Best Miles Stroth Podcasts (2025)

1
Yes, Also - Asher Perlman 50:15

4d ago50:15

50:15

Asher Perlman (The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Improvised Shakespeare) talks about performing for non-comedians, embracing intros, balancing art and comedy, noticing when a scene shifts, learning to not plan, funny touring stories, improvised Shakespeare, using prologues, tips for narrative improv, selling cartoons to The New Yorker, finding in…

1
Yes, Also - Jason Mantzoukas 1:17:36

11d ago1:17:36

1:17:36

Jason Mantzoukas (How Did This Get Made, Taskmaster) talks about early inspirations and mind-blowing moves, his POV as a jazz drummer, how to play helpful chaotic characters, moving a show forward, Taskmaster, playing a persona, more satisfying end-of-show connections, losing and winning an audience, stacking patterns, meaty responses, sustaining m…

1
Yes, Also - Alex Song-Xia 48:53

18d ago48:53

48:53

Alex Song-Xia (Dimension 20, Rick and Morty) talks about self-sabotage, how improv and stand-up help each other, facing fears, saying mean things, Dropout / Dimension 20, playing complex morality, showing up in your characters, tools for subversive comedy, Asian AF, moving beyond the house team paradigm, and more! Subscribe on YT: https://www.youtu…

1
Yes, Also - Ryan Archibald 53:59

25d ago53:59

53:59

Ryan Archibald (Second City, CMSimprov) talks about an athlete's approach, smallprov, applying short form skills to longform, Boom Chicago, audition and jam survival techniques, Atlanta, his teaching approach, uniting a room, the hardest he's ever broken, the Tulsa improv scene, process vs. results, and more! Subscribe on YT: https://www.youtube.co…

1
Yes, Also - Paul Scheer 58:51

1M ago58:51

58:51

Paul Scheer (The League, How Did This Get Made?) talks about strong first lines, honoring an opening, early UCB shows, safety nets, hooks, playing with Mike Myers, logic guys, his improvised sitcom, bringing back niche, audience interview pointers, his favorite bad movie, marketing tricks, interesting ways to use a space, memorable shows, and more!…

1
Yes, Also - Jaime Moyer 49:13

1M ago49:13

49:13

Jaime Moyer (Second City Detroit) talks about her start in Detroit, imposter syndrome, killing your internal editor, gift listening, discovering over prescribing, 10,000 hours, honoring impulses, caretaking an audience, highlighting your scene partner, celebrating weird, Planet Ant, handling your lack of references, making characters likable, and m…

1
Yes, Also - Miles Stroth 51:46

2M ago51:46

51:46

Miles Stroth (The Family, founder of The Pack Theater), talks about his early days at Second City and iO, the paradox of “don’t think”, breaking the Harold, 3 Mad Rituals, playing to the top of your intelligence, how he accesses characters, The Pack, empowering yourself in scenes, position play, evolving "yes and", developing the movie form, his sc…

1
Yes, Also - Monique Moses 47:19

2M ago47:19

47:19

Monique Moses (Black Lady Sketch Show, Astronomy Club) talks about playable premises, filtering a monologue, internet paralysis, the evolution of happiness, callbacks and connections, the PIT, Astronomy Club and Black Lady Sketch Show, favorite exercises, sketch/improv hybrids, magical realism, using genre tropes to highlight absurdity, and more! S…

1
Yes, Also - Dave Theune 58:22

2M ago58:22

58:22

Dave Theune (Bangarang, St. Dennis Medical) talks about Comedy Sportz Milwaukee, the importance of seeing shows, giving scenic gifts, how to take the pressure off, abstract group games, knowing your audience, corporate shows, starting organically, silent soundtrack scenes, Groundlings, using object work to find analogies, restaurant technique, why …

1
Yes, Also - Zach Reino 51:37

2M ago51:37

51:37

Zach Reino (Dropout, Off Book: The Improvised Musical) talks about his musical and comedy DNA, how to get better at musical improv, narrative payoffs, keeping things fresh, livestream hang-ups, back line support, the benefit of Harolds, universal games, scary hallways, sustaining scenes, getting on the same page, twoprov, Dropout shows, upcoming pr…

