Folgen

  • Bartenders with Hannah Kanengieter and Colin McGurk

    Bartenders with Hannah Kanengieter and Colin McGurk
    Jan 5 2026
    Hannah Kanengieter and Colin McGurk join James and Mike for an episode inspired by Bartenders of Reddit—specifically, overheard conversations and late-night bar stories that feel too strange to be true. From suspicious German whisperers and eco-friendly spies to disastrous family introductions and watchmakers with misplaced confidence, the group turns barroom eavesdropping into big, chaotic improvised worlds.Plus, over on Backdrop.fm, the conversation starts with a dive into improv teams... whether they’re fading out, finding a resurgence, or evolving into something new. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
    Mehr anzeigen Weniger anzeigen
    1 Std. und 7 Min.
  • Sufjan Stevens Songs for Christmas with Lyndsey Frank and Ruha Taslimi

    Sufjan Stevens Songs for Christmas with Lyndsey Frank and Ruha Taslimi
    Dec 22 2025
    Ruha Taslimi and Lyndsey Frank join James and Mike for a holiday-themed episode inspired by the whimsical and often earnest world of Sufjan Stevens’ five-volume Christmas box set. From there, the group digs into the craft of improv, with a special focus on the art of the edit and how veteran players signal the end of a scene without killing its momentum. Plus, on backdrop.fm, they break down how to spot the comedic “half-idea," why playing a character who “doesn’t suffer fools” can be an improviser’s secret weapon, and the balance between team shorthand and mashup culture. The conversation also explores the importance of pulling from truth—and the joy-forward mission of the all-trans and non-binary team, Cuties. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
    Mehr anzeigen Weniger anzeigen
    1 Std. und 2 Min.
  • Wisconsin with Matt Newell and Dave Theune

    Wisconsin with Matt Newell and Dave Theune
    Dec 15 2025
    Matt Newell and Dave Toy join James and Mike for an episode inspired by a children’s book of Wisconsin facts and symbols. After the scenes, they break down what worked, what didn’t, and how grounding allows absurdity to flourish. Plus, the group digs into playing inanimate objects, when (and when not) to embrace the absurd, and how to balance commitment, point of view, and audience trust to keep even the weirdest scenes human. Get more at ⁠backdrop.fm⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
    Mehr anzeigen Weniger anzeigen
    1 Std.
  • Interview Etiquette with Suzi Barett and Ryan Rosemberg

    Interview Etiquette with Suzi Barett and Ryan Rosemberg
    Dec 8 2025
    Susie Barrett and Ryan Rosenberg (Yes, Also) join James and Mike to try and pull inspiration from a list of celebrity interview tips—the kind of advice that’s equal parts earnest, confusing, and wildly specific. Plus, on backdrop.fm they talk about the slow work of how the best improvisers treat practice like training, and the advantage of boot-camp–style reps . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
    Mehr anzeigen Weniger anzeigen
    50 Min.
  • Monologues with Drew DiFonzo Marks and Rachel Van Nes

    Monologues with Drew DiFonzo Marks and Rachel Van Nes
    Nov 24 2025
    Drew DiFonzo Marks and Rachel Van Nes join James and Mike for an episode inspired by monologues from none other than Will Hines. Summer jobs, strange bosses, and even stranger side hustles open the door to a world of creep-adjacent movie nights and underground magazine empires. Plus, for Backdrop.fm members, the four dig into how different improv “schools” shape performance—Chicago patterns, UCB game, acting-forward approaches—and how style, training, and team experience influence the choices you make onstage. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
    Mehr anzeigen Weniger anzeigen
    58 Min.
  • Pattern Game with Andrew Grace and Molly Kiernan

    Pattern Game with Andrew Grace and Molly Kiernan
    Nov 17 2025
    Molly Kiernan and Andrew Grace (of UCB’s Logan) join James and Mike for a deep dive into one of improv’s most iconic—and intimidating—openings: The Pattern Game. Together, they explore how a single word blossoms into a web of associations, characters, and ideas, and what happens when it actually clicks. Plus, for Backdrop.fm members, they deep dive into why the Pattern Game has survived generations of teams and theaters. And look at a living room/pattern game hybrid that blurs the line between personal storytelling and idea generation, and what it teaches about flow, structure, and ensemble chemistry. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
    Mehr anzeigen Weniger anzeigen
    35 Min.
  • YouTube with Greg Gallant and Monte Montepare

    YouTube with Greg Gallant and Monte Montepare
    Nov 10 2025
    Greg Gallant (Firsthand, Haunted Hotel, Queen George) and Monte Montepare (The Moth, Ghost) join James and Mike to pull inspiration from the world’s favorite distraction: YouTube. Plus, Backdrop.fm members get more with James, Mike, Greg, and Monte as they talk about what it’s like to perform with someone for the first time, how chemistry actually develops onstage, and the etiquette of improv mashups, when to sweep, when to support, and when to stop being polite. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
    Mehr anzeigen Weniger anzeigen
    55 Min.
  • Am I The A**hole with Nnamdi Ngwe and Monika Smith

    Am I The A**hole with Nnamdi Ngwe and Monika Smith
    Nov 3 2025
    Monika Smith and Nnamdi Ngwe join James and Mike for an episode inspired by Reddit’s "Am I the Asshole," where moral dilemmas and petty internet debates spark a whole world of improv. After the scenes, they break down what worked, what didn’t, and how experienced improvisers balance chaos and connection onstage. Plus, on Backdrop.fm they dig into the craft of twoprov: building trust, timing callbacks, and why sitting down can be the death of a scene. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
    Mehr anzeigen Weniger anzeigen
    48 Min.