Improvised Golden Age Radio

A story of redemption reminiscent of the Shawkshank prison yards... well not really but there is a prison! Our waves are graced with the tones of Thomas Kelly from legendary improv group Sand! Listening to him make faces will delight your ear bones, or whatever is in those things!  Below is the AI generated summary for your amusement.  Please like and subscribe anywhere podcasts are available. Also check out a video of a recent show here:@ThomasKellyActingMan@[email protected] prison warden decides the answer to rehabilitation is spring break, and we immediately regret letting him cook. Recorded live at Bughouse Theater in Chicago in the style of a classic Golden Age radio broadcast, we spin an improvised audio theater comedy where a “camper prison bus van” heads toward the Grand Canyon, two soul cellmates plot their dumbest escape yet, and the prison laundry room becomes the birthplace of something genuinely sinister.Along the way, we meet Cindy Winterson, the warden’s daughter, who insists she’s done all her homework and now wants to ride along with the inmates. Her awkward, overheated bus conversation with a jaywalking “bad boy” turns romance into danger, and the trip detonates into a crash that leaves the whole group relying on an unlikely rescuer: a Grand Canyon tour guide and a heroic donkey named Misty. If you love live improv comedy, foley sound effects, and narrative twists that only happen when performers are making it up together, this one keeps escalating.Back at the prison, the real plot surfaces: Lollipop’s cauldron lair, mind control, and a surprisingly sad origin story that reframes the chaos as a crooked search for connection. We end up with satire about “easy fixes” for broken systems, plus a weirdly sweet reminder that love can show up in the middle of a disaster. Subscribe for more improvised radio theater, share this with a friend who loves audio drama comedy, and leave us a review with the moment that made you laugh hardest.You can actually message us by clicking here!Support the showhttps://www.improvisedradio.com/https://www.instagram.com/improvisedradioshow/

Guys and Dolls... and Tornadoes! And some weight changing gigantic water melons. It's a rare 3-person cast honored to grace the stage of Crawlspace Theater in Kalamazoo Michigan for a special double bill with written old-time show All Ears Theater.  Thanks much to those who put the show together and invited us. If you are ever in Kalamazoo please visit Dann and the team at Crawlspace for some great comedy and vibeshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cnLPdtdCFlQ (This show!)https://crawlspacecomedy.com/https://www.allearstheatre.org/showsCast:Eric Muller - Joe DiLombardi, Guy Masterson, High school students, Anthony the School Scamp Who Ain’t Got No Parents What Care About HimPhilip Amler - Francesca Plantagenet,  Jasmine Lacroix, High School StudentsEric Pedersen - Jessica , Gus, Chucko the Janitor, Little Timanthony, High School StudentsFoley Artist Katlin Schneider and Gary BrownChuck Cotterman - AnnouncerYou can actually message us by clicking here!Support the showhttps://www.improvisedradio.com/https://www.instagram.com/improvisedradioshow/

Michigan soft wool presents a pointless tale of weirdos and mendicants! Live at Second City on 8/21/25 featuring Improvised Shakespeare Beth Melewski! How lucky are we!? (very lucky).  Host: Peter CoreyFoley: Katlin SchneiderProduction: Ed / Victoria Cast:Ashley Whitehurst - Kid!, The Other JockeyBen Vigeant - Opening Narrator, Randy the Bookie, a JockeyBeth Melewski - Borris the bookie, Hank The Tallest JockeyCarly Olson - Denise, The ConstableEric Pedersen - Buddy, Pete the TinyHere is stupid AI summary of the show!:A silent door swings open, a woman in red steps into a Chicago office, and Buddy the financial consultant realizes he’s not just balancing books, he’s staring down a full-blown noir mess. We’re performing a fully improvised old time radio comedy show live, so every choice becomes canon instantly: the slippery olive oil “fix,” the nervous narration, and the dawning fear that the client’s problem isn’t a spreadsheet, it’s a crime story with teeth.The trail leads straight to a racetrack where the races are fixed, the bookies are desperate, and a “Trojan horse” is not a metaphor. We meet crooks with big plans and bad instincts, a teenager who’s furious at her mother, and jockeys arguing about whether winning is even allowed when mob money runs the board. Special guest Beth Meluski joins the chaos with sharp character work that helps the whole audio theater world snap into focus, from menace to sincerity to pure nonsense in a single beat.Then it all slides toward the docks at Navy Pier, where a floating wooden horse, a very real badger, and a too-convenient clue threaten to turn Buddy’s investigation into a punchline. The finale brings the conspiracy back to its source, crashes into family secrets, and ends on the one place every good mystery eventually goes: a race you can’t control once someone decides to mean it.If you love improvised comedy, audio drama, classic radio vibes, and Chicago stage energy, queue this up now. Subscribe, share it with a friend who misses old time radio, and leave a review, then tell us: which reveal hit you first, the badger or the “business plan”?You can actually message us by clicking here!Support the showhttps://www.improvisedradio.com/https://www.instagram.com/improvisedradioshow/

