If This Is True with Chris Hall

If This Is True would like to introduce you to singing sensation Nora O'Connor! Nora is a Chicago based singer/songwriter who has worked with everyone from the Decemberists to the New Pornographers to Mavis Staples. We discussed balancing work and family, what Americana is, and everything in between. Give it a listen! This episode, like all episodes of If This Is True, brings forth what drives cre...

Let me introduce you to Ted Leo, master of soul searching pop punk and indie rock! Ted has a long career with bands like Citizens Arrest, Chisel , Puzzlehead, and the Sin-Eaters. He's mostly known for his group, Ted Leo and the Pharmacists . He's also put out albums with Aimee Mann as The Both and as a solo artist. We talked about the intersection of comedy and indie rock throughout the 2000's, an...

Shari Hazlett is a Brooklyn–based director, writer, performer, producer and media professional who works at the intersection of storytelling, comedy, and technology to inspire civic engagement and social change. Shari just finished producing, writing and directing The March, an historical comedy, which was presented by The Tank Theater (NYC) in June 2023. Shari produces and performs in The Duo Sho...

Let me introduce you to Vishok Verma. Vishok is a Social Entrepreneur and Professional Trainer for Communication Skills, (Corporates, Social Enterprises, and Non-profits), Personality Development Coach, and Budding Improv Artist based in India. He is the Founder & CEO of a Social Venture named “Let’s Express”. The venture has positively impacted the lives of more than 2000 individuals, online and...

Liz has been coaching, directing and performing improv for the last 25 years. Liz coached the long-running IO (Improv Olympic) house teams Valhalla, Deep Schwa and Mission Improvable (founders of the Westside Comedy Theater in Santa Monica). Liz was IO’s Training Center Director for 3 years, and an ensemble level teacher for 10 years. A founding member of The IO Roadshow, Liz has taught hundreds o...

Jake is an actor, comedian, music producer, and filmmaker. He has produced numerous original sketch revues, musical comedy albums, web shorts, podcasts, plays, a documentary about the Chicago improv scene called “Off the Cuff,” and the original musical “Rich People in Space,” which will premiere this September. Jake's work embraces a theatrical style of humor that balances playful fun with thought...

Let me introduce you to Margot! She graduated from the New York University School of Social Work in 1983 and has lived and practiced in Naples since 1984. She attended the Rutgers Summer School of Addiction Studies in 1987 and 1990 and has extensive post-graduate training in addiction studies and co-dependency. For over thirty years, Margo has presented workshops and seminars on “Therapeutic Value...

I interviewed Mary Hynes on her birthday in April. She is a professional improviser, educator and stage manager. Her performance and teaching career brings her back and forth between NYC, Chicago and LA. She is a faculty member with the storied Second City Training Center in Chicago, Toronto and LA.  After graduating with her BA in Theatre from Butler University, she discovered a love for helping...

Allow me to introduce you to Tashika Campbell, member of indie group Cake Walk from Baltimore. In addition to performing, Tashika has headlined festivals across the US and coordinated the first Improv festival dedicated to Black Improvisers, the From Another Mother Festival, in the DC/Maryland/Virginia area (also known as the DMV). Tashika is also a sought-after Coach, Teacher, and Workshop Facili...

In this throwback, If This Is True talks with Sam Dee, half of the Mass Hysteria Improv Fest in Cleveland and bon vivant at Imposters Theater! We discussed festivals, DC vs. Marvel, thrifting and improv everywhere. Give it a listen! This episode, like all episodes of If This Is True, brings forth what drives creatives to do what they do. For more of this content and interaction, you can also go to...

In this throwback, which is the inaugural episode of If This Is True, I'm introducing everyone to RJ Tolan! RJ is the co-artistic director of Ensemble Studio Theatre's Youngblood in NYC. He is also a veteran of Shadowbox Live in Columbus, OH, where I met him. Come along for a visit! This episode, like all episodes of If This Is True, brings forth what drives creatives to do what they do. For more...

In this throwback, If This Is True would like to introduce you to Mandy Price. She's an improv bon vivant, performer, and teacher with Jet City Improv in Seattle. Mandy has worked with Second City BoatCo, the Annoyance and iO. She's really up for anything, including carpentry! We talked about carpentry, social anxiety and the state of the world. Mandy believes that everyone should do improv or at...

In this throwback, If This Is True would like to introduce you to John Bolger, veteran of the Second City and co-founder of Schadenfreude Theatre in Chicago. John also does work with WGN Radio; is a creative director with TPN,; and started his own production company, Man Eating Cereal. John talks about these and other endeavors, including teaching improv at the University of Chicago. John is kind...

