Yes, Also

Dhruv Uday Singh (Good Trouble, Queen George) talks about being the pilot of your scene, the measure of a good show, encouraging teachers, embracing process, the importance of stage time, learning from an audience, Second City / UCB / Groundlings, breaking stereotypes, improvising on set, finding his voice, the improv scene in Mumbai, and more! Access to double the content and other perks at ⁠⁠yes...

Paul F. Tompkins ( Comedy Bang Bang, Bojack Horseman ) returns to the pod in this much-anticipated Part Two! He talks about blending standup and improv, his first Comedy Bang Bang episode, being funny without references, finding character voices, mimicry vs. capturing an essence, expectation and embarrassment, constructing a set, heightening gradually, having the discipline to stay out of a scene,...

Nicole Byer ( Nailed it, Grand Crew ) talks about how she found comedy, the ephemeral nature of improv, going to acting conservatory, her early UCB days, improvising with ADHD, finding patient play, meeting Sasheer, the challenge of second beats, object work go-to’s, setting scenes in a fun location, reimagining the Harold, favorite improv memories, and more! Access to double the content and other...

Joe Canale ( Second City, Uncle’s Brother ) talks about iO in the mid 90’s, Del’s toxicity, acknowledging privilege, his complicated relationship with Charna, improv savants, hosting jams, confrontational comedy, self-indulgence vs. serving the audience, the art of listening, how improv made him a better person, the importance of diverse voices in comedy, punching up, his favorite people to improv...

Philip Labes ( Watchmen, Minx ) talks about catching the musical improv bug, finding his path as a singer/songwriter, adapting vs. persisting, success as a trap, where music and improv overlap, hyperconsciousness, using what’s personal, grounded justifications, fostering fearlessness, rhyme tangents, narrative improv, and more! Access to double the content and other perks at ⁠⁠yesalso.supercast.co...

Lauren Lapkus ( Another Happy Day, Comedy Bang Bang ) talks about her early start at iO, learning to use her own voice, the comfort of game, earning an audience, bad improv habits, the magic of indie teams, how she creates Comedy Bang Bang characters, auditioning for SNL, the evolution of dreams, doing improv post-kids, and more! Access to double the content and other perks at ⁠⁠yesalso.supercast....

John Ross Bowie ( Speechless, The Big Bang Theory ) talks about the divide between actors and improvisers, finding improv in his late 20’s, studying with Amy Poehler, the nuance of teaching improv, avoiding detachment, emotional arcs, physicality, applying improv to a script, using details from real life, how improv helps him on set, and more! Access to double the content and other perks at ⁠⁠yesa...

Ronnie Adrian ( Grand Crew, The Big Team ) talks about teaching and coaching styles, his pursuit of an interesting life, his early stand up experience, playing the voice of reason, rooting yourself in the POV of a character, improvising at jams, taking care of the scene as a whole, improv as a team sport, learning to contribute to a scene even if it’s not your favorite idea, editing, and more! Acc...

Dan Gregor ( JV, The Naked Gun ) talks about yes and-ing an animated universe, writing vs. improv skill sets, developing humor as a response to religion, his NYU sketch group, the diminishing returns of political comedy, his early UCB days, the marketability of sketch, writing and shooting The Naked Gun reboot, staying true to genre in spoof writing, the science of audience testing, his upcoming p...

Sarah Claspell ( co-owner of WGIS ) talks about the leap from short form to long form, favorite shows from DCM, the pressures of Harold night, finding a sense of play, fostering team trust, not being defined by your bad scenes, teaching improv to Olympic coaches, WGIS, conquering imposter syndrome, Asian AF, and more! Access to double the content and other perks at ⁠⁠yesalso.supercast.com⁠⁠ ! Foll...

Johnny Meeks ( UCB LA’s Academic Director ) talks about the “por las buenas” technique, comedic tension, trying to save a bad scene, updating the UCB curriculum, his theatrical roots, memories of a bad standup teacher, improvised plays, the power of simple and honest responses, playing with curiosity, his favorite improv exercise, playing game in scripted scenes, and more! Access to double the con...

Paul F. Tompkins ( Mr. Show, Bojack Horseman ) talks about carving out his identity as a comedian, conquering fear, his early absurdist stand-up, working on Mr. Show, what makes a great showrunner, comedic heightening, advice for sketch writers, comedy as the art of translation, “the tyranny of the template”, chasing fun and novelty, the glory of multi-cams, building a variety show, and more! Acce...

