Paola Coletto: Physical Theater (Clown & Mime) for Improvisers and Stand Ups
Comedy Pros
One of my favorite improv teachers, , led me to . When I interviewed Jet, several times she brought up the study of clown and its effect on improv, and when I asked Jet for more, she recommended I speak to Paola, her physical theater teacher. Of course, clown is not the circus thing- it's something much deeper and more rewarding for improvisers, and even stand up comedians. I am hoping I can get up to do some in the next year.This interview, truly, has some of the most out-of-the-box and impactful content we've seen! We talk about red nose, neutral mask, embodying animals,...
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Matt Besser: Improv, UCB and Stand Up Comedy
Comedy Pros
was one of the four co-founders (along with Amy Poehler) of the , which not only had a Comedy Central show, but was the first improv comedy theater in NYC, and included folks like Adam McKay (Anchorman, Talladega Nights, etc.), Armando Diaz. Before that he trained at with and Del Close, and was part of the improv group The Family. Matt also has done stand up comedy (longer than improv!) and has a podcast called . You can download . Also, he just finished co-writing .
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Brandy Sullivan: Improv Character Genius at Theatre 99 in Charleston SC
Comedy Pros
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Tara DeFrancisco Part 2!!!
Comedy Pros
I already did the amazing bio in . She's back! Our first interview was so great, and I felt like I had so many more questions, we had to do more. The follow up is at least as good. I tried to be more excited in this one. Chicago's most enthusiastic cheerleader, Tara DeFrancisco.
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Luke Ashlocke - Stand Up Comedian
Comedy Pros
Luke Ashlocke, who was Luke Francis when I interviewed him, is a super-prolific Scottish comedian. The Glasgow, Scotland native arrived in the United States on a mission. From the minute he stepped onto the comedy scene he has been making waves. From Appearances on The Comedy Network's; "The Great Canadian Laugh Off" and "The Montreal Comedy Festival" to The CWB's "The Daily Buzz" and NBC's "Night Shift" and"New Day", to reviews such as "Funny As Hell" -Good Times Magazine, Long Island, NY & "This is what live stand up is supposed to be" - Weird Magazine, Austin, TX. Luke is one of the...
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Jessie Shternshus
Comedy Pros
Despite having a hard to pronounce name with way too many consonants, Jessie Shternshus is a thoroughly charming go-getter who has created an improv dynamo in Jacksonville, Florida. As the founder and owner of , Jessie weds her lifelong passion for and expertise in applied improvisation with the fast paced demands of the corporate world. In her classes and workshops she helps people become better listeners, team players, leaders, and communicators. Her physically engaging and playful workshops are relevant to all fields of life; participants of her workshops vary from college...
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Gene Perret, Linda Perret: Writers for Bob Hope, Phyllis Diller, and More
Comedy Pros
Gene Perret is a guru of comedy writing. He has written jokes for comedians such as Phyllis Diller, Bob Hope, Carol Burnett, Bill Cosby, Tim Conway, and many others. He earned three Emmy Awards for his work on The Carol Burnett Show. He wrote for Bob Hope from 1969 until the performer’s retirement, serving the last 15 years as his head writer. Gene's television career includes producing Welcome Back, Kotter, Three’s Company, and The Tim Conway Show. Other credits include Mama’s Family, All in the Family, Laugh-In, and many others. Gene has authored 40...
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Frank Caeti - MADtv, Second City, ComedySportz
Comedy Pros
Frank Caeti is an alumnus of The Second City Chicago. One half of the acclaimed duo . Performs consistently at Second City Hollywood, iO West, and Upright Citizens Brigade LA. Series Regular on MADtv. Face and/or voice have appeared in over 40 commercials. Guest star roles on NCIS, Key and Peele, and Reno 911
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Charna Halpern, Co-Creator of Long Form Improv, iO Theater
Comedy Pros
This is as close as I've gotten to interviewing someone who "needs no introduction..." but if you aren't THAT into improv... the list of people's she's trained and worked with is a who's who of the funniest actors on TV and in movies right now. But if you're not part of the improv world, you need to know that worked with , who trained many of the Saturday Night Live folks everyone knows, and together they created long form improv... before which improv was mainly exercises for actors (a la ) and short form games like you see on. Charna also founded in...
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Dave Schwensen: Talent Booker, Stand Up Comedy Coach
Comedy Pros
As the talent booker for A&E's Evening At The Improv, working with folks like Jerry Seinfeld and Jay Leno, and as Bud Friedman's talent booker at the L.A. Improv, Dave Schwensen has some insights for stand up comedy careers. I read two of Dave's books when I was starting with stand up comedy in 2006. Then I took a stand up career class put on by Bill Word in Orange County, CA and taught by Dave.
info_outlineIs it possible for great improv to spring up independently of Chicago, New York and L.A.? Yes. This Greg Tavares, one of the founders ofTheatre 99 in Charleston SC, author of Improv For Everyone, and proof along with Brandy Sullivan, Timmy Finch, and others, that there are many ways to approach improv and still make it awesome to do and watch.
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