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238 Improv Interviews Thea Marie Thorkildsen by Margot Escott

Meet the fabulous Rachel Rosenthal! We met several years ago at the Sarasota improv Festival when she was part of the North Coast Hip Hop Improv! She is so fun and generous and we did an online class teaching me the basics of Hip Hop way before the pandemic.! Today, she resides in Portland OR where she teaches and performs at Kickstand Comedy, where she founded and wrote their Musical Improv program curriculum. She is also a cast member of the lauded improvised Elizabethan comedy, Love, Shakespeare — with whom she performs monthly. Rachel has studied at Upright Citizens Brigade (UCB), The PIT, ImprovBoston and elsewhere - with Joe Bill, Dave Razowsky, Asaf Ronen, Will Luera, Jon Gabrus, and Jill Bernard to name few! She specializes in free-form and musical improv, and has showcased these talents in numerous comedy festivals including Chicago, Vancouver, Iceland, San Francisco, Charleston, Boston, DCM, Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Sarasota, and the Women in Comedy Festivals among others. Rachel is an award winning improv instructor who has led workshops all over the world from Barcelona and India to Iceland and Hawaii. In 2014, The PIT awarded Rachel with the “Instructor of the Year Award” for her work with level one improv students. The Huffington Post once called Rachel an “improv whirlwind” after a performance with Rachel Dratch. In 2015, she started her Corporate Improv Training business - which she continues to run today. Rachel is also the Founder of (former) Bridesmaiding.com. She loves greyhounds (the dog, not the bus), bagels and drinking wine outside. Rachel has over 25 years experience as an improv instructor and is beloved by her students! For more info on Rachel check out the following links! Hwe site: www.theraeroshow.com Teams: https://www.loveshakespearepdx.com https://cliffbangerpdx.com My podcast: Sam & Rachel's Generation Gap

Meet the fabulous Mary Lemmer. She is a brilliant person who has accomplished so much in her young life! Our paths crossed at a meeting with improvisers who had conducted evidence based research on the neurological and psychological benefits of improv! We talk about her improv journey and the challenges she faced along the way. She is definitely an entrepreneur , starting her own business as a young child! Be sure to learn more about this remarkable improviser at https://www.marylemmer.com She conducted her own research on improv and physiology which can be found at https://intellectdiscover.com/content/journals/10.1386/dj_00028_1 She is a prolific speaker and writer and her new book, "How to Handle Anything: Four Improv Principles for Navigating Life's Curveballs" is coming out soon. Here are some other ways to learn about Mary and how improv has definitely improved her life! https://howtohandleanything.com The How to Handle Anything podcast Life, Improvised Substack https://lifeimprovised.substack.com TED Talk: How improv can improve your leadership and life https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ViPxtXWgg98

Meet Dr. Ron Harvey , an improviser and professor of Psychology at the American University in Bulgaria. He is also the faculty co-sponsor for the student improv troupe, the 1st English language improv club in the Balkans. Dr. Ron studied improv in Chicago at The Second City as well as iO Chicago, The Annoyance Theater, and CiC Theater. His love of improv started in the 1990s at the iO theater in Chicago, where he saw the very first Armando Diaz Experience. Ron grew up in America and he is currently living in Sofia, Bulgaria; his perspective on the international improv community is fascinating. Ron and I chat about embracing failure, building trust and developing empathy. This is an amazing conversation about building communities and breaking through cultural boundaries. He is the youngest of eight children, all boys. , born and grew up in Joliet, IL,. and got his Ph.D. in Community Psychology from DePaul University in Chicago in 2014. He has published research papers that led to the implementation of Oxford House recovery centers in Bulgaria. You can learn more about Dr. Ron at the following links: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MT_nDxILH7g Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Ronz8In Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/harvatronics/ TEDx AUBG Talk: Why the Future Belongs to Community Research https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y04D7qAPFMM

Meet the wonderful improviser/coach/facilitator/musician Patrick Short! We had a stimulating chat about his 39th year anniversary as a player with ComedySportz. For 32 years he served as co-owner (with his wife, Ruth Jenkins) and GM CSz Portland, the producers of ComedySportz. He's currently the Director of Client Services for CSz Portland, now part of Portland Comedy Theater. Patrick serves on the board of the Applied Improvisation Network, was the Associate Chair for the July, 2026 Global Improvisation Initiative Symposium in Portland and serves on the board of Access to Play (Nigeria). Patrick continues to play for ComedySportz, in the musical duo AlleyLoops (with Emily Larkin), is the Portland producer and music director of Vision♥︎Euro, an Improvised Söng Cöntest and composes/produces original pop and theatrical music - sometimes in a Dad Band! One of his great joys is improvising onstage with his wife Ruth and their adult improvisor children, Cowan and Fiona Jenkins. Patrick is a beautiful soul and I plan on chatting with him again! You can learn more about Patrick at the following links: Portland Comedy Theater and ComedySportz: https://portlandcomedy.com Our Applied Improv side: https://cszportland.com Original Music: https://patrickshort.bandcamp.com Vision♥︎Euro: https://portlandcomedy.com/vision-euro-program AlleyLoops: https://portlandcomedy.com/alleyloops Applied Improvisation Network: https://www.appliedimprovisationnetwork.org/ Global Improvisation Initiative: https://www.globalimprovisation.com/ Access to Play: https://accesstoplay.org/