The cast of iO's Blueprint (see below) takes on the form of IGAR having never seen or heard the show before. We set up the show in about six minutes (a new record) between teams while explaining the form to the cast who then had to immediately perform it. Jordan and Ashley from the IGAR cast joined The Blueprint cast.  Host - James DuganAvery Ford - Willie The restauranter, Detective Daniels Molly Jones - Singer, Mayors daughter Allen Lucas - Earl the frycook (who I don’t think speaks?), Rex Janelle Soulliere - Mrs. BrownRyan Bowman - Garbo the mayors son, Jordan Reichardt - Detective JohnsonAshley Whitehurst -  Genevieve Thanks to everyone for jumping into the deep end with us!  Below is the AI summary of the show FOR LAUGHS:A mayor’s kid goes missing, the whole town fixates on a big fight, and somehow the logical next step is “Jake and Logan Paul should be my new dads.” That’s the kind of delightful derailment you get when we do a fully improvised comedy show in the full style of classic Golden Age radio, recorded live at the iO Theater in Chicago with a Foley table, narrator energy, and zero script.We bounce through a stormy Topeka afternoon where a diner bell threatens to start a riot, then cut to a group of high schoolers rehearsing Newsies with all the gumption, longing, and petty sibling violence that implies. Meanwhile, two detectives sit in a smoke-choked bar and get so wrapped up in their intense “brother” bond that they forget they’re supposed to be solving the mayor’s missing child case. It’s fast, silly, and weirdly cohesive in the way only good narrative improv can be.After a run of fake sponsor ads, the runaway plot finally snaps into place when Garbo shows up, considers what he’s really running from, and decides reinvention is only a boxing ring away. The finale turns the Jake and Logan showdown into a surprisingly emotional sibling argument, complete with catchphrases and metaphor, before we step out of the story to talk craft: performing on microphones, the pressure of staying planted, and why the “wrong” Foley sound can be the best joke of the night.If you love improvised radio theater, live comedy podcasts, old-time radio parody, Foley sound effects, and Chicago improv, hit play. Subscribe, share this with a friend who loves narrative improv, and leave us a review telling us which sound gag made you laugh the hardest.You can actually message us by clicking here!Support the showhttps://www.improvisedradio.com/https://www.instagram.com/improvisedradioshow/

Mike Sandwich comes to town and a young boy saves the day. A tale of uprising, murder, and a healthy dose of alcohol for all. The fabric mines will never be the same after young Danny inspires the townspeople to be all they can be. Famous detective Mike Sandwich comes to the town of Foley. He’s in New York City to solve an unidentified crime… but will Mike take enough notes before he gets blackout drunk? And can his notes be understood even if he does?!  Listen to find out who survives their Love of Drinks… and Denim!Host - Chuck CottermanFoley - Katlin SchneiderEd Zak - Live ProductionShelby Burton - Opening Narrator, Shielah Ellington, Foreman ForemanEric Pedersen -  D. Livery, Erine the Miner Joe Hartenstine - Mike Sandwich Philip Amler - Paw PaulBen Vigeant -  Drunk Mr.Ellington, Jacob the Miner,Peter Corey - Danny, Barry Simpson the Bartender Here's the extremely absurd AI summary for your mockery and enjoyment:A coal town curls under a glittering ski resort, and the line between survival and spectacle gets razor thin. We kick off with audience prompts, a crackling live radio vibe, and a title you helped name—then drop into a story where denim, corduroy, and power are all louder than they look. Danny, a nine-year-old slated for the mines, wants the slopes instead; Paw Paul wants one day he doesn’t spend choking coal dust. Above them, Steve and Sheila Ellington toast their view from the lodge, right before a suspicious drink and a ski lift turn wealth into a headline.Enter our legend with clay feet: Detective Mike Sandwich—famous, charming, and hilariously unhelpful—stumbles into a barroom duel with Sheila while cats, coffee, and vanity tighten the trap. Down below, the mine breathes like a beast: dead canaries, translucent skin, and veterans who fear daylight more than collapse. The tension splits into two climbs—one toward truth, the other toward power—as Danny sparks a strike that pulls the town uphill in every sense. When a body appears on the snow, inheritance law takes center stage, and the question shifts from “who did it” to “who gets to keep doing it.”The chase that follows—broken glass, hawk calls, makeshift skis—careens into a reckoning underground, where the people who do the work finally dictate the ending. We fuse noir tropes, labor politics, and golden‑age sound to land a punchline with teeth: sometimes the hero doesn’t save the day because a town decides to save itself. Along the way, our faux ads for Crystal Mountain Corduroy swish with satire about heat, sweat, and the industries that sell both.If you love improvised storytelling, old‑time radio textures, and comedies that bite, this one’s for you. Hit follow, share it with a friend who roots for underdogs, and leave us a review with your favorite moment—we’ll shout out the best ones next show.You can actually message us by clicking here!Support the showhttps://www.improvisedradio.com/https://www.instagram.com/improvisedradioshow/

