014 - Kevin Mullaney - On Clear Games and Using Both Organic and Premise-Based Styles

Talking Shop: An Improv Podcast with Brian Gray

At Improv Wins in Austin, I also caught up with Artistic Director for the Chicago Improv Festival. Artistic Director for Under The Gun Theater and former head of the training program and Artistic Director of the UCB Theater Kevin Mullaney.

Brian and Kevin talk about how, since moving back to Chicago, Kevin has come to admire premise-based improv and teach it as a core way to approach scenes, particularly later in Harold. He talks about his view of games and turning an unusual moment into a game (and how they are not the same thing).

We played a few scenes, focusing on using edits to heighten character's game from the previous scene. It went ok and led to a fantastic discussion!

Thanks to The New Movement for letting us record in their classroom!

Music in the podcast:

• Talking Shop Theme by Michelle Horsley
• Kick Shock by Kevin MacLeod
• Last Days of Disco by Fhernando