July 16, 2025 • 28 mins
It seems like right now, with everything going on in the world, everyone needs a good laugh. Laughter helps us feel lighter, shedding the weight of all the bad things that are going on right now, bringing us back to the moment. Tipping Point understands that need and is bringing a healthy dose of fun to their Northville theater this summer with a series of shows featuring the talented Planet Ant Home Team. Based in Hamtramck, this improv troupe has been bringing their hilarious charm to Michigan for years; however, this time, in a new location! Before they descend onto Northville, I spoke with one of the members, Dave Davies, about this partnership between the two theaters!
In this exclusive Box Seat Babes interview, Davies talks about his humble beginnings with the art of improv, from auditions with Second City to finding his place at Planet Ant! Now a seasoned professional, this comedian is using his skills to inspire children in Detroit, as well as bring some much-needed levity to audiences. What can you expect from one of the Tipping Point Theatre performances? Davies breaks down the Planet Ant Home Team's approach to a fun-filled night of laughs!
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Thank you so much for joining me today, Dave.
(00:01):
How you doing?
I'm doing very well.
How about yourself?
We're doing great.
It's Friday.
We're glad to be here.
We're glad to be talking with you.
um So you're bringing Planet Ant to Northville at the Tipping Point Theater.
uh How has this kind of collaboration come to be?
ah Well, let's see, I've done a lot of shows at Tipping Point over the years, uh startingfrom the very first show they did there.
(00:28):
I was fortunate enough to work there quite often.
And Julia Glander, the artistic director, called me about, they've been doing these uhsummer programs, normally when they're like dark between shows.
uh
she asked if I would be interested in doing an improv show, which is something I've beendoing at Planet Ant for over 25 years.
(00:51):
So I thought, yeah, an improv show.
And then when she asked like, well, what's the name of your troop?
And it was really just some close friends that I called and that I worked with beforeseveral times.
And it was like, the name of my troop.
Yes, right.
Well, that would be uh well.
And decided to go with uh Planet Ant home team, because that's our most familiar
(01:12):
with and I'm on the board at Planet Ant so I talked to them and said yeah this is kind ofa cross promotion thing which which is a nice way to say yeah I couldn't really come up
with a troop name so so so we're doing it this way
I mean, that is a pretty fantastic troop name because it explains exactly where you'refrom and what you're doing.
you know, I think that Planet Ant is such a recognizable name too.
(01:36):
Like, uh I have had friends be in the community.
I've had, you know, lots of people have gone to shows and Planet Ant is always one ofthose names that comes up.
It's been, it's like such a staple in the Michigan comedy scene.
It really has.
uh It's been around since the early 90s and we have been improvising on Monday nightsthere.
(01:58):
uh Like every Monday, the Planet Ant home team improvises.
We've been doing that uh since before the turn of the century, so quite a long time.
And there's been a lot of people who have come uh and gone on the home team.
Some of just...
they're not improvising anymore and some have gone on to do very recognizable things whichis great and I think currently I think I'm the only one who is there at the very beginning
(02:27):
who is still improvising ah yeah yes I'm the old man of the troop because I'm the old manof the troop and because I'm an old man so I get it like both ways
I think season professional is the right word, right?
Ha ha ha ha ha.
Thank you.
Thank you, Brian.
Yes, you're right.
(02:47):
I prefer that also.
Now that I've heard it out loud.
oh So did you, where has your improv journey kind of began?
Was it before Planet Ant or was Planet Ant kind of your starting point?
It was in the...
um
be I guess the very early nineties when the second city came to Detroit we had a secondcity Detroit where hockey town is downtown now and when I heard they were coming I
(03:13):
actually went down there and auditioned with no experience other than people saying you'reyou're pretty funny you should be on stage I like okay I think so too so I went down there
and probably gave the worst audition they saw that day but got a very nice
letter in return that said, uh yeah we can't use you this time.
(03:37):
Which I thought was very nice.
I keep it so I can tell people I've been turned down by better than you and have proof ofit.
But uh I decided to take classes there and um
just really stuck with it.
then I just fell into Planet Ant, just going there.
They were doing plays and there was a group of people who were working at Second City anddoing things there that were like, hey, we should just have a night where we just do
(04:06):
improv and just have people come by and...
uh
And that's kind of how it started.
I think it was started on a Wednesday night, but then it ran into things like it was so,so thrown together that it'd be like, okay, let's perform.
Oh, they have rehearsal tonight.
We can't perform tonight.
So the artistic director of Planet Ant at the time decided that he was going to dedicateMondays to us doing improv.
(04:30):
And over the past over 25 years, about 25 years doing it, I believe it's, it's, it'sreally grown right, quite a reputation.
But that's where I've got most of my experience.
In addition to that, I've taught classes at Second City Detroit, honestly, when they hadmoved to Novi, which was, that's a whole long story.
(04:56):
But I've just done a...
uh
I made a friend of mine were discussing it.
You know the Malcolm Gladwell theory about outliers.
If you put in your 10,000 hours on any particular uh subject, you're an outlier, whichmeans you may know it better than most people.
so I think when it comes to improv, I believe I'm an outlier.
(05:17):
I haven't been keeping track of all the hours, but uh I think it's gotta be up there.
Yeah, exactly that, yeah.
What kind of drew you to improv as kind of like, because it's such an interesting art,because you're living in the moment of acting, you know, instead of having a script and
kind of reading it, like what drew you to that?
Yeah, I hate memorizing scripts.
(05:39):
that's part of it, but really, there are so many things I love about it.
I'm gonna tangent for one minute.
I'm also part of a group called the Detroit Creativity Project.
I'm a teacher with them, and what we do is we go into primarily Detroit public schools.
mostly middle schools and high schools, will go for one hour a week and teach kids improvbecause after uh countless studies they have found out the benefits of improv are so
(06:10):
numerous.
include things like they improve focus, they improve social skills, problem solvingskills, boost confidence, and...
