The After Improv Podcast

This week, Planet Ant home team member, writer, teacher, director and actor Lauren Bickers visits the After Improv Podcast. Lauren, a recent Wilde Award and ham winner, talks about how an interest in sketch comedy led her to improv. She also recounts traveling the country selling magazines, dislocating her knee trying to be funny, the writing and directing processes and how she develops her memorable characters. All this, and more: Debt update * Wilde times * Ham fisted * Cincinnati kid * Fitting in * Barely collegiate * Acting * Mags * Dislocated * Jam bombing * On time * Writing * Teaching * Dicky students * Jammin’ * Getting direct * DCP * Character development * Little dreams * Heather’s plugs * Job updates * Tony and Jake review “The Magic Negro and Other Blackness” * Fact of the week * Comments or whatever: @tonyaugusty

Itunes summary

This week, Ashley Davis, best friend of Heather Anonymous and a budding improvisor in her own right, visits the After Improv Podcast. Ashley talks about meeting Heather, how she got into improv, working in the Little Peeps program at Pointless, being married to a rapper, why her and Heather didn’t speak for an entire year, her battle with agoraphobia and more: First meeting * Ashley’s yes-and moment * Playback Theatre * Birth to five * Test Batch * Heather’s secret * “Our tongues have touched” * A year apart * Agoraphobia * Miles * Irritants * Celebrants * Improv to the future * The Princess of Bedtime * Hopes and dreams * House update * Job updates * Fact of the week * Comments or whatever: @tonyaugusty

In Part II of a two-part interview with the After Improv Podcast, Go Comedy! co-founder Pj Jacokes shares his feelings about the up-and-coming generation of improvisors, his deep commitment to the jinx rule, why he likes teaching first-time improvisors, his writing process, plus a certain series of commercials you might have seen. Also, broccoli does in fact contain Niacin. * Sick of watching * Broccoli facts * Rehearsal vs. stage time * Short form, long form * The Proving Grounds Jinx * First-time charm * Kill the editor * Don’t hate; participate * Hungry Howie’s * The ethics of theater * DIF * Go! to the future * Heather’s feelings * John hates his neighbors * Fact of the week * Comments or whatever: @tonyaugusty

Go Comedy! co-founder Pj Jacokes visits the After Improv Podcast this week. In Part I of a two-part interview, Pj talks about the origin of Go Comedy!, how he first studied improv to help his music career, how he deals with complaints about Go, why he lowercases the j in Pj and what it’s like improvising with his brother. All this and more * Go Comedy! * Loyolaty * Naming day * Pj’s yes-and moment * Teaching * Novi * The producer * The j is down * Word freak * Fatherhood Part II * Brother Jacokes * Comments or whatever: @tonyaugusty

This week, Go Comedy! resident company member and co-host of the Roach Koach podcast Lorin Kozlowski visits the After Improv Podcast. Lorin talks about why his reputation for hating everything is unfair, his career in radio, the start of his improv career in Pittsburgh and why he proposed to his now-wife after the series finale of “Lost.” And so much more: Love and hate *Criterion critic *Superior education *Classroom humorist *Radio radio *89X *Specs Howard *Port Huron *Fired *Steel City Improv Theatre *Bob Wieck *Grand finale *Beginnings and firings *Man of the house *When Jake met Lorin *Drop the Fist *When Lorin met Jake *Herald the Harold *Ronin *The Host *Roach Koach *Flockaveli *Heather’s feelings *Job update! *Fact of the week * Comments or whatever: @tonyaugusty

It’s that time of year, or maybe just the weekend, when Heather Anonymous enjoys a beverage or several, and does drunken interviews with improvisors from the Detroit community. DIF is where Heather Drunknonymous was born, and she returns home with sharper interview skills, new interviewees and a familiar amount of inebriation. Enjoy!

DIF 2016 is in the books, and the After Improv Podcast provides its annual rundown. We cover it all (except for the sets we missed): The shows, the after parties, the after after parties, the intrigue and our newfound love of Canadian improv. Plus, actor and improvisor Marc Evan Jackson blows our collective minds. All this and more: * Wednesday * Thursday * Friday * Saturday * Marc Evan Jackson blows our minds * Workshop reviews * Heather’s feelings * Job update! * Fact of the week * Comments or whatever: @tonyaugusty

In the second part of a two-episode chat with Planet Ant Managing Director and home team member Michael Hovitch, the After Improv Podcast talks with Michael about why his teaching method is unlike any other improv instructor in Detroit, how he feels about getting teased, hearing his name chanted and being the son of a life coach. We also finally answer the question of whether Michael and Tony worked together at Borders 18 years ago without realizing it. All this and more: Unique teacher * Respect * Ho-vi! Hovi! * Jetting from the Jam * Video nights * Expanding Planet * Planet Ant West * Receptive parents * The stuff of life * Quiet engagement * Over the county line * All a board * Exit head left * Is he awkward? * Heather’s feelings * Fact of the week * Job update! * Comments or whatever: @tonyaugusty

Planet Ant Managing Director and home team member Michael Hovitch visits the After Improv Podcast this week in the first of a two-part talk with one of improv’s most private performers. Michael talks about his renowned social anxiety, why he originally went to school to be an engineer, smashing cans for a living, playing pranks on customers at his various jobs, recording an emo album and the worst job he’s ever had. Plus Michael and Tony formulate a stunning theory about their past. All that and more: * Questions answered * Anxiety * Great grandpa * Family matters * Borders * Velo parade * Posterized * Second City * The music man * Go! Comedy * License plate holdup * Direct duties * Happy days? * Comments or whatever: @tonyaugusty