Podcasts about Improvisational theatre

MOTHERS Part one of a two part interview. Tauri Laws-Phillips (ColdTowne Theater), Stephanie Rae (Black Improv Alliance) & Deana Criess Tolliver (Applied Improv Specialist) gifted me with their insight about being a mom or mothers in the improv practice. I think the portion speaking on how improv communities and institutions can make adjustments that might improv the particpation of mothers in improv.  If you would like to find out more info on Tauri Laws-Phillips: https://coldtownetheater.com/ More on Stephanie Rae: https://blackimprovalliance.com/  More on Deana Criess Tolliver: https://deanacriess.com/    #improv 

You know it's a good episode when I can't wait to listen to it!  And I was there when it was recorded!

Liz Allen Improv Interview, Part 2!  If you ever get the chance to take a class with Liz, or just chat with her she is so lovely. A kind spirit and human being. 

Liz Allen is one of my favorite improv teachers of all time. And in my humble opinion, may go down as one of the most influential people in all of improv. I hold her in such high regard.  Liz was iO's Training Center Director for three years and they renamed their Teacher of the Year Award to the "Liz Allen Excellence in Teaching Award." To find out more about Liz: https://www.lizallenimprov.com/ And be sure to catch her one-woman show "Tonight I am my Mother."  It is fantastic.

Part 2 of my inteview with Oliver Senton. 

Oliver Senton performed in "Shall We Shog?" in 2005 under the guidence of Ken Campbell.  The show became whan Campbell called a thing. This lead to Senton's work in the School of Night. This work also lead to two other significant improv things: Showstoppers and the Improvathon.  Currently he is working alongside Lucy Trodd and developing the new Folkestone Improv Theatre. I always love my chats with Oliver. He is brilliant and inspirational.   For more info The School of Night: https://www.theschoolofnight.com Folkestone Improv Theatre: https://lucytrodd.com/folkestone-improv-theatre    #improv

Debriefing after improv sets is one of my favorite things about improv.   Thank you again to Ange and Stu!  I already want to do this again.

The finaly part of my interview of Remy Bertrand of Imprology. I am so impressed with his curiousity.

This week Jimmy talks with Utah teacher McKenna Filey. She talks about Improvisational Theatre, self-care, and the impactful teachers who shaped who she is as a teacher.

Remy Bertrand joined me today on this podcast. Remy runs Imprology, an improv company in London. Remy also does these short videos on FB and TikTok where he talks about a virtue in improv. I have always liked his perspective on improv as it differs from most institutions. He focuses on the individual and their intersection with connection, communication and improv. He has fantastic insight on "being full of yourself", flow and more. Enjoyed getting to know him in this event.  This is Part 1 of 2.   You can find out more about Imprology here: https://imprology.com/home

The final part of my episode with Kat Kenny.  This has only made me more curious about her style and teaching. I have been a fan of her pedagogy for long time now, and this interview only further entrenches it. Enjoy!   If you feel like donating to this project and future projects, I have  Ko-Fi page!  https://ko-fi.com/improvboost

Kat Kenny is one of those people who brighten my day every time I chat with them or see their posts. She is all about building others up and bringing joy to the world. To me, it is obvious.  It is obvious because her actions show it. She is not someone who passes out bubble gum philosophy then create selfish motion. Kat Kenny has regard for others and takes action to make the world a better place. The world needs more people like her. Follow her on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KatKennyImprov Or Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katkennyimprov   

Stu and I went for a walk and had some sandwiches by the River Dee in Chester. Loved chatting improv with him in this casual setting.

Stuart Hughes is on my team "The Spirit of Improv." I love his improv style of discovery and play.  When he finds something that brings him joy he has such an effortless way of playing with it. He and I went for a walk in Chester and I got a chance to talk to him about improv.  Enjoy! You can also catch Stu on the Oickers, a short form improv team.

THIS IS WHEN SHE MAKES HER ANNOUNCEMENT!!

Hellena Jang is inspirational by activity and by personality. She lifts the spirits of others around her. And she makes magic happen on a global scale (and on an individual scale). I am so impressed and amazed by Hellena.  She is the kind of person I would collaborate with WAY MORE if we lived closer to one another. You can find out more about her on her website: www.hellenajang.com   I like to connect with her on Facebook. https://www.hellenajang.com/improv She has a team called ImFROG. And in this interview she announces another improv project that will ROCK. THIS. WORLD.  So excited for her. I am also extremely flattered that she chose this interview to officially announce it. #improv.

This is the final episod of my interview with Jorin - but not my final conversation with him. I feel like I have one of the most "improv perfect" relationships with him. I learn from him, I want to perform with him and yet I don't feel like there is a hierarch between us - there is a mutual cycle of respect. I look forward to having more conversations with him. I encourage anyone who is passionate about improv to take a class from him or hire him as a coach.  I am fantastically inspired by Jorin.

... this may be one of the biggest moments where he blows my mind.  Talking about how you don't go to see a group because they do improv (or a specific format) but because of the chemistry of the team. Their unique voice. I still think about this moment.  We also talk about the value of imagination, from every single person. How it is a process. And how that process is valuable to the endproduct of the improv show. Not just their references, but an improviser's imagination is super valuable.

