No. 405 - NYC Improv with Jon Monje

·52 min·5 clips

Jon Monje recounts telling Susan Sarandon to move seats and working with Amy Poehler at UCB's hottest era.

The episode begins with host Jason Farr introducing the show and teasing an upcoming Ireland episode. He interviews guest Jon Monje, focusing on Monje's improv career in New York City. Monje explains he started taking classes at UCB in 2008, initially feeling intimidated but pushed through to level two. He describes realizing that mistakes in improv don't ruin scenes and can be woven in. Monje became involved in the indie improv scene, frequenting venues like The Creek in the Cave. He started working at UCB in 2013, during what he calls its hottest period, interacting with figures like Amy Poehler and Susan Sarandon. Monje shares anecdotes, such as telling Susan Sarandon to move seats and working on sketches for Late Night with Seth Meyers. He discusses how improv changed post-pandemic, with people taking classes more for resume-building than passion. Monje transitioned to working at Magnet Theater as a house manager and retook level one classes there, noting differences in teaching approaches like focusing on character relationships. He and Farr talk about the importance of retaking classes to avoid bad habits and remember fundamentals. The episode ends with a live improv scene based on the suggestion 'redeem', set in a yogurt shop, showcasing their improv skills. Farr promotes Monje's show Shoes Off at Magnet and encourages listeners to follow the podcast.

As heard by us

A loose, thoughtful conversation about improv's creative pull and its uneasy place on an actor's resume.

The episode centers on improv's uneasy shift from committed practice to career checkbox. Farr and the guest trace a moment when classes had real heat for performers, with shows feeling lively and full, before the form also became something agents could recommend for auditions…

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Why you'd press play

Want to know when improv stops being a calling and starts looking like a resume line?

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

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