Improv Interviews

Meet my dear friend Karen Derrah! We met through our mutual friend Max Schaeffer and more recently in a Musical Improv Show directed by Steph McCullough. She lives in Guelph, Ontario and has been playing and teaching piano for many years. Her love of improvisation and music was a natural fit to become a Musical Director. We had a lovely chat about her improv journey and even did a short musical sc...

Meet the incredible Amy Angelilli, owner and ringleader of Third Space Improv. They are in St. Augustine, Florida, one of the coolest places in Florida! Since arriving in Florida in 2015, she has facilitated cooperative play experiences for people from 9 to 92 and every age in between. She’s also a certified laughter yoga leader. If you don't know what Laughter Yoga is, check out this video. https...

Peter Barg has spent his life building creativity in high-pressure environments. Beginning as a messenger in New York City during the final era of physical film editing, he learned every aspect of post-production before advancing into advertising production with McCann Erickson, where he worked on major campaigns for brands including Coca-Cola, AT&T, L’Oréal, and Miller Brewing. By his mid-twentie...

Meet the brilliant and charming improviser, teacher, filmmaker and so much more, Ian McLaughlin. He started his Improv career on a rainy night in London (see our interview with his partner Beverly Fox) and began an incredible improv journey. Ian was so easy to chat with and he describes his method of teaching improv, starting with the first class. I felt like I was in an improv class, learning fro...

I first met Rita a few years ago, during the pandemic when I learned about the Global Play Brigade – an organization right up my alley! She is a powerful woman who exemplifies how one person can bring positive change to so many people! Rita Ezenwa-Okoro is a dynamic creative culturist, and visionary leader who harnesses the transformative power of play and performing arts to raise and nurture lead...

Meet my good friend Bob Mann. We met during the pandemic and I had the good fortune to teach with him online at his alma mater, University of Oklahoma School of Social Work on "Improv and Therapy". Bob is an amazing human being who has dedicated his life to helping others. Bob has an Associate’s Degree in Nursing from Tulsa Community College and a Bachelor’s and a Master’s in Social Work from The...

Meet the wonderful Bev Fox! Bev has run Boho Arts’ School of Improv in Newcastle-upon-Tyne UK since 2003, serving a vibrant creative community of people from all walks of life. Bev’s improv journey began in 1988 on a rainy night in London when, as aspiring actors, she and her young sweetheart - now long-term partner - Ian McLaughlin ventured out through the storm to an improv class. That “sliding...

I first met Emma with a T during the pandemic online and was immediately taken by her energetic and playful improv. We chat about her improv journey starting in Bristol , including studying with The Bristol Improv Theatre, https://improvtheatre.co.uk She was able to continue to study the Art of Improv with wonderful teachers like Patti Stiles and Jay Sukow during the pandemic. She plays in person...

David Escobedo is definitely an Improv treasure! Since we last spoke he received a Ph. D. in Improv Training in the UK. We chat about what that process was like and he gives great tips on anyone pursuing any kind of Ph. D. David is well known around the world as a fabulous improviser , author , father, podcaster and the creator of The Improv Boost, https://www.facebook.com/BoostImprov The Improv B...

Meet Alex Mann, Improviser, Actor, Author and a Corrections Officer with a Sheriff’s Office for 28 years in Boston, Massachusetts. I was particularly interested in his use of improv with first responders as I had spent several years as a Critical Incident Stress Responder in Florida. He has authored "The Law of Improv": Yes, and for First responders" which you can see on YouTube at https://www.you...

Meet my dear friend Vishok, Verma from Bangalore, India. We've been colleagues for several years and he has even been a substitute coach for my Improv for Parkinson's Classes. He is continually bringing improv to his community and the world! He has recently started his "Yes, Let's Improvise for 15 minutes" which I played with him last year - so much fun! Yes-Let's Improvise for 15 Minutes!! - http...

We're starting the New Year with our good friend the talented and stunningly transparent Hillary Kane! I met Hillary through Billy Merritt (player with the original Upright Citizens Brigade) who created the BIT Comedy Network, https://bitcomedynetwork.com. Billy praised her leadership role at BIT, "Hillary is amazing, she’s the COO, chief organizing officer. We would not have BIT without her." Hil...