Like when I went to school, maybe the same for you, there were no classes that taught youhow to approach people, to talk to people, and socialize.
And I think that's so important.
(06:32):
And the thing I love about improv is the level of empathy it has, the level of camaraderiedevelops, of ensemble and working together with people.
uh
It's just great.
You might hear my dog barking upstairs.
uh Yeah, sorry about that.
uh Upstairs, I just admit it.
(06:53):
I'm in my basement.
uh But it's, okay, you're in my basement?
hey.
uh But yeah, it's really just the, I love performing in plays.
But with improv, there's just that immediate satisfaction and knowing that you've createdsomething from scratch, just from a single idea.
(07:19):
And you don't know where it's going when you start out.
And when you work with so many different improvisers, it's just that level of discoverywhere they say something, you're like, my gosh, yes, this is what it is.
And you add to that and add to that and add.
And I just, I love that feeling.
It's a...
oh
I'm fortunate enough to be addicted to a healthy drug called improv.
(07:41):
I was going to say that during my day job is I'm a psychologist and one of the things I dois I um diagnose autism.
I do testing for autism.
And one of the things that we learned during our classes is that um one of the best thingsthat we can recommend for like teenagers or above is improv because that's how you, one of
the best ways to learn how to socialize with people because you learn specific rulesalmost, you know, of how like, and so I love that you said that with, uh
(08:09):
I'm so you going into the schools and stuff.
That's really cool that you were able to do that.
Yes.
Oh, it's so, I think it's so wonderful.
It's so beneficial.
The kids love it they have, I know if I should say it anyway.
They have found reports that like the attendance in school when it's improv day isgenerally higher than it is most other days.
(08:31):
know, the kids would be like, oh, I wasn't gonna go today.
But then I remembered they were doing improv, which is a real good thing.
But yeah.
for so many, like make school exciting, make teaching and learning exciting for kids andthey're gonna wanna learn more.
Exactly that.
There's not, you know, I think we have the only class in school that tells them like, no,say anything.
(08:55):
There's no wrong answers.
Be loud.
Be silly.
You you don't get that math.
There's no wrong answers.
No, it's not six.
It's five.
There's a wrong answer.
So when it kind of comes to the show, specifically, I the one happening at Tipping PointTheater, is there like a structure to the show?
what are audiences going to almost expect when they walk into this?
(09:17):
There's a...
There is, it's a bit different.
uh I'll tell you this, on Monday nights at Planet Ant, it's all about long form improv.
And what that means is we'll get like a single suggestion from the audience.
We'll say like, today was extremely hot out.
What's something else that's hot?
And you know, they might say fire, fire, okay.
(09:38):
And we just let that inspire a scene and see where it goes.
You know, maybe you just start out walking up to the stage going like, it's getting darksoon.
You know, or it could be anything.
uh So it's gonna be, there's gonna
be long form but we're gonna put some I've got some improv games built into the top of ittoo where it's more like whose line is it anyway kind of a thing
(10:00):
so it gets more audience input and we just play off the suggestions they give.
And also uh a nice element that I like about Monday nights is we say it's the home teamand the home team doesn't have a name other than the home team.
So we have uh a ballot box that looks like the little purple building in Hamtramck, thePlanet Ant building and people write down what they think the home team's name should be
(10:27):
that night and they put their name on it and put
it in the box and if that's drawn at the top of the show then not only will that be thename of the home team for that evening but that person will win a fabulous, fabulous
prize.
such a cool way to bring audiences into the show and make it like nobody's nobody's gonnalike everyone wants to buy into that in just a little bit you know
(10:51):
yeah, it's always a fun thing to have at the top.
So it should be uh a lot of fun.
I will say, one thing I always worry about improv, whenever I do an improv show, is uhpeople...
Generally a lot of people are of the mindset like, I don't want them picking on me.
I don't want them pulling me out of the audience and bringing me onto it.
(11:13):
And it's nothing like that.
That's not it.
That's, know, in standup, maybe they'll pick on you.
I don't know.
But with improv, it's not about that at all.
You just generally ask the audience like, who's got a suggestion?
And if you don't have one, we're not gonna look at you and go, you, outta here.
It's, you know, it's always inviting.
It's always encouraging.
(11:33):
And...
uh
And that's the thing about most improvisers.
They know it's like your job is to make the other people look good.
So it's, uh I don't ever want someone to feel they're gonna get picked on coming to animprov show.
was going to say that I definitely, when I was kind of reading about Planet Ant and justkind of what you're doing, and then also doing with tipping point, like it does feel
(11:54):
almost like a safer environments.
And granted, my only time I've ever been to an improv show was in seventh grade when wewent to Washington, DC, and we went to an improv show and they did call on you.
So my entire thing was like, man, I'm to go to the show.
They're going to pick me out of the audience and make me come up there.
I'm not going to know what to do.
But I saw, I liked that you like it specifically noted that like, this is like, we don'twant people to feel alienated and that's so cool.
(12:15):
yeah.
It's, yeah, if we, you know, we might ask for a volunteer at one point.
uh And that's, and like I say, that's a volunteer.
We're not gonna look at someone and go, you who didn't raise your hand, you're the one wewant.
It's, no, no, that person doesn't want, you know, no, you're home in your living room.
We're just gonna pretend you're there.
(12:36):
uh Yeah, so it's, yeah.
Yes.
Exactly that.
I can't read.
Read it anyway.
Try.
uh
How, what is the experience like then from transferring it from like maybe, you know, fromplaying Ant's Home in Hamtramiq to a different setting?
Does it change the experience at all for the actors?
(12:57):
That's a good question.
Sure, a little bit.
And I think it's more so, how can I say this?
