Charm Scene: Improvised Musicals

#83: "Frenfield" with Brady Barrow!

Things get 'familiar' as we welcome charming guest Brady Barrow! Inspired by Brady's haunting experience playing Dracula's #1 sidekick Renfield, we travel to the monstrous, blood soaked streets of New York City, where we find collegiate creatures, waltzing werewolves, man-made men, and so much more. It's time to transform on this week's Charm Scene!Brady has been waiting her whole life to be on Charm Scene and is so excited. Its probably all downhill from here. In the past she has been a part of multiple productions such as TMI @annoyance, Made Up Musicals @annoyance, Help! Let Me Out RN! @annoyance, Baby Grand (iO House team), Improvised Broadway @iO, Now That's What I Call F*ck It @secondcity, and more! She is part of a two-person sketch ensemble entitled BUTTERFACE, with her good friend Ollie Grishaber. You can find Brady on Instagram @brady.barrow.comedy or at bradybarrow.com. When she is not performing she is crocheting or annoying her cat.Cast: Lily Ludwig, Austin Packard, Brady BarrowMusic Director: Sam ScheidlerDrums: Chris DittonCharm 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!

#82: Challenge Episode with just us! (April Fools Edition)

April Fools! Oh you thought we'd only have one episode this week, didn't you? Got your ass.It's a twofer Charm Scene April Fools extravaganza, and what better way to commemorate the funniest of holidays than a good old fashioned just us challenge-sode. Reminiscent romance, ear-plugged pianos, and not a single Scheidler sibling in sight. All this and more on this week's Charm Scene!Cast: Lily Ludwig, Austin PackardMusic Director: Sam ScheidlerDrums: Chris DittonCharm 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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#80: "Into The Cabbage" with Jonathan Allsop!

It's a vegetable revolution as charming guest Jonathan Allsop returns for another fully improvised musical. Don't miss our savoy spectacles, leafy liberation, and Mr. Corn Orville Redenbacher De Beers Diamonds Jr. himself. Lettuce entertain you on this week's Charm Scene!Jonathan Allsop was born and raised in Reading, PA. He is a proud first gen American with his mom/family immigrating from the islands of Trinidad & Tobago. After graduating from UPenn in Philly he moved to Chicago to do business, and act on the side, which eventually took over so much that he went to get his MFA in Acting at NIU. He has worked at various theaters such as: The Second City, Writers Theatre, Court Theatre, A Red Orchid Theatre, Definition Theatre, Notre Dame Shakespeare Festival, and more. He has done a lot of commercial and film work (a proud member of SAG-AFTRA), and has done improv throughout the city with Anarchy, Phony Award, and Blank. He loves the community and art that exists in Chicago and is so excited to continue to grow and do more.Cast: Lily Ludwig, Austin Packard, Jonathan AllsopMusic Director: Sam ScheidlerDrums: Chris DittonCharm 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!

#79: "Not Quite, Maine" with Liz McCreight!

It's 'Almost' time for an all new Charm Scene! Charming guest Liz McCreight (Tuesday Musical Improv, Teen Girl Book, Tent Peg Productions) returns for a surprisingly grounded improvised musical, inspired by the actual play, "Almost, Maine." Residents of this fictional town include sapphic stitchers, emotional exes, tired toddler parents, and more. Don't go breaking my heart!
Liz McCreight is an improviser on her tenth year in Chicago who finally feels comfortable calling herself a Chicagoan. When not performing with TMI, Teen Girl Book, or producing shows with Tent Peg Productions, you can find her watching cartoons with her cat. 
Cast: Lily Ludwig, Austin Packard, Liz McCreightMusic Director: Sam ScheidlerDrums: 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!

#78: "James of Hearts" with Mike Gospel!

Magic Mike is back! Charming guest Mike Gospel returns for a spellbinding fully improvised musical, complete with terrifying tricks, dutiful doves, cosmic calamities, and more. Find the magic inside us all, and inside James, on this week's Charm Scene. Cast: Lily Ludwig, Austin Packard, Mike GospelMusic Director: Sam ScheidlerDrums: Chris DittonCharm 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!