Meet the dynamic Kim Thanh Le ! Many thanks to my producer, Bright Su ,for introducing us. We had such fun getting to know each other and learning about her improv journey! She was born and raised in Hanoi and loves her city. She is a Hanoi-based improviser/writer. She is the founder and director of The Improv Hub, Vietnam's first community space dedicated to improv, and the Vietnam Improv Festiva...

In our second hour with Dr. Steph we explore her improv journey, starting as a musical director at Chicago theatre such as IO, Comedy Sports and Second City. We shared our love of the "mother of improv" Viola Spolin and discussed the myriad improv schools and forms that we see today. She studied musical improv with, Mike Descouteaux, legendary founder of the celebrated Music Program at The Second...

Carlisle is the only city In County Cumbria, UK and one of the oldest cities, spanning 2,000 years. Someone who hasn’t been there quite that long is the marvelous Dr. Steph McCullough, world renowned musical improv director! In this first of a two-part interview, Dr. Steph describes her love of her husband James and her new hometown of Carlisle. In her unique and melodious way, Dr. Steph describes...

Marc Watzecha is my friend and teacher and today we talk about all the great classes available at The Sketch School. Marc is the founder of this online training ground dedicated exclusively to sketch and short form comedy. Improv Interviews hosted Marc in August 2023 when I first started taking classes there. We spoke about his improv journey back then. Today's episode is all about The Sketch Scho...

I had the great pleasure of meeting Jennifer Estin when I signed at the terrific online classes for the Annoyance, Improv Fiend! https://improvfiend.com We chatted about her childhood and how her mother created games that inspired her to pursue acting. Jennifer Estlin has been involved in the entertainment business as an actress and producer since 1986. Following her graduation from Northwestern U...

I first met the dynamic Marian Rich at a Global Play Brigade event and later at an East Side Institute meeting. Marian, a New York City native, shared her journey from growing up in Manhattan in the 1960s to becoming a political activist and theater artist. Her father, a blacklisted character actor during the McCarthy era, influenced her early interest in theater. Marian's involvement with the Eas...

Gael Doorneweed-Perry is a fabulous improviser and co-founder of Flock Theatre Amsterdam. https://flock-theatre.com/venue/flock-studio-treehouse/ He loves traveling and creating formats to explore and share, including with his partner on and off-stage, Laura Doorneweerd-Perry. After their tour around the world to teach and to perform their show Object of Affection in 2019-2020, he settled back in...

Meet my friend Kitty Parker. We met at the online Queen City Comedy School and I knew I wanted to get to know her better. I was fascinated by her writing about improv which you can find at https://medium.com/@kittyparker_8532 She moved from Europe to New Zealand where she discovered improv! Kitty Parker shares her journey in improv, starting with weekly classes and progressing to jam sessions with...

Wow! What a fabulous trip chatting with Anděl We laughed so much and she reminded me how playful improv really is! She is a highly sought after improv coach and director and her performances are truly inspiring! Anděl Sudik is a director, improviser, actor and writer based in L.A. and Chicago known for her explosive energy onstage and in the classroom as well as her experiential teaching style. Sh...

What an incredible delight to spend an hour with Singer/Songwriter Harold Payne! Harold is also known as an Improvised Songwriter and wherever he performs he uses audience suggestions to create an incredible improvised song! In fact, Harold creates a song in this podcast! Harold has an impressive career of songwriting for such diverse artists as Rod Stewart, Patti LaBelle, the Temptations, and lon...

Meet my sketch writing buddy, Debby Bloom! Debby is a fantastic writer and we've been in many of the same classes and writer's rooms at The Sketch School with Marc Warzecha. She has spent a lot of her life in finance and accounting but several years ago she decided to spread her wings and learn new things. A very funny lady, she braved stand-up comedy, which you can see on her YouTube channel at h...

Show Notes: Welcome to a milestone celebration — our 200th (well… 203rd!) episode of Improv Interviews with Margot Escott! Since 2016, this podcast has been sharing the joy of improv with listeners around the world, and today we turn the spotlight on Margot herself. With Jay Sukow as guest host, Margot reflects on her journey through improv, therapy, teaching, and creativity. Along the way, nine p...

Liz Thompson is a vivacious and engaging screenwriter, puzzle/game creator, and development and mystery consultant, and this interview was so much fun! She fell in love with improv and storytelling in middle school and went on to perform, teach and found an improv comedy club in Chicago before moving to Los Angeles and has since sold both sitcoms and mysteries to CBS and NBC. She currently has a T...