Charm Scene: Improvised Musicals

Charm Scene: Improvised Musicals
  • 4.7 (14)
  • Improv
  • Updated Weekly

Join Lily Ludwig, Austin Packard, Music Director Sam Scheidler, and drummer Chris Ditton as they create brand new musicals — completely on the fly — alongside some of Chicago’s most charming music improvisers and performers. Welcome to the scene!

  1. 3d ago

    #99: "A New Day for Babies" with Ashley Ward and Adrien Pellerin!

    It's a new day for podcasts as Charm Scene is visited by two LEGENDARY music improvisers - Ashley Ward and Adrien Pellerin! We combine their stories in this newborn improvised musical, complete with bobbing babies, dangerous dams, heroic horses and more. Did we mention it's a new day? Ashley Ward has been improvising for over 20 years and performed everywhere from the Edinburgh Fringe Festival to the Kennedy Center to the Sydney Opera House. Most recently she was seen in the musical “3 Months Later” written by Jess McKenna, Zach Reino and David Wain at the famed Charlie Chaplin soundstage in Los Angeles. She co-wrote and performed in the off-Broadway show “50 Shades! The Musical Parody” and has directed many one person shows, sketch shows and musicals. She performs regularly in musical improv shows Baby Wants Candy and Shamilton at UCB LA and teaches musical improv at UCB and WGIS. She can be seen on Apple+ in “Hello Jack! The Kindness Show” and on DropoutTV in “Play It By Ear”. She is also a Jeopardy! Champion. Adrien Pellerin is an NYC-based musical comedian and writer with digital credits on Comedy Central and Adult Swim. He produces Shitzprobe and music-directs international hits like Baby Wants Candy. He has performed at the Kennedy Center, Edinburgh Fringe, SF Sketchfest, and the New York Comedy Festival. His work has been featured by Vulture, Mashable, and Funny Or Die. Insta: @adrienpellerin | AdrienPellerin.com Cast: Lily Ludwig, Austin Packard, Ashley Ward, Adrien Pellerin Music Director: Sam Scheidler Drums: Chris Ditton Charm Scene is performed entirely by humans in sunny Chicago, IL. For more on the podcast, follow us @CharmScenePod on Instagram, visit us online at charmscenepod.podbean.com, or email us at CharmScenePod@gmail.com. In listening to this show, we hope you continue to support live human art wherever you find it. Stay charming!

  2. Jul 21

    #98: "The MILF Who Saved My Life" with Brandon Michael Thomas!

    A tale as old as time. Boy jumps in water. Boy drowns in water. Boy gets saved by a hot mom. It's our take on this classic story, told by 5 time charming guest Brandon Michael Thomas, that finally peels back the curtain on just who that hot mom was. Complete with chatty children, maternal muscles, and ill-advised improv invitations, this week's Charm Scene dares to ask the question, "Hey, aren't you in Shamilton?" Brandon Michael Thomas (He/They/Them) is somehow still legally an actor, comedian, writer, and director who will cash a check the second he gets one. Now in his fifth year living in Chicago, it’s official: there’s no music improv podcast he loves to grace more than Charm Scene. You can catch him playing @babywantscandy or @improvisedbroadway, or wherever you get your premise-forward improv. Stop by his enclosure at the Lincoln Park Zoo and say hi!! Cast: Lily Ludwig, Austin Packard, Brandon Michael Thomas Music Director: Sam Scheidler Drums: Chris Ditton Charm Scene is performed entirely by humans in sunny Chicago, IL. For more on the podcast, follow us @CharmScenePod on Instagram, visit us online at charmscenepod.podbean.com, or email us at CharmScenePod@gmail.com. In listening to this show, we hope you continue to support live human art wherever you find it. Stay charming!

  3. Jul 14

    #97: "2828 N Pine Grove Ave" with Megan Ramsey!

