The Theft Forum

Scott Hearne interviews Christopher "Ceej" Allen, Kayla Lane Freeman, and Peter Rogers from the 44 Hour Improv Marathon at The Hideout Theatre. They discuss the challenges of doing improv for 40 hours plus, setting expectations, Jonathan Monkhouse controversy, and motivation for playing. Cast: Aaron Saenz, Christopher "Ceej" Allen, Jessica Arjet, Kayla Lane Freeman, Lindsey Reeves, Lisa Jackson, Michael Joplin, Peter Rogers. The 44 Hour Improv Marathon is a fundraiser for The Hideout Youth Program and starts at 5 PM, Friday, June 21st through 1 PM on Sunday, June 23.

Scott Hearne interviews Erika May McNichol (Director), Taylor Overstreet, and Jericho Thorp (Cast Members) from "Braised in Texas" at Coldtowne Theater. They discuss merging short form and long form improv, how Jericho puts BBQ experience and family into his performance, how to perform the same character for a two month run in an improv show, Taylor loves Aussie accents and much more! "Braised in Texas" - Erika May McNichol (Director); Cast: Arthur Simone, Jericho Thorp, Cortnie Jones, Calan Lambert, Taylor Overstreet, Valerie Ward, Carlos LaRotta, Andrew Buck, Emma Holder, Nicole McCracken, Katie Thornton, and John Ratliff as The Narrator. "Braised in Texas" is a main stage improv show at Coldtowne Theater: Every Saturday in May and June 2013 at 8:30 PM. 

Scott Hearne interviews Justin Davis (Director) and Brad Hawkins, Jessie Pitluck, and Megan Venable (Cast Members) from The Next Chapter at The Institution Theater. They discuss homework writing assignments for an improv show, meeting and exceeding published author's expectations, Lovecraftian bleedover, and if the story calls for a climax...Just do it! The Next Chapter - Justin Davis (Director); Cast: Ben Masten, Brad Hawkins, Heidi Rogers, Jessie Pascarelli, Jessie Pitluck, Luke Wallens, Megan Venable, Paul Normandin, and Ryan Hill. The Next Chapter is a main stage improv show at The Institution Theater: Every Friday in May and June 2013 at 8:00 PM. 

Scott Hearne interviews Cody Dearing (Co-Director) and Joshua Phillips (Producer/Cast Member) from The JTS Brown Experience at Coldtowne Theater. They discuss the Chicago origins of JTS Brown and Craig Cackowski, the rehearsal process, interviewing original cast members to inform the Austin interpretation of the format, and how to create a truly boundless improv performance where: "anything can happen". Austin JTS Brown Experience Directors: Dave Buckman and Cody Dearing; Producer: Joshua Phillips; Cast: Alex Baia, Frank Netscher, Andrew Buck, Naomi Perryman, Matt Needles, Michael Jastroch, Arthur Simone, Amy Averett, Sarah Marie Curry, Joshua Phillips, Ashley Franks, Drew Wesley, Jason Finkelman, John Brewster, and Taylor Overstreet. The JTS Brown Experience is a main stage improv show at Coldtowne Theater: Every Thursday in May 2013 at 8:30 PM. 

Scott Hearne interviews Adriane Shown. They discuss Adriane's show biz childhood, performance poetry, acting, improv, set design, eBay, bartending, music and life altering decisions. Adriene Shown is an actor, improviser, and perfomance poet in Austin, TX. Look for her upcoming show: Hell and Back Cabaret at The Institution Theater, Saturdays at 8 PM in June 2013!  

Scott Hearne interviews Asaf Ronen (Director) and Jason Vines (Assistant Director) and cast members from The Suitcase. Cast members: Nicole Beckley and Jeanette Jones. The Suitcase is a main stage improv show at The Institution Theater: Every Friday, at 10 PM, May and June 2013. They discuss vulnerability and intimacy in improv, using an entire theater space, and creepy, yet likable character work.  

Scott Hearne interviews Dan Grimm. They discuss Dan's improv philosophy, a Del Close story, Texas A&M Theater Department (Yes, it exists.), moving to Chicago, and the life of a pyrotechnic specialist. Yeah, Dan literally blows shit up and gets paid for it! Dan Grimm has performed improv for over 17 years, has a BA in Theater Arts from Texas A&M, a graduate of iO Chicago, and has 1st Year Conservatory Training at Second City Chicago. He has performed improv with Freudian Slip, Pavlov's Dogs, Middle Management, Cricket City, RichardTatorship, Dust Bath, The Cubbies, and Never Pickles. 

Scott Hearne interviews David Lampe. They discuss Lampe's Roast at Out of Bounds 2012, improv in Houston at The Comedy Workshop, Lampe played football in high school?!?!?!, accents in improv, The Oxymorons - San Antonio, and History of Austin Improv. David Lampe has performed improv for 30 years in Texas, he is currently a member of Zarzamora and Your Dad's Friends.

Scott Hearne interviews Asaf Ronen. They discuss TJ & Dave: Trust Us; Asaf plays a dog; Is improv marketable?; Cease and desist letters; and how to do serious improv. Asaf Ronen is an improv instructor, and Educational Director at The Institution Theater, a member of Confidence Men - Improv Inspired by David Mamet, creator and editor of YESand.com, and author of Directing Improv: Show the Way by Getting Out of the Way. 

