Improv Comedy Connection
56 episodes - English - Latest episode: 11 months ago - ★★★★★ - 7 ratingsThe Improv Comedy Connection podcast explores how to more deeply connect with audiences and co-performers in improv, stand up, sketch, and communication through comedy.
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Episodes
Patti Stiles - Improvise Freely
May 28, 2023 13:02 - 1 hour - 94.8 MBWe're back with Patti Stiles in our first episode of Season 5. Listeners know Patti from episode 2 of Season Three as well as panelist in the first, fourth, fifth and last sessions of the COVID-19 Summit. Our focus in this episode, though, is her wonderful book - Improvise Freely. It's a timely book, as well as an encouragement and challenge to improvisers - no matter how seasoned. Patti has an infectious enthusiasm for improvisation that comes through in everything she does. You'll no do...
Rachael Mason
August 22, 2022 13:10 - 1 hour - 97 MBIn this, our 50th episode!, Whit has a conversation with Rachael Mason. Rachael has been a mainstay of the Chicago improv scene for many years. She has been a central figure in the Second City’s curriculum and performance and has moved to iO which is set to re-launch under new ownership in Fall of 2022. There, she is the Director of Education and is involved in both the design of the theater’s improv curriculum and performance structures – and as you might guess, we spend some time discus...
David Escobedo
July 18, 2022 15:05 - 1 hour - 132 MBOur guest on this episode of the Improv Comedy Connection is David Escobedo. David has been coaching and performing improv since 1994. In fact, he coached his first improv team, as there weren't any improv schools around! Later he took classes at iOwest, Second City and other improv schools around Los Angeles. He is quick to acknowledge the impact of his improv teachers during this time, including Jay Sukow (Jay was part of the COVID-19 Improv Summit and was interviewed as part of Season 4),...
Hellena Jang
May 09, 2022 13:08 - 1 hour - 102 MBOur guest for this episode is Hellena Jang. Hellena is an improviser, instructor and agile coach in Seoul, Korea, as well as the founder of Imfrog - likely the first Korean language improv troupe on the Korean peninsula. She was introduced to improv through Seoul City Improv, an English language troupe established by ex-pats in the city. That experience led to perhaps one of the most intense deep dives into improv - a couple of extended, immersive journeys that Hellena took to learn about...
Tanine Dunais
November 01, 2021 13:00 - 1 hour - 106 MBOur guest for this episode is Tanine Dunais. Tanine grew up in Iran, but discovered improv in the United Arab Emirates. She later moved to Europe, and now resides in the Netherlands, where she pursues improv, bouffon, clowning, and more. This episode features an interesting discussion on the theater traditions of Tanine's homeland, and as well as an fascinating consideration of performing in a context of difference backgrounds and intersectionalities in an ensemble. You can connect with...
Patrick Rowland
September 13, 2021 13:00 - 1 hour - 96 MBIn this episode, we talk with Patrick Rowland. Patrick is a writer, comedian, and actor from Chicago, now residing in Los Angeles. He’s studied and taught at The Second City and iO Theater. His solo character work was featured in Alone, Chicago’s Best Solo Comedy at The TBS Just For Laughs Festival in 2013. Austin Comedy Short Film Festival nominated Patrick as Best Supporting Actor for his work in Mr. Mainframe. He is the creator of The Patrick Rowland Sketch Show, a web series he writes ...
Jay Sukow
August 30, 2021 13:00 - 1 hour - 126 MBFor this episode, Whit has a conversation with Jay Sukow — a US improviser based in LA, but in New Zealand traveling for this recording. After catching up a bit, we jumped into an amazing conversation about his favorite (by far) of over 300 10-minute scenes that he’s been doing since early on in the pandemic. This is all the more impressive given that his online series “10 Minutes with…” where he improvises a 10 minute scene with someone from anywhere on the planet, has over 100,000 views....
Stacey Hallal
August 02, 2021 13:00 - 1 hour - 145 MBIn this episode, we get the joy of talking with Stacey Hallal - founder of the Curious Comedy Theater in Portland, Oregon where she serves as Artistic Director as well as a regular performer, writer, director and teacher. We talk a bit about her leadership at Curious, but she's also known for her Ruby Rocket, Private Eye character and much, much more. We discuss her affinity for "cross-training" - which dates back to her experience in Chicago in going through the training at iO, Annoyance, ...