Jorin Garguilo interviewed regarding improv. I asked him about how some teachers/institutions call improv "silly" or light hearted. His thoughts on improv are enthralling. I agree with him. Jorin is an eloquent, brilliant mind.  This whole interview he drops gems that just shatter my worldview of improv.  I hope you enjoy. Jorin was in 5 episodes of Hello from the Magic Tavern and performs with Revolver, Felt and the Scene at iO Chicago. He was also a part of the legendary group Rainbow Deli and teaches at the CIC training center. #Give this a #Listen

We start talking about codes and community building found in the improv process.

Steve Green is an inspirational improv teacher. I love talking to him about improv.  This episode we talk about the constant nature of change and coming at the art of improv with some small sheers, or a GIANT CHAINSAW (BRRRRRRRKKKKKTT!!).   #improv 

We find out more about Steve. At one point the coffee shop gets really loud, sorry about that. I edited right after that.  We'll find a quieter spot to chat next time, because I will bring Steve back.  

Steve Green always has such insightful and gentle ways of expressing complex improv concepts. I love working with him in scenes, or being coached by in him classes. He is somsone who I believe should be running his own improv school. He is not only great at progressing information, but he cares about the people he is teaching.   He's one of improv performers that you wonder "why aren't they a famous actor? Getting paid the big bucks. Being alongside Scarlett Johansson and Benecio Del Toro in the latest Marvel movie ... " I have a lot of admiration for Steve.  As does anyone who has worked with him. This interview takes place as a casual conversation in Bean & Cole in Chester. Lovely backdrop. We always meet there for a chat. This time, I just recorded it!

PV Tips are a fantastic free resource for improviser. Paul Vaillancourt is a brilliant mind in improv with lots of experience.  He not only provides tips from his own experience but the absolute ARMY of guest improvisers is so engaging.  Super valuable. Here is a link to the playlist: https://youtu.be/WDtmp110cj4 You can find him on YouTube at PVImprov.

Safe Play Improv is a fantastic organization that is working to make the improv world more inclusive.  Helping to fight the presence of toxic behavior at festivals and workshops.  Find out more about them at: https://safeplayimprov.com They also have resources that may help!

VINNY FRANCOIS - PART 2 Vinny continues his thoughts on Online Improv. We discuss “success” in improv, and what Vinny views as success in improv. We also talk about what defines a difference between a “beginner” and a “veteran” of improv. Vinny then discusses what he has been focusing on in improv lately. Make sure to check out Camp Zip Zap, which is run by Vinny: "Spend a weekend with campers from all over the place as you bond over improv classes and the fresh air of the outdoors. Not only will you get to experience the wonderful woods of Ontario but you'll also get workshops from some of the best improvisers in Canada." www.campzipzap.com

Today begins the first of the Improvised Improvisation series. Starring me improvising an introduction to my experience with improv in Chicago + how it's (quite literally) changed my life for the better. IMPROVISE: to compose, recite, play, or sing extemporaneously OR to make, invent, or arrange offhandto make or fabricate out of what is conveniently on hand.IMPROVISATIONAL THEATRE: live performances in which everything is created in the moment. scripts, characters, plots, stories, scenes, etc. are all made up on the spot. (finished and scheduled with 34 minutes to spare, if you were curious) SUBSCRIBE FOR MORE CONTENT:www.makeyourdamnbedpodcast.com - MONTHLY NEWSLETTER SIGN UP patreon.com/mydbpodcast - EXTENDED EPS + JOURNALSinstagram.com/mydbpodcast tiktok.com/mydbpodcastyoutube.com/juliemerica Get bonus content on PatreonSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/make-your-damn-bed. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

“Happiness, imagination, creativity, connection, friendship, art, stories, heart, magic- so much what I love about humanity and so much that I love about theatre, all put into one delicious package with a bowl of play” is how Patti Stiles describes improvisational theatre. An actor, director, author, playwright, writer and teacher who specialises in improvisational theatre, Patti has adventured through the most renowned of theatre circles, training and performing across the globe and founding well-known theatre companies internationally along the way. Patti shares with us the passion for her cause and the fire within her to strive for growth and nurture it in others. She also lets us in on the fear she overcame to write her new book “Improvise Freely”. An inspiring conversation where we discuss the powerful energy that comes from trust, vulnerability, open-mindedness, compassion and extraordinary adventures when embarking into the unknown with others. #improvtheatre #improtheatre #creativity #play #thegrowzone Connect with Patti: Website: www.pattistiles.com Book: https://www.pattistiles.com/IF_book fb: https://www.facebook.com/PattiStilesImpro Twitter: @quokkarocks Stay up to date with The Grow Zone - Real Time Adventures: Website: thegrowzone.de Instagram: @the.growzone To connect with Sarah and Ceri you can find and follow them here: Sarah Hübner Website: www.improverin.com Facebook: @improverin Instagram: @improverin LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/improverin/ E-Mail: sarah@improverin.com Ceri Temple Website: www.4elements.eu Facebook: @4elements.eu Instagram: @4elements.eu or @ceri_temple LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/ceridwentemple E-Mail: ctemple@4elements.eu Podcast editing by: www.7daysaudio.com

