Theresa Twa

Rita grew up on the South Side of Chicago. She had bad hair, big glasses, braces, scoliosis and a penchant for quoting Carol Burnett. Rita survived childhood with self-esteem intact, thanks to her crazy Catholic family. In college, she lost the braces and glasses, but kept the bad hair and scoliosis. Ever a glutton for embarrassment,she began doing beauty pageants in the Miss America system. Whilst other girls played harps or sang opera for their talent, Rita performed stand-up comedy. Even with the bad hair and scoliosis she placed in the top 10 at Miss Iowa. After college Rita moved back to Chicago and began studying at the Second City Training Center and Improv Olympic. While at a trade show as Miss Chicago, she performed stand up for and took pictures with 250 people with a piece of spinach between her two front teeth. It was not part of her act. Rita moved to L.A. and graduated from the Second City Conservatory. She has since studied with the Groundlings, IO West, Ultimate Improv, Lesly Kahn Studios, Brian Reise and currently studies at UCB. She was most recently seen in 5 of 7 episodes on CMT's Ultimate Coyote Ugly Search doing a killer impersonation of Christopher Walken, but failing hilariously at mixing, pouring and serving drinks.