Improv Interviews: Recent Episodes
Margot Escott
I'm a psychotherapist/improviser and host Improv Interviews with some of the most interesting people in the world - improvisers. We discuss what improv comedy is and how they use it for helping others.
I met Cooper at a Dialect class and loved her teaching style and her skills! We chat about her growing up in St. Louis and her early influences. She received a degree in Theatre Arts from New Mexico and eventually made her way to Chicago. A friend suggested that she take classes at Second City and she auditioned for and was a member of the Conservatory with Michael Gellman. I know you'll enjoy this terrific episode.
t=1067sAnd Funny or Die Presents-The Carpet Brothershttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0iB7Wsh2QHw
Meet my dear friend Karen Derrah! We met through our mutual friend Max Schaeffer and more recently in a Musical Improv Show directed by Steph McCullough. She lives in Guelph, Ontario and has been playing and teaching piano for many years. Her love of improvisation and music was a natural fit to become a Musical Director.We had a lovely chat about her improv journey and even did a short musical scene! She offers a free musical jam on Tuesdays, twice a month, attended by folks around the world. I'm sure you'll love Karen as much as I do!Here are some ways to get in touch with Karen.To get on her mailing list for Tuesday Musical Improv email her at:kderrah@gmail.comSummer Piano Workshop July 13th to 17th, 2026: https://www.karenderrah.com/home/pianoworkshop2026Website https://www.karenderrah.com/Facebook page for my piano studio: https://www.facebook.com/karenderrahpianostudioInstagram for my piano studio: @kdpianostudioI am accepting new students to my online piano studio this September. Prospective students (or their parents) can book a meet and greet with me using my online calendar at https://tidycal.com/karenderrah/info or they can email me at karenderrah@gmail.com.
Meet the incredible Amy Angelilli, owner and ringleader of Third Space Improv. They are in St. Augustine, Florida, one of the coolest places in Florida! Since arriving in Florida in 2015, she has facilitated cooperative play experiences for people from 9 to 92 and every age in between. She’s also a certified laughter yoga leader. If you don't know what Laughter Yoga is, check out this video.https://www.3rdspaceimprov.com/team-building/She worked out of other studios and theatres in St. Augustine for years until finally creating her own studio space in 2023.We laughed so much and she is multi-talented improviser. After starting a career in corporate America, she discovered improv during a divorce and hasn't stopped yet!She has fabulous energy and was one of the forces behind the 2025 AIN Conference in Florida last year.If you've never been to St. Augustine, home of The Fountain of Youth, check it out and take some classes at Third Space Improv.Owner + Ringleader, Third Space Improv200 Malaga Street, St. Augustine, Florida 32084https://www.3rdspaceimprov.comAuthor, 100 Things to Do in St. Augustine Before You DieHave you found your third space?
T, L’Oréal, and Miller Brewing. By his mid-twenties, he was producing national campaigns and later moved to St. Louis and Hollywood, where he led animation productions and eventually founded a pioneering virtual animation studio years before remote collaboration became commonplace. Throughout his career, Peter became known for solving complex creative problems, building systems, and bringing people together to produce exceptional work. Ironically, those same instincts initially made improvisation difficult. Introduced to improv through a client, Peter struggled with the uncertainty of the form but gradually discovered its deeper lessons in listening, trust, and collaboration—skills he later recognized would have made him an even stronger producer.During the COVID-19 pandemic, Peter immersed himself in online improv training with leading teachers from around the world and found a global creative community. In response, he founded Improv Dim Sum, an online workshop series that connected improvisers across cities and countries while making high-quality training accessible and affordable. The project grew into a thriving nonprofit organization dedicated to education and community building. Peter also served as President of Compass Improv in St. Louis, helping preserve the city’s vital place in improv history through its connection to Compass Players, Viola Spolin, Paul Sills, and the roots of both Second City and iO Theater. Today, Peter continues to produce workshops, coach performers, and connect improvisers with outstanding teachers. Whether in advertising, animation, or improvisation, his work has always centered on the same mission: creating environments where trust, creativity, and meaningful human connection can flourish.
Meet the brilliant and charming improviser, teacher, filmmaker and so much more, Ian McLaughlin. He started his Improv career on a rainy night in London (see our interview with his partner Beverly Fox) and began an incredible improv journey. Ian was so easy to chat with and he describes his method of teaching improv, starting with the first class. I felt like I was in an improv class, learning from this master! You definitely want to learn about his Blondie cover band and the surprise audience members who joined him on stage.He is so excited about the opening of the BOHO community hub, with a building opening in December 2026. I think it would be a great time to visit Newcastle and meet the beautiful team at BOHO Improv!For more info about the building:https://www.bohoarts.co.uk/hubCheck out their website and classes:https://www.bohoarts.co.uk
I first met Rita a few years ago, during the pandemic when I learned about the Global Play Brigade – an organization right up my alley! She is a powerful woman who exemplifies how one person can bring positive change to so many people!Rita Ezenwa-Okoro is a dynamic creative culturist, and visionary leader who harnesses the transformative power of play and performing arts to raise and nurture leaders. Her book, Doing. Being. Becoming., earned her numerous speaking features, including at the United Nations 9th Global Forum and The Association of the Study of Play (TASP). As a renowned thought leader, speaker, author, and creative strategist. she has directly empowered over 5,000 youth leaders and entrepreneurs, sparking ripple effects that have positively impacted countless families and communities worldwide. Her visionary leadership shines as the Executive Director of the Global Play Brigade. This movement uses play to soften borders and barriers between people across the globe. She is also the founder of the Street Project Foundation— a United Nations Award-Winning organization. She is a Mandela Washington Fellow and also a three-time global fellow of the International Society of the Performing Arts (ISPA), and now the first Nigerian to serve on the board of ISPA, a prestigious organization for performing arts leaders across the world. When she’s not on a mission to change the world, she makes music, explores the world, and indulges in the guilty pleasures of a good RomCo!You can follow her on these links.https://www.ritaezenwaokoro.comhttps://www.ritaezenwaokoro.com/musichttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8ZYEPqFxzk
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dedicated to improv, creativity and wellbeing.Find out more: bohoarts.co.ukContact Bev: hello@bohoarts.co.ukFollow: facebook.com/schoolofimprov | facebook.com/bohoartsNCL | instagram.com/bohoartsNCL
t=577sHere are ways to get in touch with Emma!https://linktr.ee/emmatimprovhttps://www.instagram.com/emmatimprovwww.facebook.com/emmaTimprovhttps://youtube.com/emmatimprovFeatures episodes of The Emma T and Bela Show, Scene Time ! with Emma T series and other videos. https://highwireimprov.com/improviser/emma-t/
which you can see on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@theLawofImprov or better yet, buy his book on Amazon.He is an amazing person who is also a member of SAG-AFTRA.He is doing really important work bringing improv to corrections facilities and to other law enforcement folks! In our talk we covered a lot about his improv philosophy and techniques including; how improv tools help regulate stress responses and improve emotional resilience, what “leading from presence, not position” looks like in real-world policing and public safety, practical communication strategies anyone can use to lower conflict and build trust, and how creativity and mental health intersect in both leadership and everyday interactions.You can learn more about Alex at:Website: alexmanncomedy.comInstagram: @alexmanncomedyFacebook: Alex Mann ComedyPodcast: The Law of Improv – coming soonEmail: alexmanncomedy@gmail.com
which I played with him last year - so much fun!Yes-Let's Improvise for 15 Minutes!! - https://www.facebook.com/share/17kZQtCcud/Also, Vishok is a Social Entrepreneur, International Improv Coach, and Artist. He is also an Applied Improv Practitioner, along with Effective Communication Skills Training. With around 9 years of experience in Improv performance and teaching, along with Applied Improv (in-person and online), he has trained a variety of audiences from 39 countries, and their age ranges from 5 Years to 85 Years. He recently facilitated a workshop and a panel discussion at the Vietnam Improv Festival, 2025. He has studied with numerous international online groups, including the Vintage Improv Community and Queens City Comedy (USA), Improv College (Canada), and Doc Cooper Community (Germany), among others. In Bangalore, he is building Improv Springs and sometimes jams with the No Pressure Improv Community. Jay Sukow is his mentor.Social Media -Insta - Vishok Verma (@vishok_verma) • Instagram photos and videosLinkedIn - Vishok Verma | LinkedInLinktree - vishokverma | Instagram, Facebook | LinktreeVishok
and has a really unique way of interviewing her guests.Hillary is a dynamic and generous spirit and I think you'll love her as much as I do!
which she describes on our podcast.When not doing improv, she gets nerdy and writes case studies about Asian businesses, or takes her motorbike and wanders around Vietnam.You can learn more about her at: The Improv Hub https://www.improv.vn or any of the social media handles for The Improv Hub (FB/IG) and Vietnam Improv Festival (FB/IG).
Viola Spolin and discussed the myriad improv schools and forms that we see today.She studied musical improv with, Mike Descouteaux, legendary founder of the celebrated Music Program at The Second City Training Center in Chicago. That was where she really heightened her playing and working with improvisers.Dr. Steph describes the art of improv and how much it is now a global phenomena.And starting January 4 she is teaching an online class at And, Also Improv and there is still space available at https://andalsoimprov.culmas.io/class/2ynoy17uHUk2FLDfnuqZ?from=component-api
Carlisle is the only city In County Cumbria, UK and one of the oldest cities, spanning 2,000 years. Someone who hasn’t been there quite that long is the marvelous Dr. Steph McCullough, world renowned musical improv director! In this first of a two-part interview, Dr. Steph describes her love of her husband James and her new hometown of Carlisle. In her unique and melodious way, Dr. Steph describes her journey from Chicago to this historic city that is close to Hadrian’s Wall, a place she loves to explore. She shares the story of her long distance love affair with James is better than any Hallmark movie, and it brought tears to my eyes.As she lives near Scotland she performed the 2025 Fringe Festival in Edinburgh.We discussed her research project on “seniors” while pursing a Ph.D., interviewing Del Close. Dr. Steph hadn’t entered the world of improv yet and wasn’t sure she wanted to after meeting with this historic figure. When studying at the IO she met up with Del again.Recently she has created The Improv Lineage Project, a research project that already has 700 participants on their personal improv lineage. You can join the study below.https://improvlineage.comTo learn more about Dr. Steph you can visit her YouTube channel for some lessons on musical improv.
Marc Watzecha is my friend and teacher and today we talk about all the great classes available at The Sketch School. Marc is the founder of this online training ground dedicated exclusively to sketch and short form comedy. Improv Interviews hosted Marc in August 2023 when I first started taking classes there. We spoke about his improv journey back then. Today's episode is all about The Sketch School and his philosophy on teaching sketch comedy. Please visit his website at Thesketchschool.com to check out all the terrific, and affordable, classes and workshops he teaches. He also brings industry experts, like Jamie Moyer, to teach classes. Marc is a beloved artist in the improv community and I think you'll love him too!
I had the great pleasure of meeting Jennifer Estin when I signed at the terrific online classes for the Annoyance, Improv Fiend! https://improvfiend.comWe chatted about her childhood and how her mother created games that inspired her to pursue acting.Jennifer Estlin has been involved in the entertainment business as an actress and producer since 1986.Following her graduation from Northwestern University’s School of Speech in 1987, she traveled to Edinburgh Scotland with the production of André Gregory's Alice! directed by David Schwimmer. Afterward, she spent three months traveling all over Europe until deciding to settle for awhile in Paris, where she earned her living singing on the Parisian Metro for close to a year.Upon returning to Chicago, Jennifer spent several years working in many of Chicago’s theatres including The Annoyance, Northlight, and The Body Politic. She toured for two years with Second City’s National Touring company and was a company member on a Second City resident stage prior to moving to New York in 1994. There, she continued her career by working in regional theatres around the country, Off-Broadway theatre, film, and television. She returned to Chicago in 2002 to become President, Executive Producer and owner of the Annoyance Theatre, and continues to work on film, television and stage. Jennifer has appeared as recurring characters Judge Cohen on Proven Innocent and Cathy Briscoe on NBC’s Law and Order, and also in shows such as Chicago PD, Empire, Late Night with Conan O’Brien, Exit 57, and in several national and regional commercials. Her feature film credits include the soon to be released (Fall 2024) Everything Fun You Could Possibly Do in Aledo, Illinois (for which she received Best Actress award at the Star City Film Festlval), The Eyes, iMurders, Chicago Boricua, and Volcano, and the award winning short films A Million Miles Away,(Sundance) and The Cure (Slamdance).You can learn more about Jennifer at https://www.jenniferestlin.com
I first met the dynamic Marian Rich at a Global Play Brigade event and later at an East Side Institute meeting. Marian, a New York City native, shared her journey from growing up in Manhattan in the 1960s to becoming a political activist and theater artist. Her father, a blacklisted character actor during the McCarthy era, influenced her early interest in theater. Marian's involvement with the East Side Institute and the Global Play Brigade highlights her work in using improv and theater for social change. She discussed her transition from acting to art due to chronic pain and her role in creating mental health workshops in Harlem. Marian emphasized the importance of play and creativity in overcoming life's challenges.Marian co-leads a monthly Creative Playground -https://www.wemanitycoaching.com/creative-playground- with her colleague Aurelie Harp. Marian and Aurelie also lead a weekly in-person coaching group in NYC at https://www.wemanitycoaching.com/inperson-groupYou can learn more about Marian and her work at:https://www.marianrich.com
. He didn't discover improv until University where a friend, Cedric, invited him to a class. And he was hooked!Gael discusses his teaching style, emphasizing the importance of physicality and nonverbal communication in improv. He has created workshops on various topics, including Moliere and sound effects.Gael is truly a creative and brilliant person.
Meet my friend Kitty Parker. We met at the online Queen City Comedy School and I knew I wanted to get to know her better. I was fascinated by her writing about improv which you can find at https://medium.com/@kittyparker_8532She moved from Europe to New Zealand where she discovered improv!Kitty Parker shares her journey in improv, starting with weekly classes and progressing to jam sessions with higher-level improvisers. She discussed her experiences at the New Zealand Improv Festival and the impact of different teachers. Kitty also talked about her children, including her non-binary daughter, and her work as an early childhood educator. She emphasized the importance of life experience in improv and the joy of teaching newcomers. Kitty has an ebook on Amazon , Improv Impressions, be sure to check it out! She concluded by advising older improvisers to embrace their life experience and be open to new roles.
