David is Curious

I recorded this interview with Sally Moss weeks ago, and I am still thinking about it. One thing that we talk about in this interview is how capitalism is causing us all trauma - in small but very consistent ways. I have been thinking about that alot. The other day, I was thinking about how grocery stores are becoming more and more overwhelming. Every product is trying to get your attention. The m...

I have had the absolute pleasure of improvising with Sally Moss for years now. She is clever, creative and empathetic. The concepts she comes up with on the spot shows her innate ability for super imaginative ideas. As you will be able to tell from the interview, Sally is also very empathetic. She takes her work for connecting with others offstage in into her life. She makes the world a better pla...

Chris Mead is being interviewed. This interview takes place on the train in London. I am so lucky because I consider Chris a great improv influence and a friend. His work in the improv practice constantly folds in new improv voices and people from underrepresented groups. I have had the pleasure of doing improv with him, taking a class from him, taking a class with him, seeing him perform and even...

I am so happy to have gotten to do this interview. Greg Metacalf's perspective on improv is kind, analytical and spot on.  I love the lessons he casually shares - like "throw it forward" from his coach. I love the insights (improv related or not) that he shares on social media. Whenever Greg comments on an Improv Boost post, I am always excited to see what he offers.    In the future, I want to ge...

Margot Escott, LCSW, has been an advocate for play since 1970. She has worked as a psychotherapist for over 35 years and currently works with people with Parkinson's Disease. Her spaces for play have had adults connect to one another and even themselves. I am a huge fan of her podcast ( Improv Interviews ), where she has interviewed SO MANY people.  It may be the most exhaustive cannon of improv p...

Katy Schutte has finished her MA and it is good.  The title of her thesis is: The Welsh Bed and Breakfast Ghost Story: How Ystrad House's Oral Family History Encapsulates a Broader Culture of Haunted Transitional Places. And it is a wonderful exploration of weird, eerie, legend, and ghosts. What she researches is just as neat as how she researched it.  Katy is a wonderful improv teacher and more t...

Stu Hughes (Grass Dens), Ange Langley (Broken Chair) and me (TOGETHER!) do a short improv set in Chester at That Beer Place. After which we have a discussion about improv.   I am so lucky I get to do improv with people of this caliber. Hearing the audio of the set brings back such great moments. Sure, that thing you always hear is true: "you had to be there."  Improv is best when the performers an...

I interviewed Stephen (steh-fahn) Lee and I feel like I want to interview him again. Stephen is producing the sort of improv I want to see, and be a part of.  It is a soft touch with a huge impact. Sometimes we fall into this feeling of "I just want to do improv" not realizing that the access to "just improv" is not equal for everyone!  People from some groups do not get the same opportunities to...

Do you ever see someone in an improv class and think to yourself , "that person is really good?" Or maybe you see a newer improviser and notice that all their moves are going to support the collective story (rather than poach for punchline or out of fear of looking silly)?  From the first class at the Unity Center in Chester, I noticed Tracy was not only willing to be silly but also willing to be...

KARLA .... DINGLE   Karla Dingle   DO YOU HEAR ME?!? I was so happy that Karla made time for us to do this interview (time differences can be tough).  I am so impressed with Karla's drive to produce high-quality improv events.  I have been lucky enough to have Karla as a teacher, teammate and friend. Karla is an authentic person. Which is different from being "always positive regardless of the sit...

Ali James is a fantastic mind in the improv world and I am so lucky to have been able to chat with her more. I not only love her style but her approach to improv. I am super interested in the work of Pretend Improv in London and she is the third co-producer in that company.   You can catch Ali in The Play's the Thing , a super talented cast of Shakespearean improv actors. Their accents and cadance...

This episode I interview my son.  He tells a couple of stories, sings a song, and calls me a "poop."  This may be more a "vanity project" but I'm curious for my future self. I think that 15 years from now, re-listening to this episode will be super interesting. To hear his voice, and how he tells stories.  I think in 30 years, when I'm gone, he might like to hear how we interacted. Maybe he will g...