1
Yes, Also - Ali Ghandour 56:03

2M ago56:03

56:03

Ali Ghandour (former AD of UCB LA) talks about Ultimate Improv, internet sketch, lessons in collaboration, subverting expectations, personal specifics, leading a show from within, improvising with audience members, being a UCB AD, the inside of the audition process, speaking a shared language, weathering rejection, advice for AD's, playing smart du…

1
Yes, Also - Stephnie Weir 51:27

3M ago51:27

51:27

Stephnie Weir (MadTV, Second City) talks about her colorful upbringing, playing a character's passion, finding levels, JANE, iconic characters, big lessons from Mick Napier, the nuance of status, auditioning for SNL, Mad TV, the origins of WeirDass, The Lifeboat form, playing broken people, and more! Subscribe on YT: https://www.youtube.com/@YesAls…

1
Mini Bonus Episode: Chris Gethard + Will Gallagher 5:11

3M ago5:11

5:11

As part of Mental Health Awareness Month, we’re featuring a segment from All Hands on Deck, a campaign from Wellness Together. It spotlights the people and places meeting mental health needs in creative, community-rooted ways. Learn more at wellnesstogether.org/allhandsondeck.

1
Yes, Also - Joel Spence 58:03

3M ago58:03

58:03

Joel Spence (Sentimental Lady, Big Little Lies) talks about resting the game, trusting Yes And, formative theater experiences, the post-show blues, finding comedy in tragic plays, The Groundlings, favorite teaching exercises, serving the whole, agency vs. bulldozing, avoiding conflict, map-overs, improv slumps, warm-ups, improvising with Robin Will…

1
Yes, Also - Lyndsey Frank 55:36

3M ago55:36

55:36

Lyndsey Frank (Lohan, Planet Weird) talks about being a physical player, finding personal beacons, how cancer changed their improv, going from short form to long form, becoming fearless, using real people to inform characters, give and take with unusual POV’s, ways to get unstuck in monoscenes, discovery vs. scenic math, pulling premise from sound …

1
Yes, Also - Bob Dassie 1:02:23

3M ago1:02:23

1:02:23

Bob Dassie (Dasariski, Weirdass) talks about how he approaches the top of a scene, active patience, his first class with Stephnie Weir, performing without a ceiling, an argument for openings, playing tension, the Evente form, truth over comedy, the origins of The Pretty Flower, meltdowns vs. conflict, outside-the-box object work, choosing to care, …

1
Yes, Also - Laci Mosley 43:30

4M ago43:30

43:30

Laci Mosley (Scam Goddess, Going Dutch) talks about finding balance, her journey from Texas to Hollywood, four clear paths to an acting career, choosing improv over standup, letting go of the rules, embracing voice of reason, the diversity scholarship, funny Hollywood stories, her most memorable Harold, the first dates opening, meaty interview ques…

1
Yes, Also - Santina Muha 45:21

4M ago45:21

45:21

Santina Muha (UCB, One Day at a Time) talks about the overlap of improv and game-playing, status in scenes, giving disability a comedic voice, the specific challenges of improvising in a wheelchair, why she loves sitcoms, her near death experience, making theaters accessible, adaptability in improv, the crucible of Harold night, using the Harold as…

1
Yes, Also - Brian Stack 52:42

4M ago52:42

52:42

Brian Stack (Late Night with Conan O’Brien, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert) talks about the Chicago scene in the early 90’s, Jazz Freddy, the dawn of tags and sweep edits, two back / one forward, turning mistakes into gold, heightening a scene with back line support, group physicality, his years on the Conan O’Brien staff, Gravid Water, the gif…

1
Yes, Also - Suzi Barrett 1:04:47

4M ago1:04:47

1:04:47

It's our very special One Year Anniversary episode, and we flipped the script by having Ryan interview Suzi! Suzi Barrett (Sentimental Lady, Comedy Bang Bang) talks about treating your brain like a scene partner, evolving games, unlocking creative play, Sentimental Lady, the space between the laughs, her early days in Chicago, improv as a metaphysi…

