Charm Scene: Improvised Musicals

Charm Scene: Improvised Musicals

By Charm Scene: Improvised MusicalsComedyMusicImprov
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Charm Scene: Improvised Musicals episodes

  • #80: "Into The Cabbage" with Jonathan Allsop!

    It's a vegetable revolution as charming guest Jonathan Allsop returns for another fully improvised musical. Don't miss our savoy spectacles, leafy liberation, and Mr. Corn Orville Redenbacher De Beers Diamonds Jr. himself. Lettuce entertain you on this week's Charm Scene!


    Jonathan Allsop was born and raised in Reading, PA. He is a proud first gen American with his mom/family immigrating from the islands of Trinidad & Tobago. After graduating from UPenn in Philly he moved to Chicago to do business, and act on the side, which eventually took over so much that he went to get his MFA in Acting at NIU. He has worked at various theaters such as: The Second City, Writers Theatre, Court Theatre, A Red Orchid Theatre, Definition Theatre, Notre Dame Shakespeare Festival, and more. He has done a lot of commercial and film work (a proud member of SAG-AFTRA), and has done improv throughout the city with Anarchy, Phony Award, and Blank. He loves the community and art that exists in Chicago and is so excited to continue to grow and do more.

    Cast: Lily Ludwig, Austin Packard, Jonathan Allsop
    Music Director: Sam Scheidler
    Drums: Chris Ditton

    Charm Scene is performed entirely by humans in sunny Chicago, IL. For more on the podcast, follow us @CharmScenePod on Instagram, visit us online at charmscenepod.podbean.com, or email us at [email protected]. In listening to this show, we hope you continue to support live human art wherever you find it. Stay charming!

    59 min
  • #79: "Not Quite, Maine" with Liz McCreight!

    It's 'Almost' time for an all new Charm Scene! Charming guest Liz McCreight (Tuesday Musical Improv, Teen Girl Book, Tent Peg Productions) returns for a surprisingly grounded improvised musical, inspired by the actual play, "Almost, Maine." Residents of this fictional town include sapphic stitchers, emotional exes, tired toddler parents, and more. Don't go breaking my heart!

    Liz McCreight is an improviser on her tenth year in Chicago who finally feels comfortable calling herself a Chicagoan. When not performing with TMI, Teen Girl Book, or producing shows with Tent Peg Productions, you can find her watching cartoons with her cat. 

    Cast: Lily Ludwig, Austin Packard, Liz McCreight

    Music Director: Sam Scheidler
    Drums: Chris Ditton

    Charm Scene is performed entirely by humans in sunny Chicago, IL. For more on the podcast, follow us @CharmScenePod on Instagram, visit us online at charmscenepod.podbean.com, or email us at [email protected]. In listening to this show, we hope you continue to support live human art wherever you find it. Stay charming!

    1 hr 4 min
  • #78: "James of Hearts" with Mike Gospel!

    Magic Mike is back! Charming guest Mike Gospel returns for a spellbinding fully improvised musical, complete with terrifying tricks, dutiful doves, cosmic calamities, and more. Find the magic inside us all, and inside James, on this week's Charm Scene.


    Cast: Lily Ludwig, Austin Packard, Mike Gospel
    Music Director: Sam Scheidler
    Drums: Chris Ditton

    Charm Scene is performed entirely by humans in sunny Chicago, IL. For more on the podcast, follow us @CharmScenePod on Instagram, visit us online at charmscenepod.podbean.com, or email us at [email protected]. In listening to this show, we hope you continue to support live human art wherever you find it. Stay charming!

    1 hr 3 min
  • #77: "Sapiosexual" with Juliana Zepeda!

    Adjective - of, relating to, or characterized by sexual or romantic attraction to highly intelligent people. We're hot for teacher as charming guest Juliana Zepeda joins the esteemed faculty of Charm Scene High, but she's on the hunt for something else. Musical MILFs, wistful worms, principled principals, and more in this week's fully improvised musical. Class is in session!


    Juliana Zepeda is really busy, kind of all the time, but this is her favorite podcast and some of her favorite people ever. If you like what you hear please follow her on Instagram and Tiktok @jayz_nottherapper. She would also love it if you came to any of her shows. Wheel of Improv, Shamilton, and Baby Wants Candy at Second City. Improvised Jane Austen, Marquee, and Best of iO Improv at iO Theater, or any of the other shows she does and loves. Slay Always.

    Cast: Lily Ludwig, Austin Packard, Juliana Zepeda
    Music Director: Sam Scheidler
    Drums: Chris Ditton

    Charm Scene is performed entirely by humans in sunny Chicago, IL. For more on the podcast, follow us @CharmScenePod on Instagram, visit us online at charmscenepod.podbean.com, or email us at [email protected]. In listening to this show, we hope you continue to support live human art wherever you find it. Stay charming!

    1 hr
  • Fraudway Festival, Marquee, and more with Allen Lucas! (Chat Scene #5)

    We're just a week away from the first annual Fraudway Musical Improv Festival at Chicago's iO Theatre! In this all new episode of Chat Scene, festival creator and organizer Allen Lucas joins us to talk about the festival and his countless new musical improv endeavors at iO (including the amazing new show "Marquee").


    We'll see you all at the Fraudway Musical Improv Festival, March 6-7. Tickets are on sale now at ioimprov.com.