Luana Proença
July 19, 2021 13:00 - 1 hour - 118 MBIn this episode, we get to hear from Luana Proença - an improviser from Brazil, presently studying for a PhD in theater/improvisation in Lisbon, Portugal. Luana is a known quantity in much of the global improv world, but not nearly well-known enough in the English-speaking, North American improv community. Listening in will help change that if that's where you're based, and you'll thank me for the experience later. Luana has some very interesting, and clear observations and understandings o...
Michelle Gilliam
July 06, 2021 12:00 - 1 hour - 104 MBMichelle Gilliam is a voice actor and improviser based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and the founder of Improv MKE. She has been involved with improv since high school, and at various times has been immersed in the Milwaukee, Chicago, and Boston improv scenes. With the pandemic, she adeptly stepped into the global, online improv community where her skills and thoughtfulness about the art and the community aspects of improv have garnered her world-wide respect. Her emphasis on being human applie...
Felipe Ortiz
June 21, 2021 14:00 - 1 hour - 103 MBOur guest for episode 5 of season 4 is Felipe Ortiz - a performer, director and teacher based in Bogota, Colombia. But that 's really not a full summary of what Felipe is as a performer or educator. He blends in, exchanges, plays, interacts and shares tools techniques and insights with artists from around the world. You can see his interest in the body in movement in his use and integration of acrobatics, improvisation, clowning, physical theater, object manipulation and more in his perfo...
Oluwadamilola Apotieri-Abdulai
May 24, 2021 14:00 - 55 minutes - 76.9 MBIn this episode, we get to spend time with a true improv pioneer -- Oluwadamilola Apotieri-Abdulai. Damilola is one of the few improvisers in Nigeria and in West Africa. He has an amazing background in using theater, improv, and other techniques and structures to positively impact individuals and communities throughout the region and indeed across the world. The work he's done and is doing will inspire you - and is reason enough to listen in to this conversation. Damilola is the founder o...
Sophie Scott
May 10, 2021 13:00 - 1 hour - 106 MBOur third episode in Season 4 is with Dr. Sophie Scott, the Wellcome Senior Research Fellow in Basic Biomedical Science and Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience at University College London. She is part of UCL's Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience and in the Division of Psychology & Lang Sciences. So of course we're having her on the podcast, right? Well it is an of course because of her particular lines of inquiry do have quite a lot to say about a subject that all improvisers, comedians...
Aree Witoelar
April 26, 2021 02:41 - 1 hour - 93.7 MBBorn in Indonesia, and now based in Norway, Aree Witoelar is an improv teacher, director and performer who is also the founder and artistic director of Impro Neuf International. Impro Neuf International is Norway’s first international improv community with over 1,000 members from over 50 countries. Aree has been improvising since 2005, studying from many teachers and throughout his improv career has believed in bringing the global voice to the improv stage. In the new era of online improv,...
Shaun Landry
April 11, 2021 20:17 - 1 hour - 130 MBWe're back for season 4 with Shaun Landry! Shaun got her start in improv in the mid-1980s in Chicago and has been a strong, joyful, positive presence not only in Chicago, but then in San Francisco, LA and through her travels and online, all over the world. It was a fantastic conversation - both what is being published and what followed -- and it's a great way to start off our next season. We missed you, and if you didn't miss us, you certainly won't want to miss Shaun Landry. More detail...
Pre-Season 4 Check In
February 19, 2021 16:30 - 3 minutes - 2.58 MBHey everyone! Just a quick check in with you as I'm gearing up for season 4. See you soon.
Joe Bill
January 24, 2021 19:58 - 1 hour - 131 MBListen in to a fire side chat with Joe Bill -- widely regarded as one of the best teachers of Scenic and Comedic Improvisation in the world today. He is one of the founding members of Annoyance Theater Chicago where, for 12 years, he performed in and/or directed more than 60 different shows. He was the Director of Corporate Training at iO Chicago for 15 years and a Teacher & Guest Artist in Residence at The Second City Conservatory & Training Center for another 15 years. Joe first learned Im...
