Improv Interviews

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.

Tara Langella - Voice Over Actor by Margot Escott

David Levanthal - Dance for PD by Margot Escott

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.