I met Ruth Jenkins a year ago and was immediately fascinated by her work in improv as a Speech and Language Pathologist (SLP). She describes using her SLP and improv skills for people with Parkinson's and other neurological disorders. She has been improvising and teaching for over 35 years. She and her husband Patrick Short were the founders of Comedy Sportz Portland where she remains an active performer and workshop instructor, In 1995 she received her Master’s in degree in Speech-Language Pathologist She initially worked with children and teens with articulation issues. She later switched the focus of her practice to adults with neurological disorders. She shares numerous case studies describing how the uniqueness of her practice has changed hundreds of lives for the better. Currently Ruth works directly with patients and participants, and teaches caregivers and providers in "train the trainer" settings. Check out her training for healthcare professionals “Improv Theater Techniques & S/L and Cognitive Treatment professionals Improv Theater Techniques & S/L and Cognitive Treatment.” https://youtu.be/01gKDsJANMQ?si=Gu__MGamrMcDnH7b

Meet the incredible Dan Protess - award winning documentary film maker and writer. Dan and I met after I watched his fantastic documentary "Inventing Improv". He and his team did a fabulous job of highlighting improv history, featuring our good friend, Aretha Sills! He has also make other films you'll want to check out including the Edward Norton-narrated documentary From Rails to Trails, and the feature film In Their Hands, Be sure to check out his other works at https://www.protesscommunications.com. His mission is to create stories that feed your brain and fill your heart.

I met Cooper at a Dialect class and loved her teaching style and her skills! We chat about her growing up in St. Louis and her early influences. She received a degree in Theatre Arts from New Mexico and eventually made her way to Chicago. A friend suggested that she take classes at Second City and she auditioned for and was a member of the Conservatory with Michael Gellman. I know you'll enjoy this terrific episode.

Meet my friend Bob Dassie! We had such a great chat! He is, and I don't say this often, a brilliant and kind person! We talk about his legendary improv-duo show WeirDass with his wife of 25 years, Stephanie. Next month (August 2026) he's be teaching at the WGIS! Thanks to Jay Sukow for introducing us! You can see Bob in action in some of these clips! WeirDass - LIVE! at the 2025 Laugh Out Longview Improv Festival https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KoUbopIpdKA&t=1067s And Funny or Die Presents-The Carpet Brothers https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0iB7Wsh2QHw

Meet my dear friend Karen Derrah! We met through our mutual friend Max Schaeffer and more recently in a Musical Improv Show directed by Steph McCullough. She lives in Guelph, Ontario and has been playing and teaching piano for many years. Her love of improvisation and music was a natural fit to become a Musical Director. We had a lovely chat about her improv journey and even did a short musical scene! She offers a free musical jam on Tuesdays, twice a month, attended by folks around the world. I'm sure you'll love Karen as much as I do! Here are some ways to get in touch with Karen. To get on her mailing list for Tuesday Musical Improv email her at: [email protected] Summer Piano Workshop July 13th to 17th, 2026: https://www.karenderrah.com/home/pianoworkshop2026 Website https://www.karenderrah.com/ Facebook page for my piano studio: https://www.facebook.com/karenderrahpianostudio Instagram for my piano studio: @kdpianostudio I am accepting new students to my online piano studio this September. Prospective students (or their parents) can book a meet and greet with me using my online calendar at https://tidycal.com/karenderrah/info or they can email me at [email protected].

Meet the incredible Amy Angelilli, owner and ringleader of Third Space Improv. They are in St. Augustine, Florida, one of the coolest places in Florida! Since arriving in Florida in 2015, she has facilitated cooperative play experiences for people from 9 to 92 and every age in between. She’s also a certified laughter yoga leader. If you don't know what Laughter Yoga is, check out this video. https://www.3rdspaceimprov.com/team-building/ She worked out of other studios and theatres in St. Augustine for years until finally creating her own studio space in 2023.We laughed so much and she is multi-talented improviser. After starting a career in corporate America, she discovered improv during a divorce and hasn't stopped yet! She has fabulous energy and was one of the forces behind the 2025 AIN Conference in Florida last year. If you've never been to St. Augustine, home of The Fountain of Youth, check it out and take some classes at Third Space Improv. Owner + Ringleader, Third Space Improv 200 Malaga Street, St. Augustine, Florida 32084 https://www.3rdspaceimprov.com Author, 100 Things to Do in St. Augustine Before You Die Have you found your third space?

