Making Up With Improv

Lena is super excited that in this FINAL EPISODE of the podcast she gets to speak with two of her all time favorite improvisers: Patti Stiles from Melbourne and Joe Bill from Chicago. They discuss questions like "What's even funny nowadays", "Can you build trust via Zoom" and "How to best connect before a show". Also, they touch on the ever pressing question of: He's worked with Del, she's worked with Keith - can they work together? (Spoiler alert: They can!) More on Patti: https://www.pattistiles.com/ More on Joe: https://www.facebook.com/groups/182602909978 https://www.integratedimprovisation.com/ If you'd like to participate in a workshop at the 20th(!) Würzburger Improtheaterfestival make sure to visit www.improtheaterfestival.de, sign up for the newsletter and don't miss any deadlines. Also, do you wanna know what Lena is up to now? https://schwesterninderueberzahl.de/ If you'd like to donate to our association or would like to get some more information, you can visit https://improtheaterfestival.de/en/donation.html

Oooh, it's been too long! Lena is excited to be back after the summer break and even more excited about her wonderful guest Evan Schweitzer. Evan is originally from New York but now lives in Frankfurt, only a short train ride away from Lenas home town. Lena and Evan find out that they have some quite specific things in common. They share a nerdy little secret and a dirty little secret. Wanna find out more? Tune in! Evan is currently working on his website: www.evanschweitzer.com Check out "GALAKTO-logisch" where Evan plays an alien looking for friends on earth: http://www.malte-anders.de/news/ If you'd like to donate to our association or would like to get some more information, you can visit https://improtheaterfestival.de/en/donation.html

In the last episode before the summer break, Lena goes German! Zu Gast ist die fantastische Nele Kießling aus Göttingen, Event-Moderatorin, Trainerin und Schauspielerin für Improtheater. Bei Nele lernt Lena nicht nur was übers Improvisieren, sondern auch übers Tindern - und vor allem, wie beides zusammenhängt. Im Gespräch stellen Nele und Lena Thesen auf, fragen nach und geben einander Stoff zum Diskutieren. Am Ende herrscht jedoch Einigkeit: Was wir brauchen, ist Tinder für die Kunst! Lust auf mehr Nele? www.nelekiessling.de www.diestereotypen.de www.kiesslingkaffka.de www.zoomshow.de Wenn ihr die Arbeit des Würzburger Improtheaterfestival e.V. unterstützen wollt, freuen wir uns über eine kleine Spende: https://improtheaterfestival.de/de/spenden.html Und schaut gerne mal ins diesjährige Festival-Programm: https://improtheaterfestival.de/de/das-festival.html#Showprogramm

Three years ago, Lena spent six weeks at the Courtyard Playhouse in Dubai as a guest instructor. There she met Alana Hicks, improviser, actor and teacher. What a woman! And how great to reconnect with her on the podcast. Lena and Alana discuss many different topics and come up with a show idea for Lena's come back. Ladies and gentlemen, get ready for the premiere of „Leaf Of Faith“. It'll be a revelation. May the muse be with all of you! Ceck out the Courtyard Playhouse: https://courtyardplayhouse.com/ If you'd like to donate to our association or would like to get some more information, you can visit https://improtheaterfestival.de/en/donation.html

When Lena first met Kevin Gillese, she was still very much in the honeymoon phase with improvisation - so talking to him this week brings back some happy memories. Lots has happened in the eight years, that Lena and Kevin haven't seen each other. Kevin is now making independent films and Lena wants to know all about it. They also talk about being an artistic director, about improvisation on TV and whether the Grinch is a horror movie in disguise (spoiler alert: it is). Check out Kevin's film "That Was Awesome": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CwEqVgxFDro Support Kevin's holiday movie on kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/howtoruintheholidays/how-to-ruin-the-holidays?ref=checkout_rewards_page This is Dad's Garage: https://dadsgarage.com/ If you'd like to donate to our association or would like to get some more information, you can visit https://improtheaterfestival.de/en/donation.html

What's a diplodocus and did it actually exist? Questions like these make Lena's head spin in this episode. Trying out a new game called „Call Everyone's Bluff“ (not to be confused with „Call My Bluff“, a British television show from the eighties - very different format) she and Mark Jane from Paris try to deceive each other by telling better lies. When not walking the thin line between truth and fiction, they discuss Mark's show „TRIO“ in which he performs not with one but with two members of the audience. They talk about the difference between Match and TheatresportsTM and what it is like to be a British actor in Paris. Fun fact: Did you know Mark once shook Prince Charles' hand? Or could that be a vicious lie? Tune in and find out. Mark's website: https://www.markjane.co.uk/ Mark's ensemble Eux: https://www.euximpro.fr/actualites/ Mark's made up (not made up) dinosaur: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diplodocus If you'd like to donate to our association or would like to get some more information, you can visit https://improtheaterfestival.de/en/donation.html

