Podcasts about io west

In today's episode of Improv and Magic, I welcome the multi-talented Josh Tariff.Josh, an alum of iO West, has honed his craft as a dynamic improviser, hosting iconic shows like the competitive "CageMatch" in Los Angeles. Beyond the stage, he's a celebrated voice in the professional wrestling scene, known for his work as a commentator under the name Christian Rosenberg and host on AfterBuzzTV, where his insights have reached millions of fans worldwide.In this episode, Josh shares his journey from mastering the art of unscripted comedy to becoming a sought-after personality in the wrestling world. You'll hear how his improv skills enhance his wrestling commentary and how he uses storytelling to captivate audiences in both arenas. This episode is a must-listen for fans of creativity and performance.You can find more information on Josh by visiting his website candidcoach.com.Show the podcast some love by leaving a rate and review!

Omg it's Ted Party day!!!!!!! aka Star Wars/Patton Oswalt Day! Today, we get some behind-scenes on removing some Pawnee charter rules, Chris and Ron debate which motivation tactic is better, and Ann and Ben join forces to figure out Leslie's incessant anniversary gifts. Kudos to Leslie for moving Pawnee forward and bringing our town into the future while finding a compromise that suits its citizens best. :)Today, we also get a voice memo from my past improv teacher at iO West, Jaime Moyer! She plays Roz Degrandis, Leslie's mail lady, yay! Please check out the new show Mid-Century Modern on Hulu to see Jaime shine! What a fun voice memo and a great memory to hear from her! Wishing you so much success

Send us a Text Message.Hosts Koji and Michelle delve into the intricate nature of genuine apologies and the actions that must accompany them to signify real growth and understanding. They share personal stories, such as Koji's challenging week with a broken-down car and a bat incident, and Michelle's temporary homelessness due to fumigation, to illustrate the complexity of apologies in everyday life. The discussion then shifts to the historical significance of the Civil Liberties Act of 1988, which provided reparations to Japanese Americans incarcerated during World War II. Special guest Keiko Agena enriches the conversation by reading a part of the Act, emphasizing the importance of government acknowledgment and reparations. The episode offers a nuanced exploration of how official apologies can pave the way toward healing and understanding for marginalized communities, making it a must-listen for anyone interested in the power of words and deeds.ABOUT OUR READERKeiko Agena is best known for her series regular roles on the shows PRODIGAL SON where she played Dr. Edrisa Tanaka and GILMORE GIRLS, where she played Lane Kim for seven seasons and reprised the role in the Netflix GILMORE GIRLS revival. In between Agena has been a series regular on HULU's THE FIRST and recurring on BETTER CALL SAUL, DIRTY JOHN, DOOM PATROL and 13 REASONS WHY. As a guest star she has appeared on such shows as SHAMELESS, SCANDAL and NCIS LOS ANGELES to name a few. Keiko has recently published an Artist Workbook titled NO MISTAKES through Penguin/Random house which is available wherever books are sold. As an improviser she's performed numerous shows at UCB Sunset, UCB NY and IO WEST.ABOUT USWelcome to "Japanese America," where the Japanese American National Museum unveils captivating stories that add a Nikkei slant to the American narrative. In each episode, we explore Japanese Americans' unique experiences, challenges, and triumphs, illuminating their rich contributions to the mosaic of American life. From historical milestones to contemporary perspectives, join us for an insightful journey showcasing the diverse tapestry of a community that has shaped the American story in extraordinary ways.  Welcome to "Japanese America," where each story unfolds like a chapter in a living history book.For more information about the Japanese American National Museum, please visit our website at www.janm.org. CREDITSThe music was created by Jalen BlankWritten by Koji Steven SakaiHosts: Michelle Malazaki and Koji Steven SakaiEdited and Produced by Koji Steven Sakai in conjunction with the Japanese American National Museum

BJ Lange currently resides in Los Angeles, where he is actively involved in the improv community as both performer in various groups, including his two-man comedy duo, Tacklebox Improv, and instructor, at The Improv Trick, 3-2-1 Acting Studios, and The Second City Hollywood, where he leads the Improv for Veterans Program. BJ also teaches at the prestigious Orange County School of the Arts Acting Conservatory and coaches the high school's Improv Club.BJ completed several improv programs, including iO West (formerly improvOlympic West) and Upright Citizen's Brigade Theatre LA. He is a graduate of The Second City Hollywood Conservatory additionally completing the long form improv and musical improv programs. He has also studied at The Groundlings School. Naturally, this background in theatre performance, voiceover, and improv has been invaluable as BJ has moved into hosting duties for both live and televised events, including Maxim's Spring Break in Panama City Beach, GameRiot for MTV2, X-Games BMX Jams, LG National Texting Championship, Mobile World Cup, and the Simon D Tour Live! presented by ABC Family. Two-time testicular cancer survivor BJ's passions outside of “Yes, and”-ing, include beatboxing, riding motorcycles, aviation, barbecuing, and extensive volunteer work. A retired USAF Reserve medic and pilot, BJ proudly volunteers as a Public Affairs Officer for the Civil Air Patrol, the U.S. Air Force Auxiliary. Finding a way to combine his passion for performing with his devotion to service, BJ is an athlete, mentor, and ambassador in the Air Force Wounded Warrior Program, serving also as a comedy coach teaching improv as part of the resiliency programs. He is a member of the Veterans of Comedy, Veterans in Media & Entertainment, and the American Legion, and a cast member of DIAVOLO Dance Theatre's Veterans Project, which recently performed at the Kennedy Center.You don't want to miss this one! Check it out! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jonathan Flanagan is a Los Angeles-based comedian, writer, and actor. He is best known for his stand-up comedy appearances that deliver a unique style of alternative and mainstream comedy which stem from the start of his career in improv at UCB, IO West, and Second City. In 2023, Jonathan released his debut stand up comedy album, "Dumber Than I Look" on RGC Records which has been featured on Sirius XM. You can find us on Patreon and IG, so please do because literally typing this sentence is costing Kate money.     

My guest is someone who's loads of fun to talk to and learn from.  Today, I'm talking to Chris Alvarado. He's an amazing improv teacher and performer, and trained at The Second City Conservatory in Chicago, iO West, and UCB LA.  Chris created his workshops to provide a space for work that is fun, but also meaningful.  He believes in exploring beyond the rules so performers can find their own source of inspiration and make meaningful connections with others, which I'm also all about.  Chris currently performs at the Westside Comedy Theater in Santa Monica, California, and has also appeared two shows on HBO Max called “Minx” and “Hacks”.  He also co-created the web series "7p10e," about a couple who begin dating long distance. You'll be able to tell how much he cares about what he does, and how fulfilled he gets in sharing this artform with his students.  There's a lot of fun, and lots of great words of wisdom shared in this episode.  I really hope you all enjoy this as much as I did. Learn more about Chris and his workshops by visiting his website, chris-alvarado.com.  Find out how you can book him for workshops and sign up for his amazing classes.  And feel free to learn more about West Side Comedy Theater at their website, westsidecomedy.com. Don't forget to rate and review, and share the podcast with everyone!

Craig Cackowski is an actor, improvisor and teacher based in Los Angeles. He was involved with the iO and iO West (RIP) theaters from 1992-2018, and was the three-time winner of the Del Close Award as Teacher of the Year at iO West. He has played numerous improv festivals around the US with his long-running three-man troupe Dasariski (with Bob Dassie and Rich Talarico) and his duo Orange Tuxedo (with his wife Carla!). While in Chicago, he appeared in and co-wrote 5 revues for The Second City, and helped create such improv forms as JTS Brown and Close Quarters. As an actor, he has been seen in recurring roles on such shows as Community, Veep, Drunk History, and Mindy Kaling's Sex Lives Of College Girls. He may be heard frequently on such podcasts as The Thrilling Adventure Hour, Kevin Pollak's Alchemy This and his own podcast Craig's List, in which he makes Carla watch his 100 favorite movies. ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ CRAIG CACKOWSKI ⌲ IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1854497/ ⌲ IG: https://www.instagram.com/ccackowski/?hl=en ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ The Moving Spotlight Podcast ⌲ iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-moving-spotlight/id1597207264 ⌲ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7cjqYAWSFXz2hgCHiAjy27 ⌲ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/themovingspotlight ⌲ ALL: https://linktr.ee/themovingspotlight ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ #DrunkHistory #Veep #CommunityTVShow #Spont #CraigCackowski Cackowski #DASARISKI #Improv #Harold #JTSBrown #CloseQuarters #Emmys #TVTime #iTunes #Actor #ActorsLife #Believe #Success #Inspiration #Netflix #Hulu #Amazon #HBO #AppleTV #Showtime #Acting #Artist #Theatre #Film #YourBestBadActing #Content #CorbinCoyle #JohnRuby #RealFIREacting #TMS_Pod --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-moving-spotlight/support