I think any performer recognizes that when you're doing a live show, this is gonna soundhippie dippy, but there's undeniably an energy that you get from the audience and that you
(13:17):
give back.
And so it changes the dynamic as far as...
you know, when we're the little black box at Planet Ant, uh there's an energy that comesfrom the audience that we know how to reflect back because we've been doing it there so
long.
But admittedly for...
(13:38):
for quite a while that we're doing improv across the street at the Ant Hall.
If you know, The Planet Ant has a little black box theater and a bigger one across thestreet, the Ant Hall with a larger stage, a big proscenium stage.
And we're doing improv on that stage for a while.
And even the people in the group recognize it's like, yeah, it's a different energybecause you're higher than the audience.
(14:02):
They're all in front of you in one direction.
When you get to the black box, it's more,
It's more intimate.
uh
almost involved, like you're in the center of it.
Yeah, yeah, and I think, I don't think, I know, Tipping Point is more of an intimate spacetoo.
I mean, they see it lot more, but it's nonetheless, it's on the floor and the audience isup and they're looking down at you.
(14:28):
Even as you start, the audience is looking down at you.
But uh I mean that in a good way.
Yeah, I think it'll be a lot of fun.
I think with a crew of people who know how to work a space like that very well.
And I guess that does add to the improv-ness of it too.
I mean, I don't know, I'm not an actor, but I would assume like new spaces you have torely a little bit more on your abilities to kind of think on the fly and react as it's
(14:53):
happening.
yeah.
And it's, uh I've got, it's me and four other improvisers and a musician.
And I think the experience of the group.
is like, we could tell you some stories, Brian.
But it's, lot of it is like over the years, this group has, I know a lot of them have donelike improv, like in the corner of a bar, you know, to earn their chops.
(15:19):
I recall walking into a Royal Oak coffee house like years ago and going, what's yourslowest night?
Okay, Wednesdays, then we're gonna come in here on Wednesdays and move that table in thecorner and do some improv right there.
And they're like, yeah, okay.
and people started to come around.
So it's really, it's just a lot of different levels of experience, doing what they callimprov, doing what they call bar-prov, because that's been a thing.
(15:46):
Doing improv at a bar is a lot different.
Yeah, so it's a...
and like who they are for sure
There's something about really drunk people that makes them different than people who arenot really drunk.
I don't know what it is.
Maybe it's the alcohol.
no, but yeah.
But just that kind of, in a bar, you're generally gonna get a higher level of rowdiness.
(16:12):
So yeah, it's been a while since I've done that.
Look at me, I'm a pizza hut.
they're drinking, a little more...
Inhibitions come down.
when you ask for suggestions in a bar, it could be like, how about an emotion?
An emotion, what'd you say sir?
Okay, the emotion of porno.
(16:35):
You you just get like, you'll get like bluer suggestions, cause they're just loose andthink it's funnier to shout a word they would normally say in a crowd.
Now, when it comes to an improv show, is there a way that you do prepare for it or is itjust kind of like you show up and you go on and like, do you have a process for preparing
for that?
Ah!
really well that's not totally true I guess the way we do it is we tend to get there earlyenough the group so that we all kind of hang out and talk a bit before the show and just
(17:06):
kind of get that
playful mood, you how you get with your friends after uh talking to them for a while andstuff.
So by the time we hit the stage, it's like, all right, let's do it.
We're already having fun.
And that even adds to quite often, I know this happens at Planet Hannah lot where somebodywill be in the middle of the scene and mention something and you'll see the cast laugh
(17:29):
because it's something they just made reference to before the show, you know, it'll belike, yeah, I'm just on my way to Taco Bell.
that's the place that ripped them off this morning, you know.
or whatever it is, uh they'll bring things like that into it.
So there's a level of, I would say making each other laugh, but certainly um just keepingthat playfulness throughout.
(17:55):
I think audiences like when a troupe is playful and they should, cause it's fun to watch.
I was just going to ask you about the audience reaction.
You know, having done this, you said you've done this for quite some time.
Do you still play into like their responses?
Do you still find yourself feeding off of that with like how you're improving or do youfeel like you can kind of separate from that?
(18:17):
No, still, I feel I play into it hard.
I mean, like I still have nights where I'll come off the stage and be like, wow, that wasreally great.
You know, I think we really found it and I felt good about what I did.
And then I'll have some nights where I come off the stage and I'm like, boy, sorry, Ireally stuck up the joint tonight.
(18:39):
You know, I just, it's just that there are sometimes it's anything.
can throw you off your game.
it's, you kind of need that to, uh you know, you need the bad to measure the good stuffagainst.
Because if you didn't have the bad, it'd be like, we're just awesome every night andthere's never any problems.
(18:59):
And you know, that's not true.
But I think I am to a point where even when I feel I've had an off night, there's stillsomething redeemable in it.
Sure.
know what mean?
It'll be like, yeah, I think it was still entertaining overall, but I don't know, I've hadbetter nights, you know, uh truth be told.
(19:23):
And truthfully, honestly, it's probably not even noticed by the audience because they'rehaving such a good time.
It's probably only noticed by you who are your worst critic.
oh
I think that's true.
I think that's true.
it's really, um I mean, I think a lot of performers get that.
I think it's the kind of thing that when you recognize you're just not uh hitting on everylevel, it's like, well, you're there with a troop.
(19:48):
and it's like okay well I can just kind of lay back and okay they've got it covered and Iguess I can add this little part but so there's a dynamic of it it's like hey this
person's on fire tonight let's uh let's give them the energy uh you know that that kind ofthing but yeah but I think you're exactly right by saying that
When you're in that moment and you're kind of like sitting back and you're observing, areyou trying to think almost like three steps ahead or are just trying to be in the moment
(20:14):
of exactly what's happening?
trying to be in the moment.
Yeah, it's really, I do think focus is such a big part of improv.
