Improvised Golden Age Radio

IGAR
  • 5.0 (3)
  • IMPROV

Improvised Golden Age Radio is broadcasting now! Veterans of Chicago’s best improv shows like Baby Wants Candy, Improvised Shakespeare Company, Hitch Cocktails and more bring you an hour of hilarious long form improv!  Playing with inspiration from the Swinging 30s, 40s and 50s, these cool cats will have you in stitches with a small twist on the long form improv Chicago is famous for.

  1. 3D AGO

    Prison Spring Break (Ft. Thomas Kelly of Sand)

    A story of redemption reminiscent of the Shawkshank prison yards... well not really but there is a prison! Our waves are graced with the tones of Thomas Kelly from legendary improv group Sand! Listening to him make faces will delight your ear bones, or whatever is in those things!  Below is the AI generated summary for your amusement.  Please like and subscribe anywhere podcasts are available. Also check out a video of a recent show here: @ThomasKellyActingMan @SandImprov @improvisedradioshow www.improvisedradio.com A prison warden decides the answer to rehabilitation is spring break, and we immediately regret letting him cook. Recorded live at Bughouse Theater in Chicago in the style of a classic Golden Age radio broadcast, we spin an improvised audio theater comedy where a “camper prison bus van” heads toward the Grand Canyon, two soul cellmates plot their dumbest escape yet, and the prison laundry room becomes the birthplace of something genuinely sinister. Along the way, we meet Cindy Winterson, the warden’s daughter, who insists she’s done all her homework and now wants to ride along with the inmates. Her awkward, overheated bus conversation with a jaywalking “bad boy” turns romance into danger, and the trip detonates into a crash that leaves the whole group relying on an unlikely rescuer: a Grand Canyon tour guide and a heroic donkey named Misty. If you love live improv comedy, foley sound effects, and narrative twists that only happen when performers are making it up together, this one keeps escalating. Back at the prison, the real plot surfaces: Lollipop’s cauldron lair, mind control, and a surprisingly sad origin story that reframes the chaos as a crooked search for connection. We end up with satire about “easy fixes” for broken systems, plus a weirdly sweet reminder that love can show up in the middle of a disaster. Subscribe for more improvised radio theater, share this with a friend who loves audio drama comedy, and leave us a review with the moment that made you laugh hardest. You can actually message us by clicking here! Support the show https://www.improvisedradio.com/ https://www.instagram.com/improvisedradioshow/

    49 min

  2. MAR 30

    The Storm and the After Party (@ Crawlspace Theater in Kalamazoo)

    Guys and Dolls... and Tornadoes! And some weight changing gigantic water melons. It's a rare 3-person cast honored to grace the stage of Crawlspace Theater in Kalamazoo Michigan for a special double bill with written old-time show All Ears Theater.  Thanks much to those who put the show together and invited us. If you are ever in Kalamazoo please visit Dann and the team at Crawlspace for some great comedy and vibes https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cnLPdtdCFlQ (This show!) https://crawlspacecomedy.com/ https://www.allearstheatre.org/shows Cast: Eric Muller - Joe DiLombardi, Guy Masterson, High school students, Anthony the School Scamp Who Ain’t Got No Parents What Care About HimPhilip Amler - Francesca Plantagenet,  Jasmine Lacroix, High School StudentsEric Pedersen - Jessica , Gus, Chucko the Janitor, Little Timanthony, High School StudentsFoley Artist Katlin Schneider and Gary BrownChuck Cotterman - AnnouncerYou can actually message us by clicking here! Support the show https://www.improvisedradio.com/ https://www.instagram.com/improvisedradioshow/

    38 min

  3. MAR 24

    Jockeying For Position (Ft. Beth Melewski)

