We'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 doubt be encouraged to pick up a copy of the book after this interview, but you'll also likely wa ..read more

In 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 discussing what is to come at iO. Rachael’s teaching also extends to coursework at DePaul Unive ..read more

Our 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 a great many of the North American improv schools, traditions and communities - that hel ..read more

Our 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 Tanine in a number of ways: Tanine Dunais is her website with many links to her vari ..read more

In 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 produces, directs, and films himself on an iPhone. He is also a founding member of 3Peat, a critical ..read more

For 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. Jay is very much about positivity towards improv and saying yes within your improv. This has ..read more

In 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, Second City along and others, along with experiencing a host of different approaches to improv from ..read more

In 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 of the various roles an improviser plays within any performance. I recommend her book on that subject high ..read more

Michelle 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 applies to both the art and community, and can be seen quite clearly in everything Michelle does. Her expe ..read more

Our 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 performances. He's currently working as a clown, acrobatics and impro teacher at the Javeriana ..read more