Muprov Musings: Exceptionally Average Improv
Muprov Musings: Exceptionally Average Improv, is a podcast that teaches Long-form, Narrative, Theatrical, Improvisation, or as we call it: Muprov. The hosts, Hal Munger and Julian Bernado are experienced and innovative Muprovisors, who are excited to spread the word about their favorite ways of doing their favorite activity. On the show they provided practice plans that you can use for your ensemble, teach fun formats, and chat with guests who bring a wide variety of perspectives! Intro Music By Sebastian Blue Hochman
Why Mu?
1) Mu is the greek root of words like muse and music. Ancient poets would invoke the Muses before telling an Epic story. Like an Epic, our shows are long and follow a continuous narrative.
2) Mu is a statistical symbol that represents the population average. We come from a lineage of students of Patricia Ryan Madson, who teaches the improv maxim: Be Average.
3) Mu is an important word in Zen Buddhism, meaning nothing or no. While most improv centers Yes, we believe that sometimes the best was to say Yes is to say No. Our practice involves emptying our minds to that we can be present and react our stage partner.
A NEW PLAY
Our 90-minute improvised stage play, The set, costumes, props, music, lights, and sound are all created on the spot!
Episodes
Dec 29, 2024
Dec 29, 2024
1 hr 15 min
This show is fantastic! Improv people always warn you not to do transaction scenes but they don't give you the gory details about can happen if you don't follow their advice ;). The show starts out as a sort of normal silly improv show about pickles and arcs into something intense and amazing! Hal and Julian both think that it is the best audio show that we have done so far and if you make it to the end you will see why. A great lesson in breaking the form and the perfect finale to our Slasher season!
Dec 24, 2024
Dec 24, 2024
1 hr 7 min
Happy Holidays! A few days late but just in time to put our latest slasher into your Christmas Stocking. Gather round the fire and listen to our radio play, Azurite.
Dec 15, 2024
Dec 15, 2024
1 hr 31 min
Full slasher example #1. This one paced like the movies that we have been watching so it is a little longer than our normal shows! Gets pretty crazy once the action starts... We will have another full show next week!
Dec 8, 2024
Dec 8, 2024
1 hr 11 min
Our GIGAspine episodes talk though all the thought processes that go into the narrative choices of a complete show! We think that this is one of the best ways to get insights into how you and you teammates actually make decisions, and to build up that skill separately from the actual improv.
Dec 2, 2024
Dec 2, 2024
1 hr 1 min
New slasher episode on when/how to break the form in improv. Julian sings a song in this one!
Nov 24, 2024
Nov 24, 2024
1 hr 9 min
On this episode we break down the plots of five slasher movies to create heat maps of the kills, and strengthen our understanding of narrative timing!
We learned a lot making this and are excited to begin experimenting with the new principles!
Nov 18, 2024
Nov 18, 2024
1 hr 6 min
In order to do a Slasher you must first learn to be a Slasher! I think that the second half of this episode when we talk about the slasher ordeal is really useful if you want to skip ahead to it!
Nov 13, 2024
Nov 13, 2024
1 hr 6 min
What are some tropes that start to make your show feel like it is in the slasher genre? How do you engage with tropes in improv? Should you lean into them or play against them?
Sorry for the late post, I am editing them further in advance now and just forgot to post it Sunday night!
Nov 3, 2024
Nov 3, 2024
1 hr 4 min
You have two days left to cast your ballot in the 2024 US election!!! AAAAHHHHH!!!!
How do you depict and feel fear onstage? How can you scare your audience and stage partners? Is it okay to to actually feel afraid as the player?
What an awesome episode! Like really this one has so much great stuff in it... So dang useful :) :| :0 80
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1eV4aiAFsK4 (Video of the recent Thorn and Petalstick Tragedy)
Oct 27, 2024
Oct 27, 2024
55 min
Happy Halloween!!!! Muprov Musings is back with a frighting format that has been developed and directed by our Co-Host Julian Bernado, and he steps into the guest role on this episode to give you the full backstory of its evolution. The Improvised Slasher lets you play with a whole new side of improvisation. If you have not tried improvised horror before, you have to give this a listen!!!