The Centralia Improvisational Podcast

Valerie, Kaci, Roy and Kareem have been improvising together as P-Graph for 18 years. They share their history and process with host Kevin Scott.

BrianneHalveson and John Brennan, Artist directors of Front Porch Improv discuss their strategy and systems for running a commercially and artistically successful improv/comedy theater.

Katie Caussin chats with host Kevin Scott about her years being funny with The Second City, The Annoyance Theater and future as Co-Artistic Director of I.O. Theater in Chicago.

Jonathan Pitts talks with kevin Scott about his 20 years as a festival producer and what he's learned traveling the world as an improv teacher.

Jonathan Pitts is a improv theatre artist from Chicago with over 30 years’ experience. He’s a creator, director, improviser, producer, and teacher, and he’s also the Founder and Executive Director of Chicago Improv Productions.

He co-founded the Chicago Improv Festival and produced it for 20 years. He Has taught and performed internationally in 12 countries, as well as all over America.  He is also the creator of shows including “The Make ‘Em Ups”, "The Oracle", "The Silent Movie", “Solo Plus One”, “Stopwatch”, and "Storybox Unscripted Theatre".

Jonathan taught at The Second City for 16 years and he’s a contributing writer to their book on improvisation. He taught story-based improv at Piven Theatre Workshop. 

Pat from Centralia chats with Brian Stack about his years writing for Conan O'Brien on Late Night and the Tonight Show and his current job writing for Stephen Colbert on The Late Show. They also discuss Briens years doing improv and sketch and how that led to his writing comedy for TV.

Centralia's Kevin Scott chats with fellow Bang Bang alum Bob Fisher to discuss Bob's days with The Second City, Annoyance Theater, Cardiff Giant and of course, Bang Bang. They also discuss how Improv has changed for them and the improv community at large since discovering improv in Chicago in the '90's.

Bob Fisher is a teacher and performer at The Annoyance Theater, Chicago.  

Pat McCartney goes One On One with Saturday Night Live and Late Night with Seth Meyers writer Alex Baze to discuss his days in Chicago in the '90's and his life at SNL and Late night and his journey to get there.

Centralia Pat McCartney has a one on one chat with his old pal Adam McKay to discuss his journey from improv student to Oscar winning filmmaker.  Adam was head writer at Saturday Night Live before writing and directing hit films and series such as Anchorman, Talladega Nights, Vice, The Big Short, Succession and Don't Look Up.

Ashley Ward from Conyers, GA performed improv and sketch comedy in New York City for more than a decade before moving to Los Angeles. Ashley appeared in several off broadway shows including the New York Times Critic's Pick "50 Shades! The Original Musical Parody" which she also co-wrote. TV Credits include Aqua Teen Hunger Force, Your Pretty Face is Going to Hell and Middle of the Night Show. Ashley performs at UCB Sunset with Magic to Do and Baby Wants Candy! 

Noah Gregoropoulos is an influential Chicago improvisor, teacher and director having taught for decades at IO and DePaul University.

Noah most notably directed the Lois Kaz show at Second City which features a who's who of long time comedy writers and performers.

Hosted by Kevin Scott

Will Luera has built communities at theaters in Boston with Improv Boston and in Sarasota Florida as the Director of Improvisation at the Florida Studio Theater. He's Artistic Director of Improv Asylum, Director of Big Bang Improv and serves as the Artistic Director Emeritus of ImprovBoston.

Patrick McCartney goes one on one with David Koechner best known as Champ Kind in the Anchorman films and Todd Packer on NBC's The Office as well as appearances in dozens of movies and TV shows including a year as a cast member on Saturday Night Live.

Pat and David discuss David's improv and acting journey, their thoughts on how to be a great improvisor as well as Chicago and improv in the 90's.

Dion Flynn & Nate Starkey created and perform in the two-man prisoners-on-the-run improvisational comedy Shackled. In this episode they join host Kevin Scott to discuss their trailer park childhoods and how they found Improv, comedy and each other. They also discuss the process of developing an improv show with recurring characters, themes and stories.