Anna grew up in the Quad-Cities, IL/IA and has acted in Chicago, Los Angeles and Montana.  At the age of eighteen, Miss Gold moved to Los Angeles, where she studied at such places as the Io West and Second City theaters. This training blossomed into Anna doing extra work on such beloved shows as "Buffy: The Vampire Slayer" and "Felicity". Her references can attest to her hard work. She then went on to acquire speaking roles in “Family Guy", Spanish TV shows and many independent films in LA, Montana and Chicago. Anna has appeared on many local Chicago and Montana commercials and stars in Amazon Prime's role of “Polly” in “Broke AF”. Since the pandemic, Anna has been creating her own content, such as: “Anna's Groovy Cooking Show”: www.instagram.com/annasgroovycookingshow “What's This?”, a series about plants: www.instagram.com/tv/CENd5S4hmIR/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA== Anna also has a podcast, “The Golden Hour with Anna Gold”, which can be found on Apple, Google Podcasts and Podbean: https://thegoldenhour.podbean.com   Anna continues to act in roles that inspire her artistically and have a great cast and crew. ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ Anna K. Gold ⌲ IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2484102/ ⌲ IG: https://www.instagram.com/annagoldness/?hl=en ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ The Moving Spotlight Podcast ⌲ iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-moving-spotlight/id1597207264 ⌲ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7cjqYAWSFXz2hgCHiAjy27 ⌲ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/themovingspotlight ⌲ ALL: https://linktr.ee/themovingspotlight ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ #MidWestActress #IoWest #SecondCity #BuffyTheVampireSlayer #Felicity #FamilyGuy #AmazonPrime #Polly #BrokeAF #Emmys #TVTime #iTunes #Actor #ActorsLife #Believe #Success #Inspiration #Netflix #Hulu #Amazon #HBO #AppleTV #Showtime #Acting #Artist #Theatre #Film #YourBestBadActing #Content #CorbinCoyle #JohnRuby #RealFIREacting #TMS_Pod --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-moving-spotlight/support

Today on What's My Frame I'm joined by Meg Swertlow. Meg a Los Angeles-born and raised screenwriter/director; today she shares her passion for creating female-driven stories. In the past three years, Meg has directed eight short films, seven of which she wrote. Her horror short, The Voiceless, is part of the feature-length anthology, Give Me an A, a response to the overturning of Roe v. Wade. We also dive into the rewarding and very real challenges of indie filmmaking with Meg's recent proof of concept for No Overnight Parking, which stars and was produced by Alyssa Milano and French Stewart. In November 2022, she participated in the Ryan Murphy Half Initiative Director program, shadowing an episode of Lone Star: 911. Meg just wrapped post-production on the proof of concept for No Overnight Parking, which stars and was produced by Alyssa Milano and French Stewart. In March 2023, No Overnight Parking was selected for the K Period Media/Blumhouse Inaugural Screamwriting Fellowship. Meg's short films have played in over 40 international genre film festivals, including Fantastic Fest, Scream Fest, Fright Fest UK, FilmQuest, Final Girls Berlin and Overlook Film Festival. Meg studied advanced screenwriting at USC's School of Cinematic Arts and her work has won over 30 screenwriting accolades, including Emerging Screenwriters' Shoot Your Short Grand Prize and ISA's Top 25 Screenwriters to Watch. Her YA pilot, Witch, Please!, won Best Short Script at FilmQuest ‘22 and was ranked the “#1 hour-long family pilot of all time” on Coverfly. She's a Hedgebrook Screenwriting Fellow, Middlebury Screenwriting Fellow and Women in Film Mentee. Before transitioning to film, Meg had a 10-year career as an entertainment journalist, writing for Entertainment Tonight and E! News. She studied improv at Groundlings, UCB and iO West and performed hundreds of improv shows around Los Angeles. She also trained in acting through the Sharon Chatten Studio, the Ivana Chubbock Studio and the London Dramatic Academy through the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts. The California girl is a proud graduate of Hamilton College in Upstate New York. Meg also shares the importance of consistently creating your own work. Advocating for yourself and saying yes when opportunity & hard work meet. Now let's get to the conversion! To learn more about Meg's work check out megswertlow.com or give her a follow on Instagram @meggbot3000 --- Hosted by Laura Linda Bradley Join the WMF creative community now! Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@whatsmyframe⁠⁠⁠⁠ TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@whatsmyframe⁠⁠⁠⁠ What's My Frame? merch⁠⁠ Proceeds will be donated to the SAG-AFTRA Foundation to support actors affected by the strikes. ⁠⁠⁠⁠IMDb⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠What's My Frame? official site ⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Join our monthly newsletter!⁠⁠⁠⁠ --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/whats-my-frame/support

Meg Swertlow: Paving the Way for Female-Forward Genre Stories Screenwriter Meg Swertlow is captivating audiences with her ardent commitment to telling female-forward genre stories. In 2022, Meg's artistic accomplishments soared to new heights, earning her accolades and recognition in the industry. One of Meg's standout achievements was her horror short film, "The Voiceless," which gained widespread acclaim. This gripping piece was featured as part of the esteemed feature-length anthology, and "Give Me an A" served as a poignant response to the contentious overturning of Roe v Wade, shedding light on vital social issues through a chilling and thought-provoking lens. Beyond her exceptional work in screenwriting, Meg has demonstrated her diverse talent across various creative endeavors. With her fearless spirit and quick wit, she has taken the stage by storm through stand-up comedy performances that leave audiences laughing and inspired. In our latest podcast episode, we had the privilege of sitting down with Meg Swertlow as she reflects on her journey as a screenwriter within the horror genre. Listeners will gain exclusive insights into how Meg cultivated her passion for storytelling and what she has accomplished thus far. Join us as we dive deep into her experiences and uncover what lies ahead for this remarkable talent. Watch on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MzV07iwaybs ====== Meg Swertlow BIO: MEG SWERTLOW is Los Angeles-born and raised screenwriter/director on a mission to tell female-driven genre stories. In the past three years, Meg has directed eight short films, seven of which she wrote. Her horror short, The Voiceless, is part of the feature-length anthology, Give Me an A, a response to the overturning of Roe v. Wade, starring Gina Torres, Alyssa Milano and Virginia Madsen. The project, completed in less than 10 weeks after the ruling, has been picked up for distribution (announcement forthcoming). In November 2022, she participated in the Ryan Murphy Half Initiative Director program, shadowing an episode of Lone Star: 911. Meg just wrapped post-production on the proof of concept for No Overnight Parking, which stars and was produced by Alyssa Milano and French Stewart. In March 2023, No Overnight Parking was selected for the K Period Media/Blumhouse Inaugural Screamwriting Fellowship. Meg's short films have played in over 40 international genre film festivals, including Fantastic Fest, Scream Fest, Fright Fest UK, FilmQuest, Final Girls Berlin and Overlook Film Festival. Meg studied advanced screenwriting at USC's School of Cinematic Arts and her work has won over 30 screenwriting accolades, including Emerging Screenwriters' Shoot Your Short Grand Prize and ISA's Top 25 Screenwriters to Watch. Her YA pilot, Witch, Please!, won Best Short Script at FilmQuest ‘22 and was ranked the “#1 hour-long family pilot of all time” on Coverfly. She's a Hedgebrook Screenwriting Fellow, Middlebury Screenwriting Fellow and Women in Film Mentee. Before transitioning to film, Meg had a 10-year career as an entertainment journalist, writing for Entertainment Tonight and E! News. She studied improv at Groundlings, UCB and iO West and performed hundreds of improv shows around Los Angeles. She also trained in acting through the Sharon Chatten Studio, the Ivana Chubbock Studio and the London Dramatic Academy through the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts. The California girl is a proud graduate of Hamilton College in Upstate New York. =============================== Submit Your Film to Our Film Collective: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ifapfilmcollective.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Connect With Floyd Marshall Jr: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠instagram.com/floydmarshalljr⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠tiktok.com/@floydmarshalljr0⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Youtube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠FlodyMarshallJr⁠ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/aconversationwithfm/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/aconversationwithfm/support

Our guest from the end of 2021, Erik Engman (he/him) is an improviser, theater writer director, magic enthusiast, and clown. We discuss his journey with the arts, raising children, and finding his way to clowning.

