Today, my guest is Michael Hartney. Michael was the Artistic Director of UCB New York, where he also co-created the character comedy house teams and spent years on both improv and sketch house teams. This year, Michael co-founded the new nonprofit Squirrel Theater.
Michael’s TV credits include The Politician, The Break With Michelle Wolf, and 30 Rock. He also originated the roles of Stanley and Mr. Williams in School of Rock: The Musical on Broadway.
If you’re in New York, see Michael’s Squirrel Theater shows at Caveat in Manhattan. His musical improv team Borabish is every Saturday night and the next Characters Welcome is Sunday, July 11th both at 7:30pm.
Hey! Send me response emails and voice memos at chris@thunderboltcomedy.com and they might end up on the show.
We are sponsored by Pineappl, a video app designed for virtual improv. If you want effortless movement and a sense of connection in your virtual classes and shows, Pineappl is the platform for you. Try Pineappl (no final e) for free at get.pineappl.studio.
Our theme music is Earth’s Assault on the Central AI by Tettix, courtesy of Tettix, You can find more of their music at tettix.bandcamp.com
Improv Discussion and Resources, as always, is produced by me, Chris Griswold, for Thunderbolt Comedy. Virtual and in-person classes in improv and sketch comedy at thunderboltcomedy.com
If you’d like to discuss this episode, visit the Improv Discussion & Resources Facebook group or the ID&R Discord. The links for both will be in the show notes.
Links:
Popular Podcasts
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
Are You A Charlotte?
In 1997, actress Kristin Davis’ life was forever changed when she took on the role of Charlotte York in Sex and the City. As we watched Carrie, Samantha, Miranda and Charlotte navigate relationships in NYC, the show helped push once unacceptable conversation topics out of the shadows and altered the narrative around women and sex. We all saw ourselves in them as they searched for fulfillment in life, sex and friendships. Now, Kristin Davis wants to connect with you, the fans, and share untold stories and all the behind the scenes. Together, with Kristin and special guests, what will begin with Sex and the City will evolve into talks about themes that are still so relevant today. "Are you a Charlotte?" is much more than just rewatching this beloved show, it brings the past and the present together as we talk with heart, humor and of course some optimism.
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.