The Theft Forum

Scott Hearne interviews Nice Astronaut at Out of Bounds Comedy Festival 2013. One of Austin's longest running comedy troupes, Nice Astronaut was the first self-formed troupe from ColdTowne Theater in 2008 and has played at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater at the Del Close Marathon, the Chicago Improv Festival, and The Out of Bounds comedy festival. Nice Astronaut regularly performs improv and sketch comedy at ColdTowne Theater in Austin, Texas, as well as The Hideout Theater and The Institution Theater. Nice Astronaut is Andrew Wesely, Calan Lambert, Chaz Formichella, Joseph Dailey, Nicole McCracken, Nathan Sowell, and Tim Honker. See Nice Astronaut's newest sketch show, "Back in Townsville" Thursdays in April and Saturdays in May 2014 at Coldtowne Theater.  More info: http://www.facebook.com/NiceAstronaut

Scott Hearne interviews Brandie Posey at The Out of Bounds Comedy Festival 2014. Brandie Posey is a stand up comedian & writer quickly making a name for herself as one of the most consistently hilarious & hard working comedians in LA's popular alternative comedy scene. She has been featured as a performer at the Bridgetown Comedy Festival, The All Jane No Dick Festival, The Cape Fear Comedy Festival, The SF Comedy & Burrito Festival, Austin's Out of Bounds Comedy Festival & Comedy Carnivale in SLC. Brandie has appeared on MTV, E! & Comedy Central's Tosh.0 and is honored to rep the LA comedy scene on the compilation album "Holy Fuck. Album Comedy." She will also make her feature film debut in 2014 in the indie dark comedy "The Worst Year Of My Life".At the UCB, Brandie co-hosts Lady to Lady alongside Barbara Gray & Tess Barker, combining their incredibly likable, distinctive personalities to bring together a show like The View (but funny), mixed with Pee-Wee's Playhouse and a dash of Da

Scott Hearne interviews Ranger Danger and the Danger Ranger at The Out of Bounds Comedy Festival 2013 on The Hideout Coffeehouse Stage.  Abbott had Costello. Martin had Lewis. Luis Cortes and Drew Coolidge have to settle for each other. These veteran improvisers and best friends seem to share one comedic mind as they explore a multitude of ideas and characters in their trademark conversational style. They most recently won the Audience Award - "Best of Fest" from the Philadelphia Improv Festival.  More info: http://ioimprov.com/west/io/shows/ranger-danger-and-the-danger-ranger https://www.facebook.com/RDandtheDR

Scott Hearne interviews Lilan and Wilder; and Will Doughty at The Out of Bounds Comedy Festival 2013 on The Hideout Coffeehouse stage.  Lilan and Wilder are former college roommates and current best friends. They are both actors/comedians and have been doing sketch comedy together since 2011. They have performed at LA shows: Where Eagles Dare, Sketchbar, Sketchmelt @ The Nerdist Theater, and at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater in many variety shows, as harold night hosts, and with their own show "Best Day Ever." Out of town shows include the Out Of Bounds Festival in Texas. And yes, her real name is Wilder. Oh! And it's pronounced "LEE-lawn." They sound like dude names, we know. More info: http://www.funnyordie.com/lilanandwilder http://www.youtube.com/lilanandwilder

Scott Hearne interviews Cream Stain at The Out of Bounds Comedy Festival 2013. Cream Stain is, DILLON DIATLO, BRETT GOODNACK, and DAN DERKS. They are a trio of Pittsburgh's finest improvisers, Cream Stain brings the energy, wit and charm of three young men to Pittsburgh's favorite stage at the Steel City Improv Theatre every 1st and 3rd Saturday of the month @11PM.  http://www.twitter.com/CreamStain

Scott Hearne interviews Jess Salomon at the 2013 Out of Bounds Comedy Festival on The Hideout Coffeehouse stage. Jess Salomon is a former UN war crimes lawyer turned stand up comic.  A rising star on the Canadian comedy scene, Jess has quickly become a regular at clubs in Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto and New York City. Her festival credits include ZOOFEST (2013), Out of Bounds Comedy Festival (September, 2013) The She-Devil Comedy Festival (October, 2013) and San Francisco Sketchfest (January, 2014). Jess recently recorded her first TV special as part of the iChannel’s “No Kidding” series.  You can also catch her in person at her monthly stand up showcase “The Peopl’s Comedy” at Club Peopl the last Wednesday of every month in Montreal. Go to her website for more info: http://jesssalomon.com/

