Licenced Clinical Social Worker and Improv Therapist
Michelle Gilliam
Episode 164 Michelle Gilliam is a beautiful person inside and out! We have been friends for several years and I was delighted to have her as a guest.
Michelle grew up in Milwaukee in a loving and supportive family. During one family gathering, at age 4, she got her first big laugh and knew what her path would be!
She saw a Comedy Sportz show when she was 14 and was hooked! She was inspired to learn this art form and she did! She met Dick Chudnow, founder of Comedy Sportz Milwaukee, the first CS theatre in this country, he let her volunteer until she was old enough to work there! She did tasks like writing 300 name tags, with the benefit of watching many shows. It’s a great way to learn and eventually teach!
Margot Escott, LCSW, and Michelle Gilliam
She was so inspired by Comedy Sportz, that she created an improv team in high school, held auditions, and created a team she loved to play with.
We talked about her experience being a black woman in the improv world and how that affected her growth as a person and coach.
Today her improv career takes her all over the country and the world. Michelle is now based in Los Angeles, CA, and works as an improviser, actor, host, voice actor, and the Owner and Artistic Director of Improv MKE, an improv comedy school and theater based online, currently serving the world. She also teaches at The World’s Greatest Improv School, with Will Hines, and guest teaches at various theaters online and in person worldwide. Michelle headlined the Festivus Festival in Richmond, the 2022 Edinburgh Scotland Improv Festival, and taught two-weekend intensives in Chester and Nottingham in the UK in March of 2022.
Enjoy getting to know the marvelous Miss Michelle!
Visit my websitewhere I speak to today’s leading innovators of improv. My guests are improvisers and therapists worldwide who share their stories and offer insight into the unique ways they use improv. You may enjoy hearing from improv teachers and innovators including Colin Mochrieand David Pasquesi*Improv Interviews podcast‘ is introduced by Susan L. Parker of yourinternationalvoice.com
Episode 164 Michelle Gilliam is a beautiful person inside and out! We have been friends for several years and I was delighted to have her as a guest.