Many thanks to all our new listeners in the USA & South Africa! Please rate/review! Blue Beaumont, the twin of famous movie star of the 1940s,  pulls into a gas station where his life changes forever. He and his new chum Tucker Cornwallace set out to find his brother while Beauregard, his brother, is on a quest of his own.  Little do they know they may both find love, but will they find the Heart of The Ocean; and will Tucker ever get anything to eat? Recorded 1/10/26 @ iO Chicago.This episode fakely sponsored by Busted Chairs IncorporatedShelby Burton - Tucker Cornwallace, The original orphan owner, LucindaBen Vigeant - Opening narrator, Chris Lillyleather, The ChefJoe Hartenstine - Bleu Beaumont, The Captain, Beauregard BeaumontAshley Whitehurst - Hungry Orphan, The male sailorJordan Reichardt - Miss Lillyleather The Orphanage OwnerHere's the ai summary for your amusement: A gas station spill. A lavender hose. A bowl of “celebrity stew.” From our first audience suggestions to a finale of vows and vows-to-the-sea, we spin a golden-age radio romp that blends 1940s sparkle with modern heart. Blue Beaumont, a modest traveler mistaken for his famous twin True, meets Tucker, a quick-witted orphan desperate for a better life than Miss Lily’s ironclad orphanage can offer. One impulsive adoption sets off a chain of choices—some legal, some romantic, all gloriously human.We follow True onto a ship to “research” his next big role and watch admiration turn into genuine tenderness with a sailor who ties knots as easily as he unties his loneliness. Back on land, Lily’s brash rules crack just enough to reveal the grief that built them, and a very specific clause in Tucker’s adoption papers ropes her into the road trip she never dared to take. Everything collides at Maggie’s, a portside diner that treats fame like a four-alarm fire. Curtains pull back, the twins face off, prawns run out, and everyone argues about who gets the last spoon of stew—right before they decide who gets their hearts.Expect vintage sound, smart chaos, and a finale that actually pays off the jokes: a cascade of I do’s, a captain pledging himself to the sea, and a gentle reminder that even with stars in the room, the smallest voice still needs dinner. If you love improvised radio theater, 1940s Hollywood satire, found-family stories, and shipboard romance with a wink, this one’s for you.Enjoy the ride, share the episode with a friend, and tap follow so you never miss our next improvised broadcast. If we made you laugh, leave a quick review—it helps curious listeners find their way to Maggie’s.You can actually message us by clicking here!Support the showhttps://www.improvisedradio.com/https://www.instagram.com/improvisedradioshow/