Cissy Fenwick ( JV ) talks about how improv makes her a better therapist, unconditional positive regard, therapists as active voice of reason characters, archetypes, her love of playing annoying people, using reps to set goals, her favorite improv exercise, anchoring game to a POV, emotional stakes, what she’s curious about, and more! Access to double the content and other perks at ⁠⁠yesalso.super...

Eugene Cordero ( Loki, Star Trek: Lower Decks ) talks about his elementary school days, cockiness vs. confidence, struggles with dyslexia, finding his calling, the benefits of short form, committing to scenes, the myth of “best” ideas, not taking a coach’s taste personally, the joy of agreement, finding spontaneity within a premise, parenting like an improviser, accepting diverse voices, and more!...

Chris Eddins ( Lemon Pepper Wet ) talks about learning improv as a way to help with public speaking, using jams to hone your craft, making unusual things make sense, his writing career, the origins of Lemon Pepper Wet, doing the thing, dyslexia and patterns, sustaining a game, facing an audience with cultural differences, being an introvert, advice for non-white improvisers, how improv helps his w...

Heather Anne Campbell ( SNL, Whose Line is it Anyway ) talks about the innateness of improv, circumventing shame, forking the multiverse, takeaways from Boom Chicago, honoring an audience, her writing career, the visual experience of comedy, being in dialogue with the world, SNL, Whose Line, playing with Beck vs. playing with Miles, improv as tourism, craving the next evolution, her comedic influe...

Ithamar Enriquez ( Second City, Curb Your Enthusiasm ) talks about his journey through Second City, memories from Tourco, inspiring theatrical techniques, the subjectivity of comedy, accessing satire through relationship, challenging stereotypes, using his voice as a Latinx writer, performing for the Obamas(!!!!), satire vs. shock humor, how he arrived at a career in comedy, trusting your improv,...

Casey Feigh ( creator of Holy Shit Improv ), talks about analyzing his improv, setting shows up for success, vulnerability vs. perfection, amplifying your skillset, demystifying Hollywood, his early comedy grind, things he’s learned as a producer, the origins of Holy Shit Improv, improv as a destination art form, live-streaming, the power of creators, how to care more in scenes, serious improv, an...

Ally Beardsley and Zac Oyama (Dimension 20, Yeti) , talk about team chemistry, delightful comedic chaos, improv as a path to coming out of the closet, Ally’s first memory of seeing Zac on stage, the early LA indie scene, getting hired by College Humor, their comedic DNA, embracing absurdity, the power of specifics, being surprised by the mundane, Dimension 20, what they love about each others’ com...

James Mastraieni (Founder of the Shared Experience Studio) talks about the neuroscience of comedy, the connection between performers and audience, starting a comedy think tank, sailing vs. rowing, the importance of mentorship, treating premise openings like menus, relationship microcosms, comedy as the harshest art form, the drive to produce, the three major scenic tones, improvised sitcoms, and m...

Rekha Shankar (Dropout, Grand Crew) talks about her early obsession with sitcoms, getting into film school, left-brained comedy, improv as a path to writing, embracing discomfort, the gift of being an outcast, finding game moves, inventing vs. listening, making your own work, Kickstarter tips, letting go of rigidity in scenes, Gravid Water, and more! Access to double the content and other perks at...

Craig Cackowski (Second City, Drunk History) talks about learning Harolds before the internet, the benefit of nerves, studying with Del, the improv that inspired him, Stephen Colbert’s last Second City show, the development of JTS Brown, the intersection of comedy and artsy theater, the core philosophies of Dasariski, three guidelines for better scenes, Yes And vs. I Know, object work games, the C...

Peter Grosz ( The Colbert Report, Veep) talks about studying with Del, the very first Armando show, memories from Boom Chicago, doing a USO tour in Saudi Arabia, writing for Colbert, advice on getting hired for late night shows, experimental long form techniques, eliminating ego, breaking bad habits, doing a Broadway show, writing standup, and more! Access to double the content and other perks at...

Mary Holland ( ASSSSCAT, Happiest Season) talks about growing up in a small town, her path from Virginia to Hollywood, weathering rejection, the fear of not being enough, the biggest lessons from acting class, the summer she fell in love with improv, her lightbulb moment, her voice as an improviser, the power of emotional commitment, loving high stakes, her acting goals, and more! Access to double...

In this very special Bonus Episode™, Suzi and Ryan answer listener questions and share their perspective on: imposter syndrome, playing with stage hogs, building and releasing comedic tension, starting new teams with tact, finding the right ratio of rehearsals to performing, and neurodiversity in improv. If this episode sparks more questions or any feedback, send them to yesalsopod@gmail.com! And...