About Kemsley Dickinson:Kemsley is renowned for building one of the most beautiful small theatres in the world: The Courtyard Playhouse. He has raised the level of the performing arts in the UAE, from teaching the only adult acting class available in the region in 2007, to building a thriving and diverse community that we see today. Kemsley pioneered the Keith Johnstone approach to improvisation in the Middle East, becoming the first member of the International Theatresports Institute in the region. He is a sought-after role-play actor and balances managing a company of over 50 actors producing three shows a week with overseeing the Courtyard Playhouse's Learning and Development team.'The Playhouse was established in 2013 and is the passion project of two theatre lovers, Kemsley Dickinson and his wife Tiffany Schultz.It started out as a partitioned office space which they renovated over a period of a year and turned into Dubai's first and most beautiful independent small theatre set in the beautiful oasis of The Courtyard, Al Quoz.About this episode:In this episode, Kemsley talks about the various jobs he had before he started the Courtyard Playhouse with his wife, Tiffany, almost 10 years ago. He also talks about the theatre performances, their developmental program, improv theatre, and some of the other exciting projects at The Courtyard Playhouse. Tune in to enjoy a vibrant and engaging conversation with Kemsley sharing his personal and professional journeys and the challenges they went through while setting up The Courtyard Playhouse. Quotes:"Life just takes its course. I didn't mean for any of this to happen"."I think you just have to be ready to make the mistakes and learn from them"."When you build your second venue and your franchise or whatever, you gain the experience and the value that comes back to you because you know a lot of stuff from the mistakes you made"."Try and find people to help you… Reach out to your network. Don't try to do the whole thing on your own, there are people willing to give you advice"."There's a big focus on young people and their development as human beings as well as actors or comedians or artists". "It feels homely, that's what we really wanted".  Useful Links:Website:https://courtyardplayhouse.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/courtyardplayhouseFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheCourtyardPlayhouseYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCODTd8tYFD3oc7lzx9nNh9ATwitter: https://twitter.com/Court_Playhouse LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-courtyard-playhouse/

Improvisational Theatre, love it or hate it but there's no denying the endless possibilities and creative outletting that can take place during an improvised scene. That's what we're here to discover and experience as Noel chares a quick class and some stories from his experience in the world of theatre. Learn, feel inspired and possibly cringe as you listen along to these verbal inprov scenes. -Noel and Jordan... The Nordicast

My guest for this episode is Michelle Clarke, who is a Global Leadership Coach & Facilitator, Coach Trainer, and Improv Coach - YES!  She describes her fascinating journey from South Africa to Santiago, Chili. We discuss the challenges and opportunities of using the cloud to deliver leadership coaching and group facilitation.  She describes how she provides cross-cultural facilitation virtually around the globe. Michelle also shares how she conducts Improv workshops to develop leaders, increase group creativity, and improve listening and communication skills.   

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.

This week, Yes But Why Podcast interviews Lisbon, Portugal based improviser, Stephen Thornton!Stephen Thornton has been studying, performing and teaching improvisation since 2001 when he was first introduced to the theater games of Viola Spolin. From 2006 to 2018, he continued his improv education in New York City, taking classes at The Peoples Improv Theater (PIT) and studying with some great improv teachers from around the country. Since 2010, he has been coaching improv teams and teaching Improvisational Theatre workshops in NYC and abroad. In 2019, he founded his own company, Stephen Thornton Improv and shortly thereafter, moved to Lisbon, Portugal. Stephen is currently active in building the Lisbon improv community. He teaches and performs with his short-form English-speaking group, "4Misfits,"which features previous Yes But Why guest, Andre Sobral. Stephen also hosts an improv jam called Jelly Jam alongside co-host/producer, Luana Proença.In our conversation, Stephen and I talk about being improvisers who are extroverted onstage but introverted in private life. We talk about liking the attention but how we need to recuperate after all that energy exchange. Stephen talks about moving from Hawaii to Colorado as a kid. Stephen tells me how he got into performing in high school. Stephen shares some of the issues he had with casting calls after graduating at New York Film Academy and how that inspired him to do improv full time. Stephen talks about how happy he is to have improv in his life. Stephen talks about one of his mentors, Scotty Watson, and the acting training that he folded into his improv classes. Stephen and I discuss his recent move from NYC to Lisbon to be on the front lines of developing the improv scene in Portugal. This was a fun conversation with lots of good advice throughout!Support Stephen by taking an online improv course with him RIGHT NOW! Stephen has been teaching online improv courses during this socially distant time. Next week, there are 4 opportunities to learn from Stephen --. 2 workshops for beginners and 2 workshops for experienced improvisers. Visit his website for workshop descriptions and to register NOW  www.stimprov.comALSO -- Very recently, Stephen was able to perform with his NYC troupemates from “3.14 pronounced PIE” both of whom have been interviewed by this podcast -- Irene Carroll and Scotty Watson! They did it via Zoom! And I am excited to see it! Link to the Zoom recording of their performance coming soon! Yes But Why Podcast is a proud member of the HC Universal Network family of podcasts. Download the FREE HC Universal Network app for Android and iDevices or visit us at HCUniversalNetwork.com and join the fun.This episode of Yes But Why podcast is sponsored by audible - get your FREE audiobook download and your 30 day free trial at http://www.audibletrial.com/YESBUTWHY.