Wow! What a fabulous trip chatting with Anděl We laughed so much and she reminded me how playful improv really is!She is a highly sought after improv coach and director and her performances are truly inspiring!Anděl Sudik is a director, improviser, actor and writer based in L.A. and Chicago known for her explosive energy onstage and in the classroom as well as her experiential teaching style. She considers herself proactively pessimistic and infused all her work-no matter how abstract- with organic honesty and emotional grounding.She was born in Chicago, raised in California and moved back to Chicago at the tender age of 17 to study comedy and improvisation. She is a faculty member of the Second City Training Center programs; A-E, Conservatory, Health and Wellness, Advanced and Teen and Youth program and has taught her workshops all over the states and the world(The Nest OH, The Improv Shop St. Louis, Monkey Business Institute Madison, OLLIE Northwestern, CLIP U of C, OKC, The Improv Retreat, WI, Improv Utopia East, Providence Fest, Red Rocks Fest, Gladstone Fest, The New Movement NOLA, Iceland, Bulgaria, Romania, Turkey, Ireland, N. Ireland, BIG IF, Neverending, Oslo Fest etc.) As an actor she is an alum of Boom Chicago in Amsterdam, the Second City Touring Company and performed in the Jeff Award award winning Second City ETC revue “We’re All in this Room Together.” She has also produced countless successful two-man shows as Arch&Anděl(The Public House, Annoyance, OoB Festival) and improvisational experiences(Obits a theatrical experience exploring the lives of those that have passed) as well as directed in Chicago at Second City, iO and the Annoyance. Anděl’s deep well of performance experience and her hands-on, in depth work within the disciplines of long form improvisation, short form, sketch and theater make her a thoroughly well-rounded and open minded conduit for art, creation, polish and playfulness. She values time efficiency, and recognizes that the most powerful thing we bring to the table is us. Whatever we are. She does not update her website enough. Connect with her at:website: https://www.yesandel.cominsta @the_proactive_pessimist
What an incredible delight to spend an hour with Singer/Songwriter Harold Payne! Harold is also known as an Improvised Songwriter and wherever he performs he uses audience suggestions to create an incredible improvised song! In fact, Harold creates a song in this podcast! Harold has an impressive career of songwriting for such diverse artists as Rod Stewart, Patti LaBelle, the Temptations, and long time collaborator, Bobby Womack—literally from Peter Paul and Mary to Snoop Dogg. Most recently, Rudimental reached #1 on the UK album charts containing the Womack/Payne song “New Day”, “Daylight” charted with Kelly Rowland plus the CD “Bravest Man in the Universe” which was co-written by Payne, Bobby Womack, Damon Albarn (Gorillaz) & Richard Russell (XL Recordings) received the prestigious “Q” award in the UK for “Best Album of the Year.”You can learn more about Harold at https://haroldpaynemusic.com/news/
Meet my sketch writing buddy, Debby Bloom! Debby is a fantastic writer and we've been in many of the same classes and writer's rooms at The Sketch School with Marc Warzecha. She has spent a lot of her life in finance and accounting but several years ago she decided to spread her wings and learn new things. A very funny lady, she braved stand-up comedy, which you can see on her YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQmBJcuxb7w&t=51s.But the grueling schedule of a stand up comedian wasn't exactly her thing. She heard about this "improv" thing and was immediately drawn in taking all levels. During the pandemic she was looking at comedy classes, joke writing and saw Marc Watzecha's Sketch School. She has been a dedicated student since then. Debby is multi-talented and has presented workshops on using AI in sketch comedy. She maintains her position as a professor teaching math. I know you'll love her sense of humor and enthusiasm as much as I do!
Show Notes:Welcome to a milestone celebration — our 200th (well… 203rd!) episode of Improv Interviews with Margot Escott! Since 2016, this podcast has been sharing the joy of improv with listeners around the world, and today we turn the spotlight on Margot herself. With Jay Sukow as guest host, Margot reflects on her journey through improv, therapy, teaching, and creativity.Along the way, nine past guests share warm congratulatory messages, and we debut a special theme song: Yes And Around the World. Originally planned for episode 200, this party arrived a few episodes later — and in true improv spirit, there are no mistakes!This special episode was lovingly produced and edited by Bright Su, with a little AI magic helping create the theme song.Big thanks to our team — Producer & Host: Margot Escott; Producer & Editor: Bright Su; Engineer: James Sitton; and Super Connector: Jay Sukow. And most of all, thank you to our listeners for supporting us through 200+ inspiring episodes. Here’s to many more adventures in Improv!
Liz Thompson is a vivacious and engaging screenwriter, puzzle/game creator, and development and mystery consultant, and this interview was so much fun! She fell in love with improv and storytelling in middle school and went on to perform, teach and found an improv comedy club in Chicago before moving to Los Angeles and has since sold both sitcoms and mysteries to CBS and NBC. She currently has a TV series in development and she is also in production on filming her own episodic pilot for a project called DOUBLE TAKE with her partner and the co-creator, Brendan Connelly.She offers several classes and consulting that you can find on her website at: https://www.howtoliz.comI think you'll love Liz as much as I do!
Get to know the incredibly enthusiastic improv player/coach Yael Schy. We explore her improv journey from dreams of being a dancer to becoming a wonderful improv teacher. Yael is truly unsinkable!Yael Schy, Founder, Zoomers to Boomers Improv, is a leader in using expressive arts in organizational learning and development, and a pioneer in leading Intergenerational Improv classes. She is principal of Dramatic Strides® Consulting, specializing in leadership development, communication skills, teambuilding and innovative decision-making techniques that help people and organizations move forward together. Yael is also a founding member of the Applied Improvisation Network, an international community of Applied Improvisation practitioners. Yael brings a unique perspective by combining decades of management and facilitation experience with Somatic Coaching certification and 50 years of teaching improvisational theater and dance, to create dynamic interpersonal skills training, coaching, and consulting services. She empowers individuals, teams, and organizations by helping people use their whole selves—body, mind, and heart—to connect with their true passion and creativity, producing extraordinary results. She is passionate about using improv .Check out more about Yael athttps://zoomerstoboomersimprov.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/yael-schy/yael@zoomerstoboomersimprov.com
Meet the wonderful Laura Doorneweerd-Perry! She is an improviser from Amsterdam and we had a laugh-filled chat in this episode. Laura is co-founder and co-director of Flock Theatre, but she has also been a member of the cast of multiple productions, as well as directing and producing fabulous shows! She met her husband, Gael Doorneweerd-Perry, at an improv festival and they felling love! They planned a Global World Honeymoon Tour but the pandemic got in the way of completing. They have performed all over the world and delight audiences everywhere.
What a delight speaking with Fena Ortalli, known around the world as a brilliant improviser/teacher. He is the founder and editor of STATUS (Revisita de Improvisation) the foremost journal about all things impro around the world. This impro magazine has been published sine 2001Originally from Argentina, where he discovered Impro, and had a sideline as a birthday party entertainer! He has been improvising since 2001. In 2006 he created Global Impro, an improv troupe dedicated to national and international collaboration and exchange. He resides in Madrid and is a frequent guest at Impro Festivals around the world.For more information contact him:https://www.globalimpro.com/https://payhip.com/status
Meet legendary improviser Tim Orr based in San Francisco. We had a fabulous chat about his life in improv, international travels and favorite movie. We spoke about his philosophy on improv and the importance of connections.He even gave me a tour of his home!He has been improvising since 1988 with many San Francisco and international groups, including BATS Improv, True Fiction Magazine, Awkward Dinner Party, and with the acclaimed troupe 3 For All. In 2009, he founded Improv Playhouse of San Francisco. Since 2015, he has toured Europe with Inbal Lori from Berlin performing their duo show Click.Tim has also appeared in numerous plays in the San Francisco Bay Area, and received critical acclaim for his leading roles in the improvised feature films, Suckerfish and Security. Nationally, Tim has performed and taught improvisation at the American Conservatory Theatre, BATS Improv, Stanford University, and many other venues (Los Angeles, Chicago, New York, Austin, Louisville, Atlanta, etc.).Internationally, he has performed and taught at numerous festivals and/or as an invited guest artist in Amsterdam, Barcelona, Beijing, Beirut, Belgium, Berlin, Bucharest, Dubai, Hamburg, Helsinki, Lisbon, London, Lyon, Mallorca, Oslo, Paris, Saudi Arabia, Shanghai, Sofia, Stockholm, Tel Aviv and more.Tim has consulted with numerous groups both nationally and internationally in their formation of improvisation groups and also the development of new improvisation formats.
Meet the fabulous Tim Yeo! He is from Singapore and has a fantastic improv theater at Ask Auntie Productions. He studied law in Bristol, UK and there he discovered improv at the Bristol Improv Society. He quickly joined the cast and has been improvising since 2011. He returned to Singapore in 2014 to practice law and began improv groups there. His teams ASAP improv and Les Musicables perform Musical Improv as well as other forms. He has traveled to Improv Festivals around the globe. In our chat he describes his teaching style. He is a fabulous spirit and we had so much joy getting to know each other!You can learn more about him at www.askauntie.sg and connect via Instagram @savingtimmy
Ashton Keys is a delightful therapist in Orlando, Florida. She is currently working on her Ph.D. and exploring ways that improv can be used in training therapists. I know you'll love getting to know Ashton!
Meet the incredible Rebecca Sohn! She is originally a New Jersey girl but has had so many adventures since leaving home at age 18. She describes her father and how he fostered her creativity by building a stage in their basement for her to give dancing performances. Her dad involved the whole family in co-writing a play, which was basically improvised and was produced at two local schools.Her passion and love was ballet until age 16 when she tragically "grew out of a dancer’s body" and gave up her dream of being the Prima Ballerina of the World. She remembers her high school English teacher, Ms Bartow, who nurtured her students’ artistic sides.At 18 she moved to Boston and recalled seeing an Improv Touring Company Show, but didn’t walk away thinking “This is what I want to do.”A few years later she moved to the Bay Area of California and was able to attend school and knew she wanted to be an actor. But the acting classes were full so she enrolled in an improv class, with the thought it would help her acting.While in SF she met Charna Halpern of the IO and was invited to Chicago and the rest was history! It was Charna who persuaded her to date Rebecca’s (now) husband, Rich Sohn!To learn more you’ll have to listen to the podcast.You can find out even more about Rebecca at her website www.rebeccasohn.com
Meet the talented Rich Sohn! After being introduced to improv in college, he moved to Chicago in 1987, so he's definitely a seasoned pro in the Improv world. He studied, taught and directed at the Annoyance Theatre, IO and, Second City.As a teacher, he was at The Annoyance Theatre where Rich primarily found his voice and approach. His teaching style is highly influenced by Mick Napier. He moved to LA in 2017 and now teaches at The Pack Theater. He has directed, written and performed hours and hours of comedy content. Designed curriculum to help professionals and students find and perfect their voice. And improvisation has remained at the root of everything he does.We talked about what he looks for in his students and his teaching style. I think you'll admire Rich as much as I do!
Our producer/engineer Bright Su introduced me to an incredible human being, Matt Folliott.We had such a fun and lively conversation and when you listen you'll know why his last name foretold his career in acting! He grew up in Canada and had is own agent at ten years old!Matt is a Comedian/Actor/Writer from Toronto, Canada, and a former cast member of The Second City National Touring Company and Canadian Comedy Award Winning Sketch Group The Sketchersons. Matt was nominated for Best Male Improviser two years in a row in Toronto’s beloved NOW magazine. He was also nominated for a Canadian Comedy Award for Best Improv Troupe with his group K$M (pronounced K and M) and has had the pleasure of performing and teaching improv across the globe in festivals like NOW Improv Festival (Beijing), Manila Improv Festival, Vietnam Improv Festival, Singapore Improv Festival, Hong Kong Improv Festival, Improvaganza (Edmonton, CND), Vancouver Improv Festival, Mprov (Montreal, CND), Ottawa Improv Festival, The Winnipeg Improv Festival and The Seattle International Festival of Improv. You can hear him or see him on your TV or laptop screens in shows like Bakugan (Netflix), PJ Masks (Disney +), Clifford the Big Red Dog (Prime Video), Agent Binky: Pets of the Universe (Treehouse), Charlie’s Colorforms City (Netflix), Workin’ Moms (Netflix), Baroness Von Sketch Show (Netflix) and Odd Squad (PBS Kids). Check out his website at https://www.mattfolliott.com
I met Rebekah through Marc Warzecha at the Sketch School and knew I wanted to know more about this intriguing person! Rebekah is getting her MFA in Performance Pedagogy at Loyola Marymount University, Rebekah has been an adjunct faculty member at The Second City since 2008. She has developed comedy writing courses for SCTC, Lesly Kahn & Co, and The Sketch School. Co-creator and executive producer of Chicago's long-running LGBTQIA+ soap opera, The Ville, Rebekah is a former associate member of The Actors' Gang with a B.A. in Theatre Arts from San Jose State University. She is a proud member of SAG-AFTRA and a founding member of the Association of International Comedy Educators (AICE-CWA Local 9505).In Part 1 we talk about her early life, interest in theater and her path that led her to Second City Chicago.Be sure to check out her website at:https://rebekahwalendzakslepski.comThis summer she Rebeka perform for Shakespeare on the Bluff: https://cfa.lmu.edu/programs/theatrearts/shakespeareonthebluff/If you'd like to study sketch writing with her she teaches at the Rodney Dangerfield Institute @LACC. https://lacitycollege.augusoft.net/index.cfm?method=ClassInfo.ClassInformation&int_class_id=13113&int_category_id=0&int_sub_category_id=0&int_catalog_id=0
We continue our fascinating talk with Rebeka Walendzak Slepski and her journey in sketch writing and life. She spoke about her recovery from Hodgkin lymphoma and subsequent bone marrow transplant.Despite going through treatment and surgeries she persevered and went to Second City LA. She was on the faculty teaching writing and sketch. Rebekah has been an adjunct faculty member at The Second City since 2008. She has developed comedy writing courses for SCTC, Lesly Kahn & Co, and The Sketch School. Co-creator and executive producer of Chicago's long-running LGBTQIA+ soap opera, The Ville, Rebekah is a former associate member of The Actors' Gang with a B.A. in Theatre Arts from San Jose State University. She is a proud member of SAG-AFTRA and a founding member of the Association of International Comedy Educators (AICE-CWA Local 9505).Be sure to check out her website at:https://rebekahwalendzakslepski.comThis summer she Rebeka perform for Shakespeare on the Bluff: https://cfa.lmu.edu/programs/theatrearts/shakespeareonthebluff/If you'd like to study sketch writing with her she teaches at the Rodney Dangerfield Institute @LACC. https://lacitycollege.augusoft.net/index.cfm?method=ClassInfo.ClassInformation&int_class_id=13113&int_category_id=0&int_sub_category_id=0&int_catalog_id=0
Meet my amazing friend, Diana Brown. I've taken several Improvised Shakespeareworkshops with Diana and she is a real gem!We had so much to talk about that this is Part ! Diana is an improv artist, teaching artist, actor, producer, director and voiceover talent. She was voted Most Valuable Mentor and Teacher at the San Francisco Improv Festival. Diana was named as one of The Improv Boosts 2025 Sudden Impact Teachers. She leads the improv program at Berkeley Repertory Theatre’s School of Theatre. Diana is an instructor, producer and a member of the leadership team with Leela Improv Theatre in San Francisco. She presents the improvised Shakespeare program at All Out Comedy Theatre, is a guest teacher with BATS (Bay Area Theatre Sports) and teaches with Greater Than The Sum.Diana enjoys helping improv artists find and amplify their unique gifts! She genuinely believes everyone is infinitely fascinating and endeavors to instill that belief in her students. She believes the truth is the most compelling thing we can offer up on the stage and encourages her students to bring their truth to their characters whether they’re naturalistic or fantastical.She’s presented Improv workshops, intensives and “workshop to show” experiences at SAVI Fest, Northwest Improv Fest, Improv Fest Ireland, Belfast Improv Fest, Queen City and Comedy Experience, Uptown Improv Festival, Vancouver Improv Festival, Tucson Comedy Arts Festival, Ocean State Improv Festival, Gather Spring Improv Retreat, Cornerstone Improv, O-Town Improv festival, Countdown Improv Festival, Camp Improv Utopia West, Experience, IMPRIDE, Unscrewed Theatre, 2nd Best Comedy Fest, Denver Improv Festival, Unscrewed Theater in Tucson, AZ, All Out Comedy Theater in Oakland, CA, Sealevel, San Francisco, CA, Phoenix Theater, San Francisco, CA.Diana plays in the Shakespeare inspired, Gamesome Frolic. She’s half of the duo Bingewatch, plays in the Tennessee Williams inspired duo Fleeting Reminiscence, the trios POPTOP, Slumber Party, the duos Horrible People, DJ, Secret Lives of Villains, Salt and Pepper, Davenport & Brown, and the Twilight Zone inspired ensemble But of Mind.Diana appeared as a guest artist with BATS Improv in San Francisco and is a member of the acting pool with the San Francisco sketch comedy company Killing My Lobster. She has appeared at Impro Amsterdam, the Liverpool Improv Festival in Mark Smith’s Taxi Tales, the Vancouver Improv Festival, Uptown Improv Festival, Improv Fest Ireland, Gather Spring Improv Retreat, Rise Comedy Fest, SF Sketchfest, The Queen City Comedy Experience, San Francisco Improv Fest, Improvaganza Hawaii Festival of Improv, San Diego Improv Fest, O-Town Improv Fest, New York Improv Festival. Vintage Improv Fest, 2nd Best Comedy Fest, New Orleans Improv Fest, Twin Cities Improv Fest, Alaska State Improv Fest, Tucson Comedy Arts Fest and others. Diana also performs in scripted theater productions including Playground Solo Fest 2025 and at theaters and theatre festivals around the country.You can reach Diana at:Check out Bingewatch Improv my duo with Dan Wilson:https://www.contemporarytheatercompany.com/ocean-state-improv-festivalOr her website at:https://www.dianalynnbrown.com
Meet my really cool friend and great improviser, Murph McHugh. We met at a class with Billy Merritt, one of the founders of Upright Citizen's Brigade and I was struck by how effortlessly he played! He hails from DC and is quite a Renaissance man. I don't use the word "brilliant" often but it absolutely describes Murphy. To find out more about Murphy and take a class with him here are his contacts.His comedy group is Brick Penguin (brickpenguin.com) , he teaches at Dojo Comedy (dojocomedy.com) and The Radical Agreement Project (https://www.radicalagreement.com/) and his personal site is Murphymchugh.com
Nathan Keates is a lecturer, improvisation teacher and performer. Like many of us, Nathan became addicted to improv studying in diverse forms and even clowning. He found that his interests drew him to teaching improv. Nathan Keats has delved into researching improv, one major project being with autistic people. He is an expert on autistic people, and we discussed the terms that have been use for autistic people that does not honor their individuality. We spoke several years ago, and I was delighted to connect with him again. He is a Lecturer in Health and Social Care at the University of Sunderland in London. Nathan is involved in research in Applied Social Sciences, Critical Autism Studies, Social and Positive Psychology, Organizational Culture and Improvisation. He has many research articles on neurodiversity including his recent "Inclusive Improv Pedagogy" https://keatesresearchblog.wordpress.com/2025/04/25/inclusive-improv-pedagogy/ “The Experience of Participating in Improv Comedy for Autistic Adults” https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/27546330251323154 And his 2017 book is especially worthwhile! "University Improv Comedy Society Manual" https://www.amazon.co.uk/University-Improv-Comedy-Society-Manual/dp/1549662694 You can contact Nathan at: Nathan.keates@sunderland.ac.uk
Nick Johne is a beloved Canadian actor and improviser. We first met in 2017 at the Chicago "Yes, and Mental Health & Improv Conference" and did a podcast in 2018.After getting a degree in Microbiology he began his improv journey in Toronto and joined the Toronto Second City Troupe in 1991. He moved to Chicago to Second City Chicago where he taught and also in the Theater Department of DePaul University. He developed the Improv Anxiety classes at Second City. He has a daughter who is neurodiverse and that inspired him to develop a teach Improv for ASD. He is a "stay at home" and "chauffeur" for his daughter, Emma, a gifted vocalist. He and Second City faculty Lisa Bany, will return to the Orlando Center for Autism this year to teach Improv for Students on the Autism Spectrum.