Scott Hearne interviews Shock Ts at The Out of Bounds Comedy Festival 2014. Shock T’s are a three-person comedy band TheatreJones.com calls “…such vivid performers that its hard to remember what came before or after.” With an ever-changing show full of original songs, they perform all over the country accompanied by one guitar. Shock Ts are: Tim Dunn (vocals), Tyler Paterson (guitar & vocals), and Sarah Shockey (vocals). For more information, check out: www.shockts.com 

Scott Hearne interviews BRENTLY HEILBRON. Brently Heilbron started performing improv in clubs at 14. Then at 15, he took the leap to stand-up, keeping up his improvisational chops with early Austin troupes like Monks Night Out and Only 90% Effective. He won the first ever Maestro show in Austin, which is now the longest running show Improv show in town. He was voted Best Stand-Up in Austin by the Austin Chronicle and as a comedian and actor, he has opened for Paul McCartney, toured with Robert Schimmel and was hand-picked by Woody Allen to appear in the Los Angeles Opera production of GIANNI SCHICCHI. He also appeared on the Bravo improvised television series, SIGNIFICANT OTHERS, as well as FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS on NBC and THE LYING GAME on ABC Family. His verbatim performance of R. Kelly's Trapped in the Closet in its entirety brought attention from the Los Angeles Times and New York Times among others.

Scott Hearne interviews Addison Billingsley, Lance Gilstrap, and Michael Williams from Midnight Society.  Made up of stand up and sketch comedians, filmmakers, and writers, Midnight Society was named Austin’s best improv troupe by the Austin American Statesman’s A-List and was nominated for a B. Iden Payne Award. They’ve performed all around the country, including one show where star of stage and screen Matthew Lillard was in the audience. Midnight Society performs every Saturday night at 10PM at ColdTowne Theater along with improv veterans The Frank Mills.

Scott Hearne interviews Jessica Arjet. Jessica Arjet is the Youth Director and a co-owner of The Hideout Theatre.  She teaches several classes both at The Hideout and other educational venues.  Since 2007, she has been the producer, director, and actor in the award-winning, The Flying Theater Machine – The Hideout’s regular Sunday children’s show and traveling troupe. In addition to working with children, Jessica is also a member of the nationally-traveling troupes Firth & Arjet, In Our Prime, and Your Dad’s Friends. Jessica frequently plays in Hideout Mainstage shows and other theaters around town.  She has won several awards as part of these endeavors, including Austin Chronicle Awards, Nickelodeon’s Parents Pick award, and Critics Table awards.  In her off time she is the award-winning party clown, Penelope Foolish. She has two delightful children. Her current production, I Love You So Much - Improvised Stories About Love, runs every Saturday in January and February 2014. For tickets and more informati

Scott Hearne and Clifton Highfield interview Jill Bernard at The Out of Bounds Comedy Festival. Jill Bernard has been performing with ComedySportz-Minneapolis since 1993 and is a founding member of Huge Theater in Uptown Minneapolis. For more Jill Bernard, head to jillbernard3.blogspot.com.

Scott Hearne interviews cast members from “Beware of Female Spies”.   Beware of Female Spies plays at 8:30 every Saturday in January 2014 at Coldtowne Theater.   At America's top spy agency, Special Patriotic Operations Over Foreign Secrets, a whip smart female spy is the top agent. Trouble is her fellow agents of S.P.O.O.F.S. aren't always seeing the mission in the same way. Each week she fights calculating villains and patriarchal double standards as well as the sexual tension between herself and her male counterpart.   Inspired by the shows Archer, Alias, Veronica Mars, Torchy Blane, and Get Smart, Beware of Female Spies is an improvised comedy take on the classic spy genre with a romantic screwball comedy twist. Starring: Seth Johnson, Nicole McCracken, Alejandro Garcia, Liz Dykes, Aaron Walther, Taylor Overstreet, Brett Tribe, Chrissy Shackleford, Sanjay Rao, and Ashley Nugent. Directed by Emma Holder. Produced by Seth Johnson and Katie Thornton.  

Jane Morris, a founder of the Second City ETC in Chicago, Jane has been a writer, performer and director for the Second City and in her own venues for the past 20 years. Dubbed “The Harriet Tubman of Comedy” by friends, Jane and her husband, Jeff Michalski have owned and operated UpFront Comedy and the Comedy Underground in Santa Monica and is currently the managing director of the fanaticSalon in Culver City. Jane had numerous television credits, most recently “Behind the Candelabra” with Matt Damon for HBO. For a full list of Jane’s television and movie credits visit her IMDB page.