Aretha Sills
January 04, 2021 15:16 - 1 hour - 95.3 MBOur penultimate episode of Season 3 is with Aretha Sills - the granddaughter of Viola Spolin - widely considered the mother of modern improvisational theater) an daughter of Paul Sills (founder and initial director The Second City in Chicago, as well as Story Theater). Aretha studied for many years with her father and is an outstanding instructor in her own right, having worked with Tony- and Emmy-Award winning actors and having trained faculty from Northwestern, DePaul, Columbia College, T...
Jon Carr
December 13, 2020 16:52 - 1 hour - 98.6 MBAs we get ready to close out Season 3 of the podcast, Whit has a conversation with Jon Carr -- just a week or so out from the big news that Jon has been hired as Executive Producer at Second City. Just prior, Jon was serving as Artistic Director at Dad's Garage in Atlanta. Jon was not only a fixture for many years at Dad's, but also in the Atlanta creative community as a whole. We discuss his start in improv at Dad's, his approach to the craft, and so much more. In addition to his work a...
Feña Ortalli
November 23, 2020 15:15 - 1 hour - 102 MBFeña Ortalli began his acting and improvisation career in 2001 in Buenos Aires. In 2006 he created Global Impro, an improv troupe dedicated to national and international collaboration and exchange. He's currently based in Madrid where he performs and teaches with the larger companies in that city. Feña also has been writing, editing, and providing the general direction of Status, a digital magazine about improvisation, since 2011. He's also the author of the book Impro: Dynamics of the Unexp...
Jonathan Pitts
November 08, 2020 13:05 - 1 hour - 120 MBToday's new episode features Jonathan Pitts! In this episode, Whit talks with Jonathan - an award-winning, international improv theatre artist, creator, director, producer, and teacher from Chicago. He's been improvising for over 35 years, and has been involved in founding and directing important festivals and experiences like the Chicago Improv Festival and the College Improv Tournament. We talk tech, we talk the global improv community, we talk technique, and we talk about improv - all dr...
Sheri Flanders
October 18, 2020 22:24 - 1 hour - 97.3 MBSheri is an instructor at the Second City training center in the improv and music departments. She has performed at the Engaging Women Conference, been a guest on Vocalo Radio's Morning AMp Council of Feminist Thought show, and was a panelist for the Inside Jokes Comedy Conference hosted by Women In Comedy, and has appeared in numerous podcasts addressing wide-ranging subjects including art, equity, and criticism. Having performed in a variety of forms from Shakespeare to screen, Sheri is a ...
Flavien Reppert
October 04, 2020 13:51 - 1 hour - 83.9 MBIn this episode, Whit and Flavien Reppert discuss Flavien’s beginnings in improv in the Match format to his current work at Le Théâtre de l’Oignon. This particular conversation includes a segment regarding the role that language plays in improvising – something that Flavien is particularly positioned to talk about as he not only has travelled to 27 countries, but has improvised in French, English, German, Portuguese, Italian and Spanish. The theatre/professional improvisation company he fou...
Anna Ong
September 20, 2020 13:53 - 1 hour - 110 MBIn episode 8, Whit talks with Anna Ong. Anna is a Singapore based Storyteller and Improviser. Anna's first exposure to live storytelling came while performing at an improv show in with The Magnet in New York City in 2018. That experience led to others, including at The Moth in NYC and with the Story District in Washington DC. Today she is the creator, host and producer of What’s Your Story Slam, a live storytelling competition show based in Singapore that focuses promoting a culture of per...
Omar Galvan
September 07, 2020 22:00 - 1 hour - 97.7 MBSeason 3, Episode 7's guest is Omar Galvan - an improviser, workshop facilitator and author originally from Argentina, but now residing in Madrid. Omar is a sought after instructor not only throughout the Spanish speaking world but throughout the world, generally. It is a treat to continue the increasing breadth of experiences in the improv world in the podcast with someone as thoughtful and insightful as Omar. You can get access to Omar's Yes, But . . . essay and also an electronic versio...