1
Yes, Also - Colton Dunn 1:03:14

5M ago1:03:14

1:03:14

Colton Dunn (Superstore, Key and Peele) talks about his short form roots, taking big leaps, seeing UCB before they had a theatre, wild memories from Boom Chicago, why he loves straight-manning, finding a scene’s tempo, his approach to teaching, Superstore, Key and Peele, how genre informs his play, performing at Radio City, favorite scenes, strange…

1
Yes, Also - Rachel Bloom 40:33

5M ago40:33

40:33

Rachel Bloom (Crazy Ex-Girlfriend) talks about how improv informs her writing, her Netflix special, surprising an audience, finding a show’s tone, coaxing your confidence, balancing cerebral comedy with emotion, contact improv, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, the role of a song’s bridge, her love of villains, the perception of leading ladies, imposter syndrom…

1
BREAKING NEWS! UCB Buys ColdTowne Theatre in Austin! 31:30

5M ago31:30

31:30

Hot off the presses... UCB just bought ColdTowne Theater from Dave Buckman and Rachel Madorsky, and Austin will now have a UCB theatre. Dave and Rachel are here to give you the skinny, and talk about the exciting future of ColdTowne and what's next for improv in Austin. Subscribe on YT: https://www.youtube.com/@YesAlsoPodcast Support the show and g…

1
Yes, Also - Dave Buckman 1:00:07

5M ago1:00:07

1:00:07

Dave Buckman (Executive Producer of ColdTowne Theater in Austin) talks about climbing the ranks at Second City, major takeaways from The Annoyance / Second City / iO, impactful play, the back pocket, fulfilling your promise to an audience, constructing a killer running order, directing at Boom Chicago and Second City, the unlikely origins of ColdTo…

1
Yes, Also - Mike McLendon 53:11

5M ago53:11

53:11

Mike McLendon (Second City, iO, UCB) talks about being an army brat, finding Comedy Sportz, the Second City cruise gig, improv bootcamp, making everything matter, end-of-show payoffs, the discipline of tags, McRib scenes, what to listen for in monologues, being a good show host, avoiding conflict, slice of life exercises, being funny vs. jokey, gro…

1
Yes, Also - Rebecca Drysdale 55:58

5M ago55:58

55:58

Beck Drysdale (Key and Peele, Second City) talks about writing jokes as a kid, quitting school to move to Chicago, lessons from Second City, being daunted by the talent of others, the necessity of being bad, improvising vs. fast writing, where smart meets dumb, The Muppets, twoprov, unlearning, playing what’s already there, finding the unusual in t…

1
Yes, Also - Dan Lippert 59:02

6M ago59:02

59:02

Dan Lippert (Big Grande, ManDogPod) talks about nerves, his early practice groups, funny tour show fiascos, family dynamics informing improv choices, the why of comedy, sustaining collaborative relationships, making playable choices, committing to silliness, telling an audience what’s funny, the many dimensions of trust, why he loves hosting shows,…

1
Yes, Also - Tao Yang 51:15

6M ago51:15

51:15

Tao Yang (Dropout, UCB Harold night) talks about Improv Boston, finding balance in training styles, short form limitations, themed Harolds, a nerdy mathematical improv theorem, the improv/sketch paradox, generational humor, the movie form, Harold auditions, College Humor, a riff on the rant opening, a hot take on living rooms, selling the voice of …

1
Yes, Also - Ben Schwartz 54:01

6M ago54:01

54:01

Ben Schwartz(Parks and Rec, Sonic) talks about fear of failure, his first laugh, doing what you find funny, weathering rejection, how venue sizes affect improv, his tour shows and Netflix specials, winning an audience, how he landed Parks and Rec, favorite shows from DCM, how to advance a game as the straight man, top lessons from Ian Roberts, why …

1
Yes, Also - Susan Messing 50:11

6M ago50:11

50:11

Susan Messing (Second City mainstage, iO, the Annoyance) talks about discovering Improv Olympic, earlier iterations of the Harold, adding specificity to ambiguity, working with Mick Napier, the early days of the Annoyance, loving hard notes, improv as a sociological study, playing the simple reality, finding your scene partner’s sh*t delicious, jus…