    Stunning one and two bedroom units available in this classic Chicago improvised musical. An easy walk to charming guest Megan Ramsey, with ample space for chore charts, in-unit babbling babies, erroneous air-conditioning, and crown molding. Laundry and maintenance on-site, no security deposit, pets welcome. Managed by @charmscenepod. Megan Ramsey is a performer, musical improviser, and writer; originally from St. Petersburg, Florida. Her Chicago musical theatre credits include Benny Bingo and the Evangelikids, Pigskin: The Football Musical, and Gums: A Shark Movie Parody Musical. She improvises with Duluth: an Improvised Midwest Murder (Annoyance Theatre), Wheel of Improv (Second City), and Teen Girl Book (musical improv). Megan is also a co-host and co-writer of the annual Miss Annoyance Pageant, returning to the Annoyance Theatre August 2026! When not performing, Megan loves to play guitar and spend her time near a large body of water. Cast: Lily Ludwig, Austin Packard, Megan Ramsey Music Director: Sam Scheidler Drums: Chris Ditton Charm Scene is performed entirely by humans in sunny Chicago, IL. For more on the podcast, follow us @CharmScenePod on Instagram, visit us online at charmscenepod.podbean.com, or email us at CharmScenePod@gmail.com. In listening to this show, we hope you continue to support live human art wherever you find it. Stay charming!

  4. Jul 7

    #96: "Duck Ex Machina" with Tess Abedon!

    Duck quack! It's a ducking duckprovised ducksical with charming duck Tess Abeduck (Holy F**k Comedy Hour, Tuesday Musical Improv, Pigskin). Melodious mallards, aquatic actors, feathered families, and more on this week's Duck Scene. You just got DUCKED. Cast: Lily Ludwig, Austin Packard, Tess Abedon Music Director: Sam Scheidler Drums: Chris Ditton Charm Scene is performed entirely by humans in sunny Chicago, IL. For more on the podcast, follow us @CharmScenePod on Instagram, visit us online at charmscenepod.podbean.com, or email us at CharmScenePod@gmail.com. In listening to this show, we hope you continue to support live human art wherever you find it. Stay charming!

  5. Jun 30

    #95: "All The World's an Audience" with Delaney Sterling!

    Welcome to Door County Summer Stock! We're sat as charming guest Delaney Sterling (Tuesday Musical Improv, Marquee) manages the house in this week's fully improvised musical. Talkative ticket buyers, shushed Shakespeare, and somehow Sara Bareilles - all this and more on this episode of Charm Scene. Shhhh! Delaney Sterling (she/her) is a Chicago-based actor, improviser, and singer. She has been seen in productions of Tick, Tick...Boom! (Susan), Kiss Me, Kate (Hattie), and Polly Peachum (Molly, World Premiere), among others. She can be seen most Tuesday evenings performing with Tuesday Musical Improv at the Annoyance Theatre. She also improvises with Marquee at iO and Jury Duty at the Annoyance. You can also hear her in a variety of audio plays with Secret Handshake Productions. Favorite credits with Secret Handshake include Mordred, Tales of Dread and Darkness, The Wombat, and One Shots. Ms. Sterling is an alum of the University of Illinois School of Music. Cast: Lily Ludwig, Austin Packard, Delaney Sterling Music Director: Sam Scheidler Drums: Chris Ditton Charm Scene is performed entirely by humans in sunny Chicago, IL. For more on the podcast, follow us @CharmScenePod on Instagram, visit us online at charmscenepod.podbean.com, or email us at CharmScenePod@gmail.com. In listening to this show, we hope you continue to support live human art wherever you find it. Stay charming!

  6. Jun 23

    #94: "Bi-Curious George: Origins" with Katie Terres!

