Welcome to a brand new episode of Improv and Magic! Today, we have the extraordinary Bill Chott joining us. Known for his iconic role as Mr. Laritate on Disney Channel's Wizards of Waverly Place, Bill Chott is a seasoned comedian and actor with a rich history in the entertainment industry. Hailing from St. Louis, Missouri, Bill sharpened his comedic skills at Chicago's prestigious Second City, performing alongside comedy greats like Steve Carell and Stephen Colbert. His extensive career includes notable appearances in 3rd Rock from the Sun, ER, and This Is Us.

Bill continues to teach improv through his institution, The Improv Trick. For information on classes and shows, visit their website theimprovtrick.weebly.com.

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This week, I am honored to host the legendary Matt Besser. Matt is a founding member of the iconic sketch comedy troupe Upright Citizens Brigade, co-founder of UCB Theater, and the genius behind the popular podcast Improv4humans. With over three decades in the comedy scene, Matt has graced both stage and screen, leaving an indelible mark with his sharp wit and improvisational prowess. His work includes appearances on hit shows like Modern Family and Parks & Recreation, as well as standout roles in movies such as Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story and Drillbit Taylor.

Be sure to check out Matt Besser's podcast Improv4Humans at improv4humans.com.

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Today’s guest is Jay Sukow.

Jay Sukow has been performing with and without a script for over 27 years. He has trained with some of the greatest in improv, including David Razowsky, Stephen Colbert, Mick Napier, and the legendary Del Close. He was the Artistic Director/Head of Training at the Improv Comedy Copenhagen Theatre, and previously taught for Second City, ComedySportz, and iO Chicago (where he was also head of the artistic committee).  Jay has taught at improv festivals all over the world, and he also won The Golden Pineapple award for best visiting teacher at Improv Comedy Copenhagen.  Jay’s directing credits include the feature film “Trubadeaux: A Restaurant Movie”, "Guilty: The Web Series", and commercials for Allstate.  He has extensive teambuilding experience, and has thrived in the corporate arena, designing interactive learning sessions for companies like McDonald's, PepsiCo, Netflix, Eli Lilly, Yahoo!, and Allstate Financial Services.

In addition to all of that, Jay approaches everything he does with a big sense of excitement, which definitely comes through in this interview.

Learn more about Jay Sukow by visiting his website, jaysukow.com.

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My guest today is Chloe Crawford!

Chloe’s performance is a wonderful and unique blend of beauty and charm, mixed with power and a little danger.  She has performed all over the world, from London’s West End to Hollywood, Sydney, Vancouver & many other locations.  She has risen to become one of the most well-known women in magic today.  Some of her most memorable performances include Britain’s Got Talent, America’s Got Talent, The Illusionists on Broadway, The Magic Castle in Hollywood, the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Brain Games on the History Channel, and Trick’d Up on A&E.  Her podcast “From Hot Mess to Success” is a show that pulls back the curtain of the entertainment industry and shines a spotlight on powerful women who have overcome adversity to create their own success.

Chloe shares a lot in this interview, including how she managed to change and evolve, and she shares the challenges of performing while struggle with her mental health.  There’s so much shared today that so many can learn and benefit from.

Learn more about Chloe by visiting her site, magicbychloe.com.

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My guest is a well-known improvisor and keynote speaker who’s been described as laugh provoking, engaging, and refreshing.  Today’s guest is Jon Colby.

Jon has been empowering people all over the world with improv for over 24 years.  His engaging and interactive approach has successfully helped audiences across the world to be better communicators, leaders, teammates, even salespeople.  He’s a graduate from the world-famous Second City Conservatory program and an educator with 15 years of classroom experience.  Jon currently travels the world teaching special improv programs that deal with team building, communication, leadership, and creativity to various companies.  Some of his clients include American Express, Honda, Charles Schwab, Paylocity and the YMCA.  Jon has a wonderful ability to loosen up even the quietist people, and he not only teaches how improv can improve your skills but also make you a happier person.

I had a great time talking to Jon.  He’s a guy with such a great personality and a very warm heart.  You’ll hear how he got to where he is today, and you’ll learn all about his approach to teaching improv including his “three Cs”. 