    Michigan soft wool presents a pointless tale of weirdos and mendicants! Live at Second City on 8/21/25 featuring Improvised Shakespeare Beth Melewski! How lucky are we!? (very lucky).   Host: Peter Corey Foley: Katlin Schneider Production: Ed / Victoria  Cast: Ashley Whitehurst - Kid!, The Other JockeyBen Vigeant - Opening Narrator, Randy the Bookie, a JockeyBeth Melewski - Borris the bookie, Hank The Tallest JockeyCarly Olson - Denise, The ConstableEric Pedersen - Buddy, Pete the TinyHere is stupid AI summary of the show!: A silent door swings open, a woman in red steps into a Chicago office, and Buddy the financial consultant realizes he’s not just balancing books, he’s staring down a full-blown noir mess. We’re performing a fully improvised old time radio comedy show live, so every choice becomes canon instantly: the slippery olive oil “fix,” the nervous narration, and the dawning fear that the client’s problem isn’t a spreadsheet, it’s a crime story with teeth. The trail leads straight to a racetrack where the races are fixed, the bookies are desperate, and a “Trojan horse” is not a metaphor. We meet crooks with big plans and bad instincts, a teenager who’s furious at her mother, and jockeys arguing about whether winning is even allowed when mob money runs the board. Special guest Beth Meluski joins the chaos with sharp character work that helps the whole audio theater world snap into focus, from menace to sincerity to pure nonsense in a single beat. Then it all slides toward the docks at Navy Pier, where a floating wooden horse, a very real badger, and a too-convenient clue threaten to turn Buddy’s investigation into a punchline. The finale brings the conspiracy back to its source, crashes into family secrets, and ends on the one place every good mystery eventually goes: a race you can’t control once someone decides to mean it. If you love improvised comedy, audio drama, classic radio vibes, and Chicago stage energy, queue this up now. Subscribe, share it with a friend who misses old time radio, and leave a review, then tell us: which reveal hit you first, the badger or the “business plan”? You can actually message us by clicking here! Support the show https://www.improvisedradio.com/ https://www.instagram.com/improvisedradioshow/

    52 min

  4. MAR 14

    Its Everyday Bro (Ft. cast of iO's Blueprint)

    The cast of iO's Blueprint (see below) takes on the form of IGAR having never seen or heard the show before. We set up the show in about six minutes (a new record) between teams while explaining the form to the cast who then had to immediately perform it. Jordan and Ashley from the IGAR cast joined The Blueprint cast.   Host - James Dugan Avery Ford - Willie The restauranter, Detective Daniels  Molly Jones - Singer, Mayors daughter  Allen Lucas - Earl the frycook (who I don’t think speaks?), Rex  Janelle Soulliere - Mrs. Brown Ryan Bowman - Garbo the mayors son,  Jordan Reichardt - Detective Johnson Ashley Whitehurst -  Genevieve  Thanks to everyone for jumping into the deep end with us!  Below is the AI summary of the show FOR LAUGHS: A mayor’s kid goes missing, the whole town fixates on a big fight, and somehow the logical next step is “Jake and Logan Paul should be my new dads.” That’s the kind of delightful derailment you get when we do a fully improvised comedy show in the full style of classic Golden Age radio, recorded live at the iO Theater in Chicago with a Foley table, narrator energy, and zero script. We bounce through a stormy Topeka afternoon where a diner bell threatens to start a riot, then cut to a group of high schoolers rehearsing Newsies with all the gumption, longing, and petty sibling violence that implies. Meanwhile, two detectives sit in a smoke-choked bar and get so wrapped up in their intense “brother” bond that they forget they’re supposed to be solving the mayor’s missing child case. It’s fast, silly, and weirdly cohesive in the way only good narrative improv can be. After a run of fake sponsor ads, the runaway plot finally snaps into place when Garbo shows up, considers what he’s really running from, and decides reinvention is only a boxing ring away. The finale turns the Jake and Logan showdown into a surprisingly emotional sibling argument, complete with catchphrases and metaphor, before we step out of the story to talk craft: performing on microphones, the pressure of staying planted, and why the “wrong” Foley sound can be the best joke of the night. If you love improvised radio theater, live comedy podcasts, old-time radio parody, Foley sound effects, and Chicago improv, hit play. Subscribe, share this with a friend who loves narrative improv, and leave us a review telling us which sound gag made you laugh the hardest. You can actually message us by clicking here! Support the show https://www.improvisedradio.com/ https://www.instagram.com/improvisedradioshow/