1
Yes, Also - Jacquis Neal 43:27

7M ago43:27

43:27

Jacquis Neal (Dropout, Comedy Bang Bang) talks about the danger of comparison, how he fell in love with theatre, going all in on UCB and the LA indie scene, acting vs, performing, bringing yourself to your improv, shows that have an angle, finding an indie team’s identity, building a form from scratch, how to produce a successful show, and more! He…

1
Yes, Also - Chris Gethard 1:14:36

7M ago1:14:36

1:14:36

Chris Gethard (The Stepfathers, The Chris Gethard Show) talks about how improv saved his life, UCBNY in the early 2000’s, feeling like the weak link on a team, identifying your improv superpower, the shadow side of curriculums, simplifying game, his public access show, straight man sleight of hand, fuel efficient improv, finding the purest play, im…

1
Yes, Also - Jacob Wysocki 1:16:35

7M ago1:16:35

1:16:35

Jacob Wysocki (Dimension 20, Yeti) talks about starting Comedy Sportz in high school, the evolution of aspiration, falling in love with filmmaking, making the leap to long form, The Bath Boys, his UCB journey, breaking the Harold mold, Dropout, collaboration, how he finds a character, putting himself in his work, framing vs. rug-pulling, the joy of…

1
Yes, Also - Holly Laurent 1:17:30

7M ago1:17:30

1:17:30

Holly Laurent (Second City Chicago, Mega) talks about growing up in a high control religion, choosing laughter over tears, identifying what’s scaring you, embracing your inner weirdo, her Second City journey, improvising with Tom Hanks, believing in the sophistication of your audience, deep characters, obsessive human study, supporting offers outsi…

1
Yes, Also - Steve Waltien 1:14:53

8M ago1:14:53

1:14:53

Steve Waltien (The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Improvised Shakespeare) talks about the courage of youth, Second City, marrying intellect with emotion, “killing the king”, the perceived limitations of game, tactics for clarity, reading your scene partner’s signals, escaping unintentional traps, the gift of a character’s philosophy, the beautiful…

1
Yes, Also - Sara Rose Caplan 1:05:42

8M ago1:05:42

1:05:42

Sara Rose Caplan (Baby Wants Candy, XOXO) talks about playing with her dream team, learning improv as a non-performer, overcoming limitations, musical improv forms, tripling down, tips for working with accompanists, motivating game with emotion, people she’s learned from, embracing intellect, how coming out as trans helped her improv, a philosopher…

1
Yes, Also - Dhruv Uday Singh 56:33

8M ago56:33

56:33

Dhruv Uday Singh (Good Trouble, Queen George) talks about being the pilot of your scene, the measure of a good show, encouraging teachers, embracing process, the importance of stage time, learning from an audience, Second City / UCB / Groundlings, breaking stereotypes, improvising on set, finding his voice, the improv scene in Mumbai, and more! Get…

1
Yes, Also - Paul F. Tompkins 2 1:03:06

8M ago1:03:06

1:03:06

Paul F. Tompkins (Comedy Bang Bang, Bojack Horseman) returns to the pod in this much-anticipated Part Two! He talks about blending standup and improv, his first Comedy Bang Bang episode, being funny without references, finding character voices, mimicry vs. capturing an essence, expectation and embarrassment, constructing a set, heightening graduall…

1
Yes, Also - Nicole Byer 1:01:31

9M ago1:01:31

1:01:31

Nicole Byer (Nailed it, Grand Crew) talks about how she found comedy, the ephemeral nature of improv, going to acting conservatory, her early UCB days, improvising with ADHD, finding patient play, meeting Sasheer, the challenge of second beats, object work go-to’s, setting scenes in a fun location, reimagining the Harold, favorite improv memories, …

1
Yes, Also - Joe Canale 1:09:32

9M ago1:09:32

1:09:32

Joe Canale (Second City, Uncle’s Brother) talks about iO in the mid 90’s, Del’s toxicity, acknowledging privilege, his complicated relationship with Charna, improv savants, hosting jams, confrontational comedy, self-indulgence vs. serving the audience, the art of listening, how improv made him a better person, the importance of diverse voices in co…