In honor of Susan visiting Cleveland this weekend, I'm dropping this flashback to late 2021. I would like to introduce you the indomitable Susan Messing! Susan is an improvisation and comedy legend, who has performed and taught at iO, iO West, the Annoyance, The Second City Chicago and around the globe. Susan is also an instructor at DePaul University, the University of Chicago and the School at Steppenwolf. We talked about taking risks and how to move forward as improvisers, comedians and as people–to go toward that which is difficult. Give it a listen!

Ep. 38 Chris Fontakis: Be Free to Fail In this episode our hosts discuss their favorite sketch comedy personalities, and Bryan sits down with Chris Fontakis; the founder of Serious Comedy Theater. Chris dives into his history with Upright Citizens Brigade , IO West, and The Groundlings. He also discusses starting his own company and what it meant to start it in a small town like Beacon, New York. Chris Fontakis is the founder of www.seriouscomedytheatre.com  Follow us on social media and let us know your thoughts and questions - https://linktr.ee/nobusinesslikepod Our theme song is composed by Vic Davi.

Tim Umstead brings us inspiration in just the way like, with a little story from life. Could you please gimmie a little story from your Life?Email me a little tale to inspire our show OriginalUnderstudies@gmail.comThis episode would not be possible with the unending support of our Post Audio Engineer and Sound Designer , Toivo Kallio.Instagram.com/toistinen/That music at the start... You know who that is? It is The Quick Six, I bet you would love their whole album "County Line" check it out!Todays Understudies are...Jake Regal @JakeRegalJames Heaney - James Plays Elden RingCole Stratton @strattoncoleJack Zullo - JackZullo.comRich Baker - Richbakercoaching..comMiranda Shade ...

@keithsaltojanes Keith Saltojanes is a comedy writer-performer and Guinness World Record Holder recently appearing in my Off-Broadway debut as Dan Aykroyd. His first book is due out Summer 2023.   Over 100 MILLION people have viewed his original sketch videos online and he's been featured by The Huffington Post, Forbes, A.V. Club, Buzzfeed, Reddit, and Nerdist.com. He was a staff writer for National Lampoon and some TV credits include Curb Your Enthusiasm, Community, and Comedy Central (apparently he has a thing for the letter C) and has written for comedians from SNL, MADtv, In Living Color, and Mr. Show.   He also has extensive improv and sketch comedy experience in writing-performing-directing live shows for the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater, Comedy Central Stage, Second City, Pack Theater, Chicago Improv Festival, San Francisco SketchFest, and iO West (where he co-created the sketch comedy program and was a member of one of the longest running teams), as well as overseas in Japan, China, Thailand, the UK, and France.   He currently holds the Guinness World Record for Longest Continuous Improv Show at 150 Hours and hosts workshops on creativity for executives at Netflix, Walt Disney Studios, and NBC through the creative training center he founded, Improv-LA (http://www.improv-la.com/).    When he's not writing or globetrotting, you can find him hanging out at the World Famous Magic Castle where he's a member. 
Find more of his work by visiting his Youtube channel. (https://www.youtube.com/user/calgaryhart) Make sure to check out this episode

Growing up, I spent a lot of time with my grandmother, nicknamed Moo. We always had fun; we'd play, make things up, sing songs, write poems… just be creative together. As she gets older, though, and reaches 100 years old, she develops dementia. Sometimes she's with us and other times not. I go over to her house one afternoon, and she's super happy and pleasant and lovely... yet she doesn't know who I am. And I'm her only grandchild! I start to get a little frustrated because I want that connection with Moo again. So I begin to bring up things from our past and ask her if she remembers what we did together. Did she remember rolling down the hill together at La Brea Tar Pits? Or that time we made a crazy salad and water went everywhere? She doesn't. As I grasp for more things, I recall one song she taught me that has two verses. One verse is very slow and methodical, the other goes very, very fast, and they're meant to be sung by two people in tandem. So I start singing the fast verse. And pretty soon without any prodding, Moo starts singing the slow verse. And for that one moment, we connect again, sharing a reality with both of us present that melts my heart. That's the power of music. It can stop time. My special guest today, Laura Hall, has spent a career in music, song, and sound. In this episode of the Storytelling School podcast, she talks about finding your voice in storytelling through her lens of Musical Improv and answers questions like: What drives a scene in an Improv story when it's combined with music--the scene or the song? When can Improv help you with your audience as a speaker or storyteller, (in non-Improv situations)? How does variety make you a better storyteller? And how can you start sharing your stories and ensure that you get helpful feedback? What you will learn in this episode: How music and Improv work together to bring stories to life Why finding and connecting to the truth of your story is vital for audience reception What you can do to change the fear story you're telling yourself before a performance Who is Laura? Laura Hall got her start as an Improv Musician performing with The Second City National Touring Company of Chicago. While in Chicago, she worked with almost every Improv theater in town and used Improv to create original musicals at The Annoyance Theater. She also played in cover and original bands, did solo piano work, played recording sessions, and taught at The Old Town School of Music.  After moving to Los Angeles, Laura studied music for film and television and focused on songwriting and original musicals with Theater-A-Go-Go. She has worked with several Improv groups worldwide such as Second City Hollywood, iO West, and others, and taught Music Improv extensively with her husband Rick Hall. Laura performed on every season of the American version of Whose Line Is It Anyway? with hosts Clive Anderson, Drew Carey, and Aisha Tyler. She's also toured extensively with Drew Carey and the Improv All Stars, including performances at Carnegie Hall and Radio City Music Hall and a USO tour of the Middle East. In addition, she's performed with Whose Line Live at the Adelphi, the Palladium, and Royal Albert Hall theatres in London. You can find out more about Laura on her website. Links and Resources: Laura Hall @laurahallmusic on Instagram @LauraHallMusic on Facebook @LauraHallMusic on Twitter @laurahall2306 on Youtube Storytelling School Website @storytellingschool on Instagram @storytellingSchool on Facebook

Improv comedy helped Levin O'Conner find purpose, love, and a career. Now he's shaping the Montana comedy scene. Hear his story on the Matt Balaker Podcast. Levin fell backward into improv in winter of 2002. In spite of his shy nature he enrolled and attended an improv class at iO Chicago. One class led to two and a year later he graduated the program a better, happier person convinced that improv can change the world for the better. In 2005 he moved to Los Angeles to pursue an acting career and voice over career. He continued to perform, coach and teach improv at iO West, Westside Comedy Theater and American Music and Dance Academy (AMDA). In 2009 Levin & Annie teamed up to create the show NOW? and toured internationally at theaters, festivals, universities and schools and in 2013 NOW Improv opened a studio of its own. NOW Improv thrived during its two years, but due to the demands of their growing family, they decided to shutter NOW and were hired as Co-Directors of Education for Mi's Westside Comedy Theater where they were tasked with writing and designing a unique improv curriculum, training the faculty and helping grow the community. Most recently Annie & Levin have moved again, this time to Bozeman, MT where they have teamed up with local performer and teacher Molly Hannan to create Last Best Comedy. Together they are thrilled and honored to share their improv and comedy experience with this incredible town. The Last Best Comedy Fest is open for submissions for both improv & standup details and info here: https://www.lastbestcomedyfest.com https://www.lastbestcomedy.com/

And of course, I cannot forget to thank "The Quick Six" for letting us use their song for our intro. Todays Understudies are... Jake Regal @JakeRegal Amelia Clover @AmeliaClovervo Amy Bury - TikTok/@amybury1 Amey Goerlich Chaosbloom.com Jordan Bull - Thunderbulge James Heaney - James Plays Elden Ring

We get in to some of our weird habits and let that inspire our improv. Please send in some suggestions to OriginalUnderstudiesPodcast@gmail.com we are getting a bit low and would love to filler up! Additionally, we will forever be grateful to the Quick Six for helping us finally get some appropriate music. And finally, this episode would not be possible without our Mastering Engineer, Toivo Kallio. Todays Understudies were... Jen Parker -Meh Life Crisis Trevor Tevel - 9 to Side Podcast Jake Regal @JakeRegal Jacki Schwarz Florida Person Podcast Jordan Bull - Thunderbulge James Heaney - James Plays Elden Ring Toivo Kallio @Toistinen The Quick Six - Get To It

