Chris Thigpen
The Role Of The Improv Community & How Improv Affects Us Off Stage

Chris Thigpen
In this episode, we go deep talking about our community and the value of having a strong one. We talk about why loving the people you play with is so important, even if they are not your favorite folks to begin with. Learn about the place of competition in improv, how you can support your fellow players, and how that affects us all on-stage. Nerd out on a bit of history with us, introducing you to Viola Spolin, the fore-mother of improv in the US. We will talk about beats and how to recognize them as well as what it means to be a good player off-stage.
Our guest, Chris Thigpen, is an amazing improviser who plays on two house teams at the Reno Improv, Ghost Team and All Things Reconsidered. As a natural creative, Chris uses improv as a place to express his talents as an actor and writer. As a businessman, Chris owns his own successful marketing agency, Ace Studios. He is also a filmmaker, photographer, and screenwriter.
Show Notes
Chris Thigpen:
Find him @therealchristhigpen on Facebook and Instagram or on Twitter @ace_6pac | Also check out his creative brand Ace Studios at http://acestudios.co/ | You can find him performing regularly at Reno-Tahoe Comedy and Reno Improv as well.
History – Sam Wasson’s Book “Improv Nation” – Now Available on Amazon for super cheap!
Dave Razowsky: Find him at https://www.davidrazowsky.com/
Mike Brown: Teacher @ The People’s Improv Theatre (PIT) in NY City and you can follow him on Twitter @soloimprov and Facebook @michaeljohnbrown where he goes live weekly hosting #WednesdaysWithMike – a vlog for movie lovers.
The Reno Improv – https://renoimprov.com/ Follow them @renoimprov on Instagram and Facebook. They have a show EVERY Saturday at 8PM (Come early at 6:30 for the Playground – a 1.5 hour workshop exciting for all levels of players.) $5 gets you into BOTH.
This Episode’s Segments
- Game : Unassociation Game
- History: Olivia Spolin
- Word Of The Day: “Beat”
Credits
- Produced By Jesi Wicks
- Written By Katie Welsh & Jesi Wicks
- Theme Music By Amorphia
- Special thanks to Chris Webster & Reno Improv
Disclaimers
We are not experts, and do not claim to be. Improv is a craft that you can never master or perfect. Instead, we are improv lovers and students of play – talking about our learning experiences. We do not subscribe to or endorse anything said by guests on this show unless specifically expressed. All content on this site is copyrighted to Jesi Wicks and Katie Welsh.