POPULARITY
What a wonderful opportunity to chat with the incredible musical improv genius, Mike Descoteaux. I've been lucky enough to call him a friend over a decade! He is a beloved teacher throughout the world. We even got to do a musical improv number! Mike Descoteaux is a music director, teacher, composer, improviser and airline pilot, apparently. He was creator and head of the Music Program at The Second City Training Center, music director of the Second City ETC stage in Chicago, and full-time artistic director/executive director of several New England nonprofit arts and comedy organizations. His work has been seen on NBC, A&E, WGN, WGBH and stages around the globe. He has “composed” and “conducted” over 1,000 completely improvised musicals with BLANK! the musical (Off-Broadway), Baby Wants Candy, Musical! the musical, and many others. In addition to teaching/performing at institutions like the Second City, iO, Comedy Sportz, the Annoyance, the Magnet, UCB, Northwestern University, and Columbia College, Mike has led workshops in improvisation, sketch, music direction, and music improv at festivals and theaters all over the world.
Jane Morris is the queen of improv comedy! Her story is as unique as she is!. Co-founder at Second City ETC, she has done more to advance the art of Improv than anyone else in the universe - and that's not hyperbole! She has performed and taught all over the world and currently teaches at The Fanatic Salon Theater in Culver City, California. The Fanatic has hosted many comic legends such as Conan O'Brien and Wayne Brady. Jane is a writer, director and a beloved member of the Improv community. Jane has so many movie and TV credits as an actor I can't possibly list them all. Her first film was "Nothing in Common" with Tom Hanks and Jackie Gleason. And in 2019 she was in "The Laundromat" with Meryl Streep and her husband, Jeff Michalski, who made a guest appearance on this show. She had a recurring role on "The Drew Carey Show". I was so fortunate to meet Jane in person this year and she is a warm and generous person. I know you'll enjoy getting to know here in this podcast. Websites and social links http://heavenhelpus.etsy.com/ http://ohmababy.etsy.com/ http://asksistermarymartha.blogspot.com/ https://twitter.com/janefmorris?lang=en Visit my website where I speak to today's leading innovators of improv. My guests are improvisers and therapists from all over the world who share their stories and offer insight into the unique ways they use improv. margotescott.com/podcast/
Anděl Sudik is a director, improviser, actor and writer based in L.A. and Chicago. She is an alum of Boom Chicago in Amsterdam and the Second City ETC in Chicago and has performed and teached all across the United States and Europe. Anděl and I talk about the relationship to failure, process vs product and when playfulness can be in the way. We talk about to make room for discovery and surprise, journaling and vulnerability. We are also talking about retreats, the improvisers flip switch and to never stop practicing.
Once known as the Harriet Tubman of comedy, (due to all the comics she shepherded into Los Angeles from Chicago), actor-director-writer-improviser (and co-founder of Second City Etc.) Jane Morris joins Kath and Jan in the studio as a last-minute, showbiz clutch replacement for a guest who was sick. We talk about her Mom's upbringing in an orphanage run by sadistic nuns and how when she married Jane's Dad, she created a magical life for her children, including food. We talk about Jane's favorite recipes and Jan lasers in on Mexican lasagna that will haunt her dreams. Kath talks about Jane's famous chicken pot pie recipe and Jane reveals she has to cook a little differently for her husband now. Also this: if you are an actor or a writer or an improviser or someone who wants to be any/all of those things, please check out their website: www.fanaticsalon.com You will immersed in a creative atmosphere like no other! We were so grateful Jane came over at the 11th hour for a chat – a great conversation – listen in!