This week we welcome Paul Vaillancourt. Paul is the co-founder (with Charna Halpern) of the iO West and has been teaching and performing improv for over 20 years.In that time he has appeared all over the country including such notable venues as HBO's Comedy Arts Festival in Aspen, Chicago's iO (where he studied with the immortal Del Close), New York's UCB Theater, and the iO West here in Los Angeles.As an actor Paul has appeared on such shows as “The Drew Carey Show”, the UPN sitcom “Half & Half”, and the Oxygen Network's stand out “Girls Behaving Badly”. Paul has also had success as a writer and producer, co-creating and serving as supervising writer for the MTV hit “The Blame Game” as well as lending his writing and producing talents to a score of other shows for MTV, VH1, USA, Oxygen, Bravo and AMC.Check them out at whatsupwithPV on all social media channels.We now have an INSTAGRAM! Check it out at thecleancomedypodcast on Instagram.We also have a PATREON! Check out patreon.com/CleanComedyPodcast for more details.Turn your funny into money! Check out the official website here: http://comedypreneur.comPick up a copy of “How To Produce Comedy Shows For Fun & Profit” here: https://amzn.to/31H4wxmDo you have a topic that you would like to hear discussed?Are you a clean comedian looking for an awesome podcast to be in?Do you have life-burning questions?Reach out to us at https://www.thecleancomedypodcast.com/contact/

This very special 61st episode of the podcast features the one and only comedy legend Rick Overton (Rick's IMDb) He joins via a phone call to discuss iO West, his early standup days, the Bernie Betrayal, the plandemic and many other things.    Rick's latest special "Rick Overton's Set List": Rick Overton's Set List       Here are the clips used in the opening montage:     Rick Overton - Early Stand Up Comedy @ An Evening at the Improv   Rick Overton - Early Stand Up Comedy on An Evening at the Improv   Rick Overton HBO One Night Stand Standup Comedy   That sums it up for me - Groundhog Day (1993), bar scene   Here's the book "Billion Dollar Whale" that I mentioned: Summary Of Billion Dollar Whale: The Man Who Fooled Wall Street, Hollywood, and the World by Tom Wright and Bradley Hope   Check out my Super Awkward Fun Live Stream on YouTube: Super Awkward Fun Live Stream with Elle Latham Episode 2     Thank you so much to Rick for giving over an hour of his time to this podcast. I really appreciate it!   Thanks so much for listening! Please spread the word and leave comments if you want. Don't be shy.   Enjoy the trip down the rabbit hole and make some snacks. It's gonna be a bumpy ride...    

Dana was last on the One Broke Actress podcast for the Season 4 premiere in 2019. Known best for her role as Cam's sister, Pameron Tucker, on ABC's Modern Family, Dana found her voice and began comedy improv training in Los Angeles at iO West, UCB, and The Groundlings. You may have seen her in other things such as Bridesmaids, Veep, Curb Your Enthusiasm, The Good Place, and more. In this episode, Dana talks about all that has changed since the pandemic — where she cleaned house and moved on from her reps after things weren't working out. She gets candid about where she is at in her career now and what keeps her going despite her come-to-Jesus moments. 01:25 — Industry Changes Since 2019 02:52 — Self-Tapes Post-Pandemic 05:06 — Dealing with Twice the Effort for Auditions with Half the Results 09:00 — Managing the Need to Improve + Self-Confidence 11:38 — Getting Older + How The Work-A-Day Actor Is Disappearing 15:40 — Your Representation + Advocating for Yourself 20:50 — How to Know When You're Doing Enough, Content Creation, and Improv 28:52 — AD: Olive & June ⭐︎Visit oliveandjune.com/broke20 for 20% off your first full system⭐︎ 31:45 — What to Do When This Career Gets Lonely 34:57 — Having Hard Talks with Your Reps 41:35 — Dana's Message to Actors without Representation 44:30 — The Mindset Needed to Stay In the Industry for 15+ Years 50:09 — Clip from Season 4, Episode 1 + Dana's Reaction to Her Past Self 55:02 — What's next for Dana + Where to Find Her Resources Mentioned in This Episode: Dana's IMDb Dana's IG Check out Dana as the voice of Mato in Season 1, Episode 9 of Cars on the Road, "Getting Hitched" Dana's Podcast with Jessica Young "The Rants and Raves Podcast" Camp Improv Utopia -------- Want more? Check out Patreon for bonus episodes, IG Close Friends content, and so much more. And don't miss all the content on IG and as always at, OneBrokeActress.com And if you're needing some personalized help from Sam, you can schedule a chat with her right here. Don't forget to join the mailing list here! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/one-broke-actress-podcast/message

Expecting the Unexpected & Learning to Pivot – The Verdict with Tom Feher Episode 10 Joseph Limbaugh has over 30 years of professional Improv and Theatre experience. He was one of the original founders of Dad's Garage Theatre in Atlanta Georgia and was the Improv Director there for 4 years, he taught professionally at NYFA (The New York Film Academy) in Los Angeles, and was the head of the Improv school and sketch program at the ACME Comedy Theatre in Los Angeles. Brian Breiter is a civil trial lawyer practicing since 1995 in the area of Plaintiff's Personal Injury. He uses his skills as a professional actor for 30 years in the courtroom and depositions like no other in his field. Brian has performed over a 1,000 improvisation shows with ACME Comedy Theater, The Groundlings, Second City Los Angeles, Improv Theater, UCB, IO West, Westside Comedy Theater, Laughing Gas as well as others. Brian is a founding member of The Liquid Radio Players an improvised 1940's Radio Show. That is what you see on the surface. Listen to this episode of The Verdict where we dive deeper!   In this episode:   -How to develop greater awareness of non-verbal communication -Facilitating a deeper connection and understanding of people through body language and tone -Overcoming stage fright -Presenting facts and client stories in a compelling way -How to effectively think on your feet in the courtroom I hope you enjoyed the episode! Improv for Trial was so generous to share their story and give us some insight into improv in the courtroom Please let me know your thoughts!   Connect with Improv for Trial:   Website: www.improvfortrial.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/improvfortrial Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ImprovForTrial   Connect with Tom Feher:   Website:    www.feherlawfirm.com  Facebook: @feherlaw Instagram: @feherlawapc Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Part 2 of our discussion with Dylan Rohde, founder and owner of The Backline and also the founder of Omaha Comedy Fest, which is being held this weekend. We talk to Dylan about some of the highlights of his career (so far!), training in LA at the Upright Citizens Brigade and iO West. And we discuss what The Backline has to offer by way of shows and classes. Plus, we also discuss his animated series, Troglo-bytes that he has been developing. Dylan is one of the amazing Creatives in our town, so tune in for another fun interview! THE BACKLINE CONTACT INFO: Website: https://www.backlinecomedy.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/backlinecomedy Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/backlinecomedy/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/the_backline?lang=en TROGLO-BYTES: https://www.youtube.com/.../UC6J5MH0dosqsTzwAktX.../featured HOW TO LISTEN TO THE PLATTE RIVER BARD PODCAST Listen at https://platteriverbard.podbean.com or anywhere you get your podcasts. We are on Apple, Google, Pandora, Spotify, iHeart Radio, Podbean, Overcast, Listen Now, Castbox and anywhere you get your podcasts. You may also find us by just asking Alexa. Listen on your computer or any device on our website: https://www.platteriverbard.com. Find us on You Tube: https://youtube.com/channel/UCPDzMz8kHvsLcJRV-myurvA. Please find us and Subscribe!