And if you're watching it, you're really like focused on what they're doing, but you'reaware when they might benefit from something.
(20:38):
You know, if it's a scene, someone going on like, boy, you better hope dad doesn't comehome soon.
You know, there's that bulb that goes, boom.
dad just got home, what's going on in here?
You know, uh if it fits.
uh But yeah, you get a certainly a feel for it after a time.
I mean, that makes sense.
I always feel like if I were to do it, I'd be like looking for like you that moment ofbeing like, what needs to happen next instead of just kind of living in that moment of
(21:05):
like, this is the confines of what's happening on the stage.
That's great you say that, because I think that's, um I think so many people could benefitfrom taking improv classes, but I think what you've just gave is a prime example of most
people get in their own heads and they think too much about it.
It's actually very hard.
(21:27):
to say, I'm going to improvise that I won't need this.
You know, the it's, really hard to like just close your eyes and fall forward like thatand trust that you're not the whole machine.
You're just part of it.
And you're working together with everybody up here.
That's, that's really hard.
uh
to do that and it takes time to get into that habit.
(21:52):
You know, like anything like practicing an instrument, you don't just pick it up and go,what'd call this guitar?
You've got to practice for a long time.
it's, uh yeah, but that's quite often the hardest part of it is ironically realizing howrelaxed you need to be or just how little you can do and make it look great.
(22:17):
Just part of that also come from just having a team that you trust so intimately, becauseI feel like that has to add to the experience of like, you trust these people you're on
stage with, know, like you know their craft, you've been doing it for a while.
They're gonna, if they help, they're, they're, steering the ship too.
Yes, absolutely.
it is, this is true in like regular stage acting too.
(22:40):
You've gotta feel safe out there.
You've gotta feel safe out there.
You know, you've gotta know that.
Like, you know, if it was just you and I, Brian, if we're in front of the audience, it'slike, uh okay, we've gotta have each other's backs, you know?
I'm gonna give you everything you need to look good and you give me everything I need tolook good and no matter what happens, we've gotta have each other's backs.
(23:02):
ah So it's gotta be that safe feeling.
And yeah, and I think that's not only something that comes with time, but I think it's...
It comes with relationships and that's it.
All four of other people I'm performing with, I've known several years and it's almostmore relaxing to be on stage with them than to be laying on a beach somewhere.
(23:31):
That's high praise.
I then again, I just spoke with Michelle Murphy, who's doing Keeper at Tipping Point, andshe had high praise for you.
She was like, she was like, he is just one of those people that makes everybody feelcomfortable.
So I'm sure your team feels that same way.
That is that 10 bucks I gave Michelle Murphy was the best money I know that's, that's sokind.
She's great.
(23:51):
uh Her and I met at Planet Ant.
She was the artistic director, I believe when I started going there.
And it's yeah, over the years, although she's on the West Coast, we keep in touch througha little thing called Facebook.
But...
uh
(24:13):
Putting it on my notepad right now.
There you go, there you go, do it.
We're on laptops, we can do it.
There you go, that's typing.
um But yeah, Michelle's the best.
uh I just love her to death, yeah.
I'm looking forward to seeing her show.
It's going to be incredible.
ah So then one more question for you.
We're going to end it on a slightly cheesy note because we always have to add some ofthose questions.
(24:34):
But what three words would you use to describe a show with Planet Ant Home Team and whatkind of audiences can expect?
Three words that would describe a show.
ah Playful.
That's a fantastic one.
fun.
Well, no, fun's too close to playful.
But well, yeah, but fun, because you're gonna have fun.
(24:56):
It's not just watching a show.
It's like, it's almost like a three dimensional thing.
And
And here's an odd word, I'm gonna say memorable.
And I say it's an odd word because when you're improvising in the moment, you often don'trealize what you're saying or doing.
Quite often people will come up to an improviser afterwards to go hey remember when yousaid that thing about the the car falling off the cliff and you'll be talking to him go
(25:22):
wow No, I I don't at all.
I'm sorry.
I don't remember it and it's it is like that lightning in a bottle kind of thing like uhthe audiences remember like the moments they love and the improvisers are so in the moment
that they quite often don't uh
But yeah, so I'll say memorable for the audience experience.
(25:44):
I will say that, granted again, sixth grade was the last time I went to an improv show,but my friends and I, we still have a line that we quote to this day because it's just, it
was so funny and we were, you know, we're sixth graders.
We don't know what's funny anymore.
Like we still to this day will laugh about it.
And when you said that, I was playing that line in my head.
So I think that's a great thing because I, you know, I'm 33 now, so there's, it's just,you can't help but have some of those moments that just stick in your head and.
(26:13):
and perhaps one of those ways to kind of enjoy that.
Yeah, and that's kind of a reflection of life.
I'll share this with you real fast.
I'm older than 33 and I've got, yeah, yeah, I'm 34.
No, but I've actually got, I say three kids, but I'll be honest with you, there are threeadults right now.
(26:35):
I have three adults and just recently,
My youngest daughter was talking to at one point and she was like, hey dad, do youremember when we did this and you said this?
And she's telling it to me.
I'm like, wow, no, I gotta confess.
I don't remember that at all.
And her followup was like, oh, okay.
(26:56):
Cause I'll never forget it.
And it was like, I don't know, was like, oh, I so wish I could remember it.
It's like, I wish I wanna share this memory with you.
It was so good, but it's, yeah.
That's the plight of the improviser.
you're gonna be sharing those moments with tons of audiences, know, not just with thesethree shows, every Monday.
(27:19):
right.
They're go home with so many memories and we're just gonna crawl home with regret andnothing to remember.
Starbucks, what bar is that?
Come on, let's get real.
Listen, I'm a coffee addict.
(27:40):
It's eight, nine o'clock at night and I gotta have my coffee.