This week, Yes But Why Podcast interviews Lisbon, Portugal based improviser, Stephen Thornton! Stephen Thornton has been studying, performing and teaching improvisation since 2001 when he was first introduced to the theater games of Viola Spolin. From 2006 to 2018, he continued his improv education in New York City, taking classes at The Peoples Improv Theater (PIT) and studying with some great improv teachers from around the country. Since 2010, he has been coaching improv teams and teaching Improvisational Theatre workshops in NYC and abroad. In 2019, he founded his own company, Stephen Thornton Improv and shortly thereafter, moved to Lisbon, Portugal. Stephen is currently active in building the Lisbon improv community. He teaches and performs with his short-form English-speaking group, "4Misfits,"which features previous Yes But Why guest, Andre Sobral. Stephen also hosts an improv jam called Jelly Jam alongside co-host/producer, Luana Proença. In our conversation, Stephen and I talk about being improvisers who are extroverted onstage but introverted in private life. We talk about liking the attention but how we need to recuperate after all that energy exchange. Stephen talks about moving from Hawaii to Colorado as a kid. Stephen tells me how he got into performing in high school. Stephen shares some of the issues he had with casting calls after graduating at New York Film Academy and how that inspired him to do improv full time. Stephen talks about how happy he is to have improv in his life. Stephen talks about one of his mentors, Scotty Watson, and the acting training that he folded into his improv classes. Stephen and I discuss his recent move from NYC to Lisbon to be on the front lines of developing the improv scene in Portugal. This was a fun conversation with lots of good advice throughout! Support Stephen by taking an online improv course with him RIGHT NOW! Stephen has been teaching online improv courses during this socially distant time. Next week, there are 4 opportunities to learn from Stephen --. 2 workshops for beginners and 2 workshops for experienced improvisers. Visit his website for workshop descriptions and to register NOW  www.stimprov.com ALSO -- Very recently, Stephen was able to perform with his NYC troupemates from “3.14 pronounced PIE” both of whom have been interviewed by this podcast -- Irene Carroll and Scotty Watson! They did it via Zoom! And I am excited to see it! Link to the Zoom recording of their performance coming soon! Yes But Why Podcast is a proud member of the HC Universal Network family of podcasts. Download the FREE HC Universal Network app for Android and iDevices or visit us at HCUniversalNetwork.com and join the fun. This episode of Yes But Why podcast is sponsored by audible - get your FREE audiobook download and your 30 day free trial at http://www.audibletrial.com/YESBUTWHY.

This week, Yes But Why Podcast interviews Lisbon, Portugal based improviser, Stephen Thornton!Stephen Thornton has been studying, performing and teaching improvisation since 2001 when he was first introduced to the theater games of Viola Spolin. From 2006 to 2018, he continued his improv education in New York City, taking classes at The Peoples Improv Theater (PIT) and studying with some great improv teachers from around the country. Since 2010, he has been coaching improv teams and teaching Improvisational Theatre workshops in NYC and abroad. In 2019, he founded his own company, Stephen Thornton Improv and shortly thereafter, moved to Lisbon, Portugal. Stephen is currently active in building the Lisbon improv community. He teaches and performs with his short-form English-speaking group, "4Misfits,"which features previous Yes But Why guest, Andre Sobral. Stephen also hosts an improv jam called Jelly Jam alongside co-host/producer, Luana Proença.In our conversation, Stephen and I talk about being improvisers who are extroverted onstage but introverted in private life. We talk about liking the attention but how we need to recuperate after all that energy exchange. Stephen talks about moving from Hawaii to Colorado as a kid. Stephen tells me how he got into performing in high school. Stephen shares some of the issues he had with casting calls after graduating at New York Film Academy and how that inspired him to do improv full time. Stephen talks about how happy he is to have improv in his life. Stephen talks about one of his mentors, Scotty Watson, and the acting training that he folded into his improv classes. Stephen and I discuss his recent move from NYC to Lisbon to be on the front lines of developing the improv scene in Portugal. This was a fun conversation with lots of good advice throughout!Support Stephen by taking an online improv course with him RIGHT NOW! Stephen has been teaching online improv courses during this socially distant time. Next week, there are 4 opportunities to learn from Stephen --. 2 workshops for beginners and 2 workshops for experienced improvisers. Visit his website for workshop descriptions and to register NOW  www.stimprov.comALSO -- Very recently, Stephen was able to perform with his NYC troupemates from “3.14 pronounced PIE” both of whom have been interviewed by this podcast -- Irene Carroll and Scotty Watson! They did it via Zoom! And I am excited to see it! Link to the Zoom recording of their performance coming soon! Yes But Why Podcast is a proud member of the HC Universal Network family of podcasts. Download the FREE HC Universal Network app for Android and iDevices or visit us at HCUniversalNetwork.com and join the fun.This episode of Yes But Why podcast is sponsored by audible - get your FREE audiobook download and your 30 day free trial at http://www.audibletrial.com/YESBUTWHY.