What's up y'all of little faith and welcome to episode 14 of season 2 of TFP!I'm your hostess, not your Moses, Mat Hayes, and if I'm still giving you episodes, it means that I'm still looking for answers!A couple weeks ago, I met Christian Cintron on the queer streets of West Hollywood. And here we are today with him being a guest on the show! Christian is a writer, comedian, actor, psychic, jack-of-all-trades, and master of fun.His unique perspective has been informed by being a proud  Puerto Rican, Catholic school boy, marketing executive, addiction and abuse survivor, and even a drag queen!The first stand-up teacher at the Rodney Dangerfield Institute at Los Angeles City College, Christian is a graduate of Vassar College, Second City: Hollywood, and iO West theater.His television appearances include The Wendy Williams Show and on TruTV's Fameless.Christian created Stand Up 4 Your Power, an intersectional, spiritual, self-improvement comedy class. It unites stand-up, psychology, diversity, equity, inclusion, and even a little magic to help students pivot their perspective, shift limiting beliefs, and roll with the punchlines. He is also a spiritual counselor, a Reiki practitioner, and a coach, helping people use humor and spirituality to integrate their trauma and reclaim their narrative. He offers shadow readings to help clients see where their light is not shining, so they can become the most powerful versions of themselves. His mission is to help people have the uncomfortable but vital conversations with levity, empathy, and grace.Welcome to the show Christian! https://linktr.ee/standup4yourpowerhttps://www.theauthenticgay.com/healing-religious-trauma/https://shadowscans.carrd.co/https://standup4yourpower.carrd.co/https://standup4yourpower.medium.com/healing-religious-trauma-c84062b0592a

Anne Johnstonbrown interviews Hollywood actor, songwriter and dungeon master Amy Vorpahl:Amy Vorpahl (SAG-AFTRA) is a writer, actress, and singer-songwriter from the grand ol' state of Texas with a BFA in Acting from University of Oklahoma. She has worked in the digital space for several years as a writer, producer, host and gamer for several years at places like Nerdist, Geek and Sundry, Buzzfeed, and Dropout. Amy has spent over ten years performing improv and sketch at the comedy schools in LA including Groundlings Sunday Company, UCB, and iO West, and she has used all of that training in roles in movies as well as TV shows like "The Newsroom," "The Mindy Project," and "Super Fun Night!" Most recently, she played the lead in an animated digital series "Live from the 8th Dimension." She might be best known around the internet for streaming tabletop RPGs like 'Dungeons & Dragons' on big gaming twitch channels, and her album, 'Songs in the Key of D&D,' released at SXSW. She's passionate about using storytelling and fantasy to form community, and one of her favorite hobbies is Dungeon Mastering games for her friends.Host: Anne JohnstonbrownGuest: Amy VorpahlWebsite: Amy VorpahlIMDb: Amy Vorpahl - IMDbInstagram: Amy Vorpahl (@vorpahlsword) • Instagram photos and videosTikTok: Amy Vorpahl (@vorpahlsword) TikTok | Watch Amy Vorpahl's Newest TikTok VideosYouTube: Amy Vorpahl - YouTubeTwitter: Amy Vorpahl

Our guest on this episode of the Improv Comedy Connection is David Escobedo. David has been coaching and performing improv since 1994. In fact, he coached his first improv team, as there weren't any improv schools around! Later he took classes at iOwest, Second City and other improv schools around Los Angeles. He is quick to acknowledge the impact of his improv teachers during this time, including Jay Sukow (Jay was part of the COVID-19 Improv Summit and was interviewed as part of Season 4), Paul Vaillancourt (Paul was interviewed in Season 1), Liz Allen, Steve Green, Duncan Cameron, Vanessa Anton, and more that he would view as particularly inspirational. One of the philosophies he firmly believes in is that the improv ecosystem is much more flat than we're led to believe. He rejects the notion that there is a dynamic hierarchy of "good improvisers" or teachers, and firmly wants to see people and institutions being put on pedestals. His goal as a teacher is to make you a peer, not a constant student (cash cow). That way there are more people to do good improv with! David is pursuing his PhD in Chester, UK. He lives there with his super talented and creative partner Monica Escobedo and their adorable new child, Q. You can find David and one of his most important projects at: www.facebook.com/BoostImprov.

Anne Johnstonbrown interviews Hollywood actor, songwriter and dungeon master Amy Vorpahl:Amy Vorpahl (SAG-AFTRA) is a writer, actress, and singer-songwriter from the grand ol' state of Texas with a BFA in Acting from University of Oklahoma. She has worked in the digital space for several years as a writer, producer, host and gamer for several years at places like Nerdist, Geek and Sundry, Buzzfeed, and Dropout. Amy has spent over ten years performing improv and sketch at the comedy schools in LA including Groundlings Sunday Company, UCB, and iO West, and she has used all of that training in roles in movies as well as TV shows like "The Newsroom," "The Mindy Project," and "Super Fun Night!" Most recently, she played the lead in an animated digital series "Live from the 8th Dimension." She might be best known around the internet for streaming tabletop RPGs like 'Dungeons & Dragons' on big gaming twitch channels, and her album, 'Songs in the Key of D&D,' released at SXSW. She's passionate about using storytelling and fantasy to form community, and one of her favorite hobbies is Dungeon Mastering games for her friends.Host: Anne JohnstonbrownGuest: Amy VorpahlWebsite: Amy VorpahlIMDb: Amy Vorpahl - IMDbInstagram: Amy Vorpahl (@vorpahlsword) • Instagram photos and videosTikTok: Amy Vorpahl (@vorpahlsword) TikTok | Watch Amy Vorpahl's Newest TikTok VideosYouTube: Amy Vorpahl - YouTubeTwitter: Amy Vorpahl

Starting at the beginning, Ryan was born in Columbia, Missouri, but grew up in Houston.Ryan began studying improv in 2005 with Houston's Massive Creativity, led by MacArthur Antigua of Improv Olympic (IO) Chicago, performing at Avant Garden. In 2006, Ryan moved to Los Angeles where he completed IO West's Training Program, and performed with “Kick Drum Decade”, a main stage Harold team, 19-time Cagematch Champion, and 2- time winner of the 2008 and 2009 Los Angeles Improv Festival Cagematch Tournament. While in L.A., Ryan was cast in several commercials and web ads including for Cabela's, Honda, Top Flite (with Kenny Mayne), and Baby Ruth. Notably he performed several voice overs in the animated short, “Meltdown” (with David Cross). From 2009-2011, Ryan co-directed, taught, and performed with Houston's Rogue Improv (formerly Massive). In recent years, Ryan has coached and performed improv most notably with Baby Knuckle, Corner Office and Damaged Goods at Station Theater and other Houston venues. Additional improv festival performance credits include the Trill Festival (Houston), Out of Bounds Comedy Festival (Austin) and the @Del Close Improv Marathon (NYC).Separate from improv, Ryan has had a unique and evolving career path. He is a former practicing attorney and is now a sales specialist in pharmaceuticals. He loves dogs, cooking, sports and a lotta other stuff.Topics:- The Houston Housing Market- Ryan's Improv Journey- Work Job Lunches- Selling What You Don't BelieveScenes:- The Uncertified Lawn Man- The Sunshine Act- The Date Night Presentation- Drug Rep NotesWe have opinions and you're gonna hear them! Follow our characters down rabbit holes in our fast-paced improv shows.Hosted by Amechi Ngwe, Antoine W.B, Jon Myles, and Tandiwe Kone.Edited by Antoine W.BHosted on Mocking Bird Network

As we gear up for the Booking Magnet LIVE 2022 Annual Actors Conference, I'm pleased to introduce you to Chelsey Crisp. Enjoy this interview and be sure to connect with us on social media to share your takeaways. Xo! - Christine Connect with Chelsey Crisp here: Instagram- chelseycrisp Website- http://www.chelseycrisp.com/ About Chelsey… Chelsey is an American actress, best known as Honey from ABC's Fresh Off the Boat and Jesse in the indie rom-com In-Lawfully Yours. She can be seen next in the UK remake of Call My Agent and NBC's Young Rock. Originally from Arizona, she grew up doing children's and community theatre in Phoenix. She studied theatre at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts and Shakespeare at the British American Drama Academy in Oxford. She made her TV debut crying and/or dying on shows such as CSI Miami, NCIS and Scare Tactics. She enjoys alternating comedic and dramatic projects, especially sitcoms and indie films. She's appeared in The Office, The League, New Girl, Mike & Molly, Better off Ted, Happy Endings, and Rizzoli & Isles, among others. She also starred in the indie films In-Lawfully Yours, Life With Dog, Bleed, Reconciliation, and the recent Cannes coup de coeur winner Just Do You. Chelsey maintains her love for live performance through improv and sketch comedy. She's held residency at ACME Comedy Theatre, while also performing at the Comedy Central Stage, IoWest, Hollywood Fringe Festival and SF Sketchfest, among other LA stages. She also spent a year abroad writing and directing shows for Universal Studios Singapore. In one of her favorite parts to date, Chelsey improvised the role of Chloe, a contestant on the mock reality game show The Joe Schmo Show, where she met her husband, screenwriter Rhett Reese. The two live in Los Angeles with their sons. Join us at the BOOKING MAGNET LIVE 2022 - Actors Conference Learn more: https://bookingmagnetlive.com/ CONNECT WITH ME ON SOCIAL: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/actresschristinehorn/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/actresschristinehorn HBA Website: http://hollywoodboundactors.com/ My Official Website: http://christinehorn.com/ JOIN OUR HOLLYWOOD BOUND ACTORS ONLINE COMMUNITY: https://www.facebook.com/groups/hollywoodboundactors/ JOIN OUR HOLLYWOOD BOUND ACTORS TEXT COMMUNITY: Text the word HBA to (470) 666-7011. Standard messaging and data rates apply. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/the-hollywood-bound-actor/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/the-hollywood-bound-actor/support