#77: "Sapiosexual" with Juliana Zepeda!

Adjective - of, relating to, or characterized by sexual or romantic attraction to highly intelligent people. We're hot for teacher as charming guest Juliana Zepeda joins the esteemed faculty of Charm Scene High, but she's on the hunt for something else. Musical MILFs, wistful worms, principled principals, and more in this week's fully improvised musical. Class is in session!Juliana Zepeda is really busy, kind of all the time, but this is her favorite podcast and some of her favorite people ever. If you like what you hear please follow her on Instagram and Tiktok @jayz_nottherapper. She would also love it if you came to any of her shows. Wheel of Improv, Shamilton, and Baby Wants Candy at Second City. Improvised Jane Austen, Marquee, and Best of iO Improv at iO Theater, or any of the other shows she does and loves. Slay Always.Cast: Lily Ludwig, Austin Packard, Juliana ZepedaMusic Director: Sam ScheidlerDrums: Chris DittonCharm 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!

Fraudway Festival, Marquee, and more with Allen Lucas! (Chat Scene #5)

We're just a week away from the first annual Fraudway Musical Improv Festival at Chicago's iO Theatre! In this all new episode of Chat Scene, festival creator and organizer Allen Lucas joins us to talk about the festival and his countless new musical improv endeavors at iO (including the amazing new show "Marquee").We'll see you all at the Fraudway Musical Improv Festival, March 6-7. Tickets are on sale now at ioimprov.com.Cast: Lily Ludwig, Austin Packard, Allen LucasMusic Director: Sam ScheidlerDrums: Chris DittonCharm 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!

#76: "Ice Cream, You Scream" with Allen Lucas!

The game is afoot! FIVE TIME charming guest Allen Lucas is back once again, this time with a mystery! We take Allen's real life love of ice cream and friendship and turn it into a devious, delicious dessert of musical improv, complete with vats of vanilla, nosey neighbors, suspicious stains, and more. Get the latest scoop on this week's Charm Scene!Want to hear even more of Allen? Don't miss the first annual FRAUDWAY Musical Improv Festival at Chicago's iO Theatre, March 6-7. Tickets are on sale now at ioimprov.com.Cast: Lily Ludwig, Austin Packard, Allen LucasMusic Director: Sam ScheidlerDrums: Chris DittonCharm 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!

#75: "Earth, Wind & Tarot" with Daryn Robinson!

The cards have spoken! Daryn Robinson ("My Best Friend is Black," "Shamilton," "She The People") is BACK. Through the power of live Tarot readings, and inspired by Daryn's story about her real-life uncle (a member of the legendary band "Earth, Wind & Fire") we set off through the kingdoms of Earth, Wind, and Fire on a quest to rediscover ourselves - featuring bountiful bindles, swollen skunks, vicious volcanoes, and more. The cycle continues on this week's Charm Scene!Daryn Robinson (she/her) is a Chicago-based writer/performer originally from Washington, D.C. She is a performer at @TheSecondCity, where her credits include She The People, the 2025 Black Excellence Revue, the family-friendly shows No Grown-Ups Allowed and Rudolph Runs Wild, and understudying the Touring Company and ETC Stage. Her other improv shows include: @Shamilton_Musical with @BabyWantsCandy, and @ImprovAusten and @Birdlady.io with @iochicago. Daryn proudly co-produces the all-Black comedy show @MyBestFriendisBlackShow at @TheLincolnLodge, voted @Chicago_Reader’s Best Comedy Show of 2023 and 2024! You can follow her at @daryn_2dream and catch her headlining @CityWineryChi on Feb. 24th (her birthday!!!) with My Best Friend is Black ✨Cast: Lily Ludwig, Austin Packard, Daryn RobinsonMusic Director: Sam ScheidlerDrums: Chris DittonFollow us @CharmScenePod on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube, or shoot us a message at CharmScenePod@gmail.com!