This week, Yes But Why Podcast interviews Lisbon, Portugal based improviser, Stephen Thornton! Stephen Thornton has been studying, performing and teaching improvisation since 2001 when he was first introduced to the theater games of Viola Spolin. From 2006 to 2018, he continued his improv education in New York City, taking classes at The Peoples Improv Theater (PIT) and studying with some great improv teachers from around the country. Since 2010, he has been coaching improv teams and teaching Improvisational Theatre workshops in NYC and abroad. In 2019, he founded his own company, Stephen Thornton Improv and shortly thereafter, moved to Lisbon, Portugal. Stephen is currently active in building the Lisbon improv community. He teaches and performs with his short-form English-speaking group, "4Misfits,"which features previous Yes But Why guest, Andre Sobral. Stephen also hosts an improv jam called Jelly Jam alongside co-host/producer, Luana Proença. In our conversation, Stephen and I talk about being improvisers who are extroverted onstage but introverted in private life. We talk about liking the attention but how we need to recuperate after all that energy exchange. Stephen talks about moving from Hawaii to Colorado as a kid. Stephen tells me how he got into performing in high school. Stephen shares some of the issues he had with casting calls after graduating at New York Film Academy and how that inspired him to do improv full time. Stephen talks about how happy he is to have improv in his life. Stephen talks about one of his mentors, Scotty Watson, and the acting training that he folded into his improv classes. Stephen and I discuss his recent move from NYC to Lisbon to be on the front lines of developing the improv scene in Portugal. This was a fun conversation with lots of good advice throughout! Support Stephen by taking an online improv course with him RIGHT NOW! Stephen has been teaching online improv courses during this socially distant time. Next week, there are 4 opportunities to learn from Stephen --. 2 workshops for beginners and 2 workshops for experienced improvisers. Visit his website for workshop descriptions and to register NOW  www.stimprov.com ALSO -- Very recently, Stephen was able to perform with his NYC troupemates from “3.14 pronounced PIE” both of whom have been interviewed by this podcast -- Irene Carroll and Scotty Watson! They did it via Zoom! And I am excited to see it! Link to the Zoom recording of their performance coming soon! Yes But Why Podcast is a proud member of the HC Universal Network family of podcasts. Download the FREE HC Universal Network app for Android and iDevices or visit us at HCUniversalNetwork.com and join the fun. This episode of Yes But Why podcast is sponsored by audible - get your FREE audiobook download and your 30 day free trial at http://www.audibletrial.com/YESBUTWHY.

Ben and Garth review the Wikipedia page for Improvisational theatre. Rhubarb strikes comes full circle. Stephen Colbert and Seth Myers are good but Trump is getting old. Improv and other arts rank. Men who stare at goats and the Netflix episode game. Do the Superman pose and have a crowd chant your name. Hecklers, selling out, Joan Littlewood, Humour Door merch, smoking, Apu, Coca Cola, purple Power Aid, Pascall and Wiki Review semi-live. The 14 dimensions are: attention, perception, imagery and fantasy, inner speech, memory, higher-level thought processes, meaning or significance of experiences, time experience, emotional feeling and expression, level of arousal, self-control, suggestibility, body image, and sense of personal identity. Buy Kizlyar knives and Check out Coffee Goblin: https://www.instagram.com/bjo0se/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Improvisational_theatre Humour Door Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HumourDoor Humour Door YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCr5ucoBBUNfpjLfc0EWM0ww Humour Door Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/humourdoor/ Humour Door Twitter: @thehumourdoor humourdoor.com.au wikireviewpodcast@gmail.com Theme: I Live For The Bass Drum - DJ S3rl https://djs3rl.com

Bobbi Block joins us in the tenth episode of SHIPS! Bobbi shares with us the immense value to be found in applied theatre and applied improvisation as well as the long-term, positive effects of playing together and building trust. To learn more about the work Bobbi is doing, please check out https://bobbiblock.com/ and http://tongue-groove.com/. Bobbi Block is an experiential Facilitator and Coach with a unique background in both training and the performing arts. She designs and facilitates behavioral development programs that build collaborative, authentic, trusting relationships. Bobbi’s unique interactive programs include Relationship Management, Collaboration, Leadership, Presence, Creativity and Presentation Skills. In addition to her consulting work, Bobbi works as Independent Faculty for The Wharton School’s Executive Education Institution. She is also a Senior Affiliate with The Ariel Group, a firm with global reach that uses best practices from actor training to develop executives’ Leadership Presence. Bobbi is the Director of Applied Improvisation Programs for CSz Philadelphia, and a Designer/Instructor for the leadership program Work.Life.Leader. In addition, she is a consultant for Bracken Leadership, and worked as a facilitator for the training firm Performance of a Lifetime. Bobbi teaches and performs Improvisational Theatre in Philadelphia and is an Adjunct Professor in the Theatre Department at Temple University, Drexel University, and the University of Otago in New Zealand. Bobbi received her Bachelor's degree from the University of Pennsylvania, and her Masters at Villanova University. Bobbi is the Producing Artistic Director of the critically acclaimed Tongue & Groove Spontaneous Theater, and Co-Founder of ComedySportz Philadelphia, Philly’s longest-running live show. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/relate-patrick-mcandrew/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/relate-patrick-mcandrew/support

The European Speechwriter Network had its 16th conference at King's College in Cambridge from 11 - 13 April 2018. The speakers included Jessica Cunniffe, Anders Thor, Kelly Agathos, Jan Walravens, Shais Taub, Mette Pedersen, Pacelle van Goethem, Professor Alan Finlayson, Jeremy Gardner and Stephen Krupin.

The European Speechwriter Network had its 16th conference at King's College in Cambridge from 11 - 13 April 2018. The speakers included Jessica Cunniffe, Anders Thor, Kelly Agathos, Jan Walravens, Shais Taub, Mette Pedersen, Pacelle van Goethem, Professor Alan Finlayson, Jeremy Gardner and Stephen Krupin.