What a wonderful time I had getting to know Adrian Monte. He is an Actor, improviser, and educator with experience in voice over, commercial production, and on-stage. Founder of DareDevil Improv- a Wilmington, NC based improvisation and performance training center focusing on comedy, community, and corporate training. His mission is to build a better world through collaboration, creativity, and humor.He is a compassionate educator and a very funny man.Check out his theater at DareDevil Improv
This week we’re delighted to interview Aree Witoelar the Norway based improviser. He is the founder and artistic director of Impro Neuf International, Oslo, Norway’s first English speaking improv comedy theater, with over 1,000 members from over 50 countries.A few days after our interview Aree appeared on the cover of STATUS magazine and you can get a copy here https://payhip.com/statusAree has been improvising since 2005, studying from many teachers throughout his improv career.Aree and Friends is his popular duos improv scenes, and as of this date (April 2025) there are 178 episodes with 62 countries.These scenes can be accessed at his Facebook Pagehttps://www.facebook.com/areewitoelarimprov/I had the pleasure of doing a duo scene with him and it was so lovely.He describes himself as aloud advocate for race diversity in theatre, and has created minority representation teams Rice Eaters and Monosodium Glutamates, mixed language shows, and produced Impro Neuf's world-bending Cloud Atlas.Aree spoke about his childhood in Indonesia and his decision to pursue advanced studies in Norway. He has a Ph.D. degree in physics.He is a prolific writer on improv and began his blog in 2017. Check out his writing here.Bloghttps://areewitoelar.medium.com/He is the Artistic Director of the 2025 Oslo Impro Festival featuring artists from around the world. You’ll want to attend this amazing festival! https://www.osloimprofestival.comHere are some ways you can get in touch with Aree.Official Websitehttps://areewitoelar.com/Oslo Impro Festival https://www.osloimprofestival.com/Instagram pagehttps://www.instagram.com/aree2d2/
Cale EvansCale Evans is an actor, improviser, host, coach, trainer and producer. What a delight getting to know Cale! He shares his improv journey and how he became an “accidental actor”. Growing up in North Carolina he’s a genuine “tar heel” but no tar grows under his feet!He began his improv training at Charlotte Comedy Theater where he is now a coach. He is the Founder of Queen City Comedy and Now are the Foxes Improv Comedy. Cale also performs with Improv Charlotte and Background Noise Musical Improv.He is the Ensemble Coach for Close Distance and Smells Like Ghosts.When not on stage, Cale can be heard on the wildly popular podcast - The Podcast from Hell and Bat Boys Comedy Podcast.Cale co-produces the Queen City Comedy ExperienceCale is also a coach for Charlotte Comedy Theater.Cale is a dynamic, positive force in our improv world!To learn more about Cale check out his podcast “The Podcast from Hell” and Queen City Comedy.https://linktr.ee/thepodcastfromhellhttps://linktr.ee/queencitycomedyhttps://www.queencitycomedy.com/
Katie Caussin is the new director of the 40 year old iO theater in Chicago. She is an actress, improviser, director and actor who has a 30 year career in improv. We talked about what she loves about improv and why she is passionate about it. One of her favorite experiences was being in Comedy Sportz and touring with them. She believes that Comedy Sportz gave her the best training to be an improviser. One of her experiences was on tour when members of her team shaved their heads! She thought about going bald herself but eventually kept her lovely locks. She shared the history of iO and the incredible improvisers who came out of their school. Katie is a warm and generous person and I felt like I'd known her for years. I know you'll love her as much as I do!
I am so happy to call Yuehan Liu a friend and improv playmate! We met during the pandemic and I instantly was impressed with her brilliance in improv and our mutual admiration for Viola Spolin. Yuehan is a designer by day and improv nerd by evening. She has been living in Stockholm for several years. She is the founder of English improv community - Fika Improv Group in Stockholm, where she's committed to connecting improvisers and sharing our passion for improv in a welcoming space. Graduated from Second City, she has also been training with teachers from different schools around the world like Jay Sukow, Liz Allen, Susan Messing and Billy Merritt. Yuehan is half of the Scandinavian Asian duo "Herring & Chopsticks", teaches and performs at several international improv festivals as well as locally. By creating a fun and connecting atmosphere, she's committed to spreading the joy and freedom of improvisation in her performances and teaching.You can get in touch with Yuehan at:Facebook: www.facebook.com/yuehan.liu.5www.facebook.com/FikaImprovGroup/Instagram: www.instagram.com/_ru_ok/www.instagram.com/fika_improv
Meet my very funny friend Andrew Cornelius. We met taking classes with. Marc Warzecha at the Sketch School. His sketch writing is dynamic and he has helped me as a writer.Andrew is a Los Angeles based comic whose comedic roots came from a decade of improv comedy experience in Chicago and New York before he focused exclusively on stand-up comedy eight years ago. He was the host of Intrigue.TV’s “Just Eat It!,” a restaurant review show that is available on YouTube. Andrew also played “Preston” in the indie comedy feature, “Captain Hagen’s Bed & Breakfast” streaming on Amazon. He made two appearances on Comedy Central’s “Inside Amy Schumer.” Sometimes children recognize him as “Coach Scalp” from Nick Jr.’s “Platy & Jackie’s Mixed Up Challenges.” Through Cool Beans Comedy, Andrew is coach / instructor at the Ice House Comedy Club for beginner and intermediate stand-up comedy classes. Andrew is a whiskey aficionado and has logged over 200 different tastings in his journal. However, he probably forgot to log another hundred or so over his lifetime.You can see some of Andrew’s work on the following links.infamouscornelius.comyoutube.com/@corneliushahayoutube.com/@corneliusdrinksandthinksx.com/@infamousacorn
What a wonderful opportunity to chat with the incredible musical improv genius, Mike Descoteaux. I've been lucky enough to call him a friend over a decade! He is a beloved teacher throughout the world.We even got to do a musical improv number!Mike Descoteaux is a music director, teacher, composer, improviser and airline pilot, apparently. He was creator and head of the Music Program at The Second City Training Center, music director of the Second City ETC stage in Chicago, and full-time artistic director/executive director of several New England nonprofit arts and comedy organizations. His work has been seen on NBC, A&E, WGN, WGBH and stages around the globe. He has “composed” and “conducted” over 1,000 completely improvised musicals with BLANK! the musical (Off-Broadway), Baby Wants Candy, Musical! the musical, and many others. In addition to teaching/performing at institutions like the Second City, iO, Comedy Sportz, the Annoyance, the Magnet, UCB, Northwestern University, and Columbia College, Mike has led workshops in improvisation, sketch, music direction, and music improv at festivals and theaters all over the world.
Welcome back to the Billy Merritt podcast, Part 2! Billy shares his journey in LA and his return to FL. So grateful to have the opportunity to interview this improv great!
Billy Merritt is an improviser, director, actor and all round great guy! Co-author of one of the best books on improv "Pirate Ninja Robot: An Improv Fable" with Will Hines. I've had the great fortune to be studying with him lately on his BIT comedy podcasts and it is a real trip! He is a founding member of The Swarm, and UCB. As a teacher Billy has developed many improvised longform shows. Such as, The Documentary, Improvised One Acts, The Ninja, Murder Murder, Robot Theatre, and the Holiday Spectacular. Launched in 2024 he curates the BIT Comedy Network with monthly podcast shows "Podcast Town" and "rabbitHOLE" found on Apple Music.Billy is a compassionate and beautiful improv teacher and I know you'll have funny hearing his story!
What a wonderful experience getting to know Vinny Francois! He is a delightful person and we had such fun on this podcast. Vinny has over 25 years experience as a professional improviser in both English and French. He's a founding director of Improv College, Camp Zipzap (an improv camp for adults), was the Executive Producer of Mprov: The Montreal Improv Festival and co-founder of the Montreal Improv Theatre. Vinny has performed in Just For Laughs and improv festivals around the world and he currently writes for The Beaverton.Be sure to check out his beautiful work at the links below.Links:https://improvcollege.ca/http://www.campzipzap.com/https://www.can-i-get-a.com/
David Raitt is an improviser, author and sketch comedian from Toronto. David shares his unique improv story starting in high school and having a troupe that was together for years! He has been performing and teaching improv for over 25 years. After acquiring degrees in Cognitive Science and then Law, he started taking improv classes at The Second City, Toronto, in 1996. In 2000, he joined their Canadian National Touring Company. He performed with the Mainstage ensemble and was also on the Training Centre Education faculty for 17 years. He offers speciality workshops in object work, environment and physicality.His book, Improv Illusionist, https://improvillusionist.com/improv-illusionist-book/ is a terrific guide to movement and physical work in improv. We had a fantastic chat and I know that you'll enjoy learning more about David.Be sure to sign up for his newsletter at https://improvillusionist.com/subscribe/ with a focus on the improv skills of environment, object work, and physicality in character and performance. I heartily recommend all of his work!
Listen to Part 2 of our interview with the fabulous BJ Lange. He has devoted his life to service of others.When a cancer diagnosis forced BJ, a former Air Force Reserve medic, onto the Temporary Disability Retired List in 2016, comedy and improv helped pull him through. Now he’s using those same skills to help veterans overcome their disabilities.During the interview BJ spoke about:The Armed Services Arts Partnership for servicemembers and veterans to get involved at www.asapasap.org The Ledge Theatre, Hollywood https://ledgetheatre.org/bj-langeBJ @ The Second City https://oldwp.secondcity.com/people/hollywood/bj-lange/ The Easterseals Disability Film Challenge https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1045695952707987 The Air Force Wounded Warrior Program https://www.airandspaceforces.com/article/make-em-laugh-helping-vets-through-improv/
BJ Lange is a very funny man who has survived many health and life issues but continues to find the bright side of life! When a cancer diagnosis forced BJ, a former Air Force Reserve medic, onto the Temporary Disability Retired List in 2016, comedy and improv helped pull him through. Now he’s using those same skills to help veterans overcome their disabilities.During the interview BJ spoke about:The Armed Services Arts Partnership for servicemembers and veterans to get involved at www.asapasap.org The Ledge Theatre, Hollywood https://ledgetheatre.org/bj-langeBJ @ The Second City https://oldwp.secondcity.com/people/hollywood/bj-lange/ The Easterseals Disability Film Challenge https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1045695952707987 The Air Force Wounded Warrior Program https://www.airandspaceforces.com/article/make-em-laugh-helping-vets-through-improv/
Listen to the amazing Larry Gifford, found of the PD Avengers - a patient-led organization, united in the purpose of ending Parkinson's disease. We raise awareness, engagement and hope. This site has an enormous collection of resources and hope for folks with PD. Larry has had an extraordinary life in sports radio broadcast in the US and Canada. When he was diagnosed his life stopped, but only momentarily. He started learning Improv at the TightRope theatre in Canada. He recently had DBS, Deep Brain Stimulation, which has helped him regain many of the abilities he lost with PD. He is truly an inspiration and a real hero!
