The SoCap Improv Comedy Podcast

Ralph MacLeod
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  • IMPROV
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Hosted by Ralph MacLeod. Owner and Artistic Director of SoCap Comedy Theatre in Toronto. A bite-sized, 5-20 minute show on improv. This show is less about improv as performance (though that will be in here) but more about how improv can improve every aspect of your life.

  1. The First Improv Rule for Life - Control What You Can Control Ep 4 Repost

    08/12/2025

    The First Improv Rule for Life - Control What You Can Control Ep 4 Repost

    In this week's episode Ralph talks about one reason everyone should take improv even if they never plan to get on a stage. In improv, you can roleplay different scenarios from your real/imagined life but also practice techniques that will make you a more effective communicator. One of those is ceasing to try to control what you can't control.

    13 min
  2. Letting Go of Self-Consciousness

    10/09/2023

    Letting Go of Self-Consciousness

    Falling in love. Hanging with good friends. Being in a moment. These are all times when we tend to lose ourselves, get over our self-consciousness, and forget about our selfish needs and serve an experience.

    15 min
  3. Avoid Gaslighting Others

    10/02/2023

    Avoid Gaslighting Others

    Whether on stage or in life real, try not to gaslights others. In improv, it often leads into the argument trap. In life, it escalates tension, shows others you're not listening, and more. Instead, treat the opinions of others as legitimately theirs and deal with it except in one situation.

    21 min
  4. Playing Strangers

    09/25/2023

    Playing Strangers

    Scenes in which the characters are strangers to each other come with an extra added level of difficulty. For that reason, I encourage improvisers to stay away from them. But, when they do happen to try and figure out what's at stake.

    18 min
  5. The Process Scene

    09/18/2023

    The Process Scene

    Having a process in a scene will help in a multitude of ways, however, there are also a couple major pitfalls with which to be aware.

    25 min
  6. I Am A....

    09/11/2023

    I Am A....

    A discussion of the third exercise I use when starting almost every class I teach. I Am A... is a game of patterns in which three people are elements within a certain pattern, category, etc. The more recognizable the pattern and elements, the better it is received.

    19 min
  7. Improv Rule For Life #4 - Be Process Oriented

    09/04/2023

    Improv Rule For Life #4 - Be Process Oriented

    Being process oriented, or systems based, allows one to make modifications if their goals aren't being realized. Conversely, relying on magical thinking to achieve a desired outcome can leave one at the mercy of a stochastic, unfeeling universe.

    21 min
  8. Is Mocking Some People Okay or Not Okay - REPEAT Episode 8

    08/28/2023

    Is Mocking Some People Okay or Not Okay - REPEAT Episode 8

    Improv has changed a lot in the 35 years since I started. One thing is that we are much more sensitive to people different than us and no longer mock people based on generalities about them. However, two areas have escaped that scrutiny and I have no idea why.

    11 min
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About

Hosted by Ralph MacLeod. Owner and Artistic Director of SoCap Comedy Theatre in Toronto. A bite-sized, 5-20 minute show on improv. This show is less about improv as performance (though that will be in here) but more about how improv can improve every aspect of your life.

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