Susan Messing, a NJ native and graduate of Northwestern University's Theatre School, has been an improviser and comedian for 35 years. She is an alumna of the iO Theatre, Second City's Mainstage, and a founding member of Chicago's infamous Annoyance Theatre. Susan created and taught her curriculum at iO Chicago, iO West in Hollywood, The Annoyance Theatre, The Second City, and around the world. Susan was an adjunct instructor for DePaul University and taught for The School at Steppenwolf, and currently teaches at the University of Chicago. Her standup act with her puppet, Jolly, was featured at the HBO/US Comedy Arts Festival in Aspen, and on Comedy Central's Premium Blend and NBC's Late Fridays, and her most impressive bit movie role was as a bad stripper in a halo brace in Let's Go to Prison! Since the pandemic began, Susan has shifted to teaching on zoom, and is restarting her drop in class for The Annoyance. Recently, she performed in Chicago's World Comedy Expo and headlined the Baton Rouge Improv Festival with the brilliant John Lehr. Every Friday night you can find her with her friends in ‘High Society' on Twitch. “Improviser of the Year” – Chicago Improv Festival “Best Improviser” – Chicago Reader “Funniest Woman in Chicago” – Chicago Magazine Paul Vato is an on camera and voice actor, improvisor, podcaster and entrepreneur. Connect with Paul Vato: PaulVato.com • VATO.tv • y.at/

VIDEO VERSION   Monkey Butler Alum Calder Holbrook joins the Highway Diary podcast to talk about our old project Damien Shadows PI and Debunken Mit Wilhelm Skeptisch. We talk about the rise and fall of the UCB. The rise and fall of the IO West, and the rise and fall of Monkey Butler. Look out for Calder's podcast AE Double Back Podcast https://podbay.fm/p/wwrecap-the-5-minute-raw-recap www.EricHollerbach.com www.ACBDRemedy.com - Promo Code 'Eric' for 20% off      

This week on Yes But Why, I laughed a lot with Omaha improv leader, Dylan Oakes Rohde. Dylan Oakes Rohde is the Founder of The Backline Comedy Theatre in Omaha, Nebraska, as well as the Founder of the Omaha Comedy Festival. Dylan has taught and performed at improv schools and festivals in over 20 major US cities and he has taught and performed in Australia, Canada, Netherlands, and Taiwan.In our conversation, Dylan tells me about growing up a wild and mischievous kid. After a teacher helped him find direction, he got deeply involved in writing and acting. While Dylan originally moved to Hollywood seeking writing and acting opportunities, it was work as a video editor that truly opened doors for him. After editing Matt Besser's demo reel, Dylan was introduced to the improv scene of Los Angeles. Like so many of us, he jumped in headfirst and ended up taking classes at both UCB(LA) and iO West. But when Dylan's heart told him he wanted to teach, LA was already saturated with teachers. So he went back to his college town of Omaha to try and start something new there. And since then, Dylan has spent the past decade building up the Backline Comedy Theatre and the Omaha improv community. Dylan and I make a lot of jokes and play around with lots of bits throughout. We had fun. But this episode is also chock full of good advice. We talk about dealing with rejection, finding an agent and a manager, and building an improv community.Support Dylan Oakes Rohde by attending classes or shows at Backline Comedy Theater. Or, you can hire him to come to your town to teach a workshop! Check out Dylan's current animation project, Troglo-Bites, on youtube! Then like, share, comment, and subscribe. https://youtu.be/FHl0gbjpsw4You can also follow Dylan on on TikTok as either @wuwshow or @dr.oakes !Yes But Why Podcast is a proud member of the HC Universal Network family of podcasts. Visit us at HCUniversalNetwork.com to join in on the fun. #YesButWhy #Podcast #HCUniversalNetworkThis 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. Treat Yourself. Get Audible. This episode of Yes But Why is also sponsored by PodcastCadet.com. Go to PodcastCadet.com to connect with us so we can help you with your podcast! Save money by putting in offer code YBY20 to get 20% off the first service or workshop you buy!(production notes: recorded zoom meeting via Rodecaster on 2/2/2022; posted on 3/7/2022)

This week on Yes But Why, I laughed a lot with Omaha improv leader, Dylan Oakes Rohde. Dylan Oakes Rohde is the Founder of The Backline Comedy Theatre in Omaha, Nebraska, as well as the Founder of the Omaha Comedy Festival. Dylan has taught and performed at improv schools and festivals in over 20 major US cities and he has taught and performed in Australia, Canada, Netherlands, and Taiwan. In our conversation, Dylan tells me about growing up a wild and mischievous kid. After a teacher helped him find direction, he got deeply involved in writing and acting. While Dylan originally moved to Hollywood seeking writing and acting opportunities, it was work as a video editor that truly opened doors for him. After editing Matt Besser's demo reel, Dylan was introduced to the improv scene of Los Angeles. Like so many of us, he jumped in headfirst and ended up taking classes at both UCB(LA) and iO West. But when Dylan's heart told him he wanted to teach, LA was already saturated with teachers. So he went back to his college town of Omaha to try and start something new there. And since then, Dylan has spent the past decade building up the Backline Comedy Theatre and the Omaha improv community. Dylan and I make a lot of jokes and play around with lots of bits throughout. We had fun. But this episode is also chock full of good advice. We talk about dealing with rejection, finding an agent and a manager, and building an improv community. Support Dylan Oakes Rohde by attending classes or shows at Backline Comedy Theater. Or, you can hire him to come to your town to teach a workshop! Check out Dylan's current animation project, Troglo-Bites, on youtube! Then like, share, comment, and subscribe. https://youtu.be/FHl0gbjpsw4 You can also follow Dylan on on TikTok as either @wuwshow or @dr.oakes ! Yes But Why Podcast is a proud member of the HC Universal Network family of podcasts. Visit us at HCUniversalNetwork.com to join in on the fun. #YesButWhy #Podcast #HCUniversalNetwork 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. Treat Yourself. Get Audible. This episode of Yes But Why is also sponsored by PodcastCadet.com. Go to PodcastCadet.com to connect with us so we can help you with your podcast! Save money by putting in offer code YBY20 to get 20% off the first service or workshop you buy! (production notes: recorded zoom meeting via Rodecaster on 2/2/2022; posted on 3/7/2022)

This week on Yes But Why, I laughed a lot with Omaha improv leader, Dylan Oakes Rohde. Dylan Oakes Rohde is the Founder of The Backline Comedy Theatre in Omaha, Nebraska, as well as the Founder of the Omaha Comedy Festival. Dylan has taught and performed at improv schools and festivals in over 20 major US cities and he has taught and performed in Australia, Canada, Netherlands, and Taiwan. In our conversation, Dylan tells me about growing up a wild and mischievous kid. After a teacher helped him find direction, he got deeply involved in writing and acting. While Dylan originally moved to Hollywood seeking writing and acting opportunities, it was work as a video editor that truly opened doors for him. After editing Matt Besser's demo reel, Dylan was introduced to the improv scene of Los Angeles. Like so many of us, he jumped in headfirst and ended up taking classes at both UCB(LA) and iO West. But when Dylan's heart told him he wanted to teach, LA was already saturated with teachers. So he went back to his college town of Omaha to try and start something new there. And since then, Dylan has spent the past decade building up the Backline Comedy Theatre and the Omaha improv community. Dylan and I make a lot of jokes and play around with lots of bits throughout. We had fun. But this episode is also chock full of good advice. We talk about dealing with rejection, finding an agent and a manager, and building an improv community. Support Dylan Oakes Rohde by attending classes or shows at Backline Comedy Theater. Or, you can hire him to come to your town to teach a workshop! Check out Dylan's current animation project, Troglo-Bites, on youtube! Then like, share, comment, and subscribe. https://youtu.be/FHl0gbjpsw4 You can also follow Dylan on on TikTok as either @wuwshow or @dr.oakes ! Yes But Why Podcast is a proud member of the HC Universal Network family of podcasts. Visit us at HCUniversalNetwork.com to join in on the fun. #YesButWhy #Podcast #HCUniversalNetwork 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. Treat Yourself. Get Audible. This episode of Yes But Why is also sponsored by PodcastCadet.com. Go to PodcastCadet.com to connect with us so we can help you with your podcast! Save money by putting in offer code YBY20 to get 20% off the first service or workshop you buy! (production notes: recorded zoom meeting via Rodecaster on 2/2/2022; posted on 3/7/2022)