What a great experience getting to chat with Chris Mead in the UK. He is an experienced improviser, teacher, director and author. He was part of the renowned MayDays for many yearsauthor of a fabulous weekly newsletter, Improv Fables. His newsletter is chock full of great info for improvisers and other really interesting things, like music, film and media reviews. His faithful dog, Radio, is also featured every week. In August he's be teaching a Mockumentary Class which I highly endorse.You can get In touch with Chris at:https://chrismead.notion.site/Improv-Fables-794d77df30dc47d585b7db519c7d48b0https://buttondown.email/mrchrismead/
Meet the very funny and prolific writer, Matt Fotis. Matt is an Associate Professor of Theatre at Albright College, where he teaches improvisation, comedy studies, and writing for performance. He is the author of Satire & The State: Sketch Comedy and the Presidency (Routledge 2020), Long Form Improvisation and American Comedy: The Harold (Palgrave Macmillan 2014), and co-author of The Comedy Improv Handbook (Routledge 2016). His latest book, Fifty Key Improv Performers will be released September 2024. He has published or presented on various topics, including improvisational theatre, new play development, political theatre, solo-performance, comedy studies, folklore studies, popular culture and more. His work has appeared in Theatre Journal, Theatre Topics, Theatre/Practice, The Journal of American Drama & Theatre, Academic Minute, The Encyclopedia of Humor Studies, The Encyclopedia of American Studies, McSweeney's, and MLB.com, among others. He is an award-winning playwright and the co-founder and co-executive director of The First Thursday Comedy Series in Reading, PA.Be sure to check out his very funny videos at:PSA corona virushttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7SV20XJBpULate (Date) night with Matt Fotishttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-FoUYYjzJ9UMatt Fotis Teaches Onlinehttps://www.youtube.com/@mattteachesonline7350Visit my website where I speak to today's leading innovators of improv. My guests are improvisers and therapists from all over the world who share their stories and offer insight into the unique ways they use improv. margotescott.com/podcast/
Meet the amazing Troels Andersen Kjar.Troels was born, raised, and based in Copenhagen, Denmark. His love of storytelling was kindled as a teenager when he was introduced to Dungeons and Dragons, which he has been playing ever since. 7 years ago he discovered improv by chance, and, like many others, fell in love with the artform. As a performer his main focus is narrative longform.Mental health disorders effect one out of three people today globally.With honest and vulnerability Troels shares his personal journey with mental illness, specifically Bi-polar disorder. He self-admitted to a psychiatric hospital in Denmark where he received the bi-polar, and other, diagnosis. A voluntary admission to a psych unit is an unusual thing and I salute his courage. However, he was quick to point out that all too often when people think of a psychiatrist in-patient unit, stereotypical images of "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" or "Snake Pit" come to mind.I hope you learn something today that might help you or someone you love.
Gillian Bellinger is a beloved improviser, teacher and actor. She founded the now thriving Misfit Improv and Acting School in Asheville, N.C. which just celebrated its one year anniversary.I had met Gillian during the pandemic with our mutual friend, Jay Sukow. We reconnected recently at the Sketch School with Marc Warzecha in Sketch 101 and I knew I wanted to know more about this very funny lady.We talk about growing up in Texas and how the improv bug got her.Gillian’s resume is amazing. She has performed as an improviser and taught at Second City Chicago, Second City Hollywood, Westside Comedy Theater in Mission IMPROVable, Comedy Sportz.She is a SAG voiceover actor and has appeared in numerous commercials, TV and film.When asked why she named her new theater “Mifit” she told us.“A bit of a misfit lies in each of us. That unique part of our spirit that delights in play. We strive at Misfit to create that same kind of place, a place to belong, to connect, to create and be a misfit.”Gillian is a generous and brilliant person and I for one am looking forward to visiting her in Asheville!https://www.misfitavl.com
Jane Morris is the queen of improv comedy! Her story is as unique as she is!. Co-founder at Second City ETC, she has done more to advance the art of Improv than anyone else in the universe - and that's not hyperbole!She has performed and taught all over the world and currently teaches at The Fanatic Salon Theater in Culver City, California. The Fanatic has hosted many comic legends such as Conan O'Brien and Wayne Brady.Jane is a writer, director and a beloved member of the Improv community.Jane has so many movie and TV credits as an actor I can't possibly list them all. Her first film was "Nothing in Common" with Tom Hanks and Jackie Gleason. And in 2019 she was in "The Laundromat" with Meryl Streep and her husband, Jeff Michalski, who made a guest appearance on this show. She had a recurring role on "The Drew Carey Show".I was so fortunate to meet Jane in person this year and she is a warm and generous person. I know you'll enjoy getting to know here in this podcast.Websites and social linkshttp://heavenhelpus.etsy.com/http://ohmababy.etsy.com/http://asksistermarymartha.blogspot.com/https://twitter.com/janefmorris?lang=enVisit my website where I speak to today's leading innovators of improv. My guests are improvisers and therapists from all over the world who share their stories and offer insight into the unique ways they use improv. margotescott.com/podcast/
Dr. Jeanne Leep – Improv NerdMeet the brilliant author and professor, Dr. Jeanne Leep. Jeanne played improv in Grand Rapids, Michigan and went on to pursue a Ph.D. in Theatre. I had the good fortune to play with Jeanne recently and was awed by her spontaneity and joy.She went to high school with our mutual friend Jay Sukow and then went on to the University Of Michigan and Wayne State College. Her best-selling book, “Theatrical Improvisation: Short Form, Long Form, and Sketch-Based Improv” is a classic book on the history of improv and sketch comedy that gives a clear definition on this often ambiguous topic. The forward was written by Jeanne’s friend, Keegan Michael Key. Her research is extensive and this is certainly a book to add to your Improv Library.Brimming with original interviews from leaders in the field such as Ron West, Charna Halpern, John Sweeny and Margaret Edwartowski, Theatrical Improvisation presents straightforward improvisational theory, history, and trends.She is a Professor of Theatre Arts at Edgewood College in Madison, Wisconsin and her students are really fortunate to have her wisdom and humor.Visit my website where I speak to today's leading innovators of improv. My guests are improvisers and therapists from all over the world who share their stories and offer insight into the unique ways they use improv. margotescott.com/podcast/
The Marvelous Michelle J. GilliamMichelle Gilliam is a beautiful person-inside and out! We have been friends for several years and I was delighted to have her as a guest.Michelle grew up in Milwaukee in a loving and supportive family. During one family gathering, at age 4, she got her first big laugh and knew what her path would be!She saw a Comedy Sportz show when she was 14 and was hooked! She was inspired to learn this art form and she did! She met Dick Chudnow, founder of Comedy Sportz Milwaukee, the first CS theatre in this country, he let her volunteer until she was old enough to work there! She did tasks like writing 300 name tags, with the benefit of watching lots of shows. A great way to learn and eventually teach! She was so inspired by Comedy Sportz, she created an improv team in high school, held auditions and created a team she loved to play with.We talked about her experience being a black woman in the improv world and how that affected her growth as a person and coach.Today her improv career takes her all over the country and the world. Michelle is now based in Los Angeles, CA and works as an improviser, actor, host, voice actor, and the Owner and Artistic Director of Improv MKE, an improv comedy school and theater based online, currently serving the world. She also teaches at The World’s Greatest Improv School, with Will Hines, and guest teaches at various theaters online and in person around the country and world.Michelle headlined the Festivus Festival in Richmond, the 2022 Edinburgh Scotland Improv Festival and taught two-weekend intensives in Chester and Nottingham in the UK in March of 2022.Enjoy getting to know the marvelous Miss Michelle!You can connect with Michelle at:https://www.improvmke.comlinkedin.com/in/michelle-gilliam-b9ab87193twitter @missyglilqt
Kathy Klotz-Guest, MA, MBA KEEPING IT HUMANKathy Klotz-Guest is an incredibly funny lady and we had so much fun on this podcast! Her energy is boundless and her passion for the people she serves is lovely. She is a comedian, storyteller, improviser, speaker and author.Listen as Kathy shares her comedy journey with a stopover in the tech industries. Kathy brings out the laughter in those she’s touched. She positively is keeping it human!I know you’ll love her as much as I do! Check out her book “Stop Boring Me!” How to Create Kick-Ass Marketing Content, Products and Ideas Through the Power of Improv.”https://www.keepingithuman.com/books-from-kathy-klotz-guest/Contact Infolinkedin.com/in/kathyklotzguestWebsiteskeepingithuman.com/ (Humor in business speaker)keepingithuman.com/blog-kathy-klotz-guest/ (Kathy Klotz-Guest blog)keepingithuman.com/kathy-klotz-guest-keynote-speaker/(Inspiration / Transformation)Phone408.578.8040 (Work)Emailkathy@keepingithuman.comTwitterkathyklotzguestVisit my website where I speak to today's leading innovators of improv. My guests are improvisers and therapists from all over the world who share their stories and offer insight into the unique ways they use improv. margotescott.com/podcast/
Sarah McGillion an amazing improviser with a Master in Artificial Intelligence! She runs a company in Denmark called Inconspicuous where she teaches Applied Improv to businesses, produces and performs in improv shows, and offer classes for improvisers.She is an award-winning actress and improvisers and passionate about showcasing spontaneous comedy in a variety of venues across Copenhagen. Her hysterical audio series, with partner Adrian Mackinder is definitely worth at listen at https://soundcloud.com/user-540220357You can connect with Sarah at:https://inconspicuous.euhttps://www.facebook.com/inconspicuouscomedyhttps://www.instagram.com/inconspicuouscomedy/Her professional Facebook page ishttps://www.facebook.com/sarahmcgillionCPHVisit my website where I speak to today's leading innovators of improv. My guests are improvisers and therapists from all over the world who share their stories and offer insight into the unique ways they use improv. margotescott.com/podcast/
Meet the hysterically funny Aaron Krebs. I can’t remember laughing this much in a podcast since-well never! Among his many accomplishments he and his college buddies created the enormously successful improv show, Mission Improvable which continues to wow college audience. On April 1st, 2009 Mission IMPROVable bought Mi’s Westside Comedy Theater. They embraced the stand-up and improv community, started a training center. Some oil the many great comedians who've performed at Westside include: Dave Chappelle, Adam Sandler, Dana Carvey, Judd Apatow, Zach Galifianakis, Tig Notaro, Demetri Marin, , Bobcat Goldthwait, Lorraine Newman.So where is Aaron Krebs going next? Who knows? But wherever he is, laughter and great fellowship will be there!#Westsidetheatre #inkwelltavernVisit my website where I speak to today's leading innovators of improv. My guests are improvisers and therapists from all over the world who share their stories and offer insight into the unique ways they use improv. margotescott.com/podcast/
I had the good fortune to meet Tashika Campbell a few years ago when she was covering a class for Jay Sukow. I loved her energy, compassion and brilliance then and I still do today. In 2023 I studied with she and Steve Pilloff and it was fabulous.Tashika began improvising in 2027 in Baltimore, Maryland and was originally from Charlotte, North Carolina. We chatted about her first plays she wrote in elementary school that her younger sister would perform. She continued her love of theatre but didn’t really see that could be a “career”. When she was introduced to improv, she knew she’d found her home.Tashika is a founding member of the award-winning independent troupe Cake Walk and where that term came from. Tashika has headlined festivals across the US and coordinated the first Improv festival dedicated to Black Improvisers in the DMV. She is a much sought-after. Coach, teacher and workshop facilitator.You can see her work in this 2021 YouTube video from Highwire Improv and the Black Improv Alliance showcasing Baltimore area Black improv and sketch comedy.https://youtu.be/M481elrUioM?si=lvKDll7edGF_NMbII know you’ll love learning more about Tashika!Visit my website where I speak to today's leading innovators of improv. My guests are improvisers and therapists from all over the world who share their stories and offer insight into the unique ways they use improv. margotescott.com/podcast/
What a delight to meet the fantastic Rob Norman in Toronto, Canada. Rob is a beloved improviser/instructor/writer/ podcaster. Rob is author of IMPROVISING NOW: A Practical Guide to Modern Improv which is currently being translated into Spanish, Chinese, and Latvian. He is a Second City alumni and has directed both the National Touring Company and Second at Sea. HIs improv journey is fascinating! He started teaching improv before he took any classes! While in high school he asked his mother to go to the library and get a book on improv and she came back with “Truth in Comedy” by Charna Halpern, Del Close, and Kim Johnson. And he started with long form! In addition to hosting and producing the weekly improv podcast, THE BACKLINE, Rob is a Canadian Comedy Award for Best Improv Troupe, and Canadian Screen Award for his performance on CityTV' Sunnyside. Rob also produced the critically acclaimed, improvised horror series LIMITED CAPACITY for CBC Radio,Visit my website where I speak to today's leading innovators of improv. My guests are improvisers and therapists from all over the world who share their stories and offer insight into the unique ways they use improv. margotescott.com/podcast/
After taking a workshop with Jill Eickmann I was so delighted to chat with her. Jill's teaching is incredibly supportive and validating! Jill Eickmann, MA, LMFT, is San Francisco’s Leela Improvisational Theater's Co-Founder, Artistic Director, and Director of Corporate Training. Training.Informed by her diverse training and experience, Jill designed Leela’s holistic 5 level improv curriculum. She oversees all elements of Leela’s Corporate Training program including client communication, curriculum design, casting, hiring, and training teaching artists, and facilitation. Jill is a licensed psychotherapist, drama therapist, play therapist, and self-revelatory theatre director who continues to teach and present on the psychological implications and therapeutic benefits of improvisation. With training and experience facilitating groups for individuals struggling with social anxiety & shyness, teaching foster parenting classes, and designing corporate training programs, she is passionate about utilizing improvised role play as “Rehearsal for Life.” Clients include: Adobe, The Clorox Company, IBM, Facebook/Meta, Google, Levi Strauss & Co., LinkedIn, McKinsey & Company, Coinbase, Walmart, and YouTube (among others.)She has produced events and held board positions for The San Francisco Improv Festival, and is the Executive Producer for Femprovisor Fest, SF’s Feminist Improv Festival. Jill received her BFA in Theatre/ Acting from University of Florida and MA in Counseling Psychology, Drama Therapy from California Institute of Integral Studies. She studied in New York, Chicago, and San Francisco with some of the best from Upright Citizens Brigade Theater (UCB), The Second City, iO Chicago (Formerly Improv Olympic), Annoyance Productions, SF Clown School, and Magnet Theater. In addition to performing in duos and small ensemble projects with Leela’s past and present faculty members, she has performed across the country with notable improvisors including Chad Damiani, Dan Fogler, Law Tarello, Jay Sukow, Tracy Burns, Brian James O’Connell, and Sunita Deshpande. (among others.) As a therapeutic performance artist, she regularly performs with playback theatre actor/director, Roni Alperin in their playback theatre duo, and in an improvised therapy format, “In Session” for the treatment of your favorite fictional character. In their duo, “Intimacy,” Jill collaborates with somatic practitioner, Chelsea McAlexander exploring the intersection between improv and consent. “The Friendship Show” a solo self-revelatory theatre performance, is Jill’s mission to heal adult loneliness through theatrical improvisation. Always looking to push the boundaries of the art of improvisation, Jill has conceived and directed original formats and theories in long-form improv performance, from a darkly psychological “Improvised Black Mirror” format, to incorporating contact improv and improvised dance in “Story Dance”, as well as on-line formats like, “The Before Times” which was performed at Seattle’s (On-line) Festival of Improvised Theatre with inner monologist, Joe Bill. Most notably, Jill customized a private improv class for cast members of The Lion King – Broadway Tour. Her artistic mission is to inspire people of all walks of life to invest in an improv practice that is connected, mindful, joyful, transformative, and courageously surrenders to TRUTH.To learn more about Jill, check out these links.Websites: http://www.leela-sf.comhttp://www.leela-nc.comhttp://www.jilleickmann.comVisit my website where I speak to today's leading innovators of improv. My guests are improvisers and therapists from all over the world who share their stories and offer insight into the unique ways they use improv. margotescott.com/podcast/
