The After Improv Podcast

One of the gang’s favorite improvisors, Planet Ant home team member Garrett Fuller, visits the After Improv Podcast this week. Garrett talks about the high school teacher who changed his life, crying on the way home from bad improv sets, why he loves Novi, missing a big moment in his best friend’s life to do an improv set, bringing his 5-year-old twins to watch him perform, his Wayne County Lyfe video series and so much more: Garrett gets scouted * In Living Color * Second City * Garrett gets humbled * No jams, ma’am * Bombing * Novi! * Love and Improv * Twins at the Fjord Twins * Growing up Garrett * Wayne County Lyfe * Character studies * Moving on * Teaching * Heather’s feelings * Job update * 400 subs! * Fact of the week * Comments or whatever: @tonyaugusty

Improvisor, programmer and star of the recently closed “Monster Noises” Jason Petterson visits the After Improv podcast this week. Jason talks about fantasies of being a drifter, firing people in his first job out of college, feeling good when his high school bully died, how standup comedy led him to improv, learning to fake kiss another guy on stage and more. Jacob Russell also sits in and talk about performing with Jason and shares an interesting aspect of the creative process: What it’s like when the audience likes your performance but you hate it. All this and more: * The programmer * Tata turmoil in Cincinnati * Firing people * Disappearing * From improv to standup * Auditioning * Dude kissing * Quitting * Broken Shotgun * Writing * Physicality * Goals * Acting * Jake bombs in his mind * Heather’s feelings * Keanu * Job progress * Void Where Prohibited * Special delivery * Fact of the week * Comments or whatever: @tonyaugusty

Improvisor, middle school teacher and Planet Ant home team member Mark Sobolewski visits the After Improv Podcast this week. Mark talks about his face-altering plastic surgery, being sent to a gay conversion camp, and why he thinks his multiple masters degrees are all junk. Mark also doesn’t hold back when talking about casting agencies and the Harold and reveals what part of his body he doesn’t want you to touch. And more: * The Handsome Jim Harper * Our patron * Cruisin’ * Stumps * Starting out * Plastic surgery * Camp Pray the Gay Away * School's in -- and in and in * Instagram and students * Mark’s Yes-And moment * Career philosophy * Hands-off * Man head * Grounded and chairy * Hovitch pitch * The burrito of character * The theory of nothing * Mark’s favorite improv * Stop pushing * Teach the children * Lightning round * Fact of the week • Comments or whatever: @tonyaugusty

Improvisor and Planet Ant home team member Sean McGettigan visits the After Improv Podcast this week. Sean, known for his character work, talks about that, why he and his brother Mike are afraid to mess with their muscly middle brother Brendan, how Sean acted in a production with Jaimie Moyer when he was five and neither of them realized it, what famous actor he sounds like, what “abreact” means, and more! Check it out, and stick around at the end for a very special performance! * Jim and Heather are drunk, John is buzzed * Third of three * Don’t mess with Brendan * Backyard improv * Mike McGettigan, evil tyrant * Sean McGettigan and Jamie Moyer, child stars * Krystal’s Motor Town Cafe * Characters * Jim and Heather are drunk * Brendan is The Witcher * The Home Team * Growing up in Dearborn * Love is good * Bartender * Novi! * The Ed and Moe Show * No dishwashing in heaven * The Abreact * Who’s Johnny? * Writing * Feel the Bern * Exclusive! * Gun control * Heather’s feelings * Fact of the week * Bonus fact of the week * Comments or whatever: @tonyaugusty

Improvisor James Quesada, who happens to be Tony’s first improv teacher, drops by the After Improv Podcast this week. James talks about acting in “Batman vs. Superman,” his love of improv, the “Head, Heart and X-Factor” theory, and why you might want to catch him while you can.