In this throwback, If This Is True would like to introduce you to Sean Geary! Sean is an improviser in the Bay Area who is also an educator and a physical trainer. Sean has worked at Endgames Improv with Wachaa and other improv teams. He is a big fan of Camp ImprovUtopia, having traveled across the country to participate in it several times. Sean believes that we should be more empathetic as a peo...

In this throwback, If This Is True would like to introduce you to comedian, musician, and author Dave Hill. The Pride of Cleveland, as he's taken to calling himself, has appeared on multiple TV shows; performed at SXSW, Bonnaroo, Bumbershoot, and Sing Sing; hosts the Dave Hill Podcasting Incident and History Fluffer; and wrote "Parking the Moose," "Tasteful Nudes" and "Dave Hill Doesn't Live Here...

In this throwback, If This Is True wishes you a Happy New Year with a conversation with Bob Kulhan of Business Improv. Bob is an iO, Second City and Annoyance alum who took improv business seriously and created Business Improv, the company! Bob is an adjunct professor at Duke University and has taught his improv curriculum around the world! He believes that "yes, and" can be more than just an impr...

If This Is True would like to introduce you to Lulu French, owner and head instructor at Rocket Improv in NJ. Lulu teaches kids and teens the fundamentals of improv and team building. She has a laundry list of experience from the PIT and Gotham City Improv in NYC, plus years of musical theater experience, even touring nationally with My Fair Lady. We talked about the transition from musical theate...

In this throwback, If This Is True would like to introduce you to Abdul Williams! Abdul is an award-winning screenwriter and producer, known for the Lottery Ticket, Surf 2, The New Edition Story, The Bobby Brown Story, and Salt N' Pepa. He is currently working on The Thanksgiving Text for Netflix. We talked about these projects, what it takes to be a good writer in any media and our time as Bobcat...

In this throwback, If This Is True would like to introduce you to Kyle Siegrist! Kyle is a permanent fixture in the Columbus, OH music scene, playing in bands like Second State Butchers and doing his own solo projects. He is also the owner of Lost Weekend Records and Lost Weekend record label. Kyle got his start in the music business in the 80's and had an amazing trip to where he is today. You ca...

In this throwback, If This Is True would like to introduce you to Shaun Landry! Shaun is at least a quintuple threat of actor, improviser, teacher, director and theater president. This Chicago native is the artistic director of Oui Be Negroes, founder of the West Coast Improv Alliance, cofounder of the San Francisco Improv Festival and founder of the Ledge--a new non-profit theater in Los Angeles....

In this throwback, If This Is True would like to introduce you to Pat Byrnes--renaissance man in every sense of the word! He is a cartoonist, first and foremost, but he has also been a rocket scientist, ad man, playwright, improviser, and comedian in his illustrious career. Currently, he is a cartoonist for the New Yorker. Pat believes that all of his adventures have the through line of cartooning...

In this throwback, If This Is True would like to Introduce you to Dana Quercioli! Dana is a long-time veteran of the Second City in Cleveland (RIP) and in Chicago, who now lives in Los Angeles. She is working on a pilot, Gumshoes, which she will film in Cleveland later this year. We talked about Cleveland, humility, and doing good works. Give it a listen! This episode, like all episodes of If This...

In this throwback, If This Is True would like to introduce you to R. Kevin Garcia Doyle! Kevin is a theater and improvisation teacher, practitioner and actor who currently teaches at Le Jardin Academy in Honolulu, HI. He is the co-founder of the Hawaii Shakespeare Festival, a front man for the improvisational rock band Oil In The Alley, among many other accolades. We discussed musical improv and w...

In this throwback, If This Is True would like to introduce you to Deena Nyer Mendlowitz, an improviser, festival producer, playwright, and one of Ohio's Funniest Women, according to Cleveland.com. She has been recognized for her work in using comedy to promote mental health awareness and to destigmatize mental illness. Deena is the creator of This Improvised Life and Mental Illness and Friends. Sh...

In this throwback, If This Is True would like to introduce you to Jimmy Carrane, the master of the art of slow comedy. Jimmy has worked and taught at the Second City, iO, and is a founding member of the Annoyance. He was also in the original cast of the Armando at iO! He has written two books, Improv Therapy, and Improvising Better: A Guide for the Working Improviser with Liz Allen. Jimmy also hos...