A leech loving scientist posing as an OBGYN just might not be the worst doctor in town... extra hilarious episode, please check out our upcoming live shows at iO at www.improvisedradio.comCrew -Chuck Cotterman - HostKatlin Schneider - ProudctionEd Zak - Foley TableCast - Joe Hartenstein - Jessica’s Husband, Jimmy the Bartender Carly Olson - Helen the Telekenetic Nurse, Frederique the French Leech, Becky the Travel AgentJordan Reichardt -  The Straight Forward Psychologist , Milton the MilkmenBen Vigent - Opening Narrator, Dr.Mcdreamy the OBGYN, Ashley Whitehurt - Jessica the Human, Jessica the LeechEric Pedersen - Dr. Seymour Powers, Michelle the LeechTheme Music: Mark Rose www.downwrite.com Here's a silly AI recap of the episode:Step into a crackling world where vintage radio charm meets razor-sharp improv. We stage a full golden age broadcast—complete with foley, sponsor jingles, and a pompous announcer—and build a heartfelt, absurd mystery around Dr. Seymour Powers, a not-quite-licensed OBGYN who swears by medieval cures and keeps leeches like family. When Jessica arrives determined to keep her pregnancy secret from a well-connected spouse, the clinic becomes a crossroads for agency, love, and the strange comforts of confidence without competence.As the story unfolds, Helen the telekinetic nurse proves she sees everything; Milton the milkman rations dairy and gossip with equal menace; and Becky, a feminist travel agent who always wanted to pilot, finally takes the cockpit. Between witty “Johnson’s Jalopies” ads and a bartender’s deadpan advice, mustard poultices stand in for medicine, leeches sing doo-wop, and a city’s worth of characters pile into a plane that somehow becomes a chapel. Along the way, we dig into the real stuff—who gets to decide, how power masks as tradition, why being seen can rewrite a life—and we do it with a smile and a chorus.By the time vows are exchanged at cruising altitude and a candy addiction is “cured” by community, you’ll have laughed at the nonsense and felt the truth underneath it: authority is often a performance, and care is something we make together. If you love improvised comedy, old-time radio vibes, feminist humor, eccentric doctors, and joyful chaos that lands with heart, this one’s for you.Enjoy the ride and keep the jalopy running: subscribe, share with a friend who needs a laugh, and leave a quick review telling us your favorite moment from the flight.You can actually message us by clicking here!Support the showhttps://www.improvisedradio.com/https://www.instagram.com/improvisedradioshow/

A young lad tries his shot at living his dream, only be told he’s useless and will never amount to anything. A tale we can all relate to this Christmas.Shelby Burton - Elizabeth - Clark’s mother, other rapscallions Eric - Professor Bobo, Charles NelsonBen -  A series of annoying circus goers!, Richard Harvard Bowden Brown - the animal trainerJoe - Clark the Clown, a series of nincompoops Host- Chuck CottermanFoley - Katlin SchneiderProduction - Ed ZakTheme Music: Mark Rose www.downwrite.comCheck out www.improvisedradio.com for upcoming shows at Bughouse, iO Chicago, and Crawlspace Comedy in Kalamazoo.You can actually message us by clicking here!Support the showhttps://www.improvisedradio.com/https://www.instagram.com/improvisedradioshow/

Two Kentucky potato farmers take a chance in the big city and land themselves on a cruise! Ne're do wells and cross class romance, this is an IGAR to remember, or at least, listen to!Philip Amler - Uncle Davy Goliath, The Card Dealer, Mr.Gorgonsen Shelby Burton - Captains Wife, Martha the Oily Sister, The Pit Boss,Joe Hartenstine - Captain and othersEric Pedersen - Damn Fool Nephew James the 3rd; First Officer Ashley Whitehurst - Constantine oil sister, a ne’er do wellBen Vigeant - Mr. B , Ne’er DowellsTheme Music: Mark Rose www.downwrite.com You can actually message us by clicking here!Support the showhttps://www.improvisedradio.com/https://www.instagram.com/improvisedradioshow/

A broken piano plays the chords of a broken man's heart. Actually that's not really what happens, but that would be pretty poetic if it was! Live from the Flyover Comedy Festival in St.Louis.  Ft. Philip Amler, Ashley Whitehurst, Jordan Reichardt, Joe HartenstineHost: Chuck CottermanFoley: Katlin ScheniderTech: Ed Zak & Vicky Di DiosTheme Music: Mark Rose www.downwrite.comYou can actually message us by clicking here!Support the showhttps://www.improvisedradio.com/https://www.instagram.com/improvisedradioshow/