Peter Barg has spent his life building creativity in high-pressure environments. Beginning as a messenger in New York City during the final era of physical film editing, he learned every aspect of post-production before advancing into advertising production with McCann Erickson, where he worked on major campaigns for brands including Coca-Cola, AT&T, L’Oréal, and Miller Brewing. By his mid-twenties, he was producing national campaigns and later moved to St. Louis and Hollywood, where he led animation productions and eventually founded a pioneering virtual animation studio years before remote collaboration became commonplace. Throughout his career, Peter became known for solving complex creative problems, building systems, and bringing people together to produce exceptional work. Ironically, those same instincts initially made improvisation difficult. Introduced to improv through a client, Peter struggled with the uncertainty of the form but gradually discovered its deeper lessons in listening, trust, and collaboration—skills he later recognized would have made him an even stronger producer. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Peter immersed himself in online improv training with leading teachers from around the world and found a global creative community. In response, he founded Improv Dim Sum, an online workshop series that connected improvisers across cities and countries while making high-quality training accessible and affordable. The project grew into a thriving nonprofit organization dedicated to education and community building. Peter also served as President of Compass Improv in St. Louis, helping preserve the city’s vital place in improv history through its connection to Compass Players, Viola Spolin, Paul Sills, and the roots of both Second City and iO Theater. Today, Peter continues to produce workshops, coach performers, and connect improvisers with outstanding teachers. Whether in advertising, animation, or improvisation, his work has always centered on the same mission: creating environments where trust, creativity, and meaningful human connection can flourish.

Meet the brilliant and charming improviser, teacher, filmmaker and so much more, Ian McLaughlin. He started his Improv career on a rainy night in London (see our interview with his partner Beverly Fox) and began an incredible improv journey. Ian was so easy to chat with and he describes his method of teaching improv, starting with the first class. I felt like I was in an improv class, learning from this master! You definitely want to learn about his Blondie cover band and the surprise audience members who joined him on stage. He is so excited about the opening of the BOHO community hub, with a building opening in December 2026. I think it would be a great time to visit Newcastle and meet the beautiful team at BOHO Improv! For more info about the building: https://www.bohoarts.co.uk/hub Check out their website and classes: https://www.bohoarts.co.uk

I first met Rita a few years ago, during the pandemic when I learned about the Global Play Brigade – an organization right up my alley! She is a powerful woman who exemplifies how one person can bring positive change to so many people! Rita Ezenwa-Okoro is a dynamic creative culturist, and visionary leader who harnesses the transformative power of play and performing arts to raise and nurture leaders. Her book, Doing. Being. Becoming., earned her numerous speaking features, including at the United Nations 9th Global Forum and The Association of the Study of Play (TASP). As a renowned thought leader, speaker, author, and creative strategist. she has directly empowered over 5,000 youth leaders and entrepreneurs, sparking ripple effects that have positively impacted countless families and communities worldwide. Her visionary leadership shines as the Executive Director of the Global Play Brigade. This movement uses play to soften borders and barriers between people across the globe. She is also the founder of the Street Project Foundation— a United Nations Award-Winning organization. She is a Mandela Washington Fellow and also a three-time global fellow of the International Society of the Performing Arts (ISPA), and now the first Nigerian to serve on the board of ISPA, a prestigious organization for performing arts leaders across the world. When she’s not on a mission to change the world, she makes music, explores the world, and indulges in the guilty pleasures of a good RomCo! You can follow her on these links. https://www.ritaezenwaokoro.com https://www.ritaezenwaokoro.com/music https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8ZYEPqFxzk

Meet my good friend Bob Mann. We met during the pandemic and I had the good fortune to teach with him online at his alma mater, University of Oklahoma School of Social Work on "Improv and Therapy". Bob is an amazing human being who has dedicated his life to helping others. Bob has an Associate’s Degree in Nursing from Tulsa Community College and a Bachelor’s and a Master’s in Social Work from The University of Oklahoma School of Social Work. Bob started in mental health as a psych tech in 1987 and now carries nearly forty years in the field. He’s spent the last twenty-five in state and federal government in administrative and clinical roles. Bob’s direct clinical practice was providing intensive case management and substance abuse services to veterans experiencing homelessness. In 2011, Bob was inducted into the OU Social Work Hall of Fame. This was slightly less surreal than when he was Mr. August in the 2005 Oklahoma Men in Nursing Calendar. Bob performs with multiple troupes at OKC Improv and has performed in festivals across the country. Improv turned out to be the perfect companion to clinical work — a way to reconnect people through play, presence, and well-timed chaos. Bob’s current mission: blend improv, mental health, aging, and community in ways that help people heal, laugh, and maybe even surprise themselves. To see Bob in action check out his OKC Improv links https://youtu.be/79bH1JyDlHY?si=K4HSfFWbDZeenhO0 https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLu6Cs0xSIbOtY-Yng0ywl3DA8vOTrdaco&si=lEqHkcBDNe5-YacJ https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLu6Cs0xSIbOvmTdZ3C1d9r9dBg0kZQlc0&si=wwv_vGybpiLGw39e https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLu6Cs0xSIbOsBwk2okrrMOwYFyNU0BKnq&si=JY2QS2D6TQUPLSdv Link to DOC reentry work https://psychiatryonline.org/doi/10.1176/ps.62.1.pss6201_0073 VA HUD VASH Program