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 cr…

Welcome back to the Billy Merritt podcast, Part 2! Billy shares his journey in LA and his return to FL. So grateful to have the opportunity to interview this improv great!Autor: Margot Escott

Billy Merritt is an improviser, director, actor and all round great guy! Co-author of one of the best books on improv "Pirate Ninja Robot: An Improv Fable" with Will Hines. I've had the great fortune to be studying with him lately on his BIT comedy podcasts and it is a real trip! He is a founding member of The Swarm, and UCB. As a teacher Billy has…

What a wonderful experience getting to know Vinny Francois! He is a delightful person and we had such fun on this podcast. Vinny has over 25 years experience as a professional improviser in both English and French. He's a founding director of Improv College, Camp Zipzap (an improv camp for adults), was the Executive Producer of Mprov: The Montreal …

David Raitt is an improviser, author and sketch comedian from Toronto. David shares his unique improv story starting in high school and having a troupe that was together for years! He has been performing and teaching improv for over 25 years. After acquiring degrees in Cognitive Science and then Law, he started taking improv classes at The Second C…

Listen to Part 2 of our interview with the fabulous BJ Lange. He has devoted his life to service of others.When a cancer diagnosis forced BJ, a former Air Force Reserve medic, onto the Temporary Disability Retired List in 2016, comedy and improv helped pull him through. Now he’s using those same skills to help veterans overcome their disabilities.D…

BJ Lange is a very funny man who has survived many health and life issues but continues to find the bright side of life! When a cancer diagnosis forced BJ, a former Air Force Reserve medic, onto the Temporary Disability Retired List in 2016, comedy and improv helped pull him through. Now he’s using those same skills to help veterans overcome their …

Listen to the amazing Larry Gifford, found of the PD Avengers - a patient-led organization, united in the purpose of ending Parkinson's disease. We raise awareness, engagement and hope. This site has an enormous collection of resources and hope for folks with PD. Larry has had an extraordinary life in sports radio broadcast in the US and Canada. Wh…

What a great experience getting to chat with Chris Mead in the UK. He is an experienced improviser, teacher, director and author. He was part of the renowned Maydays for many years and an artistic director at the Nursery.Chris authors a fabulous weekly newsletter, Improv Fables. His newsletter is chock full of great info for improvisers and other r…

Meet the very funny and prolific writer, Matt Fotis. Matt is an Associate Professor of Theatre at Albright College, where he teaches improvisation, comedy studies, and writing for performance. He is the author of Satire & The State: Sketch Comedy and the Presidency (Routledge 2020), Long Form Improvisation and American Comedy: The Harold (Palgrave …

Meet the amazing Troels Andersen Kjar.Troels was born, raised, and based in Copenhagen, Denmark. His love of storytelling was kindled as a teenager when he was introduced to Dungeons and Dragons, which he has been playing ever since. 7 years ago he discovered improv by chance, and, like many others, fell in love with the artform. As a performer his…

Gillian Bellinger is a beloved improviser, teacher and actor. She founded the now thriving Misfit Improv and Acting School in Asheville, N.C. which just celebrated its one year anniversary.I had met Gillian during the pandemic with our mutual friend, Jay Sukow. We reconnected recently at the Sketch School with Marc Warzecha in Sketch 101 and I knew…

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 Fan…

Dr. Jeanne Leep – Improv NerdMeet the brilliant author and professor, Dr. Jeanne Leep. Jeanne played improv in Grand Rapids, Michigan and went on to pursue a Ph.D. in Theatre. I had the good fortune to play with Jeanne recently and was awed by her spontaneity and joy.She went to high school with our mutual friend Jay Sukow and then went on to the U…

The Marvelous Michelle J. GilliamMichelle Gilliam is a beautiful person-inside and out! We have been friends for several years and I was delighted to have her as a guest.Michelle grew up in Milwaukee in a loving and supportive family. During one family gathering, at age 4, she got her first big laugh and knew what her path would be!She saw a Comedy…

Kathy Klotz-Guest, MA, MBA KEEPING IT HUMANKathy Klotz-Guest is an incredibly funny lady and we had so much fun on this podcast! Her energy is boundless and her passion for the people she serves is lovely. She is a comedian, storyteller, improviser, speaker and author.Listen as Kathy shares her comedy journey with a stopover in the tech industries.…

Sarah McGillion an amazing improviser with a Master in Artificial Intelligence! She runs a company in Denmark called Inconspicuous where she teaches Applied Improv to businesses, produces and performs in improv shows, and offer classes for improvisers.She is an award-winning actress and improvisers and passionate about showcasing spontaneous comedy…