Fan Favorites Laurel Krabacher and Lawrence Collerd are back to chat 'n 'prov about house hunting, child actors, and yards! Laurel and Lawrence perform together as Cherry Street. Laurel is currently a member of the Second City ETC performing in her https://www.secondcity.com/shows/chicago/the-best-decision-youve-ever-made/?tickets=&date=#schedule (second revue.) Performers:Laurel Krabacher Lawrence Collerd Tim Lyons (https://twitter.com/timlyons (@TimLyons)) Dan White (https://twitter.com/atdanwhite (@atdanwhite)) PlugsLaurel is currently performing in the Second City ETC's https://www.secondcity.com/shows/chicago/the-best-decision-youve-ever-made/?tickets=&date=#schedule (The Best Decision You've Ever Made) Lawrence recommends checking out a show at https://logansquareimprov.com (Logan Square Improv) Tim's https://www.twitch.tv/thirsttraptim (Twitch Channel) Support the pod! If you like the pod, please help us keep making it! Join our Patreon for an extended version of this episode, weekly bonus episodes, and additional premium content. https://my.captivate.fm/www.Patreon.com/improvisdead (www.Patreon.com/improvisdead)
My guest today is Second City performer Atra Asdou. I first saw Atra over two years ago when I visited Chicago and saw a Second City ETC show. I was really excited to talk to her about how she got her start in comedy and how she worked her way through the second city system. We talk about some of the cool improv shows she's worked on and what it's like to develop a sketch show for the ETC stage. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app
Rob was busy this week! So here's a rerun. From Nov 2019, episode 40, it's the fantastic Alex Bellisle! Follow Alex on instagram @ alexbellisle and see her the last Tuesday of each month with GIRLS NIGHT IN. Also, she's the newest member of the Second City ETC. Like what we do? Support our PATREON As always, please rate, review, and subscribe.
Andrew Knox (@SoftKnox) joins us in the BundleDome this week! He's an LA based comedian via Chicago where he did some amazing shows on the Second City ETC and Mainstage! In lieu of an organization, Andrew wanted to call attention to Daunte Wright, the 20 year old who was murdered by Minneapolis cops. He and his gf have a 2 year old and now she’s left to support him on her own. Please consider donating directly to her CashApp, her name is Chyna and the handle is $hubby98. This week we played.. A Mortician's Tale Nigel Cascadio
Join me today to meet Jay Sukow, who has been performing scripted and improvised work professionally for over 20 years. Jay has trained with improv legends that include Stephen Colbert, Steve Carell, Jon Favreau, David Razowsky, Keith Johnstone, Dick Schaal, Del Close and Mick Napier. Jay is a faculty member of The Second City and has performed regularly as part of their “Those Who Can’t” Faculty Jam. He taught and coached teams at iO Chicago, where he was also head of its artistic committee, ComedySportz Chicago, Club Med International, Illinois State University, the New Orleans Improv Festival, the Phoenix Long Form Improv Festival, the C-U Improv Festival, and The Chicago Improv Festival, among others. Jay teaches improv to people from every walk of life, from beginning students to executives at Fortune 100 companies. He was an ensemble member of ComedySportz Chicago and several teams at iO Chicago and has performed at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, the Del Close Marathon, the C/U Improv Festival and the New Orleans Improv Festival. Jay has been a guest performer at Boom Chicago, the Second City, the Second City ETC, the Second City Northwest and Messing with a Friend. Jay has written, produced and been a cast member of the narrative features “American Legacy” and directed “Trubadeuax: A Restaurant Movie,” both of which feature improvised dialogue within a scripted storyline.
On this week's episode, James and Rob sit down with the nicest guy in Chicago: Mark Campbell. They talk about music improv, the Second City ETC process, comfortability, playing the set, and Ship Talk. See Mark in the Second City ETC's 43rd revue Grinning from Fear to Fear. Following him on instagram @ markthecampbell and on twitter @ themarkcampbell As always, please rate, review and subscribe!