Scott Hearne interviews Asaf Ronen. They discuss New York City, Asaf's improv history and background, and the improv curriculm at The Institution Theater. Asaf Ronen is an improv instructor, and Educational Director at The Institution Theater, a member of Confidence Men - Improv Inspired by David Mamet, creator and editor of YESand.com, and author of Directing Improv: Show the Way by Getting Out of the Way. 

Scott Hearne interviews Sarah Marie Curry. They discuss Doctuh Mistuh Productions and Michael McKelvey; new improvisers are like baby animals; motivated movements and mindfulness in improv; Girls, Girls, Girls and the B. Iden Payne Awards, and rebellion against the noise of the world. Sarah Marie Curry is an actor/performer based in Austin, TX; the theater manager and Improv 101 teacher at The Institution Theater; and a member of Girls, Girls, Girls: Improvised Musicals and Improv for Evil.

Scott Hearne interviews Roy Janik (Director) and cast members from the third season of Austin Secrets. Cast members: Alex Dobrenko, Kayla Lane Freeman, Paul Normandin, Jayme Ramsay, and Peter Rogers. Austin Secrets is a main stage improv show at The Hideout Theatre inspired by the Post Secret project. They discuss vulnerability in improv, the truth chair, taking care of each other in scenes, and honoring the lives of real people in improv.   

Scott Hearne interviews iScream Sandwich. iScream Sandwich is a Harold team from The Institution Theater and includes: Heidi Caldwell, Erica Lies, Andrew Robinson, Regina Soto, Wyatt Tall, and Marv Pratt. They discuss the difficulty of performing a Harold, Heidi took classes at Second City - LA, Marv hates everyone, Wyatt is tall, Erica is NOT a liar, and Andrew is...

Scott Hearne interviews the faculty of The Torch Theatre: Bill Binder, Mack Duncan, Jose Gonzalez, and Nina Miller. Rachel Tullio was there too! They discuss: the history of The Torch Theatre in Phoenix, AZ; how to start an improv theater and introduce long form improv to a new market; The Phoenix Improv Festival; bizarre improv performance venues, and a special improv performance! 

Scott Hearne interviews Brett Tribe. They discuss: Brett was an improviser since age seven?!?!, scripted theater vs. the seduction of improv, depression, his internship at a theater in Florida, improv and acting, and character stand up comedy. Brett Tribe is an actor, improviser, writer, and director in Austin, TX. He is a member of the improv groups: Bad Boys, The Intentions, and Faster Robot Kill Kill. Brett was director of South Park Live at The Institution Theater and appeared in their production of Dr. Horrible's Sing Along Blog. You can see Brett perform every Friday night with Bad Boys at 8:30 PM at Coldtowne Theater. 

Scott Hearne interviews Anna Renzenbrink. They discuss: the history of improv in Australia and Impro Melbourne, Spiderdance, how to be kind to yourself as a beginning improviser, and why Anna came to Austin for the Out of Bounds Comedy Festival. Anna Renzenbrink has been working with Impro Melbourne for five years, and has performed in Theatresports, Late Nite Impro, Unforseen Stories, and The Cave. Anna has extensive experience coaching improv and encourages self-awareness. 

Scott Hearne interviews Kat Radley. They discuss 11th Graders, Kat has an hour of comedy!, online dating, reading comic strips, is stand up comedy scarier than improv? Kat Radley is a comedian in Los Angeles. She was a Final Four contestant in the 2008 Aspen Comedy Festival. Since then, she has performed in the 2010 World Series of Comedy in Las Vegas, Tom Arnold's Laughing with the Stars at The Laugh Factory, and at colleges and clubs across the nation. She won second place in the "Funniest Comic in SoCal Contest" at the Jon Lovitz Comedy club and she performs improv comedy at the Upright Citizen's Brigade Theater - LA. Most recently, Kat took home the 2011 Friars Club Audience Award at the Women in Comedy Festival. Check out her website: http://www.katradley.com/ 

Scott Hearne interviews Danny Palmer. They discuss developing material, how NOT to climb up the corporate ladder, and how pretense sucks. Danny hails from Cleveland, Ohio, a town his parents quickly abandoned for warmer climes in Tampa, Florida. Growing up in Tampa, Danny learned the ins and outs of wearing jean shorts and listening to 2 Live Crew at ear splitting volumes. He performs stand up comedy in New York City at Comic Strip Live, Gotham Comedy Club, Broadway Comedy Club, and a host of NYC stages.

Scott Hearne interviews Lance Weiss. They discuss finding an audience for your style of comedy, can you actually find your "voice" as a comic, and why do comics turn on a cold audience? Lance is a comic in New York City. He was a Top 4 finalist in CMT’s 2012 “Next Big Comic”, and has been on MTV, NBC’s “The Today Show,” Bravo, AOL.com, NY Times and Comcast as well as in AT&T and Kit Kat Commercials.  Lance was a semi-finalist in the New York Comedy Festival’s “NY’s Funniest Standup Competition” and has performed in the Bridgetown Comedy Festival, Out of Bounds Comedy Festival, The Laughing Skull Comedy Festival, The San Francisco Comedy Festival and many others.  Finally, he co-produces an awesome comedy show – “Gandhi, is that you?” in the lower east side of Manhattan every Wednesday night.

Scott Hearne interviews Rick Andrews. They discuss improv fundamentals, how to create a safe space for beginning improvisers, how to listen and genuinely react to situations, and the joy of being an improv teacher. Rick is a teacher and performer at The Magnet Theater and has been studying, performing, and teaching improv since 1999. He began improvising with Improv Boston, and continued with a stint in St. Louis, MO.