1
Yes, Also - Philip Labes 1:02:47

9M ago1:02:47

1:02:47

Philip Labes (Watchmen, Minx) talks about catching the musical improv bug, finding his path as a singer/songwriter, adapting vs. persisting, success as a trap, where music and improv overlap, hyperconsciousness, using what’s personal, grounded justifications, fostering fearlessness, rhyme tangents, narrative improv, and more! Support us at yesalso.…

1
Yes, Also - Lauren Lapkus 1:17:01

9M ago1:17:01

1:17:01

Lauren Lapkus (Another Happy Day, Comedy Bang Bang) talks about her early start at iO, learning to use her own voice, the comfort of game, earning an audience, bad improv habits, the magic of indie teams, how she creates Comedy Bang Bang characters, auditioning for SNL, the evolution of dreams, doing improv post-kids, and more!Email us wtih your id…

1
Yes, Also - John Ross Bowie 1:09:34

9M ago1:09:34

1:09:34

John Ross Bowie (Speechless, The Big Bang Theory) talks about the divide between actors and improvisers, finding improv in his late 20’s, studying with Amy Poehler, the nuance of teaching improv, avoiding detachment, emotional arcs, physicality, applying improv to a script, using details from real life, how improv helps him on set, and more!Email u…

1
Yes, Also - Ronnie Adrian 1:06:52

10M ago1:06:52

1:06:52

Ronnie Adrian (Grand Crew, The Big Team) talks about teaching and coaching styles, his pursuit of an interesting life, his early stand up experience, playing the voice of reason, rooting yourself in the POV of a character, improvising at jams, taking care of the scene as a whole, improv as a team sport, learning to contribute to a scene even if it’…

1
Yes, Also - Dan Gregor 1:15:40

10M ago1:15:40

1:15:40

Dan Gregor (JV, The Naked Gun) talks about yes and-ing an animated universe, writing vs. improv skill sets, developing humor as a response to religion, his NYU sketch group, the diminishing returns of political comedy, his early UCB days, the marketability of sketch, writing and shooting The Naked Gun reboot, staying true to genre in spoof writing,…

1
Yes, Also - Sarah Claspell 1:09:13

10M ago1:09:13

1:09:13

Sarah Claspell (co-owner of WGIS) talks about the leap from short form to long form, favorite shows from DCM, the pressures of Harold night, finding a sense of play, fostering team trust, not being defined by your bad scenes, teaching improv to Olympic coaches, WGIS, conquering imposter syndrome, Asian AF, and more!Email us with your ideas and ques…

1
Yes, Also - Johnny Meeks 1:07:20

10M ago1:07:20

1:07:20

Johnny Meeks (UCB LA’s Academic Director) talks about the “por las buenas” technique, comedic tension, trying to save a bad scene, updating the UCB curriculum, his theatrical roots, memories of a bad standup teacher, improvised plays, the power of simple and honest responses, playing with curiosity, his favorite improv exercise, playing game in scr…

1
Yes, Also - Paul F. Tompkins 1:15:36

11M ago1:15:36

1:15:36

Paul F. Tompkins (Mr. Show, Bojack Horseman) talks about carving out his identity as a comedian, conquering fear, his early absurdist stand-up, working on Mr. Show, what makes a great showrunner, comedic heightening, advice for sketch writers, comedy as the art of translation, “the tyranny of the template”, chasing fun and novelty, the glory of mul…

1
Yes, Also - Cissy Fenwick 1:02:06

11M ago1:02:06

1:02:06

Cissy Fenwick (JV) talks about how improv makes her a better therapist, unconditional positive regard, therapists as active voice of reason characters, archetypes, her love of playing annoying people, using reps to set goals, her favorite improv exercise, anchoring game to a POV, emotional stakes, what she’s curious about, and more!Email us wtih yo…

1
Yes, Also - Eugene Cordero 1:19:21

11M ago1:19:21

1:19:21

Eugene Cordero (Loki, Star Trek: Lower Decks) talks about his elementary school days, cockiness vs. confidence, struggles with dyslexia, finding his calling, the benefits of short form, committing to scenes, the myth of “best” ideas, not taking a coach’s taste personally, the joy of agreement, finding spontaneity within a premise, parenting like an…

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Miles Stroth Podcasts

Podcasts Worth a Listen

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