But thank you.
No, seriously, I go on vacations with my friends and they're just like, how are youdrinking so much coffee?
And I'm like, if I don't drink this, we will be sleeping.
Wow, good for you.
Cool.
so much Dave for your time.
(28:02):
I really appreciate it.
We are so excited to see the show
Good I look forward to it.
Thank you Brian.
This is fun
The Planet at Home team lands at Tipping Point Theater July 17th and runs through the19th, so get your tickets now and we will see you there.
Love it.
Thank you so much for joining me today, Dave.
(00:01):
How you doing?
I'm doing very well.
How about yourself?
We're doing great.
It's Friday.
We're glad to be here.
We're glad to be talking with you.
um So you're bringing Planet Ant to Northville at the Tipping Point Theater.
uh How has this kind of collaboration come to be?
ah Well, let's see, I've done a lot of shows at Tipping Point over the years, uh startingfrom the very first show they did there.
(00:28):
I was fortunate enough to work there quite often.
And Julia Glander, the artistic director, called me about, they've been doing these uhsummer programs, normally when they're like dark between shows.
uh
she asked if I would be interested in doing an improv show, which is something I've beendoing at Planet Ant for over 25 years.
(00:51):
So I thought, yeah, an improv show.
And then when she asked like, well, what's the name of your troop?
And it was really just some close friends that I called and that I worked with beforeseveral times.
And it was like, the name of my troop.
Yes, right.
Well, that would be uh well.
And decided to go with uh Planet Ant home team, because that's our most familiar
(01:12):
with and I'm on the board at Planet Ant so I talked to them and said yeah this is kind ofa cross promotion thing which which is a nice way to say yeah I couldn't really come up
with a troop name so so so we're doing it this way
I mean, that is a pretty fantastic troop name because it explains exactly where you'refrom and what you're doing.
you know, I think that Planet Ant is such a recognizable name too.
(01:36):
Like, uh I have had friends be in the community.
I've had, you know, lots of people have gone to shows and Planet Ant is always one ofthose names that comes up.
It's been, it's like such a staple in the Michigan comedy scene.
It really has.
uh It's been around since the early 90s and we have been improvising on Monday nightsthere.
(01:58):
uh Like every Monday, the Planet Ant home team improvises.
We've been doing that uh since before the turn of the century, so quite a long time.
And there's been a lot of people who have come uh and gone on the home team.
Some of just...
they're not improvising anymore and some have gone on to do very recognizable things whichis great and I think currently I think I'm the only one who is there at the very beginning
(02:27):
who is still improvising ah yeah yes I'm the old man of the troop because I'm the old manof the troop and because I'm an old man so I get it like both ways
I think season professional is the right word, right?
Ha ha ha ha ha.
Thank you.
Thank you, Brian.
Yes, you're right.
(02:47):
I prefer that also.
Now that I've heard it out loud.
oh So did you, where has your improv journey kind of began?
Was it before Planet Ant or was Planet Ant kind of your starting point?
It was in the...
um
be I guess the very early nineties when the second city came to Detroit we had a secondcity Detroit where hockey town is downtown now and when I heard they were coming I
(03:13):
actually went down there and auditioned with no experience other than people saying you'reyou're pretty funny you should be on stage I like okay I think so too so I went down there
and probably gave the worst audition they saw that day but got a very nice
letter in return that said, uh yeah we can't use you this time.
(03:37):
Which I thought was very nice.
I keep it so I can tell people I've been turned down by better than you and have proof ofit.
But uh I decided to take classes there and um
just really stuck with it.
then I just fell into Planet Ant, just going there.
They were doing plays and there was a group of people who were working at Second City anddoing things there that were like, hey, we should just have a night where we just do
(04:06):
improv and just have people come by and...
uh
And that's kind of how it started.
I think it was started on a Wednesday night, but then it ran into things like it was so,so thrown together that it'd be like, okay, let's perform.
Oh, they have rehearsal tonight.
We can't perform tonight.
So the artistic director of Planet Ant at the time decided that he was going to dedicateMondays to us doing improv.
(04:30):
And over the past over 25 years, about 25 years doing it, I believe it's, it's, it'sreally grown right, quite a reputation.
But that's where I've got most of my experience.
In addition to that, I've taught classes at Second City Detroit, honestly, when they hadmoved to Novi, which was, that's a whole long story.
(04:56):
But I've just done a...
uh
I made a friend of mine were discussing it.
You know the Malcolm Gladwell theory about outliers.
If you put in your 10,000 hours on any particular uh subject, you're an outlier, whichmeans you may know it better than most people.
so I think when it comes to improv, I believe I'm an outlier.
(05:17):
I haven't been keeping track of all the hours, but uh I think it's gotta be up there.
Yeah, exactly that, yeah.
What kind of drew you to improv as kind of like, because it's such an interesting art,because you're living in the moment of acting, you know, instead of having a script and
kind of reading it, like what drew you to that?
Yeah, I hate memorizing scripts.
(05:39):
that's part of it, but really, there are so many things I love about it.
I'm gonna tangent for one minute.
I'm also part of a group called the Detroit Creativity Project.
I'm a teacher with them, and what we do is we go into primarily Detroit public schools.
mostly middle schools and high schools, will go for one hour a week and teach kids improvbecause after uh countless studies they have found out the benefits of improv are so
(06:10):
numerous.
include things like they improve focus, they improve social skills, problem solvingskills, boost confidence, and...
Like when I went to school, maybe the same for you, there were no classes that taught youhow to approach people, to talk to people, and socialize.
And I think that's so important.
(06:32):
And the thing I love about improv is the level of empathy it has, the level of camaraderiedevelops, of ensemble and working together with people.
uh
It's just great.
You might hear my dog barking upstairs.
uh Yeah, sorry about that.
uh Upstairs, I just admit it.