Meet the hysterically funny Aaron Krebs. I can’t remember laughing this much in a podcast since-well never! Among his many accomplishments he and his college buddies created the enormously successful improv show, Mission Improvable which continues to wow college audience. On April 1st, 2009 Mission IMPROVable bought Mi’s Westside Comedy Theater. Th…

I had the good fortune to meet Tashika Campbell a few years ago when she was covering a class for Jay Sukow. I loved her energy, compassion and brilliance then and I still do today. In 2023 I studied with she and Steve Pilloff and it was fabulous.Tashika began improvising in 2027 in Baltimore, Maryland and was originally from Charlotte, North Carol…

What a delight to meet the fantastic Rob Norman in Toronto, Canada. Rob is a beloved improviser/instructor/writer/ podcaster. Rob is author of IMPROVISING NOW: A Practical Guide to Modern Improv which is currently being translated into Spanish, Chinese, and Latvian. He is a Second City alumni and has directed both the National Touring Company and S…

After taking a workshop with Jill Eickmann I was so delighted to chat with her. Jill's teaching is incredibly supportive and validating! Jill Eickmann, MA, LMFT, is San Francisco’s Leela Improvisational Theater's Co-Founder, Artistic Director, and Director of Corporate Training. Training.Informed by her diverse training and experience, Jill designe…

What a gift to chat with Alrinthea Carter, writer, improviser, photographer and so much more. A truly renaissance artist. She had recently moved from Greenville, S.C. to LA for a writing position at the beginning of the WGA strike when we spoke. But that didn't diminish her sense of humor and joyful life.Alrinthea grew up in Europe with wonderfully…

Meet the incredible Marc Warzecha who founded the online Sketch School https://www.thesketchschool.com/I met Mark this spring when I took Comedy Sketch Writing 101. It was so fantastic that I too all 3 levels and loved it. Marc is a compassionate and highly competent teacher and his classes are always informative and fun!With two decades at THE SEC…

Meet award winning storyteller and improviser Kevin McGeehan. In our interview Kevin shares his improv journey in a touching, funny and very honest way. He speaks about his love for his mother and other family members and has a huge heart!He is a 9-time Moth winner and won the 2019 Grand Moth Championship.Visit my website where I speak to today's l…

Andrew Ritter taught improv and musical improv at Second City Chicago. We chatted about his introduction to musical improv with our mutual friend the brilliant Michael Descoteaux. One of his students was the musical improviser and artistic director of Boom Chicago, Stacey Smith He developed a children’s show called, “The Greatest Story Never Told” …

MONIKA OZDARSKAMonika is a Warsaw-based improviser and a warm and brilliant spirit. We talked about her journey from Middle Eastern Archeology to Graphic Design to Improv.She recalled the tremendous impact that the Barcelona Improv Festival had on her and thrust her into global improv.“WePolak” is the incredible performance show she co-stars in wit…

Liz Allen is truly an improv legend. She is a sought after improv coach. In fact, for several years I’ve wanted to study with her but whenever I tried to sign up for an online class - they were full! Learning about her improv journey, philosophy and insight into this art form was truly a gift!Liz is an improviser and teacher who, among other things…

Ted Waltmire was a librarian, pianist and community musical director until his life completely changed in 2009 when he suffered a stroke and lost the ability to play the piano with his left hand. After many years of rehab therapies his friend Dale Galiniak who worked for him at the library suggested Improv. He had an “aha” moment when he realized t…

I had the good fortune to take an improv class with the wonderful Frank Cieta and what a great experience that was. Frank Cieta is a recognizable face to those who loved Madtv and his Captain Kangaroo sketches on the Jimmy Kimmel Show. He is a fantastic and always fun improviser. Frank shares his improv and comedy journey and we had a lot of laughs…

Shaun Landry is a veteran actor and improviser who owns The Ledge Theatre in LA. She is an accomplished writer and teacher who is beloved by her students. Join us as we explore her life journey and the challenges she dealt with as a woman of color in improv and the performing arts.Visit my website where I speak to today's leading innovators of impr…

Welcome to Part 2 of our chat with the wonderful Bill Chott. We had so much to talk about and continue learning about Bill and his story. In Part 2, Bill shares his struggles with obesity and how he has overcome it today.Visit my website where I speak to today's leading innovators of improv. My guests are improvisers and therapists from all over th…

Bill Chott is a fabulous human being who is a writer, improviser and actor. And a very hardworking one! He is an alumnae of ComedySportz, IO and Second City. He toured with the Second City troupe in the '90's. He played with many well-known improvisers and his talent with musical improv is second to none! In our chat we explore this career which in…

