Meet my very funny friend Andrew Cornelius. We met taking classes with. Marc Warzecha at the Sketch School. His sketch writing is dynamic and he has helped me as a writer.

Andrew is a Los Angeles based comic whose comedic roots came from a decade of improv comedy experience in Chicago and New York before he focused exclusively on stand-up comedy eight years ago. He was the host of Intrigue.TV’s “Just Eat It!,” a restaurant review show that is available on YouTube. Andrew also played “Preston” in the indie comedy feature, “Captain Hagen’s Bed & Breakfast” streaming on Amazon. He made two appearances on Comedy Central’s “Inside Amy Schumer.” Sometimes children recognize him as “Coach Scalp” from Nick Jr.’s “Platy & Jackie’s Mixed Up Challenges.” Through Cool Beans Comedy, Andrew is coach / instructor at the Ice House Comedy Club for beginner and intermediate stand-up comedy classes. Andrew is a whiskey aficionado and has logged over 200 different tastings in his journal. However, he probably forgot to log another hundred or so over his lifetime.

You can see some of Andrew’s work on the following links.

infamouscornelius.com

youtube.com/@corneliushaha

youtube.com/@corneliusdrinksandthinks

x.com/@infamousacorn

What a wonderful opportunity to chat with the incredible musical improv genius, Mike Descoteaux. I've been lucky enough to call him a friend over a decade! He is a beloved teacher throughout the world.

We even got to do a musical improv number!

Mike Descoteaux is a music director, teacher, composer, improviser and airline pilot, apparently. He was creator and head of the Music Program at The Second City Training Center, music director of the Second City ETC stage in Chicago, and full-time artistic director/executive director of several New England nonprofit arts and comedy organizations. His work has been seen on NBC, A&E, WGN, WGBH and stages around the globe. He has “composed” and “conducted” over 1,000 completely improvised musicals with BLANK! the musical (Off-Broadway), Baby Wants Candy, Musical! the musical, and many others. In addition to teaching/performing at institutions like the Second City, iO, Comedy Sportz, the Annoyance, the Magnet, UCB, Northwestern University, and Columbia College, Mike has led workshops in improvisation, sketch, music direction, and music improv at festivals and theaters all over the world.

Welcome back to the Billy Merritt podcast, Part 2! Billy shares his journey in LA and his return to FL. So grateful to have the opportunity to interview this improv great!

Billy Merritt is an improviser, director, actor and all round great guy! Co-author of one of the best books on improv "Pirate Ninja Robot: An Improv Fable" with Will Hines. I've had the great fortune to be studying with him lately on his BIT comedy podcasts and it is a real trip! He is a founding member of The Swarm, and UCB. As a teacher Billy has developed many improvised longform shows. Such as, The Documentary, Improvised One Acts, The Ninja, Murder Murder, Robot Theatre, and the Holiday Spectacular.

Launched in 2024 he curates the BIT Comedy Network with monthly podcast shows "Podcast Town" and "rabbitHOLE" found on Apple Music.

Billy is a compassionate and beautiful improv teacher and I know you'll have funny hearing his story!

What a wonderful experience getting to know Vinny Francois! He is a delightful person and we had such fun on this podcast. Vinny has over 25 years experience as a professional improviser in both English and French. He's a founding director of Improv College, Camp Zipzap (an improv camp for adults), was the Executive Producer of Mprov: The Montreal Improv Festival and co-founder of the Montreal Improv Theatre. Vinny has performed in Just For Laughs and improv festivals around the world and he currently writes for The Beaverton.

Be sure to check out his beautiful work at the links below.

Links:

https://improvcollege.ca/

http://www.campzipzap.com/

https://www.can-i-get-a.com/

David Raitt is an improviser, author and sketch comedian from Toronto. David shares his unique improv story starting in high school and having a troupe that was together for years!

He has been performing and teaching improv for over 25 years. After acquiring degrees in Cognitive Science and then Law, he started taking improv classes at The Second City, Toronto, in 1996. In 2000, he joined their Canadian National Touring Company. He performed with the Mainstage ensemble and was also on the Training Centre Education faculty for 17 years. He offers speciality workshops in object work, environment and physicality.

His book, Improv Illusionist, https://improvillusionist.com/improv-illusionist-book/ is a terrific guide to movement and physical work in improv. We had a fantastic chat and I know that you'll enjoy learning more about David.

Be sure to sign up for his newsletter at https://improvillusionist.com/subscribe/ with a focus on the improv skills of environment, object work, and physicality in character and performance.

I heartily recommend all of his work!

Listen to Part 2 of our interview with the fabulous BJ Lange. He has devoted his life to service of others.

When a cancer diagnosis forced BJ, a former Air Force Reserve medic, onto the Temporary Disability Retired List in 2016, comedy and improv helped pull him through. Now he’s using those same skills to help veterans overcome their disabilities.

During the interview BJ spoke about:

The Armed Services Arts Partnership for servicemembers and veterans to get involved at www.asapasap.org

The Ledge Theatre, Hollywood

https://ledgetheatre.org/bj-lange

BJ @ The Second City

https://oldwp.secondcity.com/people/hollywood/bj-lange/

The Easterseals Disability Film Challenge

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1045695952707987

The Air Force Wounded Warrior Program

https://www.airandspaceforces.com/article/make-em-laugh-helping-vets-through-improv/

BJ Lange is a very funny man who has survived many health and life issues but continues to find the bright side of life!

When a cancer diagnosis forced BJ, a former Air Force Reserve medic, onto the Temporary Disability Retired List in 2016, comedy and improv helped pull him through. Now he’s using those same skills to help veterans overcome their disabilities.

During the interview BJ spoke about:

The Armed Services Arts Partnership for servicemembers and veterans to get involved at www.asapasap.org

The Ledge Theatre, Hollywood

https://ledgetheatre.org/bj-lange

BJ @ The Second City

https://oldwp.secondcity.com/people/hollywood/bj-lange/

The Easterseals Disability Film Challenge

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1045695952707987

The Air Force Wounded Warrior Program

https://www.airandspaceforces.com/article/make-em-laugh-helping-vets-through-improv/

Listen to the amazing Larry Gifford, found of the PD Avengers - a patient-led organization, united in the purpose of ending Parkinson's disease. We raise awareness, engagement and hope. This site has an enormous collection of resources and hope for folks with PD. Larry has had an extraordinary life in sports radio broadcast in the US and Canada. When he was diagnosed his life stopped, but only momentarily. He started learning Improv at the TightRope theatre in Canada. He recently had DBS, Deep Brain Stimulation, which has helped him regain many of the abilities he lost with PD. He is truly an inspiration and a real hero!

What a great experience getting to chat with Chris Mead in the UK. He is an experienced improviser, teacher, director and author. He was part of the renowned Maydays for many years and an artistic director at the Nursery.

Chris authors a fabulous weekly newsletter, Improv Fables. His newsletter is chock full of great info for improvisers and other really interesting things, like music, film and media reviews. His faithful dog, Radio, is also featured every week.

In August he's be teaching a Mockumentary Class which I highly endorse - https://improvtheatre.co.uk/upcoming-show/mockumentary-now-with-chris-mead/

You can get In touch with Chris at:

https://buttondown.email/mrchrismead/

Or read his improv stories at:

https://chrismead.notion.site/Improv-Fables-794d77df30dc47d585b7db519c7d48b0