What a gift to chat with Alrinthea Carter, writer, improviser, photographer and so much more. A truly renaissance artist. She had recently moved from Greenville, S.C. to LA for a writing position at the beginning of the WGA strike when we spoke. But that didn't diminish her sense of humor and joyful life.Alrinthea grew up in Europe with wonderfully supportive parents. She began writing plays and sketches with her Barbies and hasn't stopped. She is an Emmy nominated writer for her work on the HBO hit series, "A Black Lady Sketch Show" and plays with fantastic improvisers in LA.To learn more about Alrinthea, check out her website at https://www.alrintheacarter.com/about-alrintheaand be sure to listen to herTedTalk at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98RK5OfWt9QCheck out her photographic tribute to Abandoned Space in Souther Philter at https://www.southernphilter.comVisit my website where I speak to today's leading innovators of improv. My guests are improvisers and therapists from all over the world who share their stories and offer insight into the unique ways they use improv. margotescott.com/podcast/
Meet the incredible Marc Warzecha who founded the online Sketch School https://www.thesketchschool.com/ I met Mark this spring when I took Comedy Sketch Writing 101. It was so fantastic that I too all 3 levels and loved it. Marc is a compassionate and highly competent teacher and his classes are always informative and fun! With two decades at THE SECOND CITY Comedy Theatre, Marc Warzecha is an award-winning HEAD WRITER and ARTISTIC DIRECTOR, overseeing dozens of original sketch comedy revues across North America including multiple productions at The Kennedy Center (Washington DC), The Second City - Mainstage and ETC (Chicago), and The Kirk Douglas Theatre (Los Angeles) featuring sketch stars like Keegan-Michael Key (Comedy Central's Key & Peele), Jason Sudeikis (Apple TV+'s Ted Lasso), Tim Robinson (Netflix's I Think You Should Leave), Kay Cannon (writer, Pitch Perfect) and writer/performers currently featured on HBO’s A Black Lady Sketch Show, NBC's SNL, FOX's The Simpsons, and more. Marc started his improv journey at Second City Detroit with other mega stars like Jamie Osborne and Michal Keegan Marc has been a guest on CNN’s “Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer” and NPR’s “All Things Considered.” Currently living in Los Angeles, he is a proud native Detroiter and Armenian. Visit my website where I speak to today's leading innovators of improv. My guests are improvisers and therapists from all over the world who share their stories and offer insight into the unique ways they use improv. margotescott.com/podcast/
Meet award winning storyteller and improviser Kevin McGeehan. In our interview Kevin shares his improv journey in a touching, funny and very honest way. He speaks about his love for his mother and other family members and has a huge heart! He is a 9-time Moth winner and won the 2019 Grand Moth Championship. Visit my website where I speak to today's leading innovators of improv. My guests are improvisers and therapists from all over the world who share their stories and offer insight into the unique ways they use improv. margotescott.com/podcast/
Andrew Ritter taught improv and musical improv at Second City Chicago. We chatted about his introduction to musical improv with our mutual friend the brilliant Michael Descoteaux. One of his students was the musical improviser and artistic director of Boom Chicago, Stacey Smith He developed a children’s show called, “The Greatest Story Never Told” In this show he invited the children in audience to come on stage, choose their own character and make up a story on the spot! He currently lives and teaches in Vermont and is the Creative Director/Writer/Voice Actor for The Gfulness APP, a unique meditation app that combines the concept of meditation and mindfulness with comedy based on the idea that laughter is the best medicine. Check it out at https://www.gfulness.com/ Enjoy this podcast! Visit my website where I speak to today's leading innovators of improv. My guests are improvisers and therapists from all over the world who share their stories and offer insight into the unique ways they use improv. margotescott.com/podcast/
MONIKA OZDARSKA Monika is a Warsaw-based improviser and a warm and brilliant spirit. We talked about her journey from Middle Easter Archeology to Graphic Design to Improv. She recalled the tremendous impact that the Barcelona Improv Festival had on her and thrust her into global improv. “WePolak” is the incredible performance show she co-stars in with improviser/actor Jeff Michalski . They have performed this show all over Poland and other cities around the world and their show gets rave reviews. Enjoy this podcast! Visit my website where I speak to today's leading innovators of improv. My guests are improvisers and therapists from all over the world who share their stories and offer insight into the unique ways they use improv. margotescott.com/podcast/
Liz Allen is truly an improv legend. She is a sought after improv coach. In fact, for several years I’ve wanted to study with her but whenever I tried to sign up for an online class - they were full! Learning about her improv journey, philosophy and insight into this art form was truly a gift! Liz is an improviser and teacher who, among other things, coached the improv team in Mike Birbiglia’s film Don’t Think Twice. She recently performed a solo piece, “I am my Mother” a dark comedy about her relationship with her southern mother who struggled with addiction, and how her family coped. We chatted about growing up in an addicted family and how that informed her comedy and love of theatre. We actually played a scene, and I’m so glad we did! I met Liz through Jay Sukow. They started improv classes together over 30 years ago and remain close friends. Liz is a charming, humble and amazing person and eventually I will take a class with her! Enjoy this podcast! Visit my website where I speak to today's leading innovators of improv. My guests are improvisers and therapists from all over the world who share their stories and offer insight into the unique ways they use improv. margotescott.com/podcast/
Ted Waltmire was a librarian, pianist and community musical director until his life completely changed in 2009 when he suffered a stroke and lost the ability to play the piano with his left hand. After many years of rehab therapies his friend Dale Galiniak who worked for him at the library suggested Improv. He had an “aha” moment when he realized that despite his continued physical limitations, he could play improv games. He jumped in with both feet and pursued classes at Second City Chicago and landed in a writing class. When his teacher learned his story he suggested that Ted write his life story, which became a musical directed by Jay Sukow and musical direction by Stephanie McCullough. Stephanie said about Ted, “He is such an impressive person. His musical abilities are outstanding." His story is inspiring to anyone, but especially people who have had similar life changes. We laughed and cried and I know you will love Ted as much as I do.Visit my website where I speak to today's leading innovators of improv. My guests are improvisers and therapists from all over the world who share their stories and offer insight into the unique ways they use improv. margotescott.com/podcast/
I had the good fortune to take an improv class with the wonderful Frank Cieta and what a great experience that was. Frank Cieta is a recognizable face to those who loved Madtv and his Captain Kangaroo sketches on the Jimmy Kimmel Show. He is a fantastic and always fun improviser. Frank shares his improv and comedy journey and we had a lot of laughs!Visit my website where I speak to today's leading innovators of improv. My guests are improvisers and therapists from all over the world who share their stories and offer insight into the unique ways they use improv. margotescott.com/podcast/
Shaun Landry is a veteran actor and improviser who owns The Ledge Theatre in LA. She is an accomplished writer and teacher who is beloved by her students. Join us as we explore her life journey and the challenges she dealt with as a woman of color in improv and the performing arts.Visit my website where I speak to today's leading innovators of improv. My guests are improvisers and therapists from all over the world who share their stories and offer insight into the unique ways they use improv. margotescott.com/podcast/
Welcome to Part 2 of our chat with the wonderful Bill Chott. We had so much to talk about and continue learning about Bill and his story. In Part 2, Bill shares his struggles with obesity and how he has overcome it today.Visit my website where I speak to today's leading innovators of improv. My guests are improvisers and therapists from all over the world who share their stories and offer insight into the unique ways they use improv. https://margotescott.com/podcast/
Bill Chott is a fabulous human being who is a writer, improviser and actor. And a very hardworking one! He is an alumnae of ComedySportz, IO and Second City. He toured with the Second City troupe in the '90's. He played with many well-known improvisers and his talent with musical improv is second to none! In our chat we explore this career which includes films and Television like The Ringer, The Wizards of Waverley Place, Young Sheldon, Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story and This is Us. His writing credits include The Dana Carvey Show, SNL and recently "Too Funny to Fail" The Life and Death of The Dana Carvey Show". He shares his audition story with SNL that didn't get him in the cast but landed him on The Dana Carvey Show. Bill is a generous, kind soul and has a big, big heart. I know you'll love him as much as I do.
Meet the fabulous Katy Schutte.Katy is a well respected improviser, comedian, director,teacher and author and we had an in-depth dialogue about her career. We spoke about her philosophy on improv and life and our mutual challenges with anxiety. Her book, The Improviser’s Way: A Longform Workbook" has been an essential read for improvisers around the world.
Welcome back, an encore with Bright Su. He is an improv coach based in San Jose, Ca, USA, and the author of Ji Xing Xi Ju (May 2020), the first complete improv book originally written in Chinese. He is the current Editor-in-Chief of Applied Improvisation Magazine. In this episode, we talk about Improvisation and Spirituality. He says: “Improvisation is Zen and Dao in Western Context, is the journey of the self through the others to the self.” It’s a deep dive in two perspectives, and more. You’ll definitely enjoy this interview.Visit www.BrightImprov.com Follow WeChat Official Account "BrightImprov" Connect in Facebook www.facebook.com/bright.su.90/, or Email brightsu@yahoo.comVisit Bright’s bilingual quotable quotes: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/E6ItkFJrL58KI81bHw9N5wVisit my website where I speak to today's leading innovators of improv. My guests are improvisers and therapists from all over the world who share their stories and offer insight into the unique ways they use improv. https://margotescott.com/podcast/
David Razowky is a beloved improv performer, coach, director and author. His new book, A Subversive's Guide to Improvisation, has received rave reviews from improvisers around the world. I first met David in 2017 and was delighted to catch up with him to talk about his writing process and life in theatre. He is such a delightful and fun person. I know you'll enjoy this as much as I did!
Meet the Fabulous Erin Diehl, co-founder of Improveit! She helps clients eliminate barriers to collaboration, communication, and leadership. Improved help teams build sustainable relationships that move business forward, through humor and improvisational comedy. She shares her acting & improv journey and how she became an entrepreneur using her incredible skills.We had so much fun and I know you'll love her as much as Ido!Visit my website where I speak to today's leading innovators of improv. My guests are improvisers and therapists from all over the world who share their stories and offer insight into the unique ways they use improv. margotescott.com/podcast/
Episode 1: Bright Su – Let’s do VIP and 4DMeet my dear friend, Bright Su. He is an extraordinary person and I am so glad to have him as a good fiend.Bright Su is an improv coach based in San Jose, Ca, USA, and the author of Ji Xing Xi Ju (May 2020), the first complete improv book originally written in Chinese. He is the current Editor-in-Chief of Applied Improvisation Magazine. In this episode, we talk about the unique improv game’s factor VIP (Vocal, Interpersonal, Physical), and very practical Facilitation Technique 4D (Describe, Demo, Do, Debrief), and more. You’ll really love this interview.Visit www.BrightImprov.com Follow WeChat Official Account "BrightImprov" Connect in Facebook www.facebook.com/bright.su.90/, or Email brightsu@yahoo.comVisit https://www.appliedimprovisationnetwork.org/applied-improvisation-magazine Episode 1: Bright Su – Let’s do VIP and 4DBright Su is an improv coach based in San Jose, Ca, USA, and the author of Ji Xing Xi Ju (May 2020), the first complete improv book originally written in Chinese. He is the current Editor-in-Chief of Applied Improvisation Magazine. In this episode, we talk about the unique improv game’s factor VIP (Vocal, Interpersonal, Physical), and very practical Facilitation Technique 4D (Describe, Demo, Do, Debrief), and more. You’ll really love this interview.Visit www.BrightImprov.com Follow WeChat Official Account "BrightImprov" Connect in Facebook www.facebook.com/bright.su.90/, or Email brightsu@yahoo.comVisit https://www.appliedimprovisationnetwork.org/applied-improvisation-magazineVisit my website where I speak to today's leading innovators of improv. My guests are improvisers and therapists from all over the world who share their stories and offer insight into the unique ways they use improv. margotescott.com/podcast/
Listen to this fascinating chat with Jim Robinson and Joy Glasser. Jim teaches improvisation and mental health at Mental Health Resources in Minneapolis. As a Fulbright Specialist in Pakistan, Jim brought his course “Improvisation and Mental Health'' to universities and psychology training centers in Islamabad and Lahore. He has taught these courses in India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, and Panama as well.With Joy, Jim has created improvisation workshops that help caregivers navigate the challenges of taking care of dementia patients.Joy Glasser received her B.F.A. in Film Production from New York University and her Masters in Teaching English as a Second Language, from Hamline University in St. Paul, MN. She is currently a Certified Executive Leadership and Team Building Coach and Consultant who has successfully worked for decades with corporate clients and individuals in a wide range of creative and medical industries.Joy shares her experience of being the care partner of a spouse with Dementia.With Joy’s diverse and rich background and life experiences, she has creatively cultivated the perfect use of her talents—helping others navigate caregiving a patient with dementia.Visit my website where I speak to today's leading innovators of improv. My guests are improvisers and therapists from all over the world who share their stories and offer insight into the unique ways they use improv. https://margotescott.com/podcast/
Phil Faiss is a wonderful improviser, actor, writer and host of Netflix with Phil. To learn more about him check his social media at: Book: Phil-O-Weenhttps://a.co/d/6A6R6DjFacebook: Philoweenhttps://www.facebook.com/philoweenInstagram: @philoweenhttps://www.instagram.com/philoweenTikTok: @philoween_trendshttps://bit.ly/3xysC9NTwitter: @philoweenshowhttps://twitter.com/philoweenshowYouTube: @philoween_thrillshttps://bit.ly/3IxFQdbVisit my website where I speak to today's leading innovators of improv. My guests are improvisers and therapists from all over the world who share their stories and offer insight into the unique ways they use improv. https://margotescott.com/podcast/
Karla Dingle is an amazing actor and improviser who started the Queen City Comedy in Charlotte, NC, a live and online theatre that has a global community. Karla shares her acting and improv journey and the struggles she survived to arrive where she is today. Karla is beloved around the world and her theatre offers classes with top improvisers.
Cheryl Sloane was literally raised at Second City Chicago since her mother, Joyce Sloane, was the beloved maternal powerhouse in the origins of The Second City. Joyce Sloane was the woman who found and nurtured such comedy giants as John Belushi, Gilda Radner, Chris Farley, and Bill Murray, She was described as a "den mother" to the actors and staff at this famed improv theatre. If someone needed a doctor, a lawyer, a wedding ring or to be bailed out of jail, Joyce was the person who made it happen. We also explore the last 20 years of Cheryl's life. She opened G-Boutique, an upscale women's shop where women could feel comfortable buying sexy lingerie and quality sex toys. Why lingerie? Well, Joyce Sloane always wore glamorous peignoirs. Cheryl thought everyone should have one. While owning the B-Boutique Cheryl consulted with physicians to explore sexual health and wellness for women. Since the store closed, Cheryl works in marketing and branding for Uberlube -, a silicone lubricant designed to enhance sex that has many uses including hair care. Joyce showed Cheryl to “always find the good in people” and that’s how Cheryl has lived her life. The people whose lives she touched love her and by the end of this interview, so did I!
