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. When he was diagnosed his life stopped, but only momentarily. He started learning Improv at the TightRope theatre in Canada. He recently had DBS, Deep Brain Stimulation, which has helped him regain many of the abilities he lost with PD. He is truly an inspiration and a real hero!
Listen here for Larry’s incredible journey! Larry Gifford-PD Avengers
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 really interesting things, like music, film and media reviews. His faithful dog, Radio, is also featured every week.
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 Morris and Margot Escott
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 her in this podcast.
Episode 165Dr. Jeanne Leep. Meet 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 University of Michigan and Wayne State College. Her best-selling book, “Theatrical Improvisation: Short Form, Long Form, and Sketch-Based Improv” is a classic book on the history of improv and sketch comedy that clearly defines this often ambiguous topic. The forward was written by Jeanne’s friend Keegan Michael Key.
Episode 164 Michelle 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 Sportz show when she was 14 and was hooked! She was inspired to learn this art form and she did! She met Dick Chudnow, founder of Comedy Sportz Milwaukee, the first CS theatre in this country, he let her volunteer until she was old enough to work there! She did tasks like writing 300 name tags, with the benefit of watching many shows. It’s a great way to learn and eventually teach!
Margot Escott, LCSW, and Michelle Gilliam
Episode 163 Kathy 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 industry. Kathy brings out the laughter in those she’s touched. She positively is keeping it human! I know you’ll love her as much as I do!
Check out her book “Stop Boring Me!” How to Create Kick-Ass Marketing Content, Products and Ideas Through the Power of Improv.”
Visit my websitewhere I speak to today’s leading innovators of improv. My guests are improvisers and therapists worldwide who share their stories and offer insight into the unique ways they use improv. You may enjoy hearing from improv teachers and innovators including Colin Mochrieand David Pasquesi*Improv Interviews podcast‘ is introduced by Susan L. Parker of yourinternationalvoice.com
Episode 162 Sarah McGillion is an amazing improviser with a Master in Artificial Intelligence, We chat about her childhood in Ireland and her incredible sense of curiosity that took her down many paths. But her love for acting and comedy brought her back to improv where she is beloved by all who know her!
She is a brilliant performer who runs a company in Denmark called Inconspicuous where she teaches Applied Improv to businesses, produces and performs in improv shows, and offers classes for improvisers. Sarah brings a unique blend of creativity and technical expertise to her work. She is an award-winning actress and improviser and is passionate about showcasing spontaneous comedy in a variety of venues across Copenhagen.
Visit my websitewhere I speak to today’s leading innovators of improv. My guests are improvisers and therapists worldwide who share their stories and offer insight into the unique ways they use improv. You may enjoy hearing from improv teachers and innovators including Colin Mochrieand David Pasquesi*Improv Interviews podcast‘ is introduced by Susan L. Parker of yourinternationalvoice.com
Episode 161: Meet the hysterically funny Aaron Krebs. I can’t remember laughing this much in a podcast since, well… never! He knows the value of friendship and loyalty. While at UMASS, Amherst his buddies, and he created an improv group Mission Improvable.
In 2000, they began touring their short-form comedy show and in 2001 they performed at NACA (National Association for Campus Activities) and hit it big! They began performing shows at colleges across the country and eventually had to hire more guys and a van to travel in named “Vanarky.” Then they hired a second generation of touring improvisers, then a third, a fourth, and on and on and on… and this show has stood the test of time and is one of the longest-running improv shows in the US today.
They were fortunate to be coached by the fabulous improv guru Liz Allen. They moved to Chicago in 1998 and continued to learn and perform the art of improvisation.
On April 1st, 2009, Mission IMPROVable bought Westside Comedy Theater. Theatre. They embraced the stand-up and improv community and started a training center. Some of the many great comedians who have performed at Westside include Dave Chappelle, Adam Sandler, Dana Carvey, Judd Apatow, Zach Galifianakis, Tig Notaro, Demetri Marin, Bobcat Goldthwait, and Lorraine Newman.
Most recently Aaron and his MI buddies transitioned to their next endeavor – opening the Inkwell Tavern, in January 2023 in Burbank. The Inkwell Tavern was created to be a place where writers and other folks in the film industry could relax in an environment that had great drinks and food. It’s already getting terrific ratings from its patrons.
So where is Aaron Krebs going next? Who knows? But wherever he is, laughter and great fellowship will be there!