Heather is a UK based improviser with 20 years experience. She performs regularly with The Maydays, Showstopper! the Improvised Musical, and more as well as coaching people in improvisation and improv skills for life and work. She specializes in musical improvisation. 

She is the the winner of the award for best female performer at Brighton Fringe & the Argus Angel Award for artistic excellence.

ROBERT Z GRANT is a New York-based actor and improviser and author of Improv and the Actor's Imagination: An Essential Guide to Get Yourself Into Trouble. He trained as an actor with Bill Esper at the William Esper Studio in New York, studied clowning and Commedia with Christopher Bayes at The Public Theater and at Juilliard, and honed his improv chops in the tradition of Second City.

Robert has been a cast member of the award-winning improvised musical comedy BROADWAY'S NEXT HIT MUSICAL since 2003, and he tours the country and internationally performing with the show. Robert is a founding member and former co-Artistic Director of The Collective NY and appeared in four seasons of INSIDE AMY SCHUMER (Comedy Central).

Guy Richards Smit is an American performance artist, painter, and singer-songwriter in the band Maxi Geil! & PlayColt. His work has been seen around the world including MoMA in New York City. he has been performing his character Jonathan Grossmalerman, a satirical take on the artistic personality, since the mid-90's and infuses much of his other work with humor including a series of single panel cartoons for hyperallergic.com 

Jules Munns joins the podcast from the U.K. to discuss the future of Improvisation. 

Jules co-founded the Nursery Theater and Slapdash International Improv Festival. He performs with the Maydays, Ten Thousand Million Love Stories, Concept: the Improvised Concept Album and many other shows.

Dave Razowsky performed in 10 revues at Chicago's Second City with cast members including Steve Carell, Stephen Colbert, Amy Sedaris, and Rachel Dratch. He was Artistic Director of The Second City Hollywood for 10 years and has taught his unique style of workshops around the world. He discusses his improv life and wether improv can change the world with Host Kevin Scott

Centralia discusses finding your unique improv voice and how to get and take notes from a director or other ensemble members.

some adult language in the episode

no one has guested with Centralia more than Chris Griggs. Griggs is a stand-up Comic who tours the US and has been performing Improv comedy and teaching for most of the past 20 years. Before he went into comedy he wrote Advertisements. He discusses all this things with host Patrick McCartney.

The times Lucas Hazlett performed with Centralia were among the most memorable shows we've ever done. Lucas joins Kevin in a discussion on what makes good improv, philosophy, being a team player and the optimal improv show structure.

Lucas Hazlett is a writer/performer who studied improv and sketch at the Upright Citizens Brigade and Peoples Improv Theater. He has had roles on American Princess, Superior Donuts and Wrecked. He has sold and worked on projects for CBS, TBS, MTV, Comedy Central, The CW, and Marvel Comics. 

Language warning: Some words may not be appropriate for children.

Kevin, Matt and Jay chat about things in the news and try to understand why Gary Oldman is the worlds greatest actor.

Centralia's Matt, Kevin and Jay take the time to apologize for their behavior and chat about classic TV Shows and interior design of the late 1970's

Comedian, actor and podcaster Kurt Braunohler has had a Comedy Central Special, appeared in Netflix’s LADY DYNAMITE, THE BIG SICK, BOB’S BURGERS, NEW GIRL, @MIDNIGHT, ANOTHER PERIOD, KROLL SHOW, DRUNK HISTORY, CHELSEA LATELY, DELOCATED, JON BENJAMIN HAS A VAN, HUMAN GIANT. He's done stand up on CONAN, THE TONIGHT SHOW STARRING JIMMY FALLON, LATE NIGHT WITH SETH MEYERS, and THE LATE LATE SHOW WITH JAMES CORDEN. He's also appeared on RadioLab and this American Life and hosts the Bananas Podcast with Scotty Landes.