This week on Yes But Why, I laughed a lot with Omaha improv leader, Dylan Oakes Rohde. Dylan Oakes Rohde is the Founder of The Backline Comedy Theatre in Omaha, Nebraska, as well as the Founder of the Omaha Comedy Festival. Dylan has taught and performed at improv schools and festivals in over 20 major US cities and he has taught and performed in Australia, Canada, Netherlands, and Taiwan. In our conversation, Dylan tells me about growing up a wild and mischievous kid. After a teacher helped him find direction, he got deeply involved in writing and acting. While Dylan originally moved to Hollywood seeking writing and acting opportunities, it was work as a video editor that truly opened doors for him. After editing Matt Besser's demo reel, Dylan was introduced to the improv scene of Los Angeles. Like so many of us, he jumped in headfirst and ended up taking classes at both UCB(LA) and iO West. But when Dylan's heart told him he wanted to teach, LA was already saturated with teachers. So he went back to his college town of Omaha to try and start something new there. And since then, Dylan has spent the past decade building up the Backline Comedy Theatre and the Omaha improv community. Dylan and I make a lot of jokes and play around with lots of bits throughout. We had fun. But this episode is also chock full of good advice. We talk about dealing with rejection, finding an agent and a manager, and building an improv community. Support Dylan Oakes Rohde by attending classes or shows at Backline Comedy Theater. Or, you can hire him to come to your town to teach a workshop! Check out Dylan's current animation project, Troglo-Bites, on youtube! Then like, share, comment, and subscribe. https://youtu.be/FHl0gbjpsw4 You can also follow Dylan on on TikTok as either @wuwshow or @dr.oakes ! Yes But Why Podcast is a proud member of the HC Universal Network family of podcasts. Visit us at HCUniversalNetwork.com to join in on the fun. #YesButWhy #Podcast #HCUniversalNetwork 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. Treat Yourself. Get Audible. This episode of Yes But Why is also sponsored by PodcastCadet.com. Go to PodcastCadet.com to connect with us so we can help you with your podcast! Save money by putting in offer code YBY20 to get 20% off the first service or workshop you buy! (production notes: recorded zoom meeting via Rodecaster on 2/2/2022; posted on 3/7/2022)

Our guest this week is Chicago-based award-winning actor, improviser, comedian and teacher SUSAN MESSING!  Susan is a New Jersey native and a graduate of Northwestern University's Theatre School. She has been an improviser and comedian for over 35 years! Susan is an alumna of Chicago's beloved iO Theatre and The Second City's Mainstage.  Susan is a founding member of Chicago's Annoyance Theatre. It's an infamous theatre and associated ensemble that deals with absurd and outrageous humour.  Some of her notable performances are with Blaine Swen in BLESSING at the iO, with Norm Holly in MOLLY, the critically acclaimed MESSING WITH A FRIEND at The Annoyance and with The Boys at The Second City.  She was in the lineup for the TBS Just For Laughs festival all 5 years of its residence in Chicago.  She presented BRAVING THE UNKNOWN at an independently organized Ted X event at the University of Chicago.  Susan's standup act with her puppet, JOLLY, has been featured at the HBO US Comedy Arts Festival in Aspen, on Comedy Central's PREMIUM BLEND and NBC's LATE FRIDAYS. Her most impressive bit movie role was as a bad stripper in a halo brace in LET'S GO TO PRISON!   Susan created and taught her curriculum at Chicago's iO and LA's iO West, along with The Annoyance Theatre, The Second City and around the world.  She was an adjunct instructor for Chicago's Loyola University at DePaul University, The School at Steppenwolf, and now she teaches at The University of Chicago.   Twitter: @MessingSusan Instagram: @susanalicemessing World Comedy Expo, March 25-27, 2022 in Chicago, Susan will be performing with “Messing with Mason” and also the lady supergroup “1Zs”. https://worldcomedyexpo.com/show/landry-and-summers-messing-with-mason/ https://worldcomedyexpo.com/festival-lineup/ Podcast Team Head Producer and Editor: Winnie Wong @wonder_wong Editor:  Shayne Stolz @shaynestolz Graphic: Vicki Brier @brier2019 To listen to the podcast: https://linktr.ee/firecrackerdept   Subscribe to our newsletter at https://www.firecrackerdepartment.com and follow us @firecrackerdept!

Stand Up Comedian Sayrie talks about her new upcoming web series called "Bi the Way" and the many hats she wears while in pursuit of comedic greatness. Stand-up Comedian Sayrie is entertaining audiences on stage and online with her spontaneous acts and witty punch lines. Inspired by the influences of comedic stars such as Lucille Ball and Carroll Burnett, she is best known for her viral videos and versatile characters. Born and raised in Houston, Tx as Vanise Sayrie, Sayrie uses her last name as her stage name to pay homage to her father. Her goal is to create humor for the entire family. A southern charmer and a self-proclaimed “Ragin' Cajun,” she follows suit to her own motto of humor, diversity and love. The former TMZ correspondent, currently co-hosts on Sirius xm's #1 broadcast "Quake's House" that airs on Kevin Hart's "Lol" radio network. Her hosting skills are not limited solely to on screen and radio since she also have covered nurmerous red carpet premieres for CBS, VH1, BET and Afterbuzztv. On stage, Sayrie completed a personal challenge of performing 100 times in only 29 days in one of the coldest months in New York City in pursuit to becoming an undeniable performer. Having trained and written at the nation's most prestigious improv houses such as the Peoples Improv Theatre in New York City, IO West and UCB, Sayrie is an all around creator of content on social media platforms as well for networks as writer, producer and director. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/koolkard/support

If This Is True would like to introduce you the indomitable Susan Messing! Susan is an improvisation and comedy legend, who has performed and taught at iO, iO West, the Annoyance, The Second City Chicago and around the globe. Susan is also an instructor at DePaul University, the University of Chicago and the School at Steppenwolf. We talked about taking risks and how to move forward as improvisers, comedians and as people--to go toward that which is difficult. Give it a listen during this holiday season!! --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/christopher-hall7/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/christopher-hall7/support

Sasha Feiler is the only funny person to ever come out of Siberia, and you'll have to take her word for it since Siberia is the last place you'd want to visit! This week, host Gray Jones interviews comedy writer, performer & Script Anatomy instructor Sasha Feiler. She fled Siberia and came to New York at nineteen with $40 in her pocket. At some point, after her paperwork got messed up, she became an illegal immigrant. Which was super fun (it wasn't). She graduated Brooklyn College on a full Presidential Scholarship with an MFA in Television Production and worked as an editor and producer at CNN. She quickly realized there weren't a lot of laughs at CNN so she quit and moved to Los Angeles where she started performing and writing on improv and sketch teams at UCB, iO West and Second City. A Script Anatomy alum—check out her testimonial video about Structure lab—she has written for "Robot Chicken" (Adult Swim) and was a fellow at The Colony, A3 (formerly Abrams) Agency's incubator for emerging writers. The execs at The Colony attached themselves as Producers to her pilot "Queen Bitch" about a socially challenged dog trainer. Sasha currently hosts a comedy podcast "Shut Up I Love It," competes in dog agility with her Champion Entlebucher Spoon and makes hospital visits with her therapy other Entlebucher Shark. These days, she rarely visits Siberia, using the lame excuse of “Once it's below 72 degrees, I'm dead.” She is repped by Bellevue Management, you can find her on IG @shutupiloveit1, or on Twitter at @shutupiloveit1. Visit primary sponsor Script Anatomy on the web: scriptanatomy.com Buying Final Draft screenwriting software? Use this link to support the podcast: tinyurl.com/BuyFinalDraft. You can help with the ongoing costs of bringing these weekly podcasts to you by becoming a patron of the podcast – for as little as 25¢ per episode! There are many reward levels. CLICK HERE to find out more. Buy Gray's book for only $4.99! Look for it on Amazon – How To Break In To TV Writing: Insider Interviews. Didn't get your questions asked? Make sure you follow Gray on Twitter (@GrayJones) so you can get the scoop on who is being interviewed and how to get your questions in. Also check out our TV Writer Twitter Database to find Twitter addresses for over 1,200 TV writers. Find previous episodes and other resources at www.tvwriterpodcast.com.

