An interview on the craft of comedy with the directors of the Bristol Improv Theatre (BIT), soon to be the UK’s first improv theater! On this episode, I speak with Andy Yeoh, the Theatre Director of the BIT and Caitlin Campbell, the Assistant Theatre Director of the BIT who are also instructors with the BIT theatre school, performers on the BIT hou…

An interview on the craft of comedy with the Artistic Director of the Magnet Theater in New York City, member of the Magnet resident team Junior Varsity, producer of the monthly all-female improv show “We Might Just Kiss” and level one teacher Megan Gray. The Magnet is an open and welcoming community where they teach anyone to improvise, and Megan …

Interview with comedian, actor, voice artist and co-founder of the edgy, dark and surreal sketch comedy troupe Kids in the Hall, Kevin McDonald. Kids in the Hall brought us 5 seasons of ground-breaking sketch comedy, the feature film Brain Candy, live tours, and mini-series Death Comes to Town. I spent my formative years watching Kids reruns after …

Matt Holmes interviewing Shai, his partner from the audience at a Matt & performance at Arcade Comedy Theater in Pittsburgh. My latest interview features Philly native, 15+ year improv veteran, co-founder of renowned Philadelphia improv team Rare Bird Show, and creator of a show in which he improvises a 20- to 45-minute long form set with an audien…

At the Detroit Improv Festival, I felt so lucky to grab a few minutes of time with 30+ year improv veteran, founding member of the Annoyance Theater, performer and teacher at iO and Second City, the ever-inspiring Susan Messing. We chat about the three different institutions Susan performs at, dive deeper on the Susan Messing quotes that have had a…

At Improv Wins in Austin, I also caught up with Artistic Director for the Chicago Improv Festival. Artistic Director for Under The Gun Theater and former head of the training program and Artistic Director of the UCB Theater Kevin Mullaney. Brian and Kevin talk about how, since moving back to Chicago, Kevin has come to admire premise-based improv an…

The return of Talking Shop features an interview with a founding member of The New Movement theaters in Austin and New Orleans, improv performer and teacher, co-author of Improv Wins, stand-up comic, the creator of the Air Sex World Championship, a pro wrestling manager, a sports columnist and podcaster, and rapper, Chris Trew. The Austin Chronicle…

July features an interview with 20+ year improv veteran, author of the book author of Directing Improv: Show the Way By Getting Out of the Way, and Educational Director at The Institution Theater, Asaf Ronen. Asaf has taught improvisation in Canada, Great Britain, Norway and in twenty-seven of The United States. His directing credits include the al…

April features an interview with comedic writer, actor and storyteller, Kevin Allison. Kevin’s first appearance into the public spotlight was on the extremely bizarre and beloved MTV sketch series The State. He is now the host and curator of RISK!, one of one of the Internet’s edgiest storytelling podcasts “where people tell true stories they never…

Aaron Kleiber (http://www.aaronkleiber.com) March features an interview with Aaron Kleiber. Aaron recently made his national television debut on “Gotham Comedy Live” with host Jim Bruer and has been a requested feature performer across the country for Bob Saget, Jim Breuer and Steve-O (to name a few). He has appeared on TV, film, numerous national …

The first Talking Shop of 2014 features a Talking Shop first: an entire team, The Well Known Strangers. Formed originally as a house team at the Steel City Improv Theater in October 2012, the Strangers have been a force on Pittsburgh stages ever since. Beyond Pittsburgh, the Strangers were Official Selections at the Chicago Improv Festival and the …

In November's episode, Brian sits down with performer, teacher and writer Ric Walker. Ric has taught Improvisation, Acting and Writing for organizations including Pegasus Players, After School Matters and The Second City. He has improvised with legendary companies such as The Improvised Shakespeare Company, Comedy Sportz Chicago, The Second City an…

In October's episode, Brian sits down with Arcade Comedy co-founder and twenty year improv veteran Jethro Nolen. Jethro has studied and performed at iO and Annoyance in Chicago with teachers such as Charna Halpern, Mick Napier, Susan Messing, Joe Bill, Craig Cackowski, Rich Talarico. He has performed with Boom Chicago in Amsterdam, at iO West in LA…

Benjamin Amiri Benjamin Amiri began his improv career at free Irony City workshops in 2008 and his blossomed into a talented player, sought-after coach and introspective articulator about his work. Ben has been a member of the Steel City Improv Theater house teams The Up & Up, Field Trip and Well Known Strangers as well as a number of independent t…

Michael Capristo Michael Capristo has been doing longform improv since 2007. He has studied at the UCB Theater in New York before moving to Pittsburgh where he taught and performed in such memorable SCIT shows as Post-Crisis; Gillotti, Capristo, and Beck; and Delighting Myself with Michael Capristo. He now lives in LA where he performs with his tea…

Sam Turich Sam Turich has been a professional improviser for over fifteen years. He has directed at Gotham City Improv in NYC where he created the long-running weekly main stage show Off the Top of Our Heads. Sam has acted on stage and screen and is currently in post-production on Progression, a full-length feature about a progressive dinner in Law…

Woody Drennan Listen in on one of Brian's favorite past times, talking shop with Steel City Improv Theater Artistic Director Woody Drennan. Woody studied and performed improv for the last 16 years in Los Angeles at theaters such as iO West, UCB LA, Second City LA and the Groundlings. Since moving to Pittsburgh, he has become an invaluable member of…

Amie Roe (left) and Kristen Schier (right) Brian talks to best friends and five-year duo partners Amie Roe and Kristen Schier. Together, they are the award-winning Amie and Kristen Show/Kristen and Amie Show, an organic and incredibly fun show. Separately, Amie is a member of the Megawatt team Brick at the at the Magnet Theater in NYC and a psychot…

SCIT Teacher, Performer, and comedy nerd Greg Gillotti In this premier episode, Brian talks to SCIT Teacher and performer and comedy nerd Greg Gillotti. We discuss Greg's performance style as a devotedly supportive player and how he doesn't feel like he is one, his tools for getting out of writer/director mode, his research and preparation for coac…

“Let’s not talk about the past or the future. Let’s talk shop.” — Brian Gray, about this podcast In this first brief episode of Talking Shop, host Brian Gray summarizes the format and goals of the podcast and gets listeners excited about the first full episode, being recorded in front of a live audience on March 22 at 11pm at the Steel City Improv …