Ali Farahnakian was a founding member of the UCB theater and is the founder and owner of The People Improv Theater In New York and Chapel Hill, NC. Ali performed with the Second City Improv Olympic in Chicago and studied with Del Close in the '90's. He was a writer for Saturday Night Live, has appeared on Late Night With Conan O'Brien, Delocated, 30 Rock, Louie, Law and Order and more. In this interview he discusses running several theaters, bars and a rehearsal space while remaining a creative performer.

Kevin, Matt and Jay chat about Jay's fateful trip to island and other things as part of Centralia's In Conversation series

Centralia chat about what is turning them on these days-  the sights, sounds, smells and illustrated playing cards that have them excited are all discussed.

Comic Mary Gallagher becomes Kevin's therapist as they discuss her stand up comedy, appearing on The Late Show with Steven Colbert, her days doing improv in Chicago and how to find your own unique voice and style.

Katarina Wahlberg Joins Host Kevin Scott to discuss her Improv guide book and running a theater and school. Katarina is the co-author of The Visual Guide To Improv and a founder of International Theater Stockholm. She has trained and performed at many different improv theaters including the Peoples Improv Theater (PIT) in New York, Stockholms Improvisationsteater. She performs in many hit improv shows including Lost in Translation, Mission Improvible, Troubadour Tales and Lemonade.

Centralia discusses their favorite snacks to have while watching a movie.

Joe Bill has been traveling the world teaching Imprvised theater techniques for a couple decades. He was a founding member of Chicago's Annoyance Theater as well as Bass-Prov, the 2 man show where 2 guys chat while Bass fishing. In this conversation he and Kevin from Centralia discuss his journey through life and improv.

Todd Stashwick and Centralia's Kevin chat about Chicago in the 90's, their days in New York and Todd's life as a Hollywood actor, writer and dungeon master.

Before Kate Walsh played  Dr. Addison Montgomery on ABC'sGrey's Anatomy and Private Practice, she was improvising with the members of Centralia as Burn Manhattan. Before Kate was playing Rebecca Wright on the NBC sitcom Bad Judge, Olivia Baker on the Netflix drama series 13 Reasons Why, and The Handler in The Umbrella Academy she was appearing in plays with Patrick MacCartney. in the One On One episode Pat and Kate discuss their history together and what its like being a theater artist working in the fast paced world of TV and film.

Shira Piven has a one on one conversation with Centralia's Patrick Mc Cartney to discuss her upbringing, career as a TV, movie and theater director and how improv influences her work.

Centralia favorite J. Elaine Marcos has been in several Broadway casts. in this episode, she chats with Jay and Kevin about her days as a triple threat and how improv helps her acting and audition process.

Get to know Centralia's Jay Rhoderick as he chats with Patrick McCartney about growing up in Maryland, discovering theater and improvisation.

Pat sits down with Kevin to discuss being a theater kid, early comedy influences and being bossy.

Patrick McCartney gets to know Matt Higgins a little bit better in this one on one interview about life, theater, stand-up comedy and improvisation.

Julia Morales, Artistic Director of Stepping Stone Theater in Chicago talks about her days doing improv on cruise ships and starting a new improv community.

Jamie Graham and Amy Larimer from The Raving Jaynes (ravingjaynes.com, Instagram @ravingjaynes) join Jay and Kevin to talk combining comedy and dance in their unique performances.

Chris and Paul from the Chris and Paul Show show up on our show! Hosted by Centralia's Jay Rhoderick, Chris and Paul discuss being finalists NBC's Bring The Funny and their unique style of sketch comedy.

Long time friend and frequent Centralia collaborator Joe Schiappa sits in to talk comedy and how to be funny while improvising.

TV and movie actor/writer/creator Lennon Parham (Playing House, BFFs, Bless This Mess, Schooled, Veep, Lady Dynamite) chats about her process in creating her unforgettable characters and how she uses improvisation in her work as an actor and writer.

Pat, Matt, Jay and Kevin each give their top 3 improv tips.