    33 min

  5. FEB 10

    A Love of Drinks and Denim

    Mike Sandwich comes to town and a young boy saves the day.  A tale of uprising, murder, and a healthy dose of alcohol for all. The fabric mines will never be the same after young Danny inspires the townspeople to be all they can be. Famous detective Mike Sandwich comes to the town of Foley. He’s in New York City to solve an unidentified crime… but will Mike take enough notes before he gets blackout drunk? And can his notes be understood even if he does?!  Listen to find out who survives their Love of Drinks… and Denim! Host - Chuck Cotterman Foley - Katlin Schneider Ed Zak - Live Production Shelby Burton - Opening Narrator, Shielah Ellington, Foreman Foreman Eric Pedersen -  D. Livery, Erine the Miner  Joe Hartenstine - Mike Sandwich  Philip Amler - Paw Paul Ben Vigeant -  Drunk Mr.Ellington, Jacob the Miner, Peter Corey - Danny, Barry Simpson the Bartender  Here's the extremely absurd AI summary for your mockery and enjoyment: A coal town curls under a glittering ski resort, and the line between survival and spectacle gets razor thin. We kick off with audience prompts, a crackling live radio vibe, and a title you helped name—then drop into a story where denim, corduroy, and power are all louder than they look. Danny, a nine-year-old slated for the mines, wants the slopes instead; Paw Paul wants one day he doesn’t spend choking coal dust. Above them, Steve and Sheila Ellington toast their view from the lodge, right before a suspicious drink and a ski lift turn wealth into a headline. Enter our legend with clay feet: Detective Mike Sandwich—famous, charming, and hilariously unhelpful—stumbles into a barroom duel with Sheila while cats, coffee, and vanity tighten the trap. Down below, the mine breathes like a beast: dead canaries, translucent skin, and veterans who fear daylight more than collapse. The tension splits into two climbs—one toward truth, the other toward power—as Danny sparks a strike that pulls the town uphill in every sense. When a body appears on the snow, inheritance law takes center stage, and the question shifts from “who did it” to “who gets to keep doing it.” The chase that follows—broken glass, hawk calls, makeshift skis—careens into a reckoning underground, where the people who do the work finally dictate the ending. We fuse noir tropes, labor politics, and golden‑age sound to land a punchline with teeth: sometimes the hero doesn’t save the day because a town decides to save itself. Along the way, our faux ads for Crystal Mountain Corduroy swish with satire about heat, sweat, and the industries that sell both. If you love improvised storytelling, old‑time radio textures, and comedies that bite, this one’s for you. Hit follow, share it with a friend who roots for underdogs, and leave us a review with your favorite moment—we’ll shout out the best ones next show. You can actually message us by clicking here! Support the show https://www.improvisedradio.com/ https://www.instagram.com/improvisedradioshow/

    46 min

  6. JAN 19

    Blue In The Driver’s Seat

    Many thanks to all our new listeners in the USA & South Africa! Please rate/review!  Blue Beaumont, the twin of famous movie star of the 1940s,  pulls into a gas station where his life changes forever. He and his new chum Tucker Cornwallace set out to find his brother while Beauregard, his brother, is on a quest of his own.  Little do they know they may both find love, but will they find the Heart of The Ocean; and will Tucker ever get anything to eat? Recorded 1/10/26 @ iO Chicago. This episode fakely sponsored by Busted Chairs Incorporated Shelby Burton - Tucker Cornwallace, The original orphan owner, Lucinda Ben Vigeant - Opening narrator, Chris Lillyleather, The Chef Joe Hartenstine - Bleu Beaumont, The Captain, Beauregard Beaumont Ashley Whitehurst - Hungry Orphan, The male sailor Jordan Reichardt - Miss Lillyleather The Orphanage Owner Here's the ai summary for your amusement:  A gas station spill. A lavender hose. A bowl of “celebrity stew.” From our first audience suggestions to a finale of vows and vows-to-the-sea, we spin a golden-age radio romp that blends 1940s sparkle with modern heart. Blue Beaumont, a modest traveler mistaken for his famous twin True, meets Tucker, a quick-witted orphan desperate for a better life than Miss Lily’s ironclad orphanage can offer. One impulsive adoption sets off a chain of choices—some legal, some romantic, all gloriously human. We follow True onto a ship to “research” his next big role and watch admiration turn into genuine tenderness with a sailor who ties knots as easily as he unties his loneliness. Back on land, Lily’s brash rules crack just enough to reveal the grief that built them, and a very specific clause in Tucker’s adoption papers ropes her into the road trip she never dared to take. Everything collides at Maggie’s, a portside diner that treats fame like a four-alarm fire. Curtains pull back, the twins face off, prawns run out, and everyone argues about who gets the last spoon of stew—right before they decide who gets their hearts. Expect vintage sound, smart chaos, and a finale that actually pays off the jokes: a cascade of I do’s, a captain pledging himself to the sea, and a gentle reminder that even with stars in the room, the smallest voice still needs dinner. If you love improvised radio theater, 1940s Hollywood satire, found-family stories, and shipboard romance with a wink, this one’s for you. Enjoy the ride, share the episode with a friend, and tap follow so you never miss our next improvised broadcast. If we made you laugh, leave a quick review—it helps curious listeners find their way to Maggie’s. You can actually message us by clicking here! Support the show https://www.improvisedradio.com/ https://www.instagram.com/improvisedradioshow/