You can learn more about him and about his training courses at his website, joncolby.com.  And tell him LD sent you!

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My guest today is Diana Aleman.

Diana is a fellow improvisor with me at Just The Funny in Miami.  Over the years, she’s grown to become a top level performer.  She has such a wonderful blend of power and grace, and sharing the stage with her is nothing more than a delight.  As an improv teacher and director, she strives to get the best out of everybody in ways that make students and cast members feel empowered.  She knows how to get the best out of everyone, and she knows how to make you feel special. Today you’ll learn all about Diana’s journey.  You’ll hear how she came into this crazy world of improv, and what she hopes to accomplish next.

You can find Diana Aleman and me performing at Just The Funny, Miami’s home for improv and sketch comedy. For show times and class information, visit justthefunny.com.

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Today's guest is an amazing person to watch and get to know.  And his name is Dan O’Connor.

Dan has been performing and teaching improvisation all over the world since 1986. He has developed engaging methods of narrative improvisation to create visceral unscripted theatre experiences.  He is one of the co-founders of BATS Improv in San Francisco and LA Theatresports, and he is also the founder of the critically acclaimed Impro Theatre in Los Angeles.  Dan has had the opportunity to train and work with some amazing talent including Keith Johnstone, Phelim McDermott, Lee Simpson, and Wayne Brady. He has performed with The Groundlings, Second City, and many other theatre companies around the world.  Dan has co-authored two books, which both talk about using improvisation to lead a happier and more connected life. 

Learn more about this fantastic guy by visiting his website, danoconnor.net.  And be sure to check out his two books “Life UnScripted-Using Improv Principles to Get Unstuck, Boost Confidence, and Transform Your Life” and “Ensemble! Using the Power of Improv To Forge Connections in a Lonely World”, available on Amazon and wherever books are sold.

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It's our 50th episode!

My guest today on the 50th episode of Improv and Magic is one of today's most popular magicians, Ben Seidman.

He’s made multiple television appearances that include Brainchild on NETFLIX, Vanity Fair, WIRED, Vanderpump Rules on Bravo, Criss Angel Mindfreak and Penn & Teller: Fool Us.  Ben has headlined the Atlantis Resort & Casino (Bahamas), The Royalton Riviera (Cancun), and performed a record-breaking 120 shows at The Venetian, (Macau, China).  And, he was the only person in history to be named the Resident Magician at the Mandalay Bay Resort in Las Vegas. Ben Seidman’s show is a unique and entertaining experience combining psychological magic, stand up comedy, pickpocketing, and sleight of hand.  His signature style is playful and captivating that audiences everywhere will remember for years to come. Today, Ben shares his journey and the lessons he’s learned along the way, including the importance of being unique and continuing to learn and create.

Visit Ben’s website at benseidman.com to learn about him, where to catch his shows, and how to book him for your event.

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In today's tip, I talk about the need to be respectful and why it's important. I also share a few specific examples on how we as performers can show respect towards one another. I get into things we should do and things we shouldn't do. I hope today's tip is helpful to you in some way.

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Today’s guest is Kevin Patrick Robbins.

He is the founder of the Impatient Theatre Co. in Toronto, Canada, where many of the performers he’s taught and coached have become headliners at major improv and comedy festivals throughout North America, including the Chicago Improv Festival, the Memphis Improv Festival, the Vancouver Improv Festival, and the Del Close Marathon in NYC.  Kevin has also taught intensives and master classes at those very same festivals, and also founded the Toronto Improv Festival.  He’s been labeled as one of Toronto’s best improvisers by NOW Magazine, and his classes have been described as full of fun and laughter with a unique blend of creativity, spontaneity, and a deep understanding of the art of improv.

Kevin and I had a really great conversation.  We get into a lot of great topics here, like how he empowers students, the joys and challenges of creating a festival, and even the influence of different improv methodologies.  Kevin also shares a deeply emotional story of how he discovered improv thanks to his cousin.

If you want to learn more about Kevin’s improv classes, visit his website kevinpatrickrobbins.com, where you can also find information about his photography business.

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