This episode we are lucky enough to host Grace Goze of Hitchcock*Tails and Clued In as well as Joe Burton of The Improvised Shakespeare Company. What a delight!For the first time here is a ridiculous AI summary of the episode. We would have just written "Good accents, bad Canadians, enough said." AI Below:A ring caught by the wind, a rooftop roaring over Chicago, and two lovers trying to define what love looks like when the law barges in. Our live golden-age radio troupe builds a full town in your ears: candlelit tables on Cindy’s rooftop, detectives who sprint down spiral staircases like it’s cardio, and a Canadian mafia that promises menace with a disarming “sorry.” It starts as a one-year anniversary and swerves into an on-air caper about borders, identity, and the kinds of vows that outlast the weather.We meet Roscoe and Rachel as they navigate the world’s least helpful breeze and the world’s most unhelpful confession: she’s Canadian, and a sweeping crackdown could force her out. Across town, two hard-charging detectives hear the president’s words and treat them like a personal mission, fueled by a memory that’s equal parts tragic and absurd. The flashback to a “too polite” robbery reframes their obsession, and suddenly we’re inside a noir that’s been loosened at the seams, stitched with jokes about loonies and toonies and the eternal question: does an objection make a wedding more or less official?Along the way, a sponsor steps in—Wrigley Windbreakers, corrugated-steel chic—and the world deepens with every footstep, accordion wheeze, and whispered plan. The Canadian mafia leans hard into disguises—Italian, Scottish, South African—to dodge a roundup, proving that accents can be borders and comedy can be a map. When vows collide with vengeance, a ring bearer trips the standoff, and the chase spills through the church. At the edge of catastrophe, the couple makes a choice: don’t light the fuse. It’s a moral pivot wrapped in a laugh, a reminder that who we are matters less than what we decide to do.By the time the border news flips again, the city feels real enough to hold in both hands: wind, steel, sirens, and a hopeful “I do.” If you love improvised storytelling, period satire, and the kind of character work that turns chaos into meaning, you’ll feel right at home here. Press play, ride the gusts with us, then tell a friend—and if you smiled even once, leave a quick review so more listeners can find the show.You can actually message us by clicking here!Support the showhttps://www.improvisedradio.com/https://www.instagram.com/improvisedradioshow/

Hi everyone and welcome. My name is Eric Pedersen and I’m the co-creator and artistic director of Improvised Golden Age of Radio - a show that started in 2024 where we improvise a fully staged old-time radio play inspired by old classics like The Shadow, Johnny Dollar, Rocky Jordan and more.  The narration, story, characters, commercials, and sound effects are all being made up on the spot always live in front of an audience and it is a ton of fun to perform and we have had some really great guests and will continue to have some of your favorite improvisers on to play with us. We really hope you enjoy listening to the recordings and Check us out at improvisedradio.com or on Instagram at @ImprovisedRadioShow for more information on live shows.Theme Music: Mark Rose www.downwrite.com You can actually message us by clicking here!Support the showhttps://www.improvisedradio.com/https://www.instagram.com/improvisedradioshow/

A hidden cockney accent, more drunken children, and some run of the mill animal mutilation. Another typical Summer camp Bemidji. This week’s episode brought to you by our fake sponsor, Vorhees Brand Camping Gear.Featuring Eric Pedersen, Ashley Whitehurst, Jordan Reichardt, Carly Olson, Philip Amler. Hosted by Joe Hartenstine. Foley by Katlin Schneider. Live Production: Ed Zak and Victoria De Dios.Theme Music: Mark Rose www.downwrite.comYou can actually message us by clicking here!Support the showhttps://www.improvisedradio.com/https://www.instagram.com/improvisedradioshow/

At least we recycle, is it so bad the bottles are empty because school children got into the teachers booze supply? The detective is smart, but are they smart enough to figure out which child is visibly intoxicated?! How many bones can we break inside an 87 year old woman's hand?Brought to you by our fake sponsor, Roger's Personal Beach Cabanas.Host: Katlin SchneiderCast: Sayjal Joshi, Eric Pedersen, Carly Olson, Shelby Burton, Ashley WhitehurstFoley: Chuck CottermanLive Production: Ed Zak & Victoria De DiosTheme Music: Mark Rose www.downwrite.comYou can actually message us by clicking here!Support the showhttps://www.improvisedradio.com/https://www.instagram.com/improvisedradioshow/

Cynthia heads to Chicago to open a theater where things immediately fall off the rails. Hot dogs on the bus?!This episode was fakely brought to you by Quality Cousin's Fresh Franks. Cast:  James Dugan, Eric Pedersen, Carly Olson, Jordan Reichardt, Joe Hartenstine, Philip AmlerHost: Chuck CottermanFoley: Katlin SchneiderLive Production: Ed Zak & Victoria De DiosTheme Music: Mark Rose www.downwrite.comYou can actually message us by clicking here!Support the showhttps://www.improvisedradio.com/https://www.instagram.com/improvisedradioshow/

Martha's strong strong coffee is running out of coffee. Can the mobster mothers of the town complete their heist before the cops track them down? Will utter nonsense win the face of obvious plot resolution?! Listen to find out!Cast: Carly Olson, Jordan Reichardt, Ashley Whitehurst, Mark Gagliardi, Eric MullerJoe Hartenstein, Eric PedersenHost: Chuck CottermanFoley: Katlin SchneiderLive Production: Ed ZakTheme Music: Mark Rose www.downwrite.comYou can actually message us by clicking here!Support the showhttps://www.improvisedradio.com/https://www.instagram.com/improvisedradioshow/