    A crossover episode?? We've got the incredible Katie Terres in this week with her own special blend of multiverse. It's an improvised musical of sexual celebrities, cigarette sandwiches, shipped Chalamet's and more as we enter the world of Katie's own creation - Bi-Curious George. Will we succeed? Find out NOW on Charm Scene! Katie Terres originally comes from Florida but now resides in Chicago. In the city that is windy, she does lots of improv including teams such as Bl!mp and Voila: the improvised musical. When she is not improvising, Katie grows her multiverse of madness through cartoons and dressing up @katiepatioart. Her favorite tale to tell is that of Bi-Curious George. Cast: Lily Ludwig, Austin Packard, Katie Terres Music Director: Sam Scheidler Drums: Chris Ditton Charm Scene is performed entirely by humans in sunny Chicago, IL. For more on the podcast, follow us @CharmScenePod on Instagram, visit us online at charmscenepod.podbean.com, or email us at CharmScenePod@gmail.com. In listening to this show, we hope you continue to support live human art wherever you find it. Stay charming!

  7. Jun 16

    #93: Charm Scene LIVE - "I Harley Know Her: A Motorcycle Romance" at 2nd Best Fest 2026!

    LIVE from Coalition Theater's 2nd Best Fest in Richmond, Virginia! We looked to the crowd for a quintessential Richmond story, and boy did we find one. Inspired by audience member LJ's whirlwind romance, it's a fully improvised musical of motorcycle mayhem, juxtaposed generations, protective pups, and more! We hit the open road on this week's Charm Scene! doesthedogdie.com Thank you to everyone at 2nd Best Fest and Coalition Theater for an incredible weekend. For more information, visit rvacomedy.com. Recorded Saturday, June 13, 2026. Cast: Lily Ludwig, Austin Packard, with intro by Last Word's Adam Stackhouse Music Director: Connor Brennan Audio Mixing: Shawn Hambright   Charm Scene is performed entirely by humans in sunny Chicago, IL. For more on the podcast, follow us @CharmScenePod on Instagram, visit us online at charmscenepod.podbean.com, or email us at CharmScenePod@gmail.com. In listening to this show, we hope you continue to support live human art wherever you find it. Stay charming!

  8. Jun 9

    #92: "Deathprov" with Alex Garday!

    Welcome to a show about death. We've got some unfinished business as Alex Garday returns (from the dead?) for an all new fully improvised musical. Crashing cars, mystical mirrors, liminal limerence, and more as we put the FUN in funeral on this week's Charm Scene! Alex Garday is a performer from Phoenix, Arizona. He has performed in Chicago for the past 16 years at all of the major comedy theaters including recently as an understudy for The Second City's Mainstage production, Don't Quit Your Daydream. He regularly can be seen performing with Baby Wine at The Annoyance, Blank! The Musical at The Revival, Phony Award Winning Musical at iO, and Baby Wants Candy at the Second City. He has worked across North America as a host/emcee/facilitator for corporate events for Fortune 500 companies. He is the Talent/Product Coordinator and Marquee Host for Game Night Out a company that provides entertainment and curated in-person game nights for clients from across the Chicagoland area. He is 6’5″ and ethnically ambiguous. You can find him on social media platforms @alexgarday. Cast: Lily Ludwig, Austin Packard, Alex Garday Music Director: Sam Scheidler Drums: Chris Ditton Charm Scene is performed entirely by humans in sunny Chicago, IL. For more on the podcast, follow us @CharmScenePod on Instagram, visit us online at charmscenepod.podbean.com, or email us at CharmScenePod@gmail.com. In listening to this show, we hope you continue to support live human art wherever you find it. Stay charming!

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Ratings & Reviews

4.7
out of 5
14 Ratings

About

Join Lily Ludwig, Austin Packard, Music Director Sam Scheidler, and drummer Chris Ditton as they create brand new musicals — completely on the fly — alongside some of Chicago’s most charming music improvisers and performers. Welcome to the scene!

Information

  • Creator
    Charm Scene: Improvised Musicals
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    100
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2024 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    Charm Scene: Improvised Musicals