Improvisor, teacher and multiple-cat owner Chris Petersen stops by the After Improv Podcast this week. Chris talks about being a member of Human Amusements and their upcoming sketch show, how losing a close friend changed how he viewed improv, the difference between Robots, Pirates, Ninjas, and more. Check it out! * The last days of Second City Novi * Spacewalks * Toastmasters * The birth of Human Amusements * Almost a librarian * Life in the Labs * People who don’t understand comedy * Cat tangent! * Let’s get serious * Student becomes teacher * In the company of geniuses * Black magic * Robots, Pirates and Ninjas * Pushing yourself * Thinking about quitting * Jammin’ * Sketch show * Never let go * Teacher evaluations * Snapchat fever * Heather’s feelings * John’s rage * Job update! * Fact of the week * Comments or whatever: @tonyaugusty

Local actress and perpetual energy source Brittany Michael visits the After Improv Podcast this week, fresh off her co-starring role in the “Monster Noises” Writing 5 sketch show at Planet Ant. Brittany talks about being 4 foot 10, getting kidnapped, being functionally illiterate until she was 13, fighting her way out of the special education system, and of course, why Middle Eastern restaurant owners give “bomb ass” Christmas presents. It’s a wild ride, folks. Strap in. * Wayne State * To Catch a Brittany * Ethnic makeup * The quitting waitress * Great Christmas presents * Little package * Roma Cafe * Getting short shrift * Second City Chicago * The roommate * Acting spiteful * Jerry Springer * Improv is so scary * Is this live? * Probation * Tour guide at The Motown Museum * Ghost stories * Kidnapped! * Special ed * The student becomes the master * Illiteracy * Being Derrick May * Nudity * Monster Noises recap * Bittany’s view of the group * The kiss scene * Job updates * Fact of the week * Comments or whatever: @tonyaugusty

In the conclusion of our two-part interview with Matt Naas, he talks about starting and ending a musical improv act and graces us with an ode to Mr. Miyagi. He also discusses his goals for Human Amusements, meeting Bill Clinton and overcoming the sometimes-icky feeling of marketing yourself. Do yourself (and your career if you’re an improvisor) a favor and go listen to it. If you haven’t heard Part I, listen to that first on iTunes or Stitcher! * The end of Matt Naas and the Singalong Singers * The music man * Reggie Watts * King of compliments * The highs and lows of teaching * Making your less experienced partner look good * Working the craft * The Matt Naas Variety Show * Finding talent * John’s pitch * Meeting Bill Clinton * The Matters Podcast * Knockoff * The new dreams * Snapchat and marketing yourself * Fact of the week * Heather gets mad at Tony * What makes the gang laugh * You better bring it * The last thing * Comments or whatever: @tonyaugusty

Matt Naas, improvisor, teacher, and the man behind the Matt Naas Variety Show, visits the After Improv Podcast this week in the first of a two-part series on improvising and his life. In Part I, Matt talks about the podcast he co-hosts with his best friend since high school, how he dug out of $45,000 of credit card debt, why he decided to move on from performing with the resident company at Go! Comedy, and more: * Matt makes history by introducing himself. * Proud improvisor since 2013 * Call and response * Matters * Matt's yes-and moment * Tony loves Novi * Not up to snuff * Matt's improv philosophy * Quit improv? * Debt becomes him * Matt and Tony love flat pop * Laughing at God * No mo ResCo * Comments or whatever: @tonyaugusty

This week the After Improv Podcast goes behind the scenes of the Planet Ant Writing 5 sketch show, aka “Monster Noises.” Learn about the backstage battles, the shifting alliances, the torrid affairs and the outright lying to get people to listen to your podcast. The gang also talks about the intense work that goes into producing a sketch show and what they’ve learned as budding directors. Most important: You still have two chances to see “Monster Noises,” Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. — for only $5! * Dress rehearsal * Surgery * Tranzos * It’s a good thing J.B. wasn’t there * The trouble with J.B.'s props * The trouble with J.B.'s sound effects * Kissing a dude * Oil check * Boss is scared of thunder * J.B. breaks his prop * Fact of the week * Peanut butter face * Blackouts * Jim calls 911 * Comments or whatever: @tonyaugusty