While many ensembles are standing still these days, Simone Schwegler and her company "Theater Anundpfirsich" in Zurich did something quite remarkable - they opened a closed theatre! Lena is talking to Simone about the process of opening their own venue and about what it felt like to celebrate this milestone digitally. Also on the agenda: Balance! Finding balance on stage, finding balance at work, finding balance in life. In need for some balance? Tune in! This is Simone's company: https://pfirsi.ch/ If you'd like to donate to our association or would like to get some more information, you can visit https://improtheaterfestival.de/en/donation.html

Speaking with Jim Libby is always a delight! Speaking with James Franklin Libby II even more so - it gives the podcast a bit of a royal feel. Not for long, though, because having been friends for a long time Lena and Jim quickly get to the bottom of things. What kind of reward are you expecting from taking a risk on stage? Are we all living on the same planet, yet in different worlds? And why is Nordic Walking such a fascinating sport? It is about time we all find out. The English Lovers: http://www.english-lovers.com/ "This should be about something", Jim's and Michael Smulik's video podcast: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQ47qPolYGc3GqSG5V4BxXA The Messengers: https://www.facebook.com/ImproDuoVienna/ Rocket Sugar Factory: https://www.facebook.com/rocketsugarfactory Lena's favorite podcast: https://www.mydadwroteaporno.com/ Elizabeth Gilbert's ted talk about genius: https://www.ted.com/talks/elizabeth_gilbert_your_elusive_creative_genius/transcript This year's workshop program of the Würzburg improv festival: https://improtheaterfestival.de/de/das-festival.html#Workshops If you'd like to donate to our association or would like to get some more information, you can visit https://improtheaterfestival.de/en/donation.html

This week Lena is talking to Jason Geary from Melbourne/Australia - and Jason knows all about needing a break from improv. It's nice to talk to someone who very recently went through a similar crisis. SPOILER ALERT: Jason and improv are giving it another shot, so Lena's got all the more reason to be hopeful. Also, on an unrelated note, Lena was interested in finding about Jason's new owl tattoos. You should be too, there's a good story behind it. Check out Jason's podcasts: https://open.spotify.com/show/41a49SDUTjnXWXc1xNIQrt https://open.spotify.com/show/2BZ5JIGNg1OlrLhN3zBwNL https://www.dictionaryofmoments.com/ And this is his book - worth a read!!! https://www.trybooking.com/events/landing?eid=652827& If you'd like to donate to our association or would like to get some more information, you can visit https://improtheaterfestival.de/en/donation.html

This week's guest is Ursula Anna Baumgartner from Vienna. Lena and Ursula have a lot in common: They both love therapy, they both have a sister who is nine years older and they both have a somewhat traumatic story of saying good-bye to a pet as a child (hence the therapy?!). Kasimir, if you read this, Ursula didn't mean to lose you in the garden - please come home, no other turtle could ever replace you. Check out Ursula's website: https://www.ursula-baumgartner.com/ This is "Baumgärtner", Ursula's duo show about a tree's life: https://baumgaertner-kleinkunst.at/ This is Bemme & Melange, Ursula's improv duo: https://www.facebook.com/Bemme-Melange-104384491316154 If you'd like to donate to our association or would like to get some more information, you can visit https://improtheaterfestival.de/en/donation.html

Who would be a better person to invite to this podcast than Amir Atsmon, improviser and DRAMA THERAPIST?! When at the beginning of their conversation Amir starts taking notes, Lena knows she made a smart choice. The two of them discuss topics related to improv (What's up with improv „in the style of...“?), disagree about the greatness of Harry Potter and talk about connecting in new ways in times of isolation. Believe it or not, Lena and Amir have never actually met in person - hopefully that will change soon!

In her very first interview Lena is talking to Lisa Rowland from BATS Improv in San Francisco. Not only is Lisa an amazing improviser, she is also a delightful conversation partner. She talks about taking on the artistic directorship of BATS just before the pandemic shook the world. She talks about living side by side with San Francisco's tech freaks and how she misses the weirdos in the city. She talks about the comfort of wearing leggins all day. And she talks about her love for improvisation which to her is more than just an art form.

Lena Försch has been in love with improvised theatre for half her life. In the past couple of months, however, things between her and improv haven't exactly been great. But Lena is determined to rekindle the old flame. In her podcast "Making up with improv" she is talking to improvisers from around the globe to seek some advice. On February 17th you can listen to her first two conversations featuring Lisa Rowland from San Francisco and Amir Atsmon from Tel Aviv.