Balasree Viswanathan
August 23, 2020 13:30 - 56 minutes - 78.2 MBIn this episode, Whit sits down with Balasree Viswanathan. Bala is an improviser based in Bangalore, India, where she is also the co-artistic director of Improv Comedy Bangalore and a performer with The Adamant Eves, India's first and currently only all-women improv ensemble. Improv is newer in India, and particularly Bangalore - and we discuss its developments and distinctives, inclusive of the specific experience she's had with The Adamant Eves. Bala has been improvising since 2016 and ha...
Anne Libera
August 09, 2020 14:19 - 1 hour - 92.8 MBGet ready for a college level conversation in this one credit symposium with Anne Libera. Anne has worked with The Second City since 1986 and taught in their Training Center since 1991, but is also the Director of Comedy Studies for the Theater Department at Columbia College in Chicago where she teaches History and Analysis of Modern Comedy and Comedy Survey I and II. She is the author of The Second City Almanac of Improvisation and is working on a new book on what it takes to be funnier a...
Kevin Mullaney
July 26, 2020 22:00 - 1 hour - 95.4 MBIn this episode, Whit has a conversation with Kevin Mullaney, who so many will know from the Improv Resource Center, the associated podcast, and his training that has impacted thousands of improvisers. He was the first Artistic Director of the UCB in New York, but is back in Chicago. The subjects include a consideration of what Kevin’s dream curriculum and approach to improv training would be and what characteristics might be found a transcendent improviser. In addition, we spent time discus...
Shannon Dale Stott
July 12, 2020 12:46 - 1 hour - 139 MBShannon Dale Stott is an improviser and instructor out of Austin, Texas. She’s brilliant, fun and thoughtful and was the inspiration I (Whit) needed to start recording interviews again. We spent a fair amount of time on matters of vulnerability and attunement in this conversation. In fact, we probably spent another hour or so afterwards discussing related topics. The notion of vulnerability training I think deserves space in every improv curriculum, and not just as a one off but something cl...
Patti Stiles
June 28, 2020 20:44 - 1 hour - 77.7 MBOur second episode in Season 3* is with the incomparable, Patti Stiles! Patti learned improv and theatre at the famed Loose Moose Theatre Company in Calgary with Keith Johnstone as a direct mentor. She subsequently moved to Melbourne from where she works as an actor, improviser, director, instructor and playwright. Many in the improv community know all this, as few have traveled the world teaching and encouraging improv at the level that Patti does. This particular conversation occurred in...
Jimmy Carrane
June 14, 2020 14:00 - 1 hour - 104 MBThe Improv Comedy Connection kicks off Season 2 with Jimmy Carrane! Jimmy and Whit discuss what the early days of improv can teach us about the art form today, what the Art of Slow Comedy is all about, and how to grow in your career. Jimmy’s perspective on improv is an important one, given his many contributions to the art and his history going back to his time in iO, the Annoyance, his time with Jazz Freddy, work with Del Close, his podcast, Improv Nerd, his books (Improvising Better and Im...
COVID-19 Summit -- Improv on the Other Side
May 25, 2020 16:33 - 1 hour - 126 MBThis is the final session of the COVID-19 Summit. In this conversation, we focus on what the current season that may help us "re-start" for the betterment of improv and improvisers on the other side of quarantine. While we discuss where we're at in the moment, this is more of a forward looking conversation with a high interest in the art of improvisation. Panelists: Joe Bill (USA), Beatrix Brunschko (Austria), Jimmy Carrane (USA), Omar Galvan (Argentina/Spain), Stacey Hallal (USA), Inbal...
COVID-19 Summit -- The Globalization of Improv Part 2
May 08, 2020 11:55 - 58 minutes - 80.5 MBIn this continuation of a conversation among improvisers around the world, we discuss the implications and possibilities associated with increased globalization in improv - but also topics such as retaining one's cultural identity and context in their performance and the unique challenges of learning and performing in something other than your first language. Panelists in Part 2: Joe Bill (USA), Nick Byrne (Australia), John Gebratatose (USA), Hellena Jang (South Korea), Kaisa Kokko-Palmer...
