From Saturday Night Live and Pretty Woman, Rhonda Hansome’s comedy has opened for stars including Anita Baker, Diana Ross, James Brown and Aretha Franklin; in venues from LA’s Greek Theater to NY’s Radio City. She was Artist Coordinator and Host of Laughing Liberally (NY’s top political comics) Off-Broadway production of Indictment Excitement. Every Monday on Sirius XM, Rhonda is John Fugelsang’s guest. She’s an award winning director and offers an online Solo Show Development Workshop. When not...
Aug 01, 2024•39 min•Season 4Ep. 15
On this episode, Friend of the Show, Tommy Hough and I talk about the craziness that was the Republican National Convention, the assassination attempt on former President Trump and the failure of the media to call out lies and misinformation. We also discussed Citizens United and the power that the donor class has. Check it out! It was a great hang and it will be a good listen! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jul 22, 2024•48 min
Clay Drinko, Ph.D. is an author and educator. He writes for Psychology Today about the intersection between improv comedy, science, and everyday life. He's also the author of the first academic book connecting improv and cognitive science, Theatrical Improvisation, Consciousness, and Cognition . His most recent book, Play Your Way Sane: 120 Improv-Inspired Exercises to Help You Calm Down, Stop Spiraling, and Embrace Uncertainty (Simon & Schuster) applies his improv research to everyday life....
Jul 15, 2024•37 min•Season 4Ep. 14
Have you met Jayant? Jayant is an improviser and facilitator with over 5 years of experience in the field. He has showcased his improvisational skills in various performances with his troupe, NIC (Nautankibaaz Improv Collective), for esteemed multinational corporations such as Adobe, Google, and KPMG, among others. He has honed his skills through comprehensive training under the guidance of influential mentors such as John Hildreth, Artistic Director at The Second City, Chicago, and Ankur Sardan...
Jul 01, 2024•34 min•Season 4Ep. 13
BJ Lange currently resides in Los Angeles, where he is actively involved in the improv community as both performer in various groups, including his two-man comedy duo, Tacklebox Improv, and instructor, at The Improv Trick, 3-2-1 Acting Studios, and The Second City Hollywood, where he leads the Improv for Veterans Program. BJ also teaches at the prestigious Orange County School of the Arts Acting Conservatory and coaches the high school’s Improv Club. BJ completed several improv programs, includi...
Jun 15, 2024•40 min•Season 4Ep. 12
Dr. Doug Shaw is a Professor of Mathematics at the University of Northern Iowa. He’s taught in at least five departments or programs there, won awards at three universities, is a Renaissance scholar, and is a heckuva nice guy to work with. His research is in tertiary math education, combinatorics, and graph theory. He is or has been an author, systems engineer, street-busker, variety show performer, comedy troupe director, emcee, and elected member of the Cedar Falls School Board. He’s facilitat...
Jun 01, 2024•33 min•Season 4Ep. 11
Paul Myers is a music and comedy encyclopedia with stories galore! He's toured with the Barenaked Ladies. He's worked with the Kids In The Hall. He's stayed at Todd Rundgren's Kauai residence (OK, he was interviewing the maestro for a book). You get the idea! Paul waxed poetic on his time in the Gravelberrys (Check out "Wonder Where You Are Tonight." It is a vibe!) and as a radio personality and writer. He has tremendous stories that can be found within this podcast! Give it a listen! Also, chec...
May 15, 2024•53 min•Season 4Ep. 10
Juliette has been a Playboy Bunny, a soap opera writer for ABC Television, a theater writer/performer, and an ATP airplane pilot and Master Flight Instructor. She won two Writers Guild Awards and was nominated for a Daytime Emmy. She is also an animal rights advocate who worked for Best Friends Animal Society for almost a decade. Juliette also added TedX Fargo Speaker to her extensive resume. Her current mission is twofold: to help people who are struggling with the debilitating and potentially ...
May 01, 2024•39 min•Season 4Ep. 9
Anne Montgomery Is a decorated television sportscaster, newspaper and magazine writer, teacher, author, and amateur sports official. Her first TV job came at WRBL-TV in Columbus, Georgia, and led to positions at WROC-TV in Rochester, New York, KTSP-TV in Phoenix, Arizona, and ESPN in Bristol, Connecticut, where she anchored the Emmy and ACE award-winning SportsCenter. We discussed the highs and lows of being a reporter and her transition to writing about what interests her. Her novels include Th...