Molly Erdman is a seasoned improviser, starting in high school and being on MainStage and cruise for Second City. She moved from Chicago to LA and pursued her acting career and continued in improv. She is currently getting a master's in counseling and working with children in a school city. We chat about her transition in life and what led her there. She is tons of fun and we had a wonderful time!
Jay Sukow is one of the most respected and beloved improv teachers today. He shares his childhood with a nurturing family and how he became the man he is. His parents gave him a ticket to his first Improv class and he found his passion. He studied at Second City, IO, and Comedy Sports. Jay shares a wonderful story of spending an afternoon with David Shepherd. We chat about our admiration for the "mother of improv" Viola Spolin. Jay shares his ups and downs in the improv world. He is very funny and a truly humble person. #Iknowjaysukow
Meet the wonderful Matthew Tolliver PhD and his good friend Emily. He has been using applied improv with many groups, like First Responders and schools. He is a dedicated scholar and has created a model for Cognitive Complexity. I know you'll enjoy listening and learning from him.
Meet the delightful Gare Ware, author of "Playful Rebellion" ! Gary Ware, the Founder of Breakthrough Play is a corporate facilitator, keynote speaker, certified coach, and self-proclaimed Creative Catalyst. Gary has over 14 years of experience in the corporate world holding various leadership positions. Being a multifaceted individual Gary also comes with nearly a decade of experience as a performer in improv theatre. After experiencing burnout in his pursuit for success and happiness, he realized that what was missing was play. Committing to a life of play is what led Gary to discover his passion for facilitating.
Blue Cavell-Allette is a veteran improv performer who has been invited to perform and facilitate workshops all over North America. She is the producer and creator of several popular, long running improv shows both online and in person, including Tastemakers and the Newlywed Game. Blue is a founding member of two nationally and internationally award winning all black improv teams including Cakewalk and Casually Dope. She is a comedian, writer, and director of both traditional and improv theatre and a passionate advocate for building intentional and equitable communities. She has coached several nationally award winning teams including It's Improv Baby and Cakewalk. Blue is a corporate trainer working with such companies as Youtube and S.C. Johnson. She is currently a professor at Morgan State University where she teaches applied improv.
What a great chat with the lovely Beth Melewski! After a successful path in acting and improvisation, she chose a new path and is now in graduate school training to be a psychotherapist! We had such a fun time, laughing and sharing experiences. I know you'll really love this interview.
David Pasquesi is considered one of the greatest improvisers today! He is very humble and accepting spirit and his quick wit is phenomenal. With with his partner T.J. Jagodowskie, their show, T.J & Dave, ,has been delighting audiences for many years, around the world. David is an actor, producer, writer and director. We chat about his time at Second City learning from legendary artist such as musical director, Fred Kaz and teacher Del Close. He was greatly impacted by Del Close and uses that education today. You may have seen him as Andrew in "Veep" and was Bobba Fett in a series created by Jon Favreau as a spin off from the series The Mandalorian. His films credits are amazing including Caddy Shack, What a wonderful experience getting to know David!
Dan Dumsha is an actor/improviser who has been teaching improv for people with Parkinson's disease and care partners in Vancouver, Canada. He's teamed up with the neurology department of Mt Sinai in NYC and is doing fabulous research on the positive cognitive and psychological benefits of improv. He is developing materials to train other improvisers in this important work!
Jonathan Pitts is an award-winning international improv theatre artist and storyteller. He's performed and/or taught in 25 countries and 81 cities. He's the former Executive Director of Chicago Improv Productions; Co-Founder/Producer - Chicago Improv Festival; Creator/Producer - College Improv Tournament; Founder/Producer - Chicago Podcast Festival; Founder/Producer - Teen Comedy Fest. Currently he performs and teaches on Zoom.
I met Rich through our mutual lovely friend, Shirley Wainess. His classes are super fun and safe. I laugh so hard and learn so much!
Ali Turnbull is writer/musician and improviser. Hear her beautiful, encouraging message about her diagnosis of Parkinson's disease and how she uses Improv, laughter and exercise to stay on the sunny side of the street!
Recent PLAY Blog for Conner Prairie https://www.connerprairie.org/blog-how-do-you-play/
Focus on Historical Interpretation https://www.indianapolismonthly.com/arts-and-culture/bill-wilkinson-historical-interpreter
Personal History https://nuvo.newsnirvana.com/arts/performing/bill-wilkison-theater-as-escape-hatch/article_c13aa514-b725-5474-b7c7-9f475c99fda6.html
Link to donate to the CATHLEEN CASAZZA MEMORIAL FUND: https://app.arts-people.com/index.php?donation=munci
Link to donate to the Sills/Spolin Theatre Works: https://www.paulsills.com/donate/
Stephen Owen is a committed improv teacher and player. He has created college courses using improvisational theatre for people interested in law enforcement.
Max Schafer leads Spolin workshops around the world. He is the author of “Viola Spolin’s Theater Games for the Classroom” Multimedia CD. He has studied under and was directed by Viola Spolin. He was stage manager for Paul Sills. He also studied with Carol Sills, Aretha Sills, Alan Arkin, Dick Schaal, Avery Schrieber, Bob Moyer, and Gary Schwartz. Max teaches Spolin improvisation around the world. He has been a distinguished certificated classroom teacher for over 40 years. He is a computer programmer and software publisher. He is a toy inventor and president of a toy company. He is originally from Detroit, Michigan. He now lives in Los Angeles. He runs a Music Improv group. His current Spolin workshop in England on Zoom can be found at https://www.eventbrite.com/.../online-improv-elective...
Max runs the World Spolin Network, Musical Improv Network, and Dance Improv Network on Facebook. His "Art Rods" can be found at www.funartrods.com.
Honorable Oluwadamilola Apotieri brought improvisational theatre to Nigeria. His passion for social justice began at age 7.
Meet the high energy Avish Parshar and hear how his career in comedy and improv led to his brilliant motivational improv workshops. Our mutual friend, Peter Margaritis, introduced us and I was so pleased as we had a great time.
One of the last interviews with legendary writer Anne Beatts. A funny and lovely woman.
Colin is a beloved actor, standup comedian and improviser who was on the hit show "Whose Line is it Anyway' here in the US and UK. He and Brad Sherwood have a great show on Zoom, "Colin and Brad Live-in your House".
Stephen Davidson is a totally joy-filled improviser who is the Artistic Director of The Improvised Play, Improvable, QI: Queer Improv, Carmen: A gender-swapped Film Noir Fantasy, and of Zeal: The Pride Improv Festival.Stephen is the author of two books about improv, Play Like an Ally and Improvising Gender. Stephen teaches improv independently and through Improvable, with the Free London Improv Project, City Academy, and Hoopla Improv. He has taught and performed all over the world. For more info go to https://impromiscuous.com/media/
Koray Tarhan has an infectious smile and laugh! He is a generous and talented man who brought Improv to his home in Instanbul, Turkey in 2000 and author of the first handbook on improv in Turkish, Dogaclama Icin Elkitabi (2013). We had such a fun time chatting and playing with he and his wife, Zeynep Özyurt Tarhan
Koray works as an actor, musician, and project coordinator at Istanbulimpro and also applies improvisation in business, education, and social projects. He works with children, teenagers, and adults in different foundations and organizations. Koray authors improlog.blogspot.com, is the coordinator of Istanbul International Improv Festival, and a member of the Applied Improvisation Network (since 2009) which has invited him to present and/or lead workshops at several international conferences. He has also participated as an actor and workshop leader for improv festivals in Amsterdam, Berlin, Chicago, Beijing, and Ljubliajana. Koray is a graduate from Ankara University Theater Department (2001).
Blog.
https://www.istanbulimpro.com/ https://gogetfunding.com/help-istanbulimpro-stage-an-international-meeting-point-of-improv-and-storytelling/ XMA Header Image Help Istanbulimpro Stage – An International Meeting Point Of Improv and Storytelling gogetfunding.comZeynep Özyurt Tarhan
Siddharth Venkatesh is a beloved improviser with Improv Comedy Bangalore who has fans all around the world. He loves the "Globalization" of improv in the present scenario, as he gets to improvise with and learn from amazing Improvisers from all over the world. We had a wonderful chat with him and did a fun scene with our friend Landon Kirksey at https://youtu.be/LwOBmU2BTco In early September he co-created the ICB FB Community with the objective of enhancing peer to peer interactions, learning, and supporter of Improv. He loves to play Indian classical percussion, which also has an element of improvisation embedded in it. I know you will enjoy this gentle and fun man as much as I did!
Engineer Landon Lee Kirksey
Maria Schaedler-Luera describes her Brazilian roots and discovering the legendary Augusto Boal when she moved to the states. Maria is an actor with vast training in many styles of improv.
Will Luera is the Director of the Improv Program at Florida Studio Theatre in Sarasota and is beloved by many. Listen to his story about growing up on the south side of Chicago (city of Improv) and not knowing about this art form until he moved to Boston to study Physics at Boston College.
Meet the lovely improviser, Jon Nguyen from Norwich, UK. He describes his passion for improv and how he stumbled upon it. Jon is a beloved teacher and improviser!
Improv Interviews speaks with Rick Hall, the multi-talented member of Second City, actor who has appeared in many films and TV shows including Seinfeld, Curb your Enthusiasm and K.C. Undercover. His voice is familiar as he has appeared in many commercials and his one-man show "Pig Boy" played two sold-out performances at the U.S. Comedy Arts Festival in Aspen. His short “Slice of Pie” has won nine national film festival awards. He shares the story of his romance and 36 year relationship with Laura Hall. They give acclaimed workshops on "Musical Improv" and are both beloved teachers. His most recent project is an audiobook of “The Mozart Conspiracy” by writer Phil Swann on Audible.com
Laura Hall is best known as the improvisational pianist and Musical Director on the hit TV show, “Whose Line is it Anyway”, which ran for nine years on ABC, with Drew Carey hosting. The show is currently in its seventh season on the CW Network, with Aisha Tyler hosting. In 2018, Laura played with the Whose Line Christmas Show at Royal Albert Hall in London, celebrating the 30th anniversary of the British & American versions of the show.
Listen as Improv coach and director, Aretha Sills, shares her story of teaching improv during the pandemic. Aretha is the granddaughter of Viola Spolin, considered to be the founder of Improvisational Theatre. She is also the daughter of Carol and Paul Sills. Paul Sills started the early improv theatres in Chicago like the Compass and eventually The Second City theatre, home to many well-known actors and casts for SNL.
Marcus Sams is an improviser from the Bay Area for over 20 years. He is a delightful improviser and has developed unique technology that makes on-line improv look and feel like film!
I was fortunate to meet Ellen at the Yes, and Mental Health Conference held at the Annoyance Theatre in Chicago, September 2017! Ellen is passionate about experiential learning and helping everyone on the team to “Be the Difference” and work better together. After 25 years in business and training, she grew tired of the endless PowerPoints and toxic cultures. She dared herself to take classes at 2nd City – fell head over heels with improv and moved on to iO and many other theaters. She began studying Applied Improvisation and best practices in leadership, team, and work cultures. Ellen is now Chief Possibility Officer at her company, ImprovTalk, Inc. and collaborates with Jim Mecir, ten year MLB veteran pitcher, born with a club foot, who is the most resilient and inspiring teammate she has ever met.
Join me and meet the multi-talented musician, improviser, actor, and author, Will Hines. Founder of The World's Greatest Improv School Will is a beloved teacher in the improv world. He started at UCB in NY and then LA. I really enjoyed chatting with such a relaxed and authentic person. We talked about mutual improv teachers like Jimmy Carrane and Jay Sukow.
Daniel DeWalt is a delightful artist, actor, writer, and improviser that I met in a Susan Messing improv workshop this summer. He has taught thousands of young and older folks acting and improv and produced many plays. He was a wonderful guest and I know you’ll enjoy getting to know Daniel as much as I did.
Join me and meet the multi-talented improviser, actor, and true gentleman Brian Palermo. In his early days at the Groundlings, Brian was lucky enough to play with, learn from, and direct a gaggle of Big Name Comedy People that include Kristen Wiig, Melissa McCarthy, Will Ferrell, Maya Rudolph, Lisa Kudrow, and many others.
I met Brian at the Vintage Improv Festival this fall and loved his style of teaching style. In our chat, we talk about his career in film and TV and his many years with the Famous Groundlings improv group. He is a beloved improv teacher; he’s been a regular in The Crazy Uncle Joe Show - which is The Groundlings’ weekly long-form set - every Wednesday for 19 years! The longest-running long-form set in L.A. https://www.groundlings.com/shows
Meet Francine Wolf and their director Leigh Shein of Pants Optional Comedy. They share their lengthy experience in improvisational theatre and tell us about how they are adjusting to virtual shows on Zoom to entertain and keep people laughing.
Join me and meet Emma Bird. Emma is an improviser, teacher, and professional actor and director. She has been improvising since 2007. She was trained in improv by The Maydays (Brighton/London) and has been on training courses and workshops led by world-renowned improvisers: Rachel Mason & Susan Messing (Second City, Chicago); Rich & Rebecca Sohn (Annoyance Theatre, Chicago); Michael Gellman (Second City, Toronto), Shawn Kinley (Loose Moose Improv Theatre, Canada), Armando Diaz (iO, Chicago & Magnet Theatre NYC); Jaime Moyer, (Second City Hollywood and Westside Comedy LA) at Copenhagen International Improv Festival (Apr 2019)
Listen to the journey of Miki Manting who created the first festival and workshops for folks over 50. She is truly a pioneer! Miki talks to us about how she became involved in improv and what inspired her to start this festival where improvisers who are fifty-years-old and over perform. At Improv theaters where casts are largely made up of improvisers in their 20’s and early 30’s vintage improvisers often experience the phenomenon of invisibility. Miki talks about how Vintage Improv changes that dynamic and about her upcoming 2020 Vintage Improv Festival (VIF) that runs September 10-14, 2020 https://www.vintageimprov.com/ In addition to the festival the VIF hosts several improv classes each week with improvisers that include Jay Sukow, David Razowski, Jill Bernard and Faustino Solis.
Join me and meet Peter Margaritis, CPA, CGMA, business coach, and author of Improv is No Joke, who uses applied improvisation to inspire people to achieve higher levels of success in their business. Through the improvisation tenets of Yes, And, keep it simple, collaborate and experience, Peter teaches his clients to embrace C.H.A.N.G.E. (Creative | Humor | Aspire | Navigate | Gracious | Ethical) and realize their visions and goals. I was lucky to meet Peter through my good friend and improv coach Jay Sukow, and I know you will be glad to get to know him too.
When asked about why he uses applied improv in his work, Peter says “Applied improv is all about the ability to draw upon your experience, knowledge, and education to apply them in a way that meets the needs of the person you are talking to or working with – and it can be taught.”
You can learn all about Peter at https://margotescott.com/podcast/peter-margaritis-the-accidental-accountant-and-applied-improv/
Learn more about Peter.