Listen as Michael Golding shares his journey in improvisational theatre for over 40 years. He was mentored by the "Father of Improv" David Shepherd and wrote and produced the documentary, "David Shepherd: A lifetime of Improvisational Theatre".

On Thursday the 23rd of June, I went to see Melbourne Playback perform 'On Ours Shores' at the Footscray Arts Centre. The troupe are a many things, or rather, become many different things over the course of one night, being one of Melbourne's leading improvisation theatre companies. The team consists of actors, organisers and musicians, with the roles interchangeable between the variously skilled artists. As with improv, you can expect that an evening with Melbourne Playback will direct the spotlight from the stage and into the audience at times. However, the theatre group conspires to engage audience participation to a degree I have never before experienced. You might encounter any selection of their actors on a given night. On Thursday, Ernie Gruner and Karen Berger provided a two piece band. Throughout the show they accompanied the actors with violin, percussion and xylophone. The core cast consisted of Alex Sangster, Allen Laverty, Diana Nguyen, Mike Mc Kevoy, Michelle Hussey and Ananth Gopal, who all conducted themselves with the wit, foresight and perfect timing of improvisation-veterans. You could expect the duration of the performance to be around two hours. But it is not time for the actors yet. The evening began with four fifteen minute talks by guest speakers tackling a major issue effecting contemporary Australia, the refugee crisis, and our speakers were refugee and author Mariam Issa, CEO of Asylum Seekers Resource Center Kon Karappanyotiddis, refugee and advocate Mohammed Ali Baqiri, and representative from the Refugee Action Collective and St Albans teacher, Lucy Honin. They were each eloquent, compelling, brave and shared some painful things while displaying a hope for the future that had survived the incredible test of their pasts. I encourage every listener to go and give them a google - they are an excellent source of highly educated information on the topic of the refugee. In the greater plot of the evening, their function was to grab the absolute attention of the audience and force them, both with kindness and a certain emotional brutality, to engage not only their intellect to the issue at hand, but their senses, memories, emotions - essentially, bringing deeper parts of our humanity to bear on the refugee crisis. As the final speaker finished their speech, the audience left the theatre for intermission. We staggered around like shell shocked soldiers, surprised at how emotionally exhausted we had become. I had been turning over in my mind refugee or immigrant children I had known in primary school and high school, having grown in the course of an hour closer to understanding the magnitude of their experiences than I had ever had before. But - it wasn't over yet. Returning to the theatre, we were met by five actors dressed in black and shoeless, arranged in a single horizontal rank, seated on milk crates, were occupying the space in which the speakers had been. There was nothing else on stage. As the final audience members took their seats, the MC jogged energetically to the crowd and asked for people to call out a word the summarised how they were feeling after hearing the speeches. After a brief self-conscious pause, he was answered. 'Tearful', 'ashamed', 'sad', 'empowered' came the calls from the crowd. The MC bounded up the stairs to a woman. 'Tell me' he said into the mic, 'what makes you feel tearful, and why?' The woman attempted to explain herself, to explain a feeling that was obviously more complex than a single word. After a minute or so of interview, the MC turned to the actors who were still seated silently on stage and asked them to perform a song based on what the woman had just said. The lights dimmed. A green spotlight switched on, hitting the middle of the stage. One of the actresses danced into the middle of the spotlight and began to sing, joined gradually by the rest, which compounded into a symphony of voices. The cast had picked up on a few key phrases: 'open heart', 'clear mind', 'come here', which they sung layered over each other, creating a tumult of straining voices or calm voices, differing in cadence and strength. It lasted perhaps three minutes. I was initially confused and embarrassed by the performance, until I realised that they had hit upon something in the audience members words. It wasn't just her words they were examining, it was her tone, her confusion, her sadness. They had interpreted this as best they could, and were reflecting it back to her and the rest of us through performance, creating it again outside her and in a way that was different but the same, to understand again in a new way. Over the course of the evening, the audience was asked for their feelings, stories and thoughts, inspired by the initial speakers or by their own history with the refugee issue. With this deeply personal information, they made us at times giddy with amusement, then angry, then euphoric, then quiet with sadness. Song and music were not the only weapons of expression they deployed, utilising dance, mime, language and light to perform the things which the audience conveyed. Each act was around 3 to 10 minutes long. We left the theatre that night having examined and gained insight into some human parts of ourselves and our fellow audience members that are not so often brought into the public or the conscious eye. Melbourne Playback's next show deals with climate change and will be in August this year. Tickets and dates are not yet announced, but