screaming fans in a count down to 2003. A year that would offer Spike more
impressive credits to add to his list including; "Ally Oop! Variety in Motion at Wingfield
Amphitheater, "The Cascade of Stars" in the Golden Phoenix Hotel/Casino showroom and a
spot as the opening act for KC and the Sunshine Band.
With another year of experience under his belt Spike took to the road again, this time
impressing Californian audiences while providing pre-show entertainment for top names
including WAR and The Village People. Being in such close proximity to home he was sure to
visit Reno regularly where he could often be found emceeing events at Harrahs Hotel/Casino
for the Virg Summer Concert Series introducing national headliners such as Blue Oyster Cult,
Survivor, and John Waite.
In the fall Spike's wanderlust set in again when he packed his bags for Chicago. He shifted his
focus to also include more theater, and was seen in his first Chicago role as Clancey in a
production of Waiting for Lefty, directed by Sheldon Patinkin, artistic consultant of The Second
City and of Steppenwolf Theatres.
With so many great years before, it was hard to avoid 2005 being another big one. After getting
his name out quickly on the Chicago improv scene Spike was asked to perform during a
segment of MTV's Made, set as an invitation only audition at ComedySportz Chicago. Later that
same year, the young rocker was invited to Canada to show his northern brothers a good time
with his juggling skills at the Longest Days Street Festival.
Still the life of the party in 2006, Spike gained even more bragging rights. During The Lucky
Ralph Show he tore up Chicago rockers at The Metro (Chicago's largest independent rock
club), and kicked the night off before it ended with a reprise of the yo-yo routine on stage with
rock band Telenovela. Of course, what would a big Chicago appearance be without Spike doing
a promo segment with the WGN morning show? A month later Spike showed the same love to a
West Coast crowd at Xtremely Amped, where he hosted and rocked alongside Left of Center,
Hot Pistol and some mighty skilled Motocross riders.
At the end of the summer tour, he made his way back to Chicago and upon arrival found
himself a spot as repertory member of the cast at pH productions. Between his weekly improv
shows with pH at Stage Left, and weekly shows with his other improv team "droppin $cience" it
wasn't, (and still isn't) hard to find him alongside the best improvisers Chicago has to offer. By
the winter this would lead him to Washington D.C. for the Georgetown Improv Fest, and take
him on the road again in early 2007 for the Miami Improv fest in Miami, FL.