    47 min

  7. JAN 9

    Le Creme Noir (Or the Powers That Be)

    A leech loving scientist posing as an OBGYN just might not be the worst doctor in town... extra hilarious episode, please check out our upcoming live shows at iO at www.improvisedradio.com Crew - Chuck Cotterman - HostKatlin Schneider - ProudctionEd Zak - Foley TableCast -  Joe Hartenstein - Jessica’s Husband, Jimmy the Bartender Carly Olson - Helen the Telekenetic Nurse, Frederique the French Leech, Becky the Travel AgentJordan Reichardt -  The Straight Forward Psychologist , Milton the MilkmenBen Vigent - Opening Narrator, Dr.Mcdreamy the OBGYN, Ashley Whitehurt - Jessica the Human, Jessica the LeechEric Pedersen - Dr. Seymour Powers, Michelle the LeechTheme Music: Mark Rose www.downwrite.com  Here's a silly AI recap of the episode: Step into a crackling world where vintage radio charm meets razor-sharp improv. We stage a full golden age broadcast—complete with foley, sponsor jingles, and a pompous announcer—and build a heartfelt, absurd mystery around Dr. Seymour Powers, a not-quite-licensed OBGYN who swears by medieval cures and keeps leeches like family. When Jessica arrives determined to keep her pregnancy secret from a well-connected spouse, the clinic becomes a crossroads for agency, love, and the strange comforts of confidence without competence. As the story unfolds, Helen the telekinetic nurse proves she sees everything; Milton the milkman rations dairy and gossip with equal menace; and Becky, a feminist travel agent who always wanted to pilot, finally takes the cockpit. Between witty “Johnson’s Jalopies” ads and a bartender’s deadpan advice, mustard poultices stand in for medicine, leeches sing doo-wop, and a city’s worth of characters pile into a plane that somehow becomes a chapel. Along the way, we dig into the real stuff—who gets to decide, how power masks as tradition, why being seen can rewrite a life—and we do it with a smile and a chorus. By the time vows are exchanged at cruising altitude and a candy addiction is “cured” by community, you’ll have laughed at the nonsense and felt the truth underneath it: authority is often a performance, and care is something we make together. If you love improvised comedy, old-time radio vibes, feminist humor, eccentric doctors, and joyful chaos that lands with heart, this one’s for you. Enjoy the ride and keep the jalopy running: subscribe, share with a friend who needs a laugh, and leave a quick review telling us your favorite moment from the flight. You can actually message us by clicking here! Support the show https://www.improvisedradio.com/ https://www.instagram.com/improvisedradioshow/

    59 min

  8. 12/31/2025

    Tears of a Teenage Clown

    A young lad tries his shot at living his dream, only be told he’s useless and will never amount to anything. A tale we can all relate to this Christmas. Shelby Burton - Elizabeth - Clark’s mother, other rapscallions  Eric - Professor Bobo, Charles Nelson Ben -  A series of annoying circus goers!, Richard Harvard Bowden Brown - the animal trainer Joe - Clark the Clown, a series of nincompoops  Host- Chuck Cotterman Foley - Katlin Schneider Production - Ed Zak Theme Music: Mark Rose www.downwrite.com Check out www.improvisedradio.com for upcoming shows at Bughouse, iO Chicago, and Crawlspace Comedy in Kalamazoo. You can actually message us by clicking here! Support the show https://www.improvisedradio.com/ https://www.instagram.com/improvisedradioshow/

    44 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

Improvised Golden Age Radio is broadcasting now! Veterans of Chicago’s best improv shows like Baby Wants Candy, Improvised Shakespeare Company, Hitch Cocktails and more bring you an hour of hilarious long form improv!  Playing with inspiration from the Swinging 30s, 40s and 50s, these cool cats will have you in stitches with a small twist on the long form improv Chicago is famous for.

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