YBY ep 329: Chris Mead and the magic of producing theater
This week on Yes But Why, I was delighted to connect with UK improv leader, Chris Mead.
Chris Mead is a full time performer and teacher of improv. He has performed and taught in over 25 countries worldwide. Chris lives in the Surrey Hills of England with his wife, Laura and their dog friend, Radio.
A passionate lover of improv, Chris Mead is currently teaching for Hoopla Impro, the largest improv school in the UK, as well as offering numerous indie classes on his own. Chris is one third of the legendary sci-fi improv team, “Project2” and co-founder of “Unmade Theatre Co” which produces theatrical longform shows.
During our conversation, Chris connected the dots on his community building superpower.
It all started with Chris’s first job after school, helping to facilitate workshops and shows at the local Christian center. This was where he first developed his creative skills. But it was the closing of this center that inspired Chris and his sister to produce their own weeklong theater camp to support the community that had lost their performance home.
Years later, Chris used his skills producing theater and building communities to create an online home for improvisers during the pandemic. Alongside creative partner, Katy Schutte, Chris founded the “International Improv Station” (formerly The Improv Place UK).
Chris is a creative through and through. He developed characters when he was a kid and made trading cards for them. A few years back, he used his creative skills to help save the world when he worked at an NGO focused on poverty eradication. And now, he’s currently writing a book about improv! In the story of his journey, all moves Chris made were fueled by his love for theater and community.
You can also take classes with Chris Mead through Hoopla Impro in London! In our chat, he mentioned the online workshop he led recently called “Improv Cinema Club” and that one would be really cool to catch next time it comes around!
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(production notes: recorded zoom meeting via Rodecaster on 12/15/2022; posted on 12/19/2022)
Chris Mead is a full time performer and teacher of improv. He has performed and taught in over 25 countries worldwide. Chris lives in the Surrey Hills of England with his wife, Laura and their dog friend, Radio.
