This week on The Backline, Rob and Adam discuss: danger. Most training teaches us how to avoid confusion, conflict, and uncertainty onstage—but what if those uncomfortable moments are exactly where the best scenes come from? If you’ve ever wondered why some scenes feel thrilling while others feel perfectly competent (bad), then this episode is for you.

Brought to you By: The Sonar Network

This week, Rob and Adam discuss “energy”. What is energy onstage? What should you do if your show is low energy and is that always a problem? Whether you’re trying to slow a scene down without losing momentum or wondering how to make silence, restraint, and authenticity exciting to watch, this episode offers practical advice for finding the right kind of energy—not just more of it.

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What makes improv in Toronto feel different from Chicago? Why does Los Angeles produce a different kind of performer than New York? And where do cities like Vancouver, Montreal, and Mexico City fit into the larger improv landscape? In this episode, Rob and Adam answer a listener’s question about the distinct styles of North America’s major improv hubs.

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This week Adam and Rob discuss competition, egalitarianism, and how the politics of the classroom affect improv teams, shows, and theatres. Should improv delineate between amateur and professional? What’s the best way to transition students into shows with experienced vets? Also, Backrooms is like Obsession but for babies.

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This week on Backline, Rob and Adam break down their favourite longform openers and put them to the test, ranking different approaches based on flexibility, inspiration, ease of execution, and how well they serve the show that follows. From monologues to monologs to organic openings, they discuss the strengths and pitfalls of each approach and why certain openers work better for certain ensembles

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This week on Backline, Rob and Adam explore how improvisers can create characters with greater depth, vulnerability, and gravitas. Beyond funny voices and quirks, what makes a character feel like a real person? The hosts discuss techniques for building emotional weight, making meaningful choices, and finding humanity in even the most heightened scenes. They also break down “counterpoint” character moves—when and how to introduce contrasting perspectives, energies, and behaviours that strengthen a scene rather than derail it.

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This week on Backline, Rob and Adam tackle one of the most fundamental skills in longform improv: pulling premises from a monologue and turning them into strong scene initiations. What information should you actually be listening for? Which details are useful, and which are likely to send you down a dead end? Rob and Adam break down the difference between jokes and playable premises, discuss common mistakes improvisers make when mining openings, and explore how to identify the ideas most likely to generate dynamic scenes.

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This week on Backline, Rob and Adam dig into the competitive spark inside improv — when it helps, when it hurts, and how great scene partners turn rivalry into fuel instead of friction. They talk about using your partner’s moves to elevate your own game, navigating ambition in ensemble work, and why the best improvisers push each other without trying to “win” the scene.

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What’s better? Harold or Armando? Spokane or Close Quarters? This week, Rob and Adam help a new team choose their signature longform format through a grueling bracket of 18 possible formats.

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This week Rob and Adam, discuss the painful but necessary process of “Paying the Tax” , while trying to stay present, apply class lessons, and putting in the reps. Despite all of that, the laughs still aren’t coming. If you’ve ever felt stuck between learning and getting laughs, this episode is for you.

Brought to you By: The Sonar Network