Join me and meet my friend, Patrick McCartney, as we talk about the many related gifts of studying and teaching improv. Patrick McCartney is an actor, improviser and teacher who has studied with and taught some of the most respected names in the entertainment industry. His improv journey began in Chicago in the late 1990s where he studied with the legendary Del Close and Mick Napier. He spent two years in Chicago’s Second City Touring Company Blue Co where he toured the country with Ali Farahnakian, Amy Poehler, and Tina Fey. Currently, Patrick teaches all advanced levels of improv, as well as Acting for Scripted Comedy at the People's Improv Theater in NYC. Some of Patrick's former students include Eric Stonestreet, Julie Klausner, and Ed Helms. Click here to read more: https://margotescott.com/podcast/patrick-mccartney/
Join me and meet my friend Deana Criess, as we talk about the magic of musical improv and her work using improvisation games and techniques with her students at the Perkins School for the Blind. Deana is a professional improviser, master instructor, director, writer, and performer with a specialization in applied improvisation. Deana’s work has been featured on PBS, NPR, KBS (the Korean Broadcasting System), The Boston Globe, CNN, and Slate.com. Her original musical comedy, Lube had a sold-out premiere run in Boston
Meet Clay Drinko who is an educator, an improvisor, and the author of Theatrical Improvisation, Consciousness, and Cognition. He earned his Ph.D. in drama and theatre studies from Tufts University and a Master of Science in education and a Master of Arts in performance studies. Clay started improvising over two decades ago and experienced firsthand the powerful effects of finding flow onstage. This started a lifelong journey to understand how improv affects the brain and how to harness this understanding to improve our everyday lives.
Join me and meet Izzy Gesell, an organizational alchemist who helps individuals and organizations transform their thinking from commonplace to extraordinary. He is skilled at delivering meaningful material in a way that makes participants enjoy their time with him.
Izzy is also the author of Playing Along: Group Learning Activities Borrowed From Improvisation Theater, a co-author of Humor Me: America’s Funniest Humorists on the Power of Laughter, and a contributor of a chapter on Improvisation as a facilitation tool in the IAF Group Facilitators Handbook. His latest project is a deck of cards with improv games on them. Learn more at izzyg.org.
Join me and meet Dr. Kristin Krueger who is an internationally known Research Scientist at Rush University Medical Center and a Chicago based neuropsychologist who wrote the first evidence-based research paper on the effectiveness of Improv for Anxiety. The results of the study conducted by Krueger along with two Illinois Tech research collaborators were published in the paper “Thera-Prov: A Pilot Study of Improv Used to Treat Anxiety and Depression” in the Journal of Mental Health (July 2017).
Kristin took her first class in improvisational theater at the famed The Second City Theater and Training Center in Chicago in 2006 for fun, but she soon realized that improvisational theatre techniques could prove useful in her practice. She is currently working on a second study that seeks to categorize improv exercises based on cognitive activities. Her method involves inviting clinical neuropsychologists or trainees and having them participate in games, such as “Wind and Rewind,” which sharpens memory.
Kristin is also a member of The Therapy Players, an ensemble of mental health professionals from the Chicago area who are also trained improvisers.
Join me today to meet Jay Sukow, who has been performing scripted and improvised work professionally for over 20 years. Jay has trained with improv legends that include Stephen Colbert, Steve Carell, Jon Favreau, David Razowsky, Keith Johnstone, Dick Schaal, Del Close and Mick Napier. Jay is a faculty member of The Second City and has performed regularly as part of their “Those Who Can’t” Faculty Jam. He taught and coached teams at iO Chicago, where he was also head of its artistic committee, ComedySportz Chicago, Club Med International, Illinois State University, the New Orleans Improv Festival, the Phoenix Long Form Improv Festival, the C-U Improv Festival, and The Chicago Improv Festival, among others.
Jay teaches improv to people from every walk of life, from beginning students to executives at Fortune 100 companies. He was an ensemble member of ComedySportz Chicago and several teams at iO Chicago and has performed at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, the Del Close Marathon, the C/U Improv Festival and the New Orleans Improv Festival.
Jay has been a guest performer at Boom Chicago, the Second City, the Second City ETC, the Second City Northwest and Messing with a Friend. Jay has written, produced and been a cast member of the narrative features “American Legacy” and directed “Trubadeuax: A Restaurant Movie,” both of which feature improvised dialogue within a scripted storyline.
Join me and meet Robert Cochrane, an award-winning filmmaker, with numerous narrative and documentary features to his credit. His touching relationship with his father who has Parkinson’s was the inspiration for Robert’s Parkinson’s-themed documentary series, Boys of Summer. He is a Ph.D. student at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) studying the effect of improvisation on Parkinson’s Disease and Co-Owner of ComedySportz Las Vegas, which is part of an internationally-acclaimed improvisation league. You can check out some of his work as host and creator of the web series, Faces of Parkinson’s. Robert is part of the passionate team of Parkinson’s Place, whose goal is to refresh minds by connecting, empowering, and inspiring the Southern Nevada Parkinson’s community.
Lisa Kays, LCSW studied improvisational theater prior to becoming a master's level social worker. She has been using improv as group therapy and to train therapists in this exciting art form.
Robert Lowe is lovingly referred to as The Godfather of Improv in Atlanta. During his thirty-nine-year engagement in Improvisation Robert has been a player, an Improv dancer, a teacher, a director, a producer, and a pioneer in the uses of Improvisation for purposes other than performance. He has taught Improvisation, and stand-up comedy, public speaking, and presentation, and community, and personal advocacy in a variety of venues. He has also been a management consultant, a public speaker, an adjunct professor at Georgia State University, a corporate vice president and a U. S. Navy officer.
Join me and meet Lacy Alana and learn about her innovative Yes and Brain work. The Yes And Brain framework is the creation of a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, circus artist, and improviser Lacy Alana. As Lacy spent time in the clinical, educational, corporate, and expressive arts worlds over the last decade, she recognized that she was having great success blending facets from each discipline into the others. When colleagues asked her to teach them tools to mimic her work, she developed the Yes And Brain framework to serve as a foundational framework for work in each setting. Over the years, The Yes And Brain Model is refined, with specialized sub-models and training pathways for many different populations. Lacy has a varied professional history, including working in the corporate world (with a business/advertising degree), running specialized circus and improv theatre programs for neurodivergent and at-risk youth, training educators/helping professionals/medical professionals, and working as a therapist. Lacy provides one-of-a-kind training that fuses Interpersonal Neurobiology, therapeutic frameworks, business communication, and pedagogy from improvisational theatre and the circus arts.
Yes And Brain provides training worldwide. Lacy is based in Montreal, and the team home base includes Toronto, Montreal, Austin, Indiana, and Ottawa.
Meet Rob Snow who is the Creator and Director of The Improvaneer Method and Executive Director of Stand Up for Downs, he also performs his one-man show, We Need a Sign, nationally (www.weneedasign.net). Rob began his comedy career in the late 90s while training at the famed Second City Theatre in Chicago, performing at comedy clubs and colleges in the Midwest.
In 2009 Rob and his wife Ellen had their second son Henry who was born with Down Syndrome. In 2013, they created Stand Up for Downs, whose mission is to enhance the lives of those with Down syndrome through humor.
Michael J Gellman now resides in Ontario Canada and is Artistic Director of The Process Theatre. He teaches at Loyalist College as well as Master Workshops for Second City International and Artistic New Directions NYC. He is an alumnus of the Second City mainstage and was a resident director for Second City in Canada and the USA for 25 years. He was Artistic Director of the Second City Toronto where his shows were nominated for 7 Dora Mavor Moore Awards including twice for Outstanding Direction, nominated for Best Director for Chicago’s Joseph Jefferson Award, and won a Chalmers Award for Best Director. He is a senior faculty and founding member of the Second City Training Center where he was a Program Head and also Director of the NY training Center.
Michael was an adjunct faculty member at Columbia College Chicago teaching Acting For Directors in the Film Directing department and designed and taught Improvisation and Acting III for the Comedy Studies department. In addition to Second City and Columbia College he has taught and designed classes and workshops in directing, acting and improvisation since 1976 at such notable institutions as: Actors Centre London, The Audition Centre, Victory Gardens Training Centre, Act One Conservatory and Loyola Law School as well as master workshops for hundreds of Universities, festivals, theatre companies and improv groups around the world. He is credited with originating “Long Form” Improvisation and his book “Process: An Improvisers Journey” (Northwestern University Press) co-authored with Mary Scruggs is a summary of his workshops on improvisational training.
Today we speak with Lisa Bany and Angela Nino, trained Improv directors, performers and creative professionals who teach and facilitate the use of applied Improvisation in the improvement of mental health. Their organization is called Improv Therapy Group and I am proud to have recently been added to their advisory board. Lisa and Angela are not therapists, but they work with licensed therapists and group treatment facilities to bring Improv into the mental health environment.
Lisa Bany is Improv Therapy Group’s, Chief Improv Officer. She is also an instructor, director, and coach at The Second City. She has authored numerous books, including On Stage: Theatre Games and Activities for Kids; Show Time: Music, Dance and Drama Activities for Kids; Funny Bones; and Family Fun Nights. She started teaching at The Second City in the early nineties has directed and taught throughout the Chicagoland area. A graduate of Columbia College, Lisa is a member of the Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humor.
Angela Nino is a Certified Forensic Interviewer and the Chief Executive Officer for Empathic Workplace. She teaches seminars on workplace interviews, investigations, and difficult conversations. Angela is a graduate of The Second City improv training program.
Learn more at https://empatheticworkplace.com/ https://improvtherapygroup.com/
The husband and wife team, Carla and Craig Cackowski are the creators of the two-person improv show “Orange Tuxedo” in Los Angeles, California. The perform “Close Quarters”, with a focus on creating grounded relationships formed by eccentric characters. If you like comedy, you may have seen Craig wear various mustaches and costume pieces on Comedy Central’s Drunk History. If you like drunken history, you may have seen Carla drink various beers on Instagram.
Jeff Michalski is an actor, director, improvisor, teacher, mentor and so much more. He worked in comedy clubs across the country with the Original Comedy Ranger and was a member of the Groundling in Los Angeles before settling with the Chicago Second City in 1980.
During his years with the Second City, Jeff studied with Paul Sills and his historic Story Theatre. While traveling the country with Second City’s National Touring Company he continued training with Second City founder Paul Sills, and artistic directors Del Close, Fred Kaz and Bernie Sahlins.
In 1984 Michalski and his wife, Jane Morris, founded theSecond City ETC. His directorial debut , “Cows on Ice” made the ETC an instant hit and was followed by the even larger success of “Mirrors at the Border”. His achievements brought him to the Second City Toronto where he was nominated for a Dora Award for his direction of “Who’s Tory Now?” Michalski continued as director and Artistic Director of the ETC until 1988 when his success in Chicago led him to be chosen as director of the premiere production of the Second City in Santa Monica, also a critical success.
While still in Chicago with the ETC, Michalski also helped found the Second City Training Center, a comprehensive training program from which the next generation of Second City players are chosen. He also founded the Second City Training Program in Santa Monica.
Mr. Michalski and Ms. Morris founded the Upfront Comedy Showcase in 1990, and The Comedy Underground in Santa Monica in 1998. He is currently teaching people from all walks of life to improvise at the fanaticSalon in Culver City.
As a producer, director and performer, he has worked with Dan Castellaneta, Chris Farley, Amy Sedaris, Mike Meyer, Steven Colbert, Ryan Stiles, and many more. Jeff can be seen in the upcoming film The Laundromat with Meryl Streep.
Meet the wonderful Nathan Keats who has a Master's Degree in Autism from the Tizard Centre. He is currently involved in a research project on using improvisation to support individuals with Autism. Nathan began teaching improvisation in the UK in 2006 and quickly expanding his teaching to the United States. In 2007, he found a love for applied improvisation for autistic people and his enthusiasm continues to this day in his practice, teaching and his research. Nathan’s classes have been taught in festivals, schools, colleges, community centers and theatres to students from seven years old to students who are now retired. As a qualified teacher in the UK, Nathan brings a spontaneous and rationalizable approach to his teaching and now offers consulting services on using applied improvisation with individuals on the autism spectrum.
Nathan's motto: Be kind, be honest and be improvising.
findthefunnytogether
Learn more about Nathan and his work: www.NathanImprov.com info@nathanimprov.com
Jane Morris has improvised, written, performed, and directed shows around the world. Beginning in Chicago, where she helped found the Second City ETC with her husband Jeff Michalski, and later from her own theaters in Los Angeles, no one has done more to advance the art of improvisation than Jane.
As an actress with over 58 credits to her name she is best known for her roles in Raising Helen, True Lies, Frankie and Johnny and recently in Veep.
As a director Jane was nominated for a 1988 Joseph Jefferson Award for Director of a Revue for "Channel This" at the Second City Theatre in Chicago, Illinois.
Jane conducts a solo performance workshop that takes original work from idea to staging, to performing. The class works with actors and writers at any level of the process, whether they are just getting started, or almost ready to mount a whole solo show. Her workshop has produced 9 original shows and every participant has finished work.
http://scholarsy.blogspot.com/2017/04/jane-morris-explains-improvisation-and.html
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0606623/
http://janemorriswritework.blogspot.com/
Kay Ross – Imagining Possibilities
Kay Ross was born in Scotland, grew up in Australia, and has lived in Hong Kong for 25 years. She has been acting since she was a teenager, did stand-up comedy for a while, has been performing with short-form improv team People’s Liberation Improv in Hong Kong for 11 years, is a member of the Applied Improvisation Network, and leads Applied Improvisation workshops in Hong Kong and around Asia for companies, universities and community organizations.
Weaving together her interest and experience in improv, Applied Improvisation, personal development and healing (physical, mental, emotional and spiritual), Kay has created a card deck called “The Playground of Possibilities”. It has 52 questions for people to ask themselves, all starting with “What would be possible for me if I…?”, so they let go of their old, limiting thoughts, beliefs and stories about themselves and the world, choose more useful ones, take inspired action, and improvise more resourceful, joyful ways of being. She leads public workshops using the card deck, some mindfulness exercises and some improv games, and has done a TEDx talk about how life is both an improvisation game and a playground of possibilities.
She’s also an editor/copywriter and a corporate trainer about marketing.
The common thread in all of that is storytelling – the stories we tell ourselves and each other, about ourselves and the world.
Discover more about Kay at www.kayross.com Visit The Playground of Possibilities at https://playgroundofpossibilities.com And see Kay’s TEDx talk at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4yibOcDfQc
Kay also loves finding, curating and sharing useful information, so she has compiled a 4-part series of blog posts titled “All About Improv, Applied Improv, Creativity, Play, Innovation…” – each one includes a link to a different list of resources (articles, videos, podcasts and books) by many people. Here’s Part 4 – it includes links to Parts 1-3. http://www.kayross.com/blog/2017/04/26/all-about-improv-applied-improv-creativity-play-innovation-part-4/
Over the course of his seventy plus year career, Ed Asner has simultaneously established himself as one of the most legendary actors alive while championing social and charitable causes. Ed was born in Kansas City, Missouri, attended the University of Chicago, and served in the U.S. Army Signal Corps, appearing in plays put on for the troops as they toured around Europe. After the war, Asner joined the Playwrights Theatre Company in Chicago, but left for New York City before members of that company regrouped as the Compass Players in the mid-1950s, a company that included Mike Nichols, Elaine May and Del Close and eventually developed into The Second City. Asner came back to guest star frequently on Second City’s stage, but also developed his acting career by appearing in plays and later unforgettable characters in influential television shows that include The Untouchables, playing Lou Grant in both the long running Mary Tyler Moore show and Lou Grant, as slave-ship captain Thomas Davies in Roots, Santa Clause in Elf, Carl Fredrickson in the animated film Up and most recently he can be seen in Netflix new series Dead to Me. Among Asner’s numerous awards and nominations were five Golden Globe Awards, Seven Emmys and a SAG Life Achievement Award. His legacy of service includes two terms as president of the Screen Actors Guild, and The Ed Asner Family Center whose mission is to promote self-confidence in differently abled individuals and bring balance and wellness to those individuals and their families.