COVID-19 Summit -- Globalization of Improv Part 1
May 08, 2020 03:49 - 1 hour - 123 MBThis is the first of a two-part conversation among 13 improvisers from 10 countries and 6 continents about the impact and implications of globalization on the art of improv. Recognizing that we are still under unusual circumstances and that live, in person, in theater improv will return, the panel discusses how we all might consider the world of improv which we now know is both smaller and larger than we understood before the present health crisis. Panelists: Oluwadmilola Apotieri-Abdulai (...
COVID-19 Summit -- The Globalization of Improv Part 1
May 08, 2020 03:49 - 1 hour - 123 MBThis is the first of a two-part conversation among 13 improvisers from 10 countries and 6 continents about the impact and implications of globalization on the art of improv. Recognizing that we are still under unusual circumstances and that live, in person, in theater improv will return, the panel discusses how we all might consider the world of improv which we now know is both smaller and larger than we understood before the present health crisis. Panelists: Oluwadmilola Apotieri-Abdulai (...
COVID-19 Summit -- The Technique, Texture and Tech for Online Improv
April 27, 2020 21:37 - 1 hour - 86.9 MBThis second of two episodes on online improv, guest hosted by Jules Munns, features a panel of Von Daniel, Amey Goerlich, Elana Fishbein, Roy Janik, Whit Shiller, and Jay Sukow discussing technique, texture and tech in doing online improv. In addition, the discussion provides an encouraging look at the role online improv can play in today's and tomorrow's global improv community. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/improvcomedyconnection/message
Special Episode -- COVID-19 Summit -- The Technique, Texture and Tech for Online Improv
April 27, 2020 21:37 - 1 hour - 86.9 MBThis second of two episodes on online improv, guest hosted by Jules Munns, features a panel of Von Daniel, Amey Goerlich, Elana Fishbein, Roy Janik, Whit Shiller, and Jay Sukow discussing technique, texture and tech in doing online improv. In addition, the discussion provides an encouraging look at the role online improv can play in today's and tomorrow's global improv community.
Special Episode -- COVID-19 Summit -- The "Why" Behind Online Improv
April 20, 2020 17:33 - 1 hour - 103 MBIn this first of two episodes on online improv, the panel (Von Daniel, Amey Goerlich, Elana Fishbein, Roy Janik, Jules Munns, Jay Sukow, Paul Vaillancourt, with Whit Shiller as moderator) discuss the "why" behind doing online improv. We consider the community, performance and training aspects of putting improv and improv training online, and talk a little bit about how this medium might stay in play when we can return to on stage improv and training more fully.
COVID-19 Summit -- The "Why" Behind Online Improv
April 20, 2020 17:33 - 1 hour - 103 MBIn this first of two episodes on online improv, the panel (Von Daniel, Amey Goerlich, Elana Fishbein, Roy Janik, Jules Munns, Jay Sukow, Paul Vaillancourt, with Whit Shiller as moderator) discuss the "why" behind doing online improv. We consider the community, performance and training aspects of putting improv and improv training online, and talk a little bit about how this medium might stay in play when we can return to on stage improv and training more fully. --- Send in a voice messa...
Special Episode -- COVID-19 Summit
March 30, 2020 19:57 - 1 hour - 168 MBThis conversation hosted by Whit Shiller with Joe Bill, Holly Mandel, Ed Morgan, Rebecca Northan, David Razowsky, Patti Stiles, and Jay Sukow, is simply a conversation about how each is doing individually and how our improv communities and the global improv community are doing in the face of COVID-19.
COVID-19 Summit -- How the Improv World Is Responding to COVID-19
March 30, 2020 19:57 - 1 hour - 168 MBThis conversation hosted by Whit Shiller with Joe Bill, Holly Mandel, Ed Morgan, Rebecca Northan, David Razowsky, Patti Stiles, and Jay Sukow, is simply a conversation about how each is doing individually and how our improv communities and the global improv community are doing in the face of COVID-19. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/improvcomedyconnection/message
Dave Razowsky
February 16, 2020 14:30 - 1 hour - 106 MBDave Razowsky joins Whit for the finale episode of Season 1 -- and it's a great conversation! Dave shares from his long, deep history and thoughtfulness in the art of improv and acting -- with his history going back to Geese Theater Company and its programs for prisoners, moving on to Second City, Improv Olympic, an involvement with the predecessor to the Annoyance and so much more. We also get a sneak peek into Dave's upcoming book - "A Subversive’s Guide to Improvisation" - and how it pull...