head over to melbourneplayback.com.au for more information. Review written by Jim ThomasSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On Thursday the 23rd of June, I went to see Melbourne Playback perform 'On Ours Shores' at the Footscray Arts Centre. The troupe are a many things, or rather, become many different things over the course of one night, being one of Melbourne's leading improvisation theatre companies. The team consists of actors, organisers and musicians, with the roles interchangeable between the variously skilled artists. As with improv, you can expect that an evening with Melbourne Playback will direct the spotlight from the stage and into the audience at times. However, the theatre group conspires to engage audience participation to a degree I have never before experienced. You might encounter any selection of their actors on a given night. On Thursday, Ernie Gruner and Karen Berger provided a two piece band. Throughout the show they accompanied the actors with violin, percussion and xylophone. The core cast consisted of Alex Sangster, Allen Laverty, Diana Nguyen, Mike Mc Kevoy, Michelle Hussey and Ananth Gopal, who all conducted themselves with the wit, foresight and perfect timing of improvisation-veterans. You could expect the duration of the performance to be around two hours. But it is not time for the actors yet. The evening began with four fifteen minute talks by guest speakers tackling a major issue effecting contemporary Australia, the refugee crisis, and our speakers were refugee and author Mariam Issa, CEO of Asylum Seekers Resource Center Kon Karappanyotiddis, refugee and advocate Mohammed Ali Baqiri, and representative from the Refugee Action Collective and St Albans teacher, Lucy Honin. They were each eloquent, compelling, brave and shared some painful things while displaying a hope for the future that had survived the incredible test of their pasts. I encourage every listener to go and give them a google - they are an excellent source of highly educated information on the topic of the refugee. In the greater plot of the evening, their function was to grab the absolute attention of the audience and force them, both with kindness and a certain emotional brutality, to engage not only their intellect to the issue at hand, but their senses, memories, emotions - essentially, bringing deeper parts of our humanity to bear on the refugee crisis. As the final speaker finished their speech, the audience left the theatre for intermission. We staggered around like shell shocked soldiers, surprised at how emotionally exhausted we had become. I had been turning over in my mind refugee or immigrant children I had known in primary school and high school, having grown in the course of an hour closer to understanding the magnitude of their experiences than I had ever had before. But - it wasn't over yet. Returning to the theatre, we were met by five actors dressed in black and shoeless, arranged in a single horizontal rank, seated on milk crates, were occupying the space in which the speakers had been. There was nothing else on stage. As the final audience members took their seats, the MC jogged energetically to the crowd and asked for people to call out a word the summarised how they were feeling after hearing the speeches. After a brief self-conscious pause, he was answered. 'Tearful', 'ashamed', 'sad', 'empowered' came the calls from the crowd. The MC bounded up the stairs to a woman. 'Tell me' he said into the mic, 'what makes you feel tearful, and why?' The woman attempted to explain herself, to explain a feeling that was obviously more complex than a single word. After a minute or so of interview, the MC turned to the actors who were still seated silently on stage and asked them to perform a song based on what the woman had just said. The lights dimmed. A green spotlight switched on, hitting the middle of the stage. One of the actresses danced into the middle of the spotlight and began to sing, joined gradually by the rest, which compounded into a symphony of voices. The cast had picked up on a few key phrases: 'open heart', 'clear mind', 'come here', which they sung layered over each other, creating a tumult of straining voices or calm voices, differing in cadence and strength. It lasted perhaps three minutes. I was initially confused and embarrassed by the performance, until I realised that they had hit upon something in the audience members words. It wasn't just her words they were examining, it was her tone, her confusion, her sadness. They had interpreted this as best they could, and were reflecting it back to her and the rest of us through performance, creating it again outside her and in a way that was different but the same, to understand again in a new way. Over the course of the evening, the audience was asked for their feelings, stories and thoughts, inspired by the initial speakers or by their own history with the refugee issue. With this deeply personal information, they made us at times giddy with amusement, then angry, then euphoric, then quiet with sadness. Song and music were not the only weapons of expression they deployed, utilising dance, mime, language and light to perform the things which the audience conveyed. Each act was around 3 to 10 minutes long. We left the theatre that night having examined and gained insight into some human parts of ourselves and our fellow audience members that are not so often brought into the public or the conscious eye. Melbourne Playback's next show deals with climate change and will be in August this year. Tickets and dates are not yet announced, but head over to melbourneplayback.com.au for more information. Review written by Jim Thomas