(06:53):
I'm in my basement.
uh But it's, okay, you're in my basement?
hey.
uh But yeah, it's really just the, I love performing in plays.
But with improv, there's just that immediate satisfaction and knowing that you've createdsomething from scratch, just from a single idea.
(07:19):
And you don't know where it's going when you start out.
And when you work with so many different improvisers, it's just that level of discoverywhere they say something, you're like, my gosh, yes, this is what it is.
And you add to that and add to that and add.
And I just, I love that feeling.
It's a...
oh
I'm fortunate enough to be addicted to a healthy drug called improv.
(07:41):
I was going to say that during my day job is I'm a psychologist and one of the things I dois I um diagnose autism.
I do testing for autism.
And one of the things that we learned during our classes is that um one of the best thingsthat we can recommend for like teenagers or above is improv because that's how you, one of
the best ways to learn how to socialize with people because you learn specific rulesalmost, you know, of how like, and so I love that you said that with, uh
(08:09):
I'm so you going into the schools and stuff.
That's really cool that you were able to do that.
Yes.
Oh, it's so, I think it's so wonderful.
It's so beneficial.
The kids love it they have, I know if I should say it anyway.
They have found reports that like the attendance in school when it's improv day isgenerally higher than it is most other days.
(08:31):
know, the kids would be like, oh, I wasn't gonna go today.
But then I remembered they were doing improv, which is a real good thing.
But yeah.
for so many, like make school exciting, make teaching and learning exciting for kids andthey're gonna wanna learn more.
Exactly that.
There's not, you know, I think we have the only class in school that tells them like, no,say anything.
(08:55):
There's no wrong answers.
Be loud.
Be silly.
You you don't get that math.
There's no wrong answers.
No, it's not six.
It's five.
There's a wrong answer.
So when it kind of comes to the show, specifically, I the one happening at Tipping PointTheater, is there like a structure to the show?
what are audiences going to almost expect when they walk into this?
(09:17):
There's a...
There is, it's a bit different.
uh I'll tell you this, on Monday nights at Planet Ant, it's all about long form improv.
And what that means is we'll get like a single suggestion from the audience.
We'll say like, today was extremely hot out.
What's something else that's hot?
And you know, they might say fire, fire, okay.
(09:38):
And we just let that inspire a scene and see where it goes.
You know, maybe you just start out walking up to the stage going like, it's getting darksoon.
You know, or it could be anything.
uh So it's gonna be, there's gonna
be long form but we're gonna put some I've got some improv games built into the top of ittoo where it's more like whose line is it anyway kind of a thing
(10:00):
so it gets more audience input and we just play off the suggestions they give.
And also uh a nice element that I like about Monday nights is we say it's the home teamand the home team doesn't have a name other than the home team.
So we have uh a ballot box that looks like the little purple building in Hamtramck, thePlanet Ant building and people write down what they think the home team's name should be
(10:27):
that night and they put their name on it and put
it in the box and if that's drawn at the top of the show then not only will that be thename of the home team for that evening but that person will win a fabulous, fabulous
prize.
such a cool way to bring audiences into the show and make it like nobody's nobody's gonnalike everyone wants to buy into that in just a little bit you know
(10:51):
yeah, it's always a fun thing to have at the top.
So it should be uh a lot of fun.
I will say, one thing I always worry about improv, whenever I do an improv show, is uhpeople...
Generally a lot of people are of the mindset like, I don't want them picking on me.
I don't want them pulling me out of the audience and bringing me onto it.
(11:13):
And it's nothing like that.
That's not it.
That's, know, in standup, maybe they'll pick on you.
I don't know.
But with improv, it's not about that at all.
You just generally ask the audience like, who's got a suggestion?
And if you don't have one, we're not gonna look at you and go, you, outta here.
It's, you know, it's always inviting.
It's always encouraging.
(11:33):
And...
uh
And that's the thing about most improvisers.
They know it's like your job is to make the other people look good.
So it's, uh I don't ever want someone to feel they're gonna get picked on coming to animprov show.
was going to say that I definitely, when I was kind of reading about Planet Ant and justkind of what you're doing, and then also doing with tipping point, like it does feel
(11:54):
almost like a safer environments.
And granted, my only time I've ever been to an improv show was in seventh grade when wewent to Washington, DC, and we went to an improv show and they did call on you.
So my entire thing was like, man, I'm to go to the show.
They're going to pick me out of the audience and make me come up there.
I'm not going to know what to do.
But I saw, I liked that you like it specifically noted that like, this is like, we don'twant people to feel alienated and that's so cool.
(12:15):
yeah.
It's, yeah, if we, you know, we might ask for a volunteer at one point.
uh And that's, and like I say, that's a volunteer.
We're not gonna look at someone and go, you who didn't raise your hand, you're the one wewant.
It's, no, no, that person doesn't want, you know, no, you're home in your living room.
We're just gonna pretend you're there.
(12:36):
uh Yeah, so it's, yeah.
Yes.
Exactly that.
I can't read.
Read it anyway.
Try.
uh
How, what is the experience like then from transferring it from like maybe, you know, fromplaying Ant's Home in Hamtramiq to a different setting?
Does it change the experience at all for the actors?
(12:57):
That's a good question.
Sure, a little bit.
And I think it's more so, how can I say this?
I think any performer recognizes that when you're doing a live show, this is gonna soundhippie dippy, but there's undeniably an energy that you get from the audience and that you
(13:17):
give back.
And so it changes the dynamic as far as...
you know, when we're the little black box at Planet Ant, uh there's an energy that comesfrom the audience that we know how to reflect back because we've been doing it there so
long.
But admittedly for...
(13:38):
for quite a while that we're doing improv across the street at the Ant Hall.
If you know, The Planet Ant has a little black box theater and a bigger one across thestreet, the Ant Hall with a larger stage, a big proscenium stage.