Who is Jeff Michalski: JEFF MICHALSKI Improv practitioner, teacher, and actor, he is featured in over thirty films, most recently The Laundromat playing opposite Meryl Streep. He has taught all forms of improvisation for over twenty years, as well as developed his own long-form techniques. He has performed across the United States, Canada, and Ireland in theatres and nightclubs and has directed Second City companies in Chicago, Los Angeles, Kilkenny, and Toronto. Founder of the Second City ETC, he also helped create the Second City Training Program in Chicago and Los Angeles. As a producer, director and performer, he has worked with Dan Castellaneta, Chris Farley, Amy Sedaris, Mike Meyer, Steven Colbert, Ryan Stiles, and many more. Jeff worked in comedy clubs across the country with the Original Comedy Rangers and was a member of the Groundling in Los Angeles before settling with the Chicago Second City in 1980. During his years with the Second City, Mr. Michalski studied with Paul Sills and his historic Story Theatre. While traveling the country with Second City's National Touring Company he continued training with Second City founder Paul Sills, and artistic directors Del Close, Fred Kaz and Bernie Sahlins. Jeff has also written for comedians and television shows including Emo Phillips and "Exit 57". He has also been a director of the Cats’ Laugh International Comedy Festival in Kilkenny, Ireland. Who is The Real Deal: The Real Deal is a spiritual teacher to the Hollywood elite who believes we are all holograms, His influences by Marshal McCluhan, Joyce and Chompsky although he is completely original.
Who is Jane Morris: Jane Morris is the Johnny Appleseed of comedy clubs, having opened the Chicago Comedy Showcase, the Second City ETC, Upfront Comedy, the Comedy Underground and currently managing the fanaticSalon in Culver City. She's has most recently been seen in Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Shameless, I Am the Night and will soon be seen opposite Meryl Streep in The Laudromat. She teaches a writing for performance workshop at the fanticSalon every Wednesday evening and performs live at the venue of a very regular basis. Write Work with Jane Morris. Who is God: God is the supreme or ultimate reality: such as. a: the Being perfect in power, wisdom, and goodness who is worshipped as creator and ruler of the universe... to some people. How to show love to Project Woo Woo: Click here to buy Lisa a cup of joe. This episode was also supported by Amazon. Click on this link --> Amazon any time you need to make an Amazon purchase. A small percentage of your purchase will support the show (no extra cost to you). I receive an affiliate commission from some of the links above. Go get your free be happier than all your friends morning routine over here --> Project Woo Woo Listen to Lisa's other podcasts at Love Bites & Honestly Lisa
Jane Morris has improvised, written, performed, and directed shows around the world. Beginning in Chicago, where she helped found the Second City ETC with her husband Jeff Michalski, and later from her own theaters in Los Angeles, no one has done more to advance the art of improvisation than Jane. As an actress with over 58 credits to her name she is best known for her roles in Raising Helen, True Lies, Frankie and Johnny and recently in Veep. As a director Jane was nominated for a 1988 Joseph Jefferson Award for Director of a Revue for "Channel This" at the Second City Theatre in Chicago, Illinois. Jane conducts a solo performance workshop that takes original work from idea to staging, to performing. The class works with actors and writers at any level of the process, whether they are just getting started, or almost ready to mount a whole solo show. Her workshop has produced 9 original shows and every participant has finished work. http://scholarsy.blogspot.com/2017/04/jane-morris-explains-improvisation-and.html https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0606623/ http://janemorriswritework.blogspot.com/
On this week's episode, James and Rob sit down with Second City director Anneliese Toft. They talk about general auditions, how scenes work, how to "argue" with your scene partner, and being an adult. You can see more of Anneliese's work in the Second City ETC's 43rd revue Grinning from Fear to Fear. As always, please rate, review, and share!
On this week's episode, James and Rob sit down with an absolute gem: Laurel Krabacher. They talk about themes, failed sketches, the writing process within Second City and other theatres, and Bravo's Real Housewives. You can see Laurel in the Second City ETC's 43rd revue Grinning from Fear to Fear As always, please rate, review, and subscribe!
This week, James and Rob sit down with EJ Cameron to talk about Pauly Shore, dealing with odd suggestions, scooping grounds, and ship life. Following EJ on twitter @ EJ_Cam19 and see him live on stage in the upcoming Second City ETC 43rd revue. As always please rate, review, and subscribe!
