Yes, Also

Dan Lippert (Big Grande, ManDogPod) talks about nerves, his early practice groups, funny tour show fiascos, family dynamics informing improv choices, the why of comedy, sustaining collaborative relationships, making playable choices, committing to silliness, telling an audience what’s funny, the many dimensions of trust, why he loves hosting shows, using empathy to play jerks, his favorite coaching exercises, and more!Access to double the content and other perks at ⁠⁠yesalso.supercast.com⁠⁠!Follow us on instagram ⁠@yesalsopod⁠ & TikTok ⁠@yes.also.pod⁠Email us with your ideas and questions @ yesalsopod@gmail.com New episodes every Tuesday!

Tao Yang (Dropout, UCB Harold night) talks about Improv Boston, finding balance in training styles, short form limitations, themed Harolds, a nerdy mathematical improv theorem, the improv/sketch paradox, generational humor, the movie form, Harold auditions, College Humor, a riff on the rant opening, a hot take on living rooms, selling the voice of reason to an audience and more! Access to double the content and other perks at ⁠yesalso.supercast.com⁠!Follow us on instagram @yesalsopod & TikTok @yes.also.podEmail us with your ideas and questions @ yesalsopod@gmail.com New episodes every Tuesday!

Ben Schwartz, the hilarious actor and improviser known for his roles in Parks and Recreation and as Sonic the Hedgehog, shares his journey through comedy. He unpacks his childhood fears of failure, recalls the first laugh that defined his comedic style, and discusses how venue sizes influence improv dynamics. From his early days at UCB to adapting long-form sets on tour, Schwartz dives deep into the art of performance and connection with audiences, offering insights into his creative process and the joy of collaboration.

Susan Messing (Second City mainstage, iO, the Annoyance) talks about discovering Improv Olympic, earlier iterations of the Harold, adding specificity to ambiguity, working with Mick Napier, the early days of the Annoyance, loving hard notes, improv as a sociological study, playing the simple reality, finding your scene partner’s sh*t delicious, justifying vs. inventing, ditching agenda, how she accesses characters, loving to lose, and more!Access to double the content and other perks at ⁠⁠yesalso.supercast.com⁠⁠!Follow us on instagram ⁠@yesalsopod⁠ & TikTok ⁠@yes.also.pod⁠Email us with your ideas and questions @ yesalsopod@gmail.com New episodes every Tuesday!

Jacquis Neal (Dropout, Comedy Bang Bang) talks about the danger of comparison, how he fell in love with theatre, going all in on UCB and the LA indie scene, acting vs, performing, bringing yourself to your improv, shows that have an angle, finding an indie team’s identity, building a form from scratch, how to produce a successful show, and more!Access to double the content and other perks at ⁠⁠yesalso.supercast.com⁠⁠!Follow us on instagram ⁠@yesalsopod⁠ & TikTok ⁠@yes.also.pod⁠Email us with your ideas and questions @ yesalsopod@gmail.com New episodes every Tuesday!

Chris Gethard (The Stepfathers, The Chris Gethard Show) talks about how improv saved his life, UCBNY in the early 2000’s, feeling like the weak link on a team, identifying your improv superpower, the shadow side of curriculums, simplifying game, his public access show, straight man sleight of hand, fuel efficient improv, finding the purest play, improvising with Amy Poehler, standout shows and scenes, and more!Please check out these plugs from Chris!Laughingtogether.orgPodcast: Beautiful AnonymousLogan square improvAccess to double the content and other perks at ⁠⁠yesalso.supercast.com⁠⁠!Follow us on instagram ⁠@yesalsopod⁠ & TikTok ⁠@yes.also.pod⁠Email us with your ideas and questions @ yesalsopod@gmail.com New episodes every Tuesday!

Comedian Jacob Wysocki, known for his work on Dimension 20, shares his comedic journey from discovering improv in high school to joining the acclaimed UCB theater. He discusses his love for filmmaking sparked by an indie project and how it deepens his character work. Jacob also dives into the dynamics of short-form versus long-form improv, his experiences with Dropout, and the importance of collaboration in comedy. Plus, he reveals his unique character-building process and how he approaches performance to keep audiences engaged.

Holly Laurent (Second City Chicago, Mega) talks about growing up in a high control religion, choosing laughter over tears, identifying what’s scaring you, embracing your inner weirdo, her Second City journey, improvising with Tom Hanks, believing in the sophistication of your audience, deep characters, obsessive human study, supporting offers outside your wheelhouse, empathetic satire, and more!Access to double the content and other perks at ⁠⁠yesalso.supercast.com⁠⁠!Follow us on instagram ⁠@yesalsopod⁠ & TikTok ⁠@yes.also.pod⁠Email us with your ideas and questions @ yesalsopod@gmail.com New episodes every Tuesday!

Steve Waltien (The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Improvised Shakespeare) talks about the courage of youth, Second City, marrying intellect with emotion, “killing the king”, the perceived limitations of game, tactics for clarity, reading your scene partner’s signals, escaping unintentional traps, the gift of a character’s philosophy, the beautiful rigor of Improvised Shakespeare, conveying control to an audience, and more!Special Thanks: Alexei ShishkinAccess to double the content and other perks at ⁠⁠yesalso.supercast.com⁠⁠!Follow us on instagram ⁠@yesalsopod⁠ & TikTok ⁠@yes.also.pod⁠Email us with your ideas and questions @ yesalsopod@gmail.com New episodes every Tuesday!

Sara Rose Caplan (Baby Wants Candy, XOXO) talks about playing with her dream team, learning improv as a non-performer, overcoming limitations, musical improv forms, tripling down, tips for working with accompanists, motivating game with emotion, people she’s learned from, embracing intellect, how coming out as trans helped her improv, a philosopher’s approach to teaching, and more!Access to double the content and other perks at ⁠⁠yesalso.supercast.com⁠⁠!Follow us on instagram ⁠@yesalsopod⁠ & TikTok ⁠@yes.also.pod⁠Email us with your ideas and questions @ yesalsopod@gmail.com New episodes every Tuesday!