In this episode, Chris, Sam, and Jaymie pull a page from Truth in Comedy by Charna Halpern and dissect each and every word.   Here is the excerpt:   Every director has heard the dreaded, familiar "My character wouldn't do that." There is nothing a character won't do. When an actor discovers a new character in his personality, he must find what will make him go further — to do the unexpected. Developing characters proved to be one of the most useful elements of the Harold for Chris Farley when he moved on to Saturday Night Live. "I was able to come up with many different characters. In one Harold, I could do five characters, and maybe hone those just a little bit and try 'em again," says Farley. "There are so many different characters you can do in one given Harold — five characters can easily emerge."   KEY POINTS FOR CHAPTER NINE *Commit to the physical. *Let your environment affect you. *Be specific with your objects. *Reveal yourself through your character.

If This Is True would like to introduce you to Brian James O'Connell. You might know him from his directorial success with the movie Bloodsucking Bastards, or his TV success with Hell Den on SYFY, or his improv success with Dr. God, iO West and the Pack Theater. I'll bet you didn't know that BOC is a fan of modern Roman history, went to college with Captain America, and thinks about improv ALL THE TIME (It's true, he does). We recorded this on Say Day and touched on the importance of appreciating one another. BOC apologizes for the quality of his voice. I apologize for my editing skills. Otherwise, it's a damn good episode! If This Is True appreciates YOU! Enjoy the episode! --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/christopher-hall7/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/christopher-hall7/support

On this episode of ActorSpeak, Austin Basis speaks with actor Rachael Drummond (Shameless, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Bombshell, Jimmy Kimmel Live!). In Part 2, we discuss improv drama, Curb Your Enthusiasm, the generosity of William H. Macy, her obsession with Maggie Siff, Zen in the art of acting, and who she is vs. who she plays. With a BFA from Boston University, Rachael Drummond is an actor and improv comedienne whose credits include Shameless, Brooklyn Nine-Nine and Bombshell, and she can often be spotted in sketches on Jimmy Kimmel Live! As an improviser, Rachael has been on house Harold teams Trophy Wife at iO West, and Crush, at Upright Citizens Brigade- along with the indie team Dork Horse and the sketch team Strong Words- also at UCB. She also wrote & performed in the sketch show, Top Story! Weekly. At Acme Comedy, she'd perform regularly on stage with the improv shows The Armando and Lady Biker Gang. She's also completed the training program at The Groundlings, so her improv & sketch comedy background is extensive. And her work-ethic is unmatched! You may have also seen her in any number of national commercials, including for the Toyota Sienna aka the “Swagger Wagon.” Her other credits include: Great News, Speechless, Fresh Off the Boat, and Parks & Recreation on TV; and the films Bear City 3 and Killer Party. She's not only an extremely talented actress, comedienne & SuperMom, but she's also a friend. And she's the Hillary Clinton my Bernie Sanders...! WE AUDITION is a video-chat community where actors can audition, self-tape, rehearse, and get expert industry advice. USE promo code: ACTORSPEAK to get 25% off when joining at WeAudition.com

On this episode of ActorSpeak, Austin Basis speaks with actor Rachael Drummond (Shameless, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Bombshell, Jimmy Kimmel Live!). In Part 1, we talk acting technique, awkward adolescence, how she discovered improv comedy, and teachers Salem Ludwig, Alan Miller, and more! With a BFA from Boston University, Rachael Drummond is an actor and improv comedienne whose credits include Shameless, Brooklyn Nine-Nine and Bombshell, and she can often be spotted in sketches on Jimmy Kimmel Live! As an improviser, Rachael has been on house Harold teams Trophy Wife at iO West, and Crush, at Upright Citizens Brigade- along with the indie team Dork Horse and the sketch team Strong Words- also at UCB. She also wrote & performed in the sketch show, Top Story! Weekly. At Acme Comedy, she'd perform regularly on stage with the improv shows The Armando and Lady Biker Gang. She's also completed the training program at The Groundlings, so her improv & sketch comedy background is extensive. And her work-ethic is unmatched! You may have also seen her in any number of national commercials, including for the Toyota Sienna a.k.a. the “Swagger Wagon.” Her other credits include: Great News, Speechless, Fresh Off the Boat, and Parks & Recreation on TV; and the films Bear City 3 and Killer Party. She's not only an extremely talented actress, comedienne & SuperMom, but she's also a friend. And she's the Hillary Clinton my Bernie Sanders...! WE AUDITION is a video-chat community where actors can audition, self-tape, rehearse, and get expert industry advice. USE promo code: ACTORSPEAK to get 25% off when joining at WeAudition.com

In this episode, Chris, Sam, and Jaymie are joined by Craig Cackowski to discuss giving notes and other things.

This week on Yes But Why, we chat with writer/actor Gary Miceli and comedian/actor Noel Gibson. Gary Miceli and Noel Gibson came on the podcast to promote their new comedy series, Freshman Circus, streaming now on YouTube. Freshman Circus is a comedy web series about navigating freshman year in college in the world of online classes. Freshman Circus premiered on January 20th . New episodes come out every Wednesday! Actor, writer, producer and New York native Gary Miceli is an avid film and television lover. He is a graduate of Five Towns College where he earned a BFA in film & video studies. Early on, Gary started acting of course, and with that came his discovery of his ability to do different characters. He then developed that skill for mimicry into a strength, allowing him a talent for switching from one character to another in rapid succession. He took this rare ability to the stage in his one-man show based on "Star Wars: A New Hope", playing over 30 characters. He eventually would like to bring his voiceover talents to animation as well as continuing in front of the camera. Noel Gibson is an award-winning actor and an alumni improviser of Upright Citizens Brigade and iOWest. She still performs (as regularly as she can) with her all-women sketch team called Women of Color Anonymous. Noel was also a host on “PopFuzionTV” where she interviewed many celebrities including Terry Crews, Heather McDonald and Academy Award Winning Producer and Artist Common. With hundreds of acting jobs to her credit, she has worked in Film, Television, Theater, Radio, Commercials, Voiceover, and more. Noel is currently starring on a new kid show called “The Yippee Show” that runs on the Yippee platform, TBN network, and Youtube. In this episode, we talk about what drew us all to comedy. Noel and I are decidedly entertainers at heart. Gary is a strong storyteller, sharing not only his own stories but collecting stories from around the world and sharing them! Noel tells us about how she climbed to great heights to make music videos with her friends as a kid. Gary tells us how a trip to Planet Hollywood as a kid sparked his love for film memorabilia. We discuss how our improv training has helped us to work on collaborative projects! This was a great chat with some top notch creators! Support Gary and Noel in Freshman Circus! Available now on YouTube! New episodes come out every Wednesday! Support Gary by looking out for his forthcoming movie, “Fandemic.” Support Noel by watching her kids show, “The Yippee Show!” Yes But Why Podcast is a proud member of the HC Universal Network family of podcasts. Visit us at HCUniversalNetwork.com to join in on 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 episode of Yes But Why is also sponsored by PodcastCadet.com. Go to PodcastCadet.com and put in offer code YBY20 to get 20% off your first consultation!

Amber reacts to IO West's closing and tries to avoid feelings while Sean is intensely frustrated with himself, and Jamie wears a sweatshirt in public. Be sure to check out Pete Holmes' “Crashing” on HBO and read The Newyorker article, “Donald Glover Can't Save You”

Amber reacts to IO West's closing and tries to avoid feelings while Sean is intensely frustrated with himself, and Jamie wears a sweatshirt in public.Be sure to check out Pete Holmes' “Crashing” on HBO and read The Newyorker article, “Donald Glover Can't Save You”

On today's episode I talk to TV writer Annie Mebane. Originally from Florida, Annie came up in comedy at iOWest and UCBLA, performing on house improv teams at both theaters. As a writer, she's worked on a number of awesome shows including Happy Endings, Breaking In, Community, The Michael J. Fox Show, The Goldbergs, and currently the new Heathers series. This is the website for Beginnings, subscribe on iTunes, follow me on Twitter.

On today's episode I talk to writer and showrunner Joel Church-Cooper. Born in Sacramento, Joel grew up in Santa Cruz, and eventually made his way down to LA where he started taking classes and performing at UCB and IO West. As a TV writer, he started on shows like The Onion SportsDome, as well as Up All Night, Ground Floor and Undateable, among many others. Most recently, he created and showruns Brockmire on IFC, which is based on a Funny or Die webseries he made. This is the website for Beginnings, subscribe on iTunes, follow me on Twitter.