Carol Bleackley Sills, director of Sills/Spolin Theater Works has been an influential force behind improvisational theatre since 1960. Carol studied with Viola Spolin, acting as her editor since 1983. In collaboration with her husband Paul Sills, they went on to create innovative theatres that included The Compass, Playwrights Theatre, Second City, The Game Theater, Story Theater, The Body Politic, Century Hall, The Learning Theater and Sills & Co. Carol presents workshops annually at the Wisconsin Theater Game Center and directed The Tao of Chuang Chou at New Actors Workshop in New York. She is also a painter and educator. You can learn more about Carol Sills at: https://www.paulsills.com/sillsspolin-theater-works/
Sean A. Mulvihill is currently directing the documentary feature film, “Act Social” featuring Colin Mochrie (Whose Line is it, Anyway?). The film follows Sean and his team on a mission to bring improvisation-based peacemaking skills to world leaders and communities in need.
Sean resides in New York City and is the Artistic Director of the Exuberants Improv Comedy Team which performs in Times Square New York City at the Broadway Comedy Club every Sunday at 6pm. The troupe also tours the greater NYC area.
Sean is well known around the globe for creating and starring in the 2007 docu/drama feature film, Living Luminaries: On the Serious Business of Happiness. The film stars Eckhart Tolle (The Power of Now), Marianne Williamson, don Miguel Ruiz (The Four Agreements), and Michael Bernard Beckwith.
He is also recognized as the voice of the main character, Prometheus, in the Sony Playstation Virtual Reality game, “Loading Human.” The game is written and directed by Italian actor/director Flavio Parenti, star of Woody Allen’s “To Rome with Love.” Sean also appeared in an upcoming episode of RAI Italy’s “Questo Nostro Amore” with Neri Marcore’.
You can learn more about Sean and how to support his film and work at seanamulvihill.com.
Aretha Sills is the granddaughter of Viola Spolin. She studied theater games for many years with her father, director Paul Sills (creator/director of The Second City and Story Theater), and has conducted workshops for Paul Sills’ Wisconsin Theater Game Center, Bard College, Stella Adler Studio of Acting, Stockholm International School, Sarah Lawrence College, and Northwestern University. She has worked with Tony- and Emmy-Award winning actors and has trained faculty from Northwestern, DePaul, Columbia College, The Second City, The Alan Alda Center for Communicating Science, LAUSD, CETA, and many other institutions and schools. She is the Associate Director of Sills/Spolin Theater Works and she directs The Predicament Players.
Learn more about Aretha Sills: Sills/Spolin Theater Works, Associate Director www.ViolaSpolin.org www.PaulSills.com www.facebook.com/sillsspolin www.instagram.com/sillsspolintheater/ aretha.sills@violaspolin.org Spolin Improvisation Sidecoach * Acting & Writing Coach
"My vision is a world of accessible intuition." -Viola Spolin
Part 2 of my podcast with Gary Schwartz, an award-winning TV and film actor, director, comedian and a master improvisational acting coach whose 30 years as a performer and improv teacher has helped transform the lives of thousands of people, both on- and off-screen. He studied and worked with Viola Spolin,the mother of modern improv, and is the only master teacher to have ever earned an endorsement from both Viola Spolin and her son, Paul Sills, the co-founder and director of The Second City.
I met John Dawson through our mutual friend Nick Johne from Chicago's Second City. They had worked together at Toronto's Second City before they both immigrated to Chicago & Dublin. His first foray into using improvisation for improved mental health was 7 years ago when he was approached to design and facilitate a series of Dramatic Arts for Wellness Workshops for D.C.U. (Dublin City University) in association with St. James Hospital Dublin’s mental health division. John’s taught his improv-based workshops in Critical thinking, Creativity and Effective Communication/Collaboration Skills for corporate and institutional clients such as Google, Airbnb, DropBox, Twitter Ireland, Dublin Institute of Technology, Dublin City University, H.S.E. (Health Service Executive, Ireland) and political party Renua Ireland.
He has served as writer, story consultant and script editor on many film and TV projects. He lectured on screenwriting at Trinity College Dublin and has taught acting and improvisation for over 21 years in three countries. This has included facilitating for Toronto’s Equity Showcase Theatre, The Actors Center in London, Ireland’s Animation Skillnet and Screen Training Ireland, well as for employees of Ireland’s Academy Award nominated animation companies Brown Bag Films and Cartoon Saloon. You can learn more about John Dawson at: www.dawsondramaworks@gmail.com Email: dawsondramaworks@gmail.com
I met John Dawson through our mutual friend Nick Johne from Chicago's Second City. They had worked together at Toronto's Second City before they both immigrated to Chicago & Dublin. His first foray into using improvisation for improved mental health was 7 years ago when he was approached to design and facilitate a series of Dramatic Arts for Wellness Workshops for D.C.U. (Dublin City University) in association with St. James Hospital Dublin’s mental health division. John’s taught his improv-based workshops in Critical thinking, Creativity and Effective Communication/Collaboration Skills for corporate and institutional clients such as Google, Airbnb, DropBox, Twitter Ireland, Dublin Institute of Technology, Dublin City University, H.S.E. (Health Service Executive, Ireland) and political party Renua Ireland.
He has served as writer, story consultant and script editor on many film and TV projects. He lectured on screenwriting at Trinity College Dublin and has taught acting and improvisation for over 21 years in three countries. This has included facilitating for Toronto’s Equity Showcase Theatre, The Actors Center in London, Ireland’s Animation Skillnet and Screen Training Ireland, well as for employees of Ireland’s Academy Award nominated animation companies Brown Bag Films and Cartoon Saloon. You can learn more about John Dawson at: Email: dawsondramaworks@gmail.com Website: www.dawsondramaworks@gmail.com
Margot Escott speaks with improv master Craig Price who is using his 30+ years of experience (including training with the great Del Close)in wellness classes that use improv to improve the lives of those who are differently abled. Craig shares with us the wisdom he learned from both Second City and IO with Del Close - To always play at the top of your intelligence, to encourage each other, to play intelligently and to lift each other up.
Join me to listen the the fascinating and very funny improv master Nick Johne. An alumnus of Toronto’s award-winning Second City Main Stage cast, Nick Johne has been teaching improvisation in various capacities since 1983. He is currently teaching at The Second City Chicago and in the Theater Department of DePaul University where he is adjunct faculty. He has performed all over the world and was an original member of the workshop production of the Tony award-winning musical The Drowsy Chaperone. Nick Johne currently lives in Chicago with his wife and daughter.
Kelly Leonard is the Executive Director of Insights and Applied Improvisation at The Second City and Second City Works. His book, “Yes, And: Lessons from The Second City” was released to critical acclaim in 2015 by HarperCollins and was praised by Michael Lewis in Vanity Fair who called it “...an excellent guide to the lessons that have bubbled up in Second City’s improv workshops.” Kelly is a popular speaker on the power of improvisation to transform people’s lives. He has presented at The Aspen Ideas Festival, The Code Conference,TEDx Broadway, Chicago Ideas Festival, The Stanford Graduate School of Business and for companies such as Coca Cola, Microsoft, Memorial Sloan Kettering and DDB Worldwide. Kelly co-created and co-directs a new initiative with the Center for Decision Research at the Booth School at the University of Chicago, The Second Science Project, that looks at behavioral science through the lens of improvisation. He also hosts the podcast, “Getting to Yes, And,” for Second City Works and WGN radio that features interviews with thought leaders such as Simon Sinek, Adam Grant, Gretchen Rubin, Dan Pink and Brene Brown.
For over twenty years, Kelly oversaw Second City’s live theatrical divisions where he helped generate original productions with such talent as Tina Fey, Stephen Colbert, Amy Poehler, Seth Meyers, Steve Carell, Keegan Michael Key, Amy Sedaris and others. He lives in Chicago with his wife, Anne Libera and their children Nick and Nora.
Twitter: @KLsecondcity
Listen to the exciting improv program created by Wendy Rush and Tom McCourt for the Las Vegas Juvenile Offenders program. This unique program will also serve the parents as well.
Meet the delightful Ted DesMaisons. Ted is known for his work with Mindfulness and Improv. He is an inspiring and lovely man!
Listen as Michael Golding shares his journey in improvisational theatre for over 40 years. He was mentored by the "Father of Improv" David Shepherd and wrote and produced the documentary, "David Shepherd: A lifetime of Improvisational Theatre".
Listen to Brie Watson, Candace Meeks and Alicia Douglas of the Fantastic Funny Femmes describe their powerful work on-stage and in the classroom. These ladies are definitely making a difference and using improv as a healing art.
Pam Victor describes her life in improv, founding the improv group The Ha-Ha's and how she co-authored "Improvisation at the Speed of Light" with TJ Jagodowski and David Pasquesi. Pam keeps busy teaching and performing at Happier Valley at the Northampton Center for the Art in Northampton, Mass.
Join us for a delightful talk with a woman who has brought improv to so many people.She is the author of the award-winning book,IMPROV WISDOM: Don’t Prepare, Just Show Up (Bell Tower, 2005). She shares how she discovered improv through her passion for Tai Chi, which led her to studying with Keith Johnstone. She is a professor Emerita from Stanford University where she began teaching in 1977. In the Drama Department she served as the head of the undergraduate acting division and developed the improvisation program. She founded and coached the Stanford Improvisors and taught beginning and advanced level courses in improvisation for undergraduate as well as adults in Stanford's Continuing Studies Program.
In 1998 she won the Lloyd W. Dinkelspiel Award for Outstanding Innovation in Undergraduate Education. In 1996 she founded the Creativity Initiative at Stanford, an interdisciplinary alliance of faculty who share the belief that creativity can be taught. She taught the Design Improv for the School of Engineering and has been a guest lecturer for the Stanford Technology Ventures Program and for the Mayfield Fellows Program. She is truly a pioneer in the applied improvisational field.
Kat Koppett is the CEO & President of Koppett a coaching and consulting company specializing in the use of theatre and storytelling techniques to enhance individual and organizational performance. Her book on how to use improvisational theatre techniques for organizational development, Training to Imagine: Practical Improvisational Theatre Techniques to Enhance Creativity, Teamwork, Leadership and Learning, is considered a seminal work in the field of Applied Improv, and is used in organizations around the world. She holds a BFA in Drama from New York University and an MA in Organizational Psychology from Columbia University. Kat has designed and delivered training such diverse clients as Apple, Facebook, Prezi, the Clinton Global Initiative, Chanel, GE, Ellis, St. Peters Hospital, JPMorgan Chase, Eli Lilly, Skidmore and Havas Health. She has spoken twice at TEDx conferences, and has lectured at UC Berkeley, Stanford University, RPI and Skidmore. She is on the board of Northeast Ballet and the Consulting Alliance. Kat is a founding member of the Applied Improvisation Network and a member of co-owner of the Mopco Improv Theatre, the Capital Region’s premiere improvisational theatre company producing shows and classes daily on N. Jay St. (www.mopco.org) TheatreWeek Magazine named Kat one of the year’s “Unsung Heroes” for her creation of the completely improvised musical format, “Spontaneous Broadway”. www.koppett.com
I had the good fortune to meet and study with Joe Bill and I was truly blown away by his brilliance as an improv teacher and human being. For more about Joe Bill visit his Facebook pages: https://www.facebook.com/joe.bill and https://www.facebook.com/BASSPROV/. You can follow him on Twitter @mrjoebill. Recorded 7/27/17.
Dr. Wiener discusses his work combining improvisational theatre games in psychotherapy. His book, "Rehearsals for Growth", 1994, is a groundbreaking work on how improv games can be utilized effectively in counseling.
Sam is truly a Renaissance man (although he insists the Renaissance is over!) and he loves improvisational theatre, film editing and directing and so much more. Sam is a incredible artist and a genuine, generous soul!.
Bernie De Koven, the master of play, shares his experience in the art and therapy of play! Bernie brings joy and love wherever he goes and is known as the "Shaman of Play," Bernie a leading fun theorist who has shown over the course of his 45 year career how fun and playfulness lead to some of the most important trends in games today, from large scale community games to casual game apps. He is the author of The Well-Played Game (originally published by Doubleday in 1978 and reissued in 2013 by MIT Press), A Playful Path (over 640,000 downloads), and a CD Recess for the Soul. He continues to make his work publicly available through his seminars and websites: http://www.deepfun.com and A Playful Pathhttp://www.aplayfulpath.com/
Assael Romanelli, MSW is an improviser/therapist who recently published his PhD research study on training therapists in improvisation skills. Listen to how Assael’s path in improvisation theatre, psychotherapy and education led him to this groundbreaking research. Hear about the ways in which these disciplines come together to create a new, synergistic training which can help generate healing and growth processes for the individual and relationship. “Theater improvisation skills increase spontaneity, animation and co-creation with the other, as well as enhance immediacy skills. This pilot study examines the effects of theater improvisation skills training on therapists’ perceptions of therapy and their subsequent clinical interventions.”
You can reach Assael at: assael@potentialstate.com www.potentialstate.com
Listen to master improvisation coach Gary Schwartz talk about his childhood that inspired him to write his award winning childrens book,"The King of Average" at http://www.gary-schwartz.com. Gary Schwartz is a film actor, director, and a master improvisational acting coach. It was Gary’s 18-year association with world-renowned theater educator and author, Viola Spolin that provides the foundation for his work today. Gary is the only master teacher to have ever earned an endorsement from both Viola Spolin and her son, Paul Sills, the co-founder and director of The Second City. Part 1 of 2.
Improv Interviews Part 2 with the fabulous Bernie De Koven. Bernie explains the "well-played game" and how to put the fun back into our lives.
Improv master teacher Jimmy Carrane shares his history in improv and working with some of the great teachers in this art form. His students come from around the globe as his teaching style allows students to become authentic, in improv and life.
Improv Interviews. Margot Escott speaks with Improv Professional Stacey Smith in Bonita Springs Florida where Stacey was teaching an Improv Workshop and performing with Bonita City Improv. Stacey Smith is a loud Long Islander who can be seen performing regularly in the ensemble at CSz or with The Deltones and The Musical Armando at iO. Stacey has just perfomed two contracts with The Second City aboard the Norwegian Breakaway. In addition to performing, Stacey teaches in both the Youth Program and A-E program at The Second City Training Center as well as at the Playground Theater and CSz Theater Chicago. Stacey is the Creator/Producer of the Chicago Musical Improv Festival. She just recently finished up a successful run of #DateMe in the UP Comedy Club at Second City and got hired as the Training Center Director at CSz Theater Chicago. You can learn more about Stacey Smith at www.staceysmithcomedy.com.