Hodgepodge is Back!
Join us as we welcome the super talented ladies of Hodgepodge back to Asheville for a weekend of shows, workshops, and hangs!
Hodgepodge is a collective of legendary, seasoned performers from Chicago, comprising female and non-binary artists. They draw on their personal stories to create and inspire their ensemble's work.
Liz Allen has been teaching, performing, and coaching improv in Chicago and Las Vegas for the past 31 years. Liz won the Coach of The Year Award at the iO Chicago Theater so many times, they gave up and renamed it. It's now, officially, The Liz Allen Excellence In Teaching Award. At the Flamingo Hotel & Casino in ‘05, Liz directed the first ever long form improv show for The Second City on The Vegas Strip. Liz coached The Commune, the improv ensemble in Mike Birbiglia’s 2016 film, Don’t Think Twice. A sought after master of improvisation, Liz has coached all over the world, a go-to source for directors, artists, CEOs, congressional lawyers, and even a few diplomats. She understands ensemble better than anybody, and believes we're all fighting to connect.Liz is excited to delve into her own scripted work in Tonight I Am My Mother.
Dee Ryan is a an alumna of The Second City having written and performed three shows on their Second City ETC stage. She toured Nationally and internationally with The Second City Tour Co The Best of Second City and The Reduced Shakespeare Company's The Complete Millennium Musical - 'abridged'. Dee has written, performed and toured her one-woman shows Deeconstruction and Broadguess at such theaters as: The Reston Community Theater in Reston, VA, Flatwater Shakespeare in Lincoln, NE, Pittsburgh Public Theater in Pittsburgh, PA and The UCB Theater in Los Angeles, CA. Dee has taught improvisation for over twenty years at The Second City in Hollywood and Chicago. She is an Adjunct Professor of comedy and improvisation in the Radio, TV and Film department at Northwestern University. In 2017, she taught an English language Shakespeare immersion camp in Beijing, China. Louder Than a Mom, her bi-monthly spoken word storytelling show, celebrated its tenth anniversary this year at Martrys in Chicago. She lived in LA for fifteen years improvising with Stacy's Not Here and The All Girl Revue and wrote for Disney Animated features and others. (Damn, it's hard to get a movie made.) On TV, you may have seen her on The Office as Steve Carrell's improv class member.
Shelby Burton is the Artistic Director of Bughouse Theater and co-producer of "Forward In Comfortable Shoes," a showcase highlighting diverse perspectives in comedy. She has performed at iO Theater, Laugh Out Loud Theater, Improv Acadia, and Comedy Sportz in Chapel Hill, bringing her unique blend of wit and spontaneity to each stage. Shelby is also a dedicated educator, teaching improvisation to students of all ages with an emphasis on creativity, collaboration, and confidence. Additionally, she is a performer in the long-running live show turned podcast, Fowler Family Radio Hour, which can be heard wherever you get your podcasts.
Sayjal Joshi is an Indian-American actress, improviser, and teacher. She holds a BA in Theater from UNC Greensboro and has been performing and teaching theater, sketch & improv for the last 20 years. After college she co-founded a really cool improv comedy club still in operation called The Idiot Box. Credits include FOX’s Empire and Presumed Innocent, The Kennedy Center, The Goodman, Woolly Mammoth Theatre, The Second City e.t.c., The Second City National Touring Company, Norwegian Cruise Lines, The Annoyance, Laugh Out Loud Theater, The Improvised Shakespeare Company, and critically acclaimed Asian-American sketch ensemble, Stir- Friday Night! Writing and podcast credits include The Second City e.t.c., The Paper Machete, Just for Laughs, and Hello, from the Magic Tavern.
She lives in Chicago with her cat Mouse, her dog Bowie, and her awesome husband Steve.
Hodgepodge Shows
Hodgepodge will be rocking NC Stage for 3 shows — two on Saturday, November 21st and one on Sunday, November 22nd — as part of the Hodgepodge Weekend along with some amazing local improv teams! Do not miss this!
Hodepodge Workshops
The Hodgepodgers are offering workshops and you should jump on ‘em! Taught by masters of their craft, these workshops are designed to help sharpen your play and hone your skills. Click the links below to read more about each of the offerings.
Hodgepodge Hangout
Sometimes, when brilliant artists come to town, you just wish for a chance to hang with them in a relaxed setting and ask them all the questions. Well, now's your chance! Double Dip Productions is hosting a Hodgepodge Hangout at West Asheville's Story Parlor. This intimate event is not a show but a low-key hang with master performers Shelby Burton, Dee Ryan, Sayjal Joshi, and Liz Allen. Feel free to hang out and ask them anything related to improv, their careers, their performance philosophies, their taste in cars or none of the above. Got a performance glitch you'd like to get their advice on or work out? Just so happens Story Parlor has a stage! And at only $15 the Hangout is a great way to hear some wisdom without breaking the bank.
AND free nibbles and snacks will be provided along with Story Parlor's cash bar.
This event is space limited to only 40 seats so grab you a spot today!
Make Your Own Podgepass!
With SO MANY tempting shows and workshops to choose from, why not create your own bundle; a Podgepass, if you will! Use the code PODGEPASS and get two events — either a workshop or a show, two shows, or two workshops; whatever your want — and save 10% off! Want 3 or more events, use PODGEPASS and save 15%!