Michael Golding
February 02, 2020 05:38 - 1 hour - 98.3 MBMichael Golding visits with Whit in episode 14 - and it's a deep dive into the history of improvisational theater in the US. In particular, we discuss Michael's mentor, David Shepherd, and his role in the very beginnings of the Compass Players, Second City, iO and the Canadian Improv Games. Michael has a wealth of insight into these early days and the mind of one of the more important people from the very beginnings of improvisational theater in North America. --- Send in a voice message:...
Andy Goldberg
January 19, 2020 16:11 - 52 minutes - 72.6 MBAndy Goldberg is one of the founding member of Off the Wall — a short form team that has been performing since 1974! — and is also the author of Improv Comedy which is now in its second edition. Andy and has been featured in such TV and films hits as Curb Your Enthusiasm, Golden Girls, The Goodbye Girl, Full House, and the Practice. Over the course of his improv career, Andy has improvised with scores of fantastic improvisers and well known entertainment personalities. One of them, Robin Wi...
Ken Davis
January 05, 2020 13:44 - 1 hour - 98.2 MBKen Davis joins Whit for episode 12 of the podcast. Ken has been a motivational and inspirational communicator, comedian, humorist, trainer, and mentor who has impacted millions of lives over the course of his 50 year or more career. With respect to communication, specifically, Ken has developed the SCORRE Method and related materials to help speakers communicate more clearly and powerfully. While the focus of communication and improv or stand up might be different, establishing goals for a ...
Holly Mandel
December 15, 2019 16:29 - 1 hour - 97.8 MBHolly Mandel has a diverse career — she is a speaker, inspirer, creative consultant, improviser, director, teacher, writer and entrepreneur. One town isn’t big enough to contain her, so you she splits her time between LA and New York. In this episode, we start with a conversation about improv — including an exploration of character-based improv, which Holly grew up in at the Groundlings and continued in Improvolution in New York and Los Angeles. This episode also goes into Holly’s highly-re...
Jules Munns
December 01, 2019 13:11 - 58 minutes - 84.3 MBJules Munns in an improviser, teacher, and co-founder of both Slapdash International (London's longest running festival of improvisation) and The Nursery Theatre in London, UK, and also director of Impromptu Shakespeare. He has performed and taught at festivals across the UK and in countries including the US, Pakistan, Canada, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Portugal and Finland. He also hosts an excellent podcast for the Nursery. In this episode, we discuss the rapid growth of improv in London, v...
Bone Hampton
November 17, 2019 14:22 - 50 minutes - 73 MBOur ninth episode is our first with someone from outside of improv. Bone Hampton joins Whit to discuss comedy more broadly, and his experience and approach to stand up comedy. There are a number of insights that Bone shares that are applicable to any performer, and he also shares some great career advice along the way. Bone was on Season 13 of America's Got Talent, a recurring guest on The View, and has many other comedy credits on his resume along with roles in film, including in All About...
Laura Hall
November 03, 2019 14:11 - 47 minutes - 69.4 MBEpisode web page Laura Hall is someone who improvisers, in the US anyway, will all know. She’s been a consistent and amazing presence as an improvising musician on Whose Line is it Anyway? in the US right from the start of the series. But Whose Line wasn’t her first gig, and it’s not all she does. In Episode 8, Laura shares more of that story, about music and improv, and so much more. You can find a lot of information about Laura at laurahall.com, including information about the workshops...
Will Hines
October 20, 2019 12:16 - 46 minutes - 67.6 MBEpisode 7 of the Improv Comedy Connection features Will Hines! Will has been improvising with the UCB since 1999, where he started with them in New York. He's now in LA, and performs, teaches and coaches improv with the UCB in LA while also acting, writing, and doing a lot of other things as well. Recently, along with Billy Merritt who was on epsiode 2, Will released the book Pirate Robot Ninja - An Improv Fable -- a very different book from his highly regarded How to Be the Greatest Improvis...