On our first episode, James and Rob sit down with Andrew Knox. We talk body listening, hot names, talking to deer, and prawns. See Andrew Knox live on the Second City ETC stage and follow him on twitter at @ softknox Please rate, review, and subscribe! Follow the hosts @ duganitright and @ robgrabo
Andel Sudik is an incredible improviser and teacher. She has performed all over the United States with The Second City Touring Company and in Europe with Boom Chicago, and she travels the world improvising and teaching. We talked to her about how she creates her wonderful characters on stage, what she learned about herself after being fired from the Second City ETC cast, and auditioning for Saturday Night Live.
This week we’re joined by Jane Morris and Jeff Michalski, founders of The Second City ETC and the self-described Johnny Appleseeds of comedy clubs. We talk about history, the future and their current comedy home, the Fanatic Salon.
Dee Ryan was a member of The Second City Etc., where she did three revues back in the late '90s. In LA, she performed with the amazing group Stacey's Not Here and the award-winning The All Girl Revue. She currently teaches long form to film students at Northwestern. We talked to her about how having brothers prepared her for a life in improv, how she over came working with difficult people and how she approaches characters.
Second City Mainstage cast member Rashawn Nadine Scott’s story plays like one of those great, classic show biz tales of a girl with a dream. "I made a plan, and then a few months later, here I was with four duffle bags," she told the Chicago Tribune when they named her one of the hot new faces of 2015. From the minute she stepped off the bus from her hometown of Tacoma Washington (it probably wasn’t a bus, but this is a showbiz story) she’s made wonderful things happen for herself in short order. She was a recipient of the Second City’s Bob Coury Fellowship, a cast member of the wonderfully experimental and highly successful collaboration between Second City and Hubbard Street Dance, “The Art of Falling.” Then after understudying for the touring company, she joined the Second City ETC cast, jumping shortly after that to the Mainstage. And that’s where she is now, performing in Second City’s 104th revue, “Fool Me Once, De Ja Vu.” We talk to Rashawn about her big dreams, about the ones that have come true, and the ones that still remain to be seen. Also on the show, a song by our comedy bluegrass idols from Monkey’s Crevice, West Virginia, The Famous Brothers.
Second City veterans Peter Murrieta and Jaime Moyer join Horatio and Chad to reflect on the fire that consumed the Second City Chicago offices. We go back in time and hear a scene with Horatio, Craig Cackowski and Matt Dwyer from the mid 90s Second City ETC stage as tribute, and by the way, the Cubs threw a no hitter, we were there and HOLY COW! The show title is a tribute to Edmund, who has made coffee at Second City for decades and is a primordial twin of that building. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Frank Caeti is an alum of Mad TV and The Second City ETC and is known for his acclaimed sketch work with Matt Craig as FrankenMatt. Frank chats with Jimmy about his near brush with SNL, working on Mad TV and why he continues to love to improvise. Of course, there's some great improv too. Thanks for listening!
Matthew Craig is a professional improvisor, actor, writer, and director. He is an alum of The Second City in Chicago, having performed in their Resident Company for over three years on both their Mainstage and their ETC theaters. He spent several years traveling the world with their touring company and has worked for their corporate training division as a writer/ performer/ instructor/ director for over fifteen years. Matt began his career at Washington University with the troupe Mama's Pot Roast. Previous theater credits include The Annoyance, iO, iOWest, Disney Cruise Lines, Brave New Workshop, The Second City Touring Company, The Second City ETC, and The Second City Mainstage. Matt fills his days with occasional commercial, voiceover, and television work, appearing on “The Office,” “According to Jim,” and on “Mobbed”, where Matt, an ordained minister, marries unsuspecting couples. He teaches improvisation and sketch writing at Second City Hollywood and performs all about town with his two-man improv group FrankenMatt. (www.frankenmatt.com) Most recently, Matt worked as a writer on “Saturday Night Live” during the 2010-2011 season. He currently resides in Los Angeles. Also, I went to school with him and he thought my dad was like Mike Brady.
Brendan Jennings is beloved in Chicago for his work on the Second City ETC stage and with Cook County Social Club. In 2012 he was invited to perform on the new faces in comedy at the Montreal Just For Laughs festival. In this episode, Brendan sits down with Jimmy to discuss why he still gets nervous around teenagers and how being a father has changed the way he approaches his career.