Scott Hearne interviews Shannon McCormick. They discuss his formative years in Iowa, first experience with No Shame Theater, meeting his wife while living in the Czech Republic, the formation of Get Up! with Shana Merlin, and the compelling elements of narrative improv. Shannon McCormick is an improviser, actor, director and writer in Austin, Texas. He is the founder of Gnap! Theater Projects, a company member of The Salvage Vanguard Theater, and a former producer of the Out of Bounds Comedy Festival. He is a member of the improv troupes Get Up! and False Matters. Shannon has appeared in numerous films, television/web series, and plays. e.g. Breaking Bad, Red vs. Blue, Les Miserable, and The Intergalactic Nemesis.   You can watch Shannon perform in False Matters: Improv in the Style of Philip K. Dick, Fridays at 10 PM in October and November 2013 at The Institution Theater.

Scott Hearne interviews Indigo Shift and 710 Split live on The Hideout Coffehouse Stage at The Out of Bounds Comedy Festival 2013. Indigo Shift is Jordan T. Maxwell, Kacey Samiee, and Jeffrey Amos. One night only, because there's only one night left! Indigo Shift is an improvised, dystopian cabaret heavily influenced by The Doubtful Guests, Dresden Dolls, and The Decemberists. We follow a troupe of performers (Solomon Strange, Anita Deva, and Colin) as they perform one final show for the last night on earth. 710 Split is Jordan T. Maxwell and Jeffrey Amos. They are an improv duo based out of Los Angeles, CA/Austin, TX.   

Scott Hearne interviews Cody Dearing and Chrissy Shackleford about Indy Movies. Stunts! Explosions! Blood! Comedy! They discuss how to create sketchprov; incorporating stunts, cap guns, costumes, and blood packets into a show; and writing a "dramatic" show as a group. Indy Movies is a part scripted/part improvised full length play that combines the thrill of your favorite action movie with the gore of your favorite horror flick. Indy Movies shows every Saturday at 8:30 pm in August and September of 2013 at Coldtowne Theater.    

Scott Hearne interviews Kareem Badr. They discuss different Pgraph formats, The Violet Underbelly (noir improv), Lord Wensleydale's Last High Tea, narrative/genre improv theory, and running The Hideout Theatre. Kareem Badr is an actor, director, and improviser in Austin, Texas. He has toured and taught improv internationally, originated numerous show formats, and pioneered the teaching of instinctual, narrative storytelling. He is a founding member of Parallelogramophonograph (Pgraph) and General Manager and co-owner of The Hideout Theatre.

Scott Hearne interviews Tom Booker. They discuss growing up in Oklahoma, studying improv with Del Close and Mick Napier at the same time, the founding of The Annoyance Theater, one of thousands of ways to fail as an actor in LA, the burdens of owning a theater, and the reasons Austin, Texas rocks. Tom Booker is an actor, director, and improviser in Austin, Texas. He has studied sketch and improv at Second City Chicago and ImprovOlympic. He is a founding member of The Annoyance Theater in Chicago and has been a director and instructor at Second City Los Angeles. He has appeared in several television shows, a few movies, and nearly a hundred commercials. 

Scott Hearne interviews Aden Kirschner and Shana Merlin from Girls Girls Girls: Improvised Musicals (GGG). They discuss the history of GGG, the musicians, GGG's rehearsal types, advice for managing an improv troupe, and GGG was the first troupe to rehearse at RLM! GGG is Amy Averett, Kimberly Cox, Sarah Marie Curry, Megan Flynn, Aden Kirschner, Shana Merlin, Cynthia Oelkers, and Caitlyn Sweetlamb. GGG has been performing improv in Austin, TX for ten years and has performed in numerous comedy festivals and shows. Check out Girls Girls Girls: Improvised Musicals presents  - Boys of Summer; Every Friday July 19 - August 23 at The Institution Theater! 

Scott Hearne interviews Andy Crouch. They discuss Andy's comic strip, how he became the Education Director at The Hideout Theatre, his passion for Shakespeare, his workshop - "Andy is Mean to You", the evolution of the Austin Improv Collective, and his improv philosophy. Andy Crouch is an actor, improviser, improv director and teacher, and the Education Director at The Hideout Theatre in Austin, Texas. He has directed Theatresports, Live Nude Improv, and Improv Shakespeare. Check out Andy's work as a director: Thursday through Sunday select dates in July 2013 - Macbeth and Much Ado About Nothing; Fridays in August 2013 at 8 PM for Fakespeare (Improvised Shakespeare) at The Hideout Theatre!