Charm Scene: Improvised Musicals

We're just a week away from the first annual Fraudway Musical Improv Festival at Chicago's iO Theatre! In this all new episode of Chat Scene, festival creator and organizer Allen Lucas joins us to talk about the festival and his countless new musical improv endeavors at iO (including the amazing new show "Marquee"). We'll see you all at the Fraudway Musical Improv Festival, March 6-7. Tickets are on sale now at ioimprov.com. Cast...

The game is afoot! FIVE TIME charming guest Allen Lucas is back once again, this time with a mystery! We take Allen's real life love of ice cream and friendship and turn it into a devious, delicious dessert of musical improv, complete with vats of vanilla, nosey neighbors, suspicious stains, and more. Get the latest scoop on this week's Charm Scene! Want to hear even more of Allen? Don't miss the first annual FRAUDWAY Musical Impr...

The cards have spoken! Daryn Robinson ("My Best Friend is Black," "Shamilton," "She The People") is BACK. Through the power of live Tarot readings, and inspired by Daryn's story about her real-life uncle (a member of the legendary band "Earth, Wind & Fire") we set off through the kingdoms of Earth, Wind, and Fire on a quest to rediscover ourselves - featuring bountiful bindles, swollen skunks, vicious volcanoes, and more. The c...

Welcome weary travelers! Charming dungeon master Jono Mammel is back for a fantastical improvised adventure, inspired by Jono's real work in "Oops! All Bards." Join us as we enter a magical, musical world of swamps & sparrows, rocks & rolls, taverns & telekinesis, and more. Roll for initiative! Jono Mammel (they/them) is an actor, musical improviser, and tabletop game master originally from Rochester Hills, Michigan. T...

We're LIVE again from Williamsburg, VA at the 2026 Last Word Comedy Festival! This year, we looked to fiber-rich comedy major Li for inspiration for an all-new fully improvised musical. Copious carrots, vicarious villains, tasty transformations, and more on this week's Charm Scene! What's up, Doc? Special thanks to the city of Williamsburg for sponsoring the event, and to everyone at The Last Word Comedy Festival. Learn more at la...

Buckle up, Charmers. We've got Richmond's own Sarah Murphy (Bite Sized Podcast, RIFF, Swiped) for a very special improvised musical, inspired by her real life DAD. It's an Uber ride you'll never forget, with curious kids, hazardous heists, troubled townsfolk, and more! Tippity tap that gas pedal for an all-new Charm Scene! Sarah (she/her) is a wife-guy and improviser from Chicago, IL. She cohosts @bitesizedpod_ and performs with @...

Step right up! Step right up! See the wonders of improvised musicales as we welcome charming guest and brilliant scientist Christian Pitsch. Motherless mummies, whirling wheels, strange sciences, and more! See something you've never seen before in this all new Charm Scene. Christian Pitsch is a capital-C comedian. You can catch him: hosting "The Open Stage," performing sketch with "Anti Virgin Club," improvising on "TMI," or singi...

Is it hotter in here, or is it just us? It's another INCENDIARY improvised musical as we welcome former member of "The Burn Team" and charming guest Josiah Robinson! Join us as we go undercover, into a world of smoldering secrets, combustible canyons, and torched Texans. Hope you don't get burned on this week's Charm Scene! Josiah Robinson is a improviser, actor, and podcaster in Chicago. You can find his music improv team Anarchy...

Let's go to the mall! It's the first episode of 2026, and we've got a DUO. Charming guests Barb Jackson and Hugh Walker (Director and Writer/Composer of "Evangelikids!") join us for an all-new improvised musical, set in the long lost world of US shopping malls. A captive Claire's, a submerged Spencer Gifts, troubling taekwondo, and more. Yay capitalism!

Barb Jackson is a writer, performer, and director originally from Northern Cal...

What better way to celebrate the new year than a CHALLENGE EPISODE? We've got the gang together to ring in 2026 with resolute rhymes, timely time signatures, a charming champaign toast, and so much more - including a special surprise appearance from friend of the pod, Maya Tanaka! Happy New Year from all of us at Charm Scene! Cast: Lily Ludwig, Austin Packard, Maya Tanaka Music Director: Sam Scheidler Drums: Chris Ditton Follow u...

You better watch out. You better not cry. Because this improviser is a heck of a guy. It's our CHRISTMAS EPISODE with charming guest and huge get - Santa Claus! In this week's fully improvised musical, we revisit the true (and dark?) origins of Kris Kringle, complete with radiated reindeer, 70s swag, and a babbling Baby New Year. Happy Holidays! Cast: Lily Ludwig, Austin Packard, Santa Claus Music Director: Sam Scheidler Drums: Ch...

BRRRRRR. This week we welcome the abominable Daniel Matthews, as he shares his experience puppeteering "Nigel the Sasquatch" for a series of Chuck E' Cheese music videos. This wintery improvised musical comes complete with miserable misfits, supportive straights, and hungry hungry hippos. Find where you belong on this week's Charm Scene! Daniel (He/Him) grew up in the suburbs of Texas between Fort Worth and Dallas. He started impr...

To you he's just a sickly kid, but one day he just might be governor. Pod favorite Jessica Joy is back for another fully improvised musical, this time inspiring us with her real life summer stock experience in "The Secret Garden." Sour servants, talking termites, bags of bullets, and more in this week's Charm Scene! Make a wish! Jessica Joy is an actor and sketch comedian originally from Cleveland, Ohio! She is an alumni of the Se...

It might be December, but it's wedding season on Charm Scene! Charming guest Carlos Rivera helps us plan the perfect wedding in this week's fully improvised musical, with brooding brides, massive monologues, and aunt-ish ants! Will anyone find love? Find out this week on Charm Scene! Carlos, a rare species of "non-fluent in Spanish" Miami native, has done improv for most of his adult life. Since moving to Chicago in 2016 to pursue...

What's that shiny object at the thrift store? It's a surprise Charm Scene Thanksgiving with charming guest Sydney Clinton! Sydney tells us a bit about her time as a performer and comedian, and her dad's unique perspective on her career, which we use as inspiration for an all-new fully improvised musical - featuring balladic belts, feuding families, a kicked Kyle, and more. Happy Thanksgiving! Sydney Clinton is a Chicago-based perf...

It's all rhymes and good times in this very special episode of Chat Scene! MC Hammersmith (aka our dear friend Will Naameh) is back again, this time discussing his origins in comedy and hip-hop, and giving us some advanced tips and tricks on rhyming. Join us!

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MC Hammersmith (the alias of Will Naameh), is a multi-award winning hip hop comedian.
He is the world’s leading rapper to ever emerge from the ghetto of middle class west ...

Get PUMPED. This week we're joined by charming guest and UK's thickest boy - MC Hammersmith! It's a fully improvised musical, complete with melodious mayors, brutish boys, critical crosswords and more! Get your reps in on this all new Charm Scene! LADS LADS LADS.

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MC Hammersmith (the alias of Will Naameh), is a multi-award winning hip hop comedian.
He is the world’s leading rapper to ever e...

Breaking news! Charming guest Ali Gordon (last heard in episode #24) wrote a BOOK? Join us in this very special episode of Chat Scene as we discuss her debut novel, her New York improv roots, the LA comedy scene, and more. Get your copy today at whatdoesaligordondo.com Ali Gordon is a comedian, author, and educator from New York City, now living in sunny Los Angeles. Ali has performed for years with Team Starkid, most recently in ...