Improviser Mark Raterman stops by Studio 309 and discusses growing up outside DC, traveling / working in Europe after graduating college, the origins of Cook County Social Club, and more!

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- Box rants sports fans.
- Drinking and sobriety and rituals and meditation.
- Growing up in Reston VA with divorced parents and traveling into DC for concerts as a kid.
- Playing sports specifically hockey and doing bits in school.
- Attending Virginia Tech, for sports broadcasting, and getting into campus sketch w/ Ground Zero.
- A television internship in New Orleans and performing stand up at Movie Pictures.
- Traveling Europe after saving some money from radio work, before coming back through Hawaii.
- Brief stint in LA, returning to DC and taking classes at Washington Improv, before Chicago.
- Taking classes at iO and working at a law firm w/ TJ Miller, Brendan Jennings, et cetera.
- The origins of Cook County Social Club and touring with Second City.
- Moving to Los Angeles after selling some pilots and crashing on couches.

boxangeles.com/073

Improviser Greg Hess (Key & Peele, Playing House) stops by Studio 309 and discusses studying religion at William & Mary, the origins of Cook County Social Club, and more!

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- Box rants calendars starting on Mondays.
- Drinking and rituals.
- Growing up in Staunton VA and being an outdoorsy, pastoral, gun wielding child.
- Attending William & Mary for Improvisational Theater (IT) and majoring in religion.
- Moving to Chicago for Second City / iO and working at the Art Institute of Chicago.
- Doing Tour Co, cruise ships and the origins of Cook County Social Club.
- Marrying his teacher Holly Laurent and moving to LA via a multi-week, international road / boat trip.
- Drinking, smoking & reflecting on Chicago and having a 34-week run in the UCB Cagematch.
- Improv in LA and getting representation.

boxangeles.com/072

Improviser Brendan Jennings (Parks and Recreation, New Girl) stops by Studio 309 and discusses being a Disney character, the origins of Cook County Social Club, and more!

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- Box rants digital antennas v cable.
- (Day) drinking and rituals.
- Growing up in Suffolk County Long Island and being a middle child.
- An introverted goofball and discovering oneself through track & field.
- Attending Xavier University and getting into theatre / improv there.
- Creating the improv group Don't Tell Anna and throwing shows around campus.
- Meeting his wife and moving to Orlando to be Disney characters.
- Doing improv at SAK and upgrading to an Equity actor at Disney.
- Moving to Chicago and jumping in at Second City Conservatory / iO.
- Understudying / touring before landing on the mainstage and CCSC origins.
- Working in a law office with comedians and making a pilot for Comedy Central.
- Moving to Los Angeles and the UCB Cagematch run.
- Landing Parks and Recreation (from Dorian) and Naomi Odenkirk as a manager.

boxangeles.com/071

Actor Allison Miller (Terra Nova, Go On) stops by Studio 309 and discusses moving a lot as a child, how she broke through via a reality show, and more!

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- Box rants turning down paper bags.
- Drinking and diseases and rituals.
- Born in Rome, Italy, moving a lot and being a shy only child.
- Doing a play at gifted camp, starting high school in State College PA and finishing in Tallahassee FL.
- Participating in Young Actors Theatre and briefly attending Boston University.
- Musical instrument, Rhodes College for a semester before University of Florida.
- Many majors, competing in the In Search of the New Partridge Family reality show.
- Landing a manager / agent from the show, submitting via tape in Florida and moving to Los Angeles.
- Living in Oakwood Apartments and roaming the city alone, in a rental car.
- Feeling the pressure of success after landing a lead role in Kings and not watching herself.
- Shooting in NYC, Australia and other awesome places, and shows ending too soon.
- A recent string of success and the dream.

boxangeles.com/070

Director Matt Shakman (Mad Men, House) stops by the studio and discusses why he always arrives to set first, how he 'fell' into acting at age 4, attending Yale University and more!

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- Box rants fast food employees not closing the bag.
- Drinking and rituals.
- Growing up in Ventura, CA and being a kid who made stuff.
- Falling into acting at age 4, attending a school for acting and first booking a Pepsi commercial.
- Becoming a series regular on 'Just the Ten of Us' and attending The Thacher School in Ojai.
- Attending Yale University, acting / directing plays and having a art history / theatre double major.
- Getting a gig in NYC assisting directing and moving to Los Angeles.
- Opening the Firefly Theater before opening Black Dahlia Theater while working as an SAT tutor.
- Getting a break from Ed Zwick directing 'Once and Again' and finding the next gigs.
- Landing an agent and getting involved with 'It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia'.
- The one-er in the 'Charlie Work' episode and end game.

boxangeles.com/069