The Backline

This week, Rob and Adam discuss shady improv classes, incompetent improv teachers, and what to do when you’re dissatisfied with your experience in the classroom. Brought to you By: The Sonar Network

This week Rob and Adam discuss different methods of teaching improv, what’s the best way for a teacher to get their ideas across, and how context changes an improv teacher’s lesson plan. Brought to you By: The Sonar Network

This week, Rob and Adam unpack a major shake-up at The Second City. Starting January 22, 2026, the historic e.t.c. Stage shifts from scripted sketch to Improv Supernova, a fully improvised show—the first change in its 43-year history. They explore why the move makes sense now and what it means for the future of Second City, improv, and sketch comedy. Brought to you By: The Sonar Network

They unpack how shame shows up for performers and ways to face it without naming solutions. They talk about greedy scene partners, why people bulldoze scenes, and how to handle it in classes. They explore quick on-the-fly writing drills like freewriting, word association, and lists of ten to spark rapid comedic ideas.

A playful dive into why caring creates bigger laughs and how stakes shape improvised scenes. They explore awkward childhood memories, the embarrassment of object work, and the thrill of an audience wave. Discussion includes tension-and-release metaphors, over/under dynamics, and exercises to slow down and choose to care for funnier, riskier performance.

We all make mistakes—but how do we recover when they happen onstage? Is there a magic phrase an improviser can use to win the audience back? This week, Rob and Adam discuss the best strategies for recovering after bombing a scene. Brought to you By: The Sonar Network

This week Rob and Adam reflect on the year and give spread thanks to improv communities across the world: Ann Arbor, Chris the Cameraman, mentorship from Greg Yates, and never giving up on the dream of a Magnet House team. Brought to you By: The Sonar Network

In this episode, Rob and Adam dive into the challenges of handling heavy offers, navigating information overload, and figuring out how to deal with unexpected “bulldozers” that can derail an improv scene. They break down practical strategies, share examples, and explore how to keep scenes playful, collaborative, and fun. Brought to you By: The Sonar Network

This week, Rob and Adam tackle a tricky question: does your improv teacher have secrets to share, or are they full of it? With countless improv styles—many of them contradicting each other—it can be tough to know what to believe. Rob and Adam explore how improv ideas get passed down, why some “rules” stick, and how performers can figure out what’s actually useful. Brought to you By: The Sonar Network

This week Rob and Adam discuss the transitioning your skills from the classroom to the stage. Why is it so hard to do what works in an exercise, onstage in front of an audience? Brought to you By: The Sonar Network