Bala Viswanathan, Yuehan Liu and Stephen Lee grace me (and the audience) with their experience and eloquence. All three are fantastic improvisers on stage and leaders in the community. I asked them about "the unknown" in improv. We always talk about "not knowing" where the improv is going, but what does that mean? How come some people are drawn to the unkown and some people afraid of it? We discus...

With the new Archbishop of Canterbury, Sarah Mullally being named, I was curious as to if religion needed to diversify? And if it current institutions need to, how can they? Because isn't religion set in stone? Also, does "religion" need anything, or is religion just an existing thing? I had all these questions swirling in my head. So I went to ask someone I hold in high regard who may have more i...

Maybe you have worked with Brian Armstrong at PIE - Portsmouth Improv Experience, or Southampton Improv Community. Maybe you have read Brian Armstrong's book "Disciple of the Broken God." I have had the lovely pleasure of chatting with Brian online via the Improv Boost and his improv projects. He has always had a constructive and insightful opinion. I am so lucky to have his influence (and humor)...

Jason Hader!! (brrrr brr brr BRRRR!!!) I have been wanting to talk to Jason for a while now. I chat with him all the time on social media, but this was the first time having a conversation. At the end of this episode you can hear his new single he has titled "David is Curious." I am so honoured. You can hear more of his music on his YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/@JasonHader   Enjoy!

I have been wanting to interview Jill Eickman for a long time! I am so happy she made time for this.  It was very interesting to hear about Leela Improv and their holistic approach to improv training. I enjoyed hearing Jill's views on community and I finally was able to compliment her on something I have admired for years now. Give it a listen! If you want to find out more about Leela Improv check...

Tess Hills is an amazing performer - both street performance/immersive theatre and puppeteer. I had the sheer honor of working with Tess on Brainland as puppeteers.  She is the kind of person that elevates the whole quality of the project. Tess is fun to be on set with (we kept trying to hide stage clips on each other when the other one wasn't paying attention) and she also brings professional gui...

If you get the chance to take an improv class with Maria Peters - DO IT.  She is an incredible mind in improv and has worked with legends. Her empathy and creativity in improv is some of the best I have ever seen.  I have always enjoyed seeing Maria Peter improvise. There was one time I was in an improv class with her and the whole class did a group scene. During the scene, I could tell she litera...

I have had the privilege of seeing Ros perform several times and host improv shows. She has an authentic and vulnerable connection with the audience. Her simple shrugs, smiles or facial expressions commands the audience - because I feel like "friendship" is somehow inherent in her style. I saw her Twilight Zone themed improv show, "After Dusk" and immediately thought, "I need to interview her."  ...

Luana Proenca said in a comment on Facebook: " We don't tell stories, we enter them." Now, I have been following Luana's journey via social media but that comment really struck me and I wanted to know more. I loved hearing her detail this philosophy in improv. And it really inspired me.  I have always felt that our service in improv is both to cater to the audience but not placate them - as humble...

Dr. Julian Waite has been one of the most influential people in my life.  He was the supervisor for my Master's Thesis. His thoughts on documentation have resonated with me years later. Not only is he extremely intelligent, he is also a REMARKABLE performer. I have seen him perform several times - in fact he was in one of my improv shows. One of my FAVORITE jokes he made during that show was he wa...

Monica Cordero-Cruz is such an amazing mind (and heart) in improv. I happened upon one of her thoughts online and it caused me to think so many thoughts - about culture and colonization in improv. I am so so so so thankful for this conversation. I hope you enjoy the interview as well! You can catch Monica on the team SPIT improv in Manila.  Here is a link: https://www.facebook.com/spitmanila/ They...

Colin Mee is a strategic and empathetic improviser. I have had the pleasure of hearing his perspective on improv (in bits and pieces). I was so happy to be able to sit down and hear a deeper share on how he attacks improv as a practice. I am so thankful for his time.  You can catch Colin as part of the MissImp community in Nottingham: https://www.missimp.co.uk/ You can also catch his improv team,...

I am so happy to finally present this interview with Roderick Millar. The first time I watched Roderick perform was as part of Somewhat Theatre at the Robin Hood Improv Festival in 2024. That show was ELECTRIC.  It was so good.  Roderick regularly comments on social media posts with such great analysis and communication of his ideas. I have been wanting to chat with Rodericl Millar for such a long...