Visit my website where I speak to today’s leading innovators of improv. My guests are improvisers and therapists worldwide who share their stories and offer insight into the unique ways they use improv. You may enjoy hearing from improv teachers and innovators including Colin Mochrieand David Pasquesi*Improv Interviews podcast‘ is introduced by Susan L. Parker of yourinternationalvoice.com
Episode 160: 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 Tashika and Steve Pilloff and it was fabulous.
Tashika began improvising in 2027 in Baltimore, Maryland, and was originally from Charlotte, North Carolina. We chatted about the first plays she wrote in elementary school that her younger sister would perform in. She continued her love of theatre but didn’t see that could be a “career”. When she was introduced to improv, she knew she’d found her home.
Tashika is a founding member of the award-winning independent troupe Cake Walk and where that term came from. Tashika has headlined festivals across the US and coordinated the first Improv festival dedicated to Black Improvisers in the DMV. She is a much sought-after. Coach, teacher, and workshop facilitator.
You can see her work in this 2021 YouTube video from Highwire Improv and the Black Improv Alliance showcasing Baltimore area Black improv and sketch comedy. https://youtu.be/M481elrUioM?si=lvKDll7edGF_NMbI I know you’ll love learning more about Tashika! Visit my website where I speak to today’s leading innovators of improv. My guests are improvisers and therapists worldwide who share their stories and offer insight into the unique ways they use improv. You may enjoy hearing from improv teachers and innovators including Colin Mochrieand David Pasquesi*Improv Interviews podcast‘ is introduced by Susan L. Parker of yourinternationalvoice.com
Episode 159: What a delight to meet the fantastic Rob Norman in Toronto, Canada. We chatted about his improv journey and how he started teaching improv before he took any classes! While in high school he asked his mother to go to the library and get a book on improv and she came back with “Truth in Comedy” by Charna Halpern, Del Close, and Kim Johnson. We also discussed Improv History in Canada, of which he is an expert!
Rob is a beloved improviser /instructor/editor/writer/podcaster. He is the author of IMPROVISING NOW: A Practical Guide to Modern Improvwhich is currently being translated into Spanish, Chinese, and Latvian. You can find it on Amazon. His book is a definite “must” for the improvisers’ library. His new book, “Future Favors the Bold” will be released in November 2023.
He is a Second City alumni and has directed both the National Touring Company and Second at Sea. In addition to hosting and producing the weekly improv podcast, THE BACKLINE, Rob is a Canadian Comedy Award for Best Improv Troupe, and Canadian Screen Award for his performance on CityTV’ Sunnyside. Rob also produced the critically acclaimed, improvised horror series LIMITED CAPACITY for CBC Radio. His new series
Visit my website where I speak to today’s leading innovators of improv. My guests are improvisers and therapists worldwide who share their stories and offer insight into the unique ways they use improv. You may enjoy hearing from improv teachers and innovators including Colin Mochrieand David Pasquesi*Improv Interviews podcast‘ is introduced by Susan L. Parker of yourinternationalvoice.com
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. When he was diagnosed his life stopped, but only momentarily. He started learning Improv at the TightRope theatre in Canada. He recently had DBS, Deep Brain Stimulation, which has helped him regain many of the abilities he lost with PD. He is truly an inspiration and a real hero!
Episode 167 – Chris Mead
Episode 166 – Jane Morris
Episode 165 Dr. Jeanne Leep. Meet 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. 
Episode 164 Michelle 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.
Episode 163 Kathy 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 industry. Kathy brings out the laughter in those she’s touched. She positively is keeping it human! I know you’ll love her as much as I do!
Episode 162 Sarah McGillion is an amazing improviser with a Master in Artificial Intelligence, We chat about her childhood in Ireland and her incredible sense of curiosity that took her down many paths. But her love for acting and comedy brought her back to improv where she is beloved by all who know her!
Episode 161: Meet the hysterically funny Aaron Krebs. I can’t remember laughing this much in a podcast since, well… never! He knows the value of friendship and loyalty. While at UMASS, Amherst his buddies, and he created an improv group Mission Improvable.
Episode 160: 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 Tashika and Steve Pilloff and it was fabulous.
Episode 159: What a delight to meet the fantastic Rob Norman in Toronto, Canada. We chatted about his improv journey and how he started teaching improv before he took any classes! While in high school he asked his mother to go to the library and get a book on improv and she came back with “Truth in Comedy” by Charna Halpern, Del Close, and Kim Johnson. We also discussed Improv History in Canada, of which he is an expert!