And we're doing improv on that stage for a while.
And even the people in the group recognize it's like, yeah, it's a different energybecause you're higher than the audience.
(14:02):
They're all in front of you in one direction.
When you get to the black box, it's more,
It's more intimate.
uh
almost involved, like you're in the center of it.
Yeah, yeah, and I think, I don't think, I know, Tipping Point is more of an intimate spacetoo.
I mean, they see it lot more, but it's nonetheless, it's on the floor and the audience isup and they're looking down at you.
(14:28):
Even as you start, the audience is looking down at you.
But uh I mean that in a good way.
Yeah, I think it'll be a lot of fun.
I think with a crew of people who know how to work a space like that very well.
And I guess that does add to the improv-ness of it too.
I mean, I don't know, I'm not an actor, but I would assume like new spaces you have torely a little bit more on your abilities to kind of think on the fly and react as it's
(14:53):
happening.
yeah.
And it's, uh I've got, it's me and four other improvisers and a musician.
And I think the experience of the group.
is like, we could tell you some stories, Brian.
But it's, lot of it is like over the years, this group has, I know a lot of them have donelike improv, like in the corner of a bar, you know, to earn their chops.
(15:19):
I recall walking into a Royal Oak coffee house like years ago and going, what's yourslowest night?
Okay, Wednesdays, then we're gonna come in here on Wednesdays and move that table in thecorner and do some improv right there.
And they're like, yeah, okay.
and people started to come around.
So it's really, it's just a lot of different levels of experience, doing what they callimprov, doing what they call bar-prov, because that's been a thing.
(15:46):
Doing improv at a bar is a lot different.
Yeah, so it's a...
and like who they are for sure
There's something about really drunk people that makes them different than people who arenot really drunk.
I don't know what it is.
Maybe it's the alcohol.
no, but yeah.
But just that kind of, in a bar, you're generally gonna get a higher level of rowdiness.
(16:12):
So yeah, it's been a while since I've done that.
Look at me, I'm a pizza hut.
they're drinking, a little more...
Inhibitions come down.
when you ask for suggestions in a bar, it could be like, how about an emotion?
An emotion, what'd you say sir?
Okay, the emotion of porno.
(16:35):
You you just get like, you'll get like bluer suggestions, cause they're just loose andthink it's funnier to shout a word they would normally say in a crowd.
Now, when it comes to an improv show, is there a way that you do prepare for it or is itjust kind of like you show up and you go on and like, do you have a process for preparing
for that?
Ah!
really well that's not totally true I guess the way we do it is we tend to get there earlyenough the group so that we all kind of hang out and talk a bit before the show and just
(17:06):
kind of get that
playful mood, you how you get with your friends after uh talking to them for a while andstuff.
So by the time we hit the stage, it's like, all right, let's do it.
We're already having fun.
And that even adds to quite often, I know this happens at Planet Hannah lot where somebodywill be in the middle of the scene and mention something and you'll see the cast laugh
(17:29):
because it's something they just made reference to before the show, you know, it'll belike, yeah, I'm just on my way to Taco Bell.
that's the place that ripped them off this morning, you know.
or whatever it is, uh they'll bring things like that into it.
So there's a level of, I would say making each other laugh, but certainly um just keepingthat playfulness throughout.
(17:55):
I think audiences like when a troupe is playful and they should, cause it's fun to watch.
I was just going to ask you about the audience reaction.
You know, having done this, you said you've done this for quite some time.
Do you still play into like their responses?
Do you still find yourself feeding off of that with like how you're improving or do youfeel like you can kind of separate from that?
(18:17):
No, still, I feel I play into it hard.
I mean, like I still have nights where I'll come off the stage and be like, wow, that wasreally great.
You know, I think we really found it and I felt good about what I did.
And then I'll have some nights where I come off the stage and I'm like, boy, sorry, Ireally stuck up the joint tonight.
(18:39):
You know, I just, it's just that there are sometimes it's anything.
can throw you off your game.
it's, you kind of need that to, uh you know, you need the bad to measure the good stuffagainst.
Because if you didn't have the bad, it'd be like, we're just awesome every night andthere's never any problems.
(18:59):
And you know, that's not true.
But I think I am to a point where even when I feel I've had an off night, there's stillsomething redeemable in it.
Sure.
know what mean?
It'll be like, yeah, I think it was still entertaining overall, but I don't know, I've hadbetter nights, you know, uh truth be told.
(19:23):
And truthfully, honestly, it's probably not even noticed by the audience because they'rehaving such a good time.
It's probably only noticed by you who are your worst critic.
oh
I think that's true.
I think that's true.
it's really, um I mean, I think a lot of performers get that.
I think it's the kind of thing that when you recognize you're just not uh hitting on everylevel, it's like, well, you're there with a troop.
(19:48):
and it's like okay well I can just kind of lay back and okay they've got it covered and Iguess I can add this little part but so there's a dynamic of it it's like hey this
person's on fire tonight let's uh let's give them the energy uh you know that that kind ofthing but yeah but I think you're exactly right by saying that
When you're in that moment and you're kind of like sitting back and you're observing, areyou trying to think almost like three steps ahead or are just trying to be in the moment
(20:14):
of exactly what's happening?
trying to be in the moment.
Yeah, it's really, I do think focus is such a big part of improv.
And if you're watching it, you're really like focused on what they're doing, but you'reaware when they might benefit from something.
(20:38):
You know, if it's a scene, someone going on like, boy, you better hope dad doesn't comehome soon.
You know, there's that bulb that goes, boom.
dad just got home, what's going on in here?
You know, uh if it fits.
uh But yeah, you get a certainly a feel for it after a time.
I mean, that makes sense.