Apr 15, 2024•51 min•Season 4Ep. 8
Jen is an improviser in Canada who started out studying improv at schools including WGIS, Queen City Comedy, Second City, and more. She teaches improv classes and hosts jams at World's Greatest Improv School (WGIS) and Queen City Comedy. In the before-times, Jen enjoyed teaching dance fitness and performing in semi-rural vaudeville/burlesque themed shows both of which took place on stages made of wood. She has an online improv website called FlatImprov.com and likes making videos and podcast epi...
Apr 01, 2024•24 min•Season 4Ep. 7
Alex Shaver is new to the improv scene, performing at Imposters Theater in Cleveland, Ohio since 2022. After a decade of working in higher education, he now works in community mental health. Alex is passionate about comedy and mental health, and is interested in the parallels between the two. He loves his wife (Rachel) and his children (J. and Joan) and counts their presence in his life the greatest of gifts. Give this one a listen! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Mar 15, 2024•29 min•Season 4Ep. 6
This one. This one is one for the ages! We (and by we, I mean Abby Sher, Bethany Hall, Lulu French, John Fugelsang, Michele Laikowski and me) discussed the present and future of comedy in New York City and other environs, The group waxed on satire vs. parody, talent winning out, improv as the best training for life and waiting for the whole fart. Interested? Listen to this special episode!! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Mar 08, 2024•54 min
Gail Gallagher is a Chicago based Singer-Songwriter, Composer, improv music director, producer, and teacher whose lyric-driven songs reflect on the highs and lows of life exploring nuances of whimsy and wisdom. Originally from Waterloo, Iowa, Gail attended University of Nebraska-Lincoln and graduated with a dual BA in Theater Performance & Directing/ Theater Management in 2010. She has worked as a music director in the improv and theater scene for over a decade and has composed original musi...
Mar 01, 2024•32 min•Season 4Ep. 5
If This Is True would like to introduce you to Michele Laikowski on this throwback! Michele was an associate producer and on-air personality on the Jenny McCarthy Show on SiriusXM Stars. She is also an improvising and voice over veteran of New York City. Michele finds solace and purpose in running and reaching for goals. She also has great stories of her time with Jenny McCarthy and her crew. You can find her voice and acting work at www.moshow.org. Give it a listen! Hosted on Acast. See acast.c...
Feb 25, 2024•29 min
Allow me to introduce you to Bracha! She was first published when she was 12 years old. She's written 41 children's books and a memoir, Nourish The Soul. Her books tackle difficult topics at a child's level. This was a fascinating half hour! Listen to this! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Feb 15, 2024•28 min•Season 4Ep. 4
Please let me introduce you to Carlos Baker! Carlos is an author and musician whose latest album with the CK Baker Band, Find Your Way, and book, Songs for Ivy, are available wherever you get your content. Carlos overcame childhood cancer and used that experience to write and to play his bass guitar. He lives in Germany with his family, but is in Chicago working on his next album Give this a listen! https://ckbakerband.com/about-us/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Feb 01, 2024•43 min•Season 4Ep. 3
Talk about prolific! John Leister has published more than 100 e-books, Including the Lee Hacklyn and Urban Tiger crime series over the past few years. John is a big believer in having the right mindset and philosophy when reaching goals. He'd like to share this information with everyone, and does, here on If This Is True! GIve it a listen! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jan 15, 2024•37 min•Season 4Ep. 2
Let me introduce you to the multi-faceted Deborah Johnson. Deborah is an inspirational speaker, author and international award-winning music artist who helps others get unstuck by producing and executing a successful plan for their second half. As a musician she has been nominated for multiple Grammy Awards and has spent over 20 years in the entertainment industry. She's an expert on how to constantly reinvent yourself in a gig-economy. Deborah is the author of six books, coming out including he...
Jan 01, 2024•37 min•Season 4Ep. 1
Let me introduce you to John Lehr! He is an actor and writer, known for 10 Items or Less (2006) , Quick Draw (2013) and The Sweetest Thing (2002) . He is also known for being one of the GEICO Cavemen! Currently, he has a production company, Triple Threat Media, that is working on several projects--which were on hold because of the Writers' and Actors' Guild strikes. We talked about his time at Northwestern University and how he has grown as a person and as performer since then. He feels he is be...