    Cast: Lily Ludwig, Austin Packard, Allen Lucas
    Music Director: Sam Scheidler
    Drums: Chris Ditton

    Charm Scene is performed entirely by humans in sunny Chicago, IL. For more on the podcast, follow us @CharmScenePod on Instagram, visit us online at charmscenepod.podbean.com, or email us at [email protected]. In listening to this show, we hope you continue to support live human art wherever you find it. Stay charming!

    39 min
  • #76: "Ice Cream, You Scream" with Allen Lucas!

    The game is afoot! FIVE TIME charming guest Allen Lucas is back once again, this time with a mystery! We take Allen's real life love of ice cream and friendship and turn it into a devious, delicious dessert of musical improv, complete with vats of vanilla, nosey neighbors, suspicious stains, and more. Get the latest scoop on this week's Charm Scene!


    Want to hear even more of Allen? Don't miss the first annual FRAUDWAY Musical Improv Festival at Chicago's iO Theatre, March 6-7. Tickets are on sale now at ioimprov.com.

    Cast: Lily Ludwig, Austin Packard, Allen Lucas
    Music Director: Sam Scheidler
    Drums: Chris Ditton

    Charm Scene is performed entirely by humans in sunny Chicago, IL. For more on the podcast, follow us @CharmScenePod on Instagram, visit us online at charmscenepod.podbean.com, or email us at [email protected]. In listening to this show, we hope you continue to support live human art wherever you find it. Stay charming!

    1 hr 7 min
  • #75: "Earth, Wind & Tarot" with Daryn Robinson!

    The cards have spoken! Daryn Robinson ("My Best Friend is Black," "Shamilton," "She The People") is BACK. Through the power of live Tarot readings, and inspired by Daryn's story about her real-life uncle (a member of the legendary band "Earth, Wind & Fire") we set off through the kingdoms of Earth, Wind, and Fire on a quest to rediscover ourselves - featuring bountiful bindles, swollen skunks, vicious volcanoes, and more. The cycle continues on this week's Charm Scene!


    Daryn Robinson (she/her) is a Chicago-based writer/performer originally from Washington, D.C. She is a performer at @TheSecondCity, where her credits include She The People, the 2025 Black Excellence Revue, the family-friendly shows No Grown-Ups Allowed and Rudolph Runs Wild, and understudying the Touring Company and ETC Stage. Her other improv shows include: @Shamilton_Musical with @BabyWantsCandy, and @ImprovAusten and @Birdlady.io with @iochicago. Daryn proudly co-produces the all-Black comedy show @MyBestFriendisBlackShow at @TheLincolnLodge, voted @Chicago_Reader’s Best Comedy Show of 2023 and 2024! You can follow her at @daryn_2dream and catch her headlining @CityWineryChi on Feb. 24th (her birthday!!!) with My Best Friend is Black ✨

    Cast: Lily Ludwig, Austin Packard, Daryn Robinson
    Music Director: Sam Scheidler
    Drums: Chris Ditton

    Follow us @CharmScenePod on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube, or shoot us a message at [email protected]!

    58 min
  • #74: "Leveling Up" with Jono Mammel!

    Welcome weary travelers! Charming dungeon master Jono Mammel is back for a fantastical improvised adventure, inspired by Jono's real work in "Oops! All Bards." Join us as we enter a magical, musical world of swamps & sparrows, rocks & rolls, taverns & telekinesis, and more. Roll for initiative!


    Jono Mammel (they/them) is an actor, musical improviser, and tabletop game master originally from Rochester Hills, Michigan. Their Chicago credits include "Anthony Rapp: Home for the Holidays," "Benny Bingo and the Evangelikids," "Fan Fiction," "Puffs," "Shark Tank: the Musical," "Oops! All Bards: An Improvised D&D Musical," "Phony Award Winning Musical," and "Blank! The Musical." They can be seen improvising at Second City in "Baby Wants Candy" and "Shamilton," at the Revival in "Faking the Band," at iO in "Marquee," and at the Annoyance in "Tuesday Musical Improv." When not making things up, they enjoy murder mystery novels, televised cooking competitions, and making time-consuming Italian food.

    Cast: Lily Ludwig, Austin Packard, Jono Mammel
    Music Director: Sam Scheidler
    Drums: Chris Ditton

    Follow us @CharmScenePod on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube, or shoot us a message at [email protected]!

    1 hr 7 min
  • #73: Charm Scene LIVE - "Grin and Carrot" at The Last Word Comedy Festival 2026!

    We're LIVE again from Williamsburg, VA at the 2026 Last Word Comedy Festival! This year, we looked to fiber-rich comedy major Li for inspiration for an all-new fully improvised musical. Copious carrots, vicarious villains, tasty transformations, and more on this week's Charm Scene! What's up, Doc?


    Special thanks to the city of Williamsburg for sponsoring the event, and to everyone at The Last Word Comedy Festival. Learn more at lastwordfestival.com
    Recorded January 29, 2026 at PBK Hall at The College of William and Mary

    Cast: Lily Ludwig, Austin Packard, with introduction by Adam Stackhouse
    Music Director: Sam Scheidler

    Follow us @CharmScenePod on Instagram and YouTube, or shoot us a message at [email protected]!

    57 min

About Charm Scene: Improvised Musicals

From the publisher's feed

Join Lily Ludwig, Austin Packard, Music Director Sam Scheidler, and drummer Chris Ditton as they create brand new musicals — completely on the fly — alongside some of Chicago’s most charming music…