I always feel like if I were to do it, I'd be like looking for like you that moment ofbeing like, what needs to happen next instead of just kind of living in that moment of
(21:05):
like, this is the confines of what's happening on the stage.
That's great you say that, because I think that's, um I think so many people could benefitfrom taking improv classes, but I think what you've just gave is a prime example of most
people get in their own heads and they think too much about it.
It's actually very hard.
(21:27):
to say, I'm going to improvise that I won't need this.
You know, the it's, really hard to like just close your eyes and fall forward like thatand trust that you're not the whole machine.
You're just part of it.
And you're working together with everybody up here.
That's, that's really hard.
uh
to do that and it takes time to get into that habit.
(21:52):
You know, like anything like practicing an instrument, you don't just pick it up and go,what'd call this guitar?
You've got to practice for a long time.
it's, uh yeah, but that's quite often the hardest part of it is ironically realizing howrelaxed you need to be or just how little you can do and make it look great.
(22:17):
Just part of that also come from just having a team that you trust so intimately, becauseI feel like that has to add to the experience of like, you trust these people you're on
stage with, know, like you know their craft, you've been doing it for a while.
They're gonna, if they help, they're, they're, steering the ship too.
Yes, absolutely.
it is, this is true in like regular stage acting too.
(22:40):
You've gotta feel safe out there.
You've gotta feel safe out there.
You know, you've gotta know that.
Like, you know, if it was just you and I, Brian, if we're in front of the audience, it'slike, uh okay, we've gotta have each other's backs, you know?
I'm gonna give you everything you need to look good and you give me everything I need tolook good and no matter what happens, we've gotta have each other's backs.
(23:02):
ah So it's gotta be that safe feeling.
And yeah, and I think that's not only something that comes with time, but I think it's...
It comes with relationships and that's it.
All four of other people I'm performing with, I've known several years and it's almostmore relaxing to be on stage with them than to be laying on a beach somewhere.
(23:31):
That's high praise.
I then again, I just spoke with Michelle Murphy, who's doing Keeper at Tipping Point, andshe had high praise for you.
She was like, she was like, he is just one of those people that makes everybody feelcomfortable.
So I'm sure your team feels that same way.
That is that 10 bucks I gave Michelle Murphy was the best money I know that's, that's sokind.
She's great.
(23:51):
uh Her and I met at Planet Ant.
She was the artistic director, I believe when I started going there.
And it's yeah, over the years, although she's on the West Coast, we keep in touch througha little thing called Facebook.
But...
uh
(24:13):
Putting it on my notepad right now.
There you go, there you go, do it.
We're on laptops, we can do it.
There you go, that's typing.
um But yeah, Michelle's the best.
uh I just love her to death, yeah.
I'm looking forward to seeing her show.
It's going to be incredible.
ah So then one more question for you.
We're going to end it on a slightly cheesy note because we always have to add some ofthose questions.
(24:34):
But what three words would you use to describe a show with Planet Ant Home Team and whatkind of audiences can expect?
Three words that would describe a show.
ah Playful.
That's a fantastic one.
fun.
Well, no, fun's too close to playful.
But well, yeah, but fun, because you're gonna have fun.
(24:56):
It's not just watching a show.
It's like, it's almost like a three dimensional thing.
And
And here's an odd word, I'm gonna say memorable.
And I say it's an odd word because when you're improvising in the moment, you often don'trealize what you're saying or doing.
Quite often people will come up to an improviser afterwards to go hey remember when yousaid that thing about the the car falling off the cliff and you'll be talking to him go
(25:22):
wow No, I I don't at all.
I'm sorry.
I don't remember it and it's it is like that lightning in a bottle kind of thing like uhthe audiences remember like the moments they love and the improvisers are so in the moment
that they quite often don't uh
But yeah, so I'll say memorable for the audience experience.
(25:44):
I will say that, granted again, sixth grade was the last time I went to an improv show,but my friends and I, we still have a line that we quote to this day because it's just, it
was so funny and we were, you know, we're sixth graders.
We don't know what's funny anymore.
Like we still to this day will laugh about it.
And when you said that, I was playing that line in my head.
So I think that's a great thing because I, you know, I'm 33 now, so there's, it's just,you can't help but have some of those moments that just stick in your head and.
(26:13):
and perhaps one of those ways to kind of enjoy that.
Yeah, and that's kind of a reflection of life.
I'll share this with you real fast.
I'm older than 33 and I've got, yeah, yeah, I'm 34.
No, but I've actually got, I say three kids, but I'll be honest with you, there are threeadults right now.
(26:35):
I have three adults and just recently,
My youngest daughter was talking to at one point and she was like, hey dad, do youremember when we did this and you said this?
And she's telling it to me.
I'm like, wow, no, I gotta confess.
I don't remember that at all.
And her followup was like, oh, okay.
(26:56):
Cause I'll never forget it.
And it was like, I don't know, was like, oh, I so wish I could remember it.
It's like, I wish I wanna share this memory with you.
It was so good, but it's, yeah.
That's the plight of the improviser.
you're gonna be sharing those moments with tons of audiences, know, not just with thesethree shows, every Monday.
(27:19):
right.
They're go home with so many memories and we're just gonna crawl home with regret andnothing to remember.
Starbucks, what bar is that?
Come on, let's get real.
Listen, I'm a coffee addict.
(27:40):
It's eight, nine o'clock at night and I gotta have my coffee.
But thank you.
No, seriously, I go on vacations with my friends and they're just like, how are youdrinking so much coffee?
And I'm like, if I don't drink this, we will be sleeping.
Wow, good for you.
Cool.
so much Dave for your time.
(28:02):
I really appreciate it.
We are so excited to see the show
Good I look forward to it.
Thank you Brian.
This is fun
The Planet at Home team lands at Tipping Point Theater July 17th and runs through the19th, so get your tickets now and we will see you there.
Love it.
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