Experience. Strength. Hope. These words don’t carry much meaning by themselves, but together in the context of Melbourne Playback Theatre Company’s latest performance SticksnStones of the Birrarung Marr - Stories of First Nations Place Making, Culture and Legacy, they provided a pivotal focus for the evening’s event. SticksnStones was the second public event by Melbourne Playback for the year. The event was split into two parts – a Q&A panel with esteemed First Nation Victorians including Jill Gallagher, Reuben Berg, Monica McDonald, Bruce Pascoe, and Stan Yarramunua, followed by a one-of-a-kind improvised theatre performance by Melbourne Playback. The event took place at Deakin Edge Theatre in Federation square, located on the banks of the Birrarung Marr – the river of mists. The Birrarung Marr is a significant meeting place for First Nation Victorians, and so it seemed particularly appropriate for the event to take place beside the river. The event also coincided with Reconciliation Week – a week where Australia acknowledges the First Nation people and their history of suffering and atrocities since the White Settlement / Invasion 200 years ago, as well as the ongoing negative impact this hidden history continues to have in the present day. It is also a week where Australia takes the opportunity to celebrate and honour First Nation’s Cultural systems. Each panelist shared stories and family histories of growing up in Victoria and Australia. Jill Gallagher told of the hardships her mother endured. She was born on country in Victoria’s Western District and lived on a mission. “They were very cruel times” Jill’s mother told her, “I try to forget”. At 13 her mother left school and worked as a seasonal picker. Seasonal work meant Jill attended 19 different schools. However, her mother strongly believed education was a catalyst for change and encouraged Jill to get a good education. Bruce Pascoe, award-winning author of Dark Emu, Black Seeds, told the audience of the efforts he needed to make to discover the truth about his family history. He discovered that his family was aboriginal and had fled from Tasmania. For many years his family was forced to deny their cultural heritage in order for to be able to stay on the mainland. After years of searching and listening to elders, Bruce began to unravel a complex web of family relations. Bruce realized that ultimately, what connected them all, was their connections to the land. After interval, the vivacious Ian David from Melbourne Playback Theatre Company welcomed the audience to share words and thoughts that had touched or inspired them from the panel discussion. The improvisation ensemble, or Players as they are called, took these words and created physical images of these ideas through dance, movement and music. Three audience members had the opportunity to tell a personal story that the players transformed from the individual to the universal in ways that resonated with all of us in the room. These performances were incredibly powerful – the players seemed able to draw out the emotional core of each story. The ensemble worked so well together that it was hard to believe that these were not rehearsed pieces of work. ‘Travelling moments” flowed seamlessly together on stage, everyone playing a part when needed. There were moments when their performances brought me, and many others in the audience, to laughter and tears. I can’t recall the last time a work of performance art had achieved that. There will be other public events by Melbourne Playback Theatre Company later in the year focusing on: Refugees, Climate Change and Mental Health. Do not miss out! SticksnStones on the Birrarung Marr took place on Friday 27th May at Deakin Edge Theatre, Federation Square. Review written by Lauren Klein Review read aloud by Michaela Jones & Ben Volchok Photographer credit: Steven RhallSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Experience. Strength. Hope. These words don’t carry much meaning by themselves, but together in the context of Melbourne Playback Theatre Company’s latest performance SticksnStones of the Birrarung Marr - Stories of First Nations Place Making, Culture and Legacy, they provided a pivotal focus for the evening’s event. SticksnStones was the second public event by Melbourne Playback for the year. The event was split into two parts – a Q&A panel with esteemed First Nation Victorians including Jill Gallagher, Reuben Berg, Monica McDonald, Bruce Pascoe, and Stan Yarramunua, followed by a one-of-a-kind improvised theatre performance by Melbourne Playback. The event took place at Deakin Edge Theatre in Federation square, located on the banks of the Birrarung Marr – the river of mists. The Birrarung Marr is a significant meeting place for First Nation Victorians, and so it seemed particularly appropriate for the event to take place beside the river. The event also coincided with Reconciliation Week – a week where Australia acknowledges the First Nation people and their history of suffering and atrocities since the White Settlement / Invasion 200 years ago, as well as the ongoing negative impact this hidden history continues to have in the present day. It is also a week where Australia takes the opportunity to celebrate and honour First Nation’s Cultural systems. Each panelist shared stories and family histories of growing up in Victoria and Australia. Jill Gallagher told of the hardships her mother endured. She was born on country in Victoria’s Western District and lived on a mission. “They were very cruel times” Jill’s mother told her, “I try to forget”. At 13 her mother left school and worked as a seasonal picker. Seasonal work meant Jill attended 19 different schools. However, her mother strongly believed education was a catalyst for change and encouraged Jill to get a good education. Bruce Pascoe, award-winning author of Dark Emu, Black Seeds, told the audience of the efforts he needed to make to discover the truth about his family history. He discovered that his family was aboriginal and had fled from Tasmania. For many years his family was forced to deny their cultural heritage in order for to be able to stay on the mainland. After years of searching and listening to elders, Bruce began to unravel a complex web of family relations. Bruce realized that ultimately, what connected them all, was their connections to the land. After interval, the vivacious Ian David from Melbourne Playback Theatre Company welcomed the audience to share words and thoughts that had touched or inspired them from the panel discussion. The improvisation ensemble, or Players as they are called, took these words and created physical images of these ideas through dance, movement and music. Three audience members had the opportunity to tell a personal story that the players transformed from the individual to the universal in ways that resonated with all of us in the room. These performances were incredibly powerful – the players seemed able to draw out the emotional core of each story. The ensemble worked so well together that it was hard to believe that these were not rehearsed pieces of work. ‘Travelling moments” flowed seamlessly together on stage, everyone playing a part when needed. There were moments when their performances brought me, and many others in the audience, to laughter and tears. I can’t recall the last time a work of performance art had achieved that. There will be other public events by Melbourne Playback Theatre Company later in the year focusing on: Refugees, Climate Change and Mental Health. Do not miss out! SticksnStones on the Birrarung Marr took place on Friday 27th May at Deakin Edge Theatre, Federation Square. Review written by Lauren Klein Review read aloud by Michaela Jones & Ben Volchok Photographer credit: Steven Rhall

  James Costello has been trained in Improvisational Theatre in New York City, as well as traditional theatre at Lee Strasberg NY. He is also a Director, Producer, Choreographer, Social Media guru, Publicist, Set and Lighting Designer and fluent in French, Afrikaans and, naturally, English! James provides a LIVE, uncensored, thoroughly transparent "reality show"-like window into my everyday adventures and experiences living in Cape Town...not an " edited highlights" life, but the truth, especially as a survivor of childhood maternal sexual abuse and a struggler with depression and PTSD and the concomitant extreme loneliness.