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Jen Ellison is a director, writer, teacher and performer who is best known for directing The Second City e.t.c.’s 38th revue, “Apes of Wrath.” Jen teaches at The Second City, DePaul University, and Columbia College. In this episode, Jimmy talks to Jen about discovering a passion for directing at a young age, the transition from DePaul’s […]

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Irene Marquette is a performer, teacher, writer and director. Best known for the host of the popular “Curio Show” she teaches at iO-Chicago, The Annoyance and Comedy Studies at Columbia College. Irene also regularly improvises with Tone and Super Human at iO-Chicago. Jimmy talked to Irene about starting out doing murder mystery dinner theater with her parents, […]

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Joel Murray joins Jimmy during a recent trip to Chicago and talks about his time with The Second City Chicago, his career in film and television, and growing up with brothers Bill Murray and Brian Doyle Murray.

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Jimmy explores the process of rejection in comedy with guests Abbi Jacobson and Ilana Glazer from Broad City, David Koechner, Dan Harmon, Colbert writer Brian Stack, and more.

There’s been some buzz about Improv Nerd and The Art of Slow Comedy classes in the press lately as our fall season starts up this Sunday. Here’s what people have been saying: Improv Nerd made the cut for Chicago Now’s October Comedy Calendar. (October 5, 2015) Time Out Chicago just listed Improv Nerd as one […]

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In this episode, which was recorded live at the Providence Improv Festival, Jimmy interviews two of the pillars of the Providence improv community: Melissa Bowler, the artistic director of Providence Improv Guild (P.I.G.) and Tim Thibodeau, the producer of the Providence Improv Festival. They talk about their thriving improv community, how P.I.G. was formed, and […]

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Zach Ward is the owner, founder and executive producer of DSI Comedy Theater, as well as the artist director and executive producer of the NC Comedy Arts Festival. Jimmy sat down at talked to him about starting improv classes in North Carolina, while he was still living in Chicago improvising, what it takes to run […]

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Jeff Bouthiette  is currently the Head of the Music Program at the Second City Training Center in Chicago. As an improviser, he was a longtime member of the musical improv troupe Jazz Hands Across America and currently performs with the Second City Training Center musical improv house ensemble, Infinite Sundaes. Jimmy sat down with Jeff at the Chicago […]

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Dan Telfer is stand-up comedian who has opened for Maria Bamford, Brian Posehn and Patton Oswalt. He’s performed at the Just For Laughs Festival in both Montreal and Chicago and his writing has appeared in Paste Magazine, The Onion, and The A.V. Club. Jimmy talks to Dan about starting out in theater, how quickly he made […]

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Paul Vaillancourt is the author of the new book Triangle of the Scene, as well as a teacher at iO West, a member of Beer Shark Mice and one of the most respected improvisers around. Jimmy sat down with Paul Vaillancourt to talk about his specific approach to long form scene work, playing with Beer Shark […]