CONNOR RATLIFF presents THE ACTING CLASS: THE PODCAST

Connor's regular Sunday night improv gig, Raaaatscraps, heads into its final 7 shows, while a new TV series, a movie premiere, and another live NYC edition of CRpTAC are all happening this week!

The next in-person CRpTAC guest is Zach Cherry (4/30/26 at UCBNY), so here are a few thoughts about Zach in anticipation of him doing the show!

Longest episode yet!  A question about the live kids' TV show my dad used to host leads to me talking about a couple of past projects and my ideas regarding "all ages" entertainment.

A viewing of the 1998 very strange comedy/thriller FREE MONEY starring Marlon Brando leads me to think about the final decade+/chapter of the legendary actor's filmography

Some musings on the old Stanislavski quote, "there are no small roles, only small actors."

Does "Connor's Pizza" belong in a MUSEUM?

A suggestion, considered.

A lovely shout-out from Seth Meyers on the Lonely Island podcast leads to a small CRpTAC quump (bonus: several minutes of "Space Olympics" defense at the end of this one)

Musings on the nature of any current audience for my various projects...

A very long answer to a question about the status of Connor's Pizza, the feature film that Tom Levin & I shot in 2019 which has only ever screened ONCE, in Toronto, at a midnight film festival screening.  Will it ever come out?  What does the future hold for Connor's Pizza?

Another question about an obscure thing I did!  I acted in a low budget pilot that Seth Green produced which (I think) will never see the light of day?

A complicated question that I probably give an unsatisfying, rambling answer to.

A pretty detailed answer about The Baron & The Junk Dealer, the GLTS "Beckett Play" we did in Edinburgh and for 2 West Coast dates a few years back.

A disappointing development, alas.  But with hope for the slightly distant future!

Who should do improv?  Just actors and comedians?  Or is there room for everyone?

How do I respond to criticism, constructive or otherwise?  Listen to me react to a piece of constructive criticism IN REAL TIME!

A question about how to deal with sometimes very long wait between acting jobs.

The most obscure question yet!  I talk a little bit about "Spare Change," the 10-episode "TV show" I made with my friends when I was in high school.

Answering a question about my weight issues.

A question about the potential for embarrassment when learning how to do improv.

I am asked about my fondness for older films, TV shows & music and if I have recently "discovered" anything old that I like.  This brings me to The Beverly Hillbillies and, specifically, to the actor Raymond Bailey.

I have been very strict about limiting applause during CRpTAC shows -- why did I allow it during last weekend's Cleveland show with special guest James III?  The answer might surprise you!

I'm asked a specific thing related to a hypothetical KFC ad campaign and the recent remarks by Quentin Tarantino

A question about the benefits and drawbacks of doing low budget projects 

Part 2!  A question about my preferences w/r/t interactions with fans/listeners/etc whenever I'm out and about.

Another (sort of) 2-parter!  This question is about interacting with famous people in various contexts, both as a performer and as a person.

A 2nd episode where I talk about The Spirit Of Ratliff, my YouTube holiday special and its accompanying soundtrack.  This episode veers in a few different directions from the previous one.

A question about Future Music Projects, and a brief history of the 3 vinyl records I have willed into existence -- The Spirit Of Ratliff, The GLTS Soundtrack LP and the Aimee Mann "Dead Eyes" single.

I ponder the way that my projects tend to use the popularity of more famous people in order to attract an audience.

A long episode!  With an answer to a complicated question!  I have certainly talked about this topic elsewhere, but there may be a few details here that I haven't talked about publicly before.  Who knows?  The prelude to my quitting acting has been well-covered on the Dead Eyes podcast, but this answer is mostly about what happened between 2002 and 2015, the time when I was working at Barnes & Noble Union Square and not really trying to be an actor anymore.  There will be a fair amount of Bookstore Content in this episode!

A grim question to ponder about the future of The George Lucas Talk Show, including a near-death experience at SF Sketchfest in January 2026.

Some rambling thoughts about current Oscar nominee Delroy Lindo and what a great actor he is, and a few viewing recommendations.

Some random thoughts about shows I've auditioned for that I'm *still* hoping to eventually get cast on!

I answer 3 different questions that are all sort of related to "branding"

A question about how a lot of my projects and comedic endeavors are really long and why that is.

A question about the podcast, Tiny Dinos, specifically: will the TINY DINOS LIVE! show ever be released online in some form.

Would I?  The short answer is "probably not."  The longer, more rambling answer is this episode.

Answers to MULTIPLE questions!

Some questions about the nature of my solo improv shows.

A question about maintaining character consistency in improv and in filmed work that is shot out-of-sequence 

For my 40th episode, I answer a question about whether or not my various podcasts have a lot of unused audio on the cutting room floor.

A question about how being seen in one kind of role can affect the way audience members view you in other roles.

My opinion about "self-tape" auditions vs. In-persom auditions!  Which do I PREFER???

There are no surprise guests in this episode!  But I do talk a little bit about the philosophy behind having surprise guests on the show.

Considering the possibility of a CRpTAC Patreon, and seeking suggestions about what it should/could/would involve...

A question about finding the balance between personal/family/home life & one's artistic pursuits

A question about whether my improv work gets in the way of doing scripted projects

A question about some memorable "happy accidents" in shows.  I think I do a not-great job remembering things like this, and this episode is maybe the worst one yet!

A question about whether or not there are certain types of archetypal characters I return to again and again as an improviser.

Apart from one or two references to it in episodes of Dead Eyes (the Rian Johnson/Holmes Osborne ep + a callback in the Tom Hanks episode), I don't really talk about this subject very often.  But somebody asked, so I answered.