All tagged Comedy

Ep 16: Second City, Gap Years, and Manifest

Ep 16: Second City, Gap Years, and Manifest

Shelby Steele
Student Work

Today’s episode features Will French and Henry Klapper meeting with stand-up and sketch comedian Tommy Koch. We hear more in detail about his experience in the Comedy Studies Semester at Second City and how his group practices patience, collaboration, and compromise. Follow him @tommy.koch and his sketch team @bootcupsketch on Instagram!

Then, Mia Hillyer talks with graphic design major and Chicago local Kate Lawler and fashion studies major Alexis Sharpf. They share their reasoning and experience with taking a gap year before attending college and the personal feelings and conflicts when leaving their hometowns.

Lastly, Rhine Schaub and Alejandro Bolanos interview upcoming rapper T Star Verse. She shares her rap journey since the age of twelve and the excitement she has as a Manifest performer. Verse also explores her differences from other creatives and her message as an artist. Follow her on social media @Tstarverse and listen to her music here!

Ep 9: Principals, Plays, and Patrick

Ep 9: Principals, Plays, and Patrick

Shelby Steele
Student Work

Zach Kolbus and Mia Hillyer start this episode interviewing Mary Kenly, principal of St. Theresa school. Kenly shares the steps she had to take at the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, giving us an inside look at how schools had to quickly handle the situation. She explains how difficult communication was during crisis mode of not only school but her personal life as well.

Next, Will French, Henry Klapper, and Dylan Case talk with comedian and writer Penn Lodin. Lodin shares the process of writing and publishing his first play and why he got into theatre in the first place. He also explains how important personal experience and research is when creating art.

Lastly, Alejandro Bolanos, Estin Novak, and Rhine Schaub meet voice actor Jill Talley. She shares how she started her windy road to the world of voice acting through sketch comedy and puppets! Talley also gives tips to those pursing voice over and a day in the life of a voice actor. See her in SpongeBob, The Patrick Star Show, The Boondocks, and The Loud House.

Ep3: First-gen Feminism, Sketch Comedy, and Miami Music

Ep3: First-gen Feminism, Sketch Comedy, and Miami Music

Shelby Steele
Student Work

Today’s episode first features Dylan Catherine interviews Nora Guerrero about her family’s experience as first-generation immigrants and how feminism supported Nora and her mother’s lives. She shares the tedious process of becoming a U.S. citizen and how balancing family, work, and tests takes a toll. We also hear the inspiring driving force that encouraged her family to take the leap and move to the United States.

Second, Will French and Henry Klapper interview comedian and writer Lucy McReynolds about “nearly” doing it all. She shares her experience hosting a weekly stand-up show and performing in the sketch team “Boot Cup”. They also discuss the differences between playwriting and sketch writing and how she adjusts her performances depending on an audience. We also hear some personal anecdotes that are for sure influencing her comedic stories. Check out her sketch team on Instagram @bootcupsketch

Third, Mia Hillyer and Zach Kolbus interview music major Ayu Eini about how covid was handled in her hometown Miami versus her new home in Chicago. They also discuss the city’s’ differences in music taste, Miami festivals versus Chicago festivals, and Ayu’s experience starting her DJing journey.

Ep2: Improv, Comedy, and EPs

Ep2: Improv, Comedy, and EPs

Shelby Steele
Student Work

In this episode, Koda Calma, Dylan Case, and Renni Kieschnick interview comedy major Shelby Steele where they discuss the freedom of improv, the delight of collaboration, and using satirical comedy to make a statement. Shelby also shares advice to those wanting to dip their toes in the improv scene, how she uses comedy in her other artforms, and why comedy needs to open up to more points of view.

Next, Mia Hillyer and Zach Kolbus interview comedy major Evan about the decision to pursue collegiate comedy and how he got his start as a performer. They also discuss comedy on social media and how that shapes his comedic persona as well as what inspires his jokes.

Last, Henry Klapper interviews rapper Jimmy Gordan about the creation of his EP “I Miss Owside” and how covid affected his creative process. He shares how emotions fueled the album and the initial creation of OutPastMidnight. Check out their EP “I Miss Owside” here!