Improv Interviews

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.

Nick Doyle - Advice To Folks With Autism by Margot Escott

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.