Dec 15, 2023•38 min•Season 3Ep. 24
If This Is True would like to introduce you to singing sensation Nora O'Connor! Nora is a Chicago based singer/songwriter who has worked with everyone from the Decemberists to the New Pornographers to Mavis Staples. We discussed balancing work and family, what Americana is, and everything in between. Give it a listen! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Dec 01, 2023•31 min•Season 3Ep. 23
Let me introduce you to Ted Leo, master of soul searching pop punk and indie rock! Ted has a long career with bands like Citizens Arrest, Chisel , Puzzlehead, and the Sin-Eaters. He's mostly known for his group, Ted Leo and the Pharmacists . He's also put out albums with Aimee Mann as The Both and as a solo artist. We talked about the intersection of comedy and indie rock throughout the 2000's, and Ted's journey in putting out his first solo album, The Hanged Man. Since then, he has been recordi...
Nov 15, 2023•39 min•Season 3Ep. 22
Shari Hazlett is a Brooklyn–based director, writer, performer, producer and media professional who works at the intersection of storytelling, comedy, and technology to inspire civic engagement and social change. Shari just finished producing, writing and directing The March, an historical comedy, which was presented by The Tank Theater (NYC) in June 2023. Shari produces and performs in The Duo Show, a monthly comedy show featuring NYC’s favorite improv performers paired up for one-night-only cha...
Nov 01, 2023•43 min•Season 3Ep. 21
Let me introduce you to Vishok Verma. Vishok is a Social Entrepreneur and Professional Trainer for Communication Skills, (Corporates, Social Enterprises, and Non-profits), Personality Development Coach, and Budding Improv Artist based in India. He is the Founder & CEO of a Social Venture named “Let’s Express”. The venture has positively impacted the lives of more than 2000 individuals, online and offline through self-created modules about effective communication. The venture aims to boost th...
Oct 15, 2023•36 min•Season 3Ep. 20
Liz has been coaching, directing and performing improv for the last 25 years. Liz coached the long-running IO (Improv Olympic) house teams Valhalla, Deep Schwa and Mission Improvable (founders of the Westside Comedy Theater in Santa Monica). Liz was IO’s Training Center Director for 3 years, and an ensemble level teacher for 10 years. A founding member of The IO Roadshow, Liz has taught hundreds of workshops at colleges and corporations nationwide. In 1999, 2000 & 2001 Liz won the Del Close ...
Oct 01, 2023•34 min•Season 3Ep. 19
Jake is an actor, comedian, music producer, and filmmaker. He has produced numerous original sketch revues, musical comedy albums, web shorts, podcasts, plays, a documentary about the Chicago improv scene called “Off the Cuff,” and the original musical “Rich People in Space,” which will premiere this September. Jake's work embraces a theatrical style of humor that balances playful fun with thoughtful satire. Give it a listen! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Sep 15, 2023•38 min•Season 3Ep. 18
Let me introduce you to Margot! She graduated from the New York University School of Social Work in 1983 and has lived and practiced in Naples since 1984. She attended the Rutgers Summer School of Addiction Studies in 1987 and 1990 and has extensive post-graduate training in addiction studies and co-dependency. For over thirty years, Margo has presented workshops and seminars on “Therapeutic Value of Humor and Play” on a national level, and has published several articles on humor, geriatric issu...
Sep 01, 2023•31 min•Season 3Ep. 17
I interviewed Mary Hynes on her birthday in April. She is a professional improviser, educator and stage manager. Her performance and teaching career brings her back and forth between NYC, Chicago and LA. She is a faculty member with the storied Second City Training Center in Chicago, Toronto and LA. After graduating with her BA in Theatre from Butler University, she discovered a love for helping students young and old discover their creative voices. The power of the “yes, and” mindset in improvi...
Aug 15, 2023•28 min
Allow me to introduce you to Tashika Campbell, member of indie group Cake Walk from Baltimore. In addition to performing, Tashika has headlined festivals across the US and coordinated the first Improv festival dedicated to Black Improvisers, the From Another Mother Festival, in the DC/Maryland/Virginia area (also known as the DMV). Tashika is also a sought-after Coach, Teacher, and Workshop Facilitator. Tashika shares about being in an indie group, putting on a festival in 30 days and how she li...
Aug 01, 2023•29 min•Season 3Ep. 15
In this throwback, If This Is True talks with Sam Dee, half of the Mass Hysteria Improv Fest in Cleveland and bon vivant at Imposters Theater! We discussed festivals, DC vs. Marvel, thrifting and improv everywhere. Give it a listen! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jul 25, 2023•24 min
In this throwback, which is the inaugural episode of If This Is True, I'm introducing everyone to RJ Tolan! RJ is the co-artistic director of Ensemble Studio Theatre's Youngblood in NYC. He is also a veteran of Shadowbox Live in Columbus, OH, where I met him. Come along for a visit! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jul 25, 2023•21 min