Meet the fabulous Katy Schutte.Katy is a well respected improviser, comedian, director,teacher and author and we had an in-depth dialogue about her career. We spoke about her philosophy on improv and life and our mutual challenges with anxiety. Her book, The Improviser’s Way: A Longform Workbook" has been an essential read for improvisers around th…

Welcome back, an encore with Bright Su. He is an improv coach based in San Jose, Ca, USA, and the author of Ji Xing Xi Ju (May 2020), the first complete improv book originally written in Chinese. He is the current Editor-in-Chief of Applied Improvisation Magazine. In this episode, we talk about Improvisation and Spirituality. He says: “Improvisatio…

David Razowky is a beloved improv performer, coach, director and author. His new book, A Subversive's Guide to Improvisation, has received rave reviews from improvisers around the world. I first met David in 2017 and was delighted to catch up with him to talk about his writing process and life in theatre. He is such a delightful and fun person. I k…

Meet the Fabulous Erin Diehl, co-founder of Improveit! She helps clients eliminate barriers to collaboration, communication, and leadership. Improved help teams build sustainable relationships that move business forward, through humor and improvisational comedy. She shares her acting & improv journey and how she became an entrepreneur using her inc…

Bright Su – Let’s do VIP and 4D.Meet my dear friend, Bright Su. He is an extraordinary person and I am so glad to have him as a good fiend.Bright Su is an improv coach based in San Jose, Ca, USA, and the author of Ji Xing Xi Ju (May 2020), the first complete improv book originally written in Chinese. He is the current Editor-in-Chief of Applied Imp…

Listen to this fascinating chat with Jim Robinson and Joy Glasser. Jim teaches improvisation and mental health at Mental Health Resources in Minneapolis. As a Fulbright Specialist in Pakistan, Jim brought his course “Improvisation and Mental Health'' to universities and psychology training centers in Islamabad and Lahore. He has taught these course…

Phil Faiss is a wonderful improviser, actor, writer and host of Netflix with Phil. To learn more about him check his social media at: Book: Phil-O-Weenhttps://a.co/d/6A6R6DjFacebook: Philoweenhttps://www.facebook.com/philoweenInstagram: @philoweenhttps://www.instagram.com/philoweenTikTok: @philoween_trendshttps://bit.ly/3xysC9NTwitter: @philoweensh…

Karla Dingle is an amazing actor and improviser who started the Queen City Comedy in Charlotte, NC, a live and online theatre that has a global community. Karla shares her acting and improv journey and the struggles she survived to arrive where she is today. Karla is beloved around the world and her theatre offers classes with top improvisers.…

Cheryl Sloane was literally raised at Second City Chicago since her mother, Joyce Sloane, was the beloved maternal powerhouse in the origins of The Second City. Joyce Sloane was the woman who found and nurtured such comedy giants as John Belushi, Gilda Radner, Chris Farley, and Bill Murray, She was described as a "den mother" to the actors and staf…

Molly Erdman is a seasoned improviser, starting in high school and being on MainStage and cruise for Second City. She moved from Chicago to LA and pursued her acting career and continued in improv. She is currently getting a master's in counseling and working with children in a school city. We chat about her transition in life and what led her ther…

Jay Sukow - Part 2 by Margot EscottAutor: Margot Escott

Rap it with me by Margot EscottAutor: Margot Escott

Jay Sukow is one of the most respected and beloved improv teachers today. He shares his childhood with a nurturing family and how he became the man he is. His parents gave him a ticket to his first Improv class and he found his passion. He studied at Second City, IO, and Comedy Sports. Jay shares a wonderful story of spending an afternoon with Davi…

Peter Felsman, PhD - Improviser, Social Worker, Researcher by Margot EscottAutor: Margot Escott

Meet my brilliant friend, Amy Seham. She wrote the groundbreaking feminist look at Improv in her 2001 book “Whose Improv is it Anyway?” and is currently working on her updated sequel coming out this summer. Amy is a remarkable person, a historian, author, improviser, actor, director, playwright and so much more. In our interview, she talks about th…

Meet the wonderful Matthew Tolliver PhD and his good friend Emily. He has been using applied improv with many groups, like First Responders and schools. He is a dedicated scholar and has created a model for Cognitive Complexity. I know you'll enjoy listening and learning from him.Autor: Margot Escott

Nathan Keeates on Improv and Anxiety by Margot EscottAutor: Margot Escott

Kenn Adams by Margot EscottAutor: Margot Escott