Today we’d like to introduce you to Madeline Evans
Hi Madeline, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Of course! I have been performing, acting, and singing since grade school and improvising for over 15 years, so the stage has always been a part of me. At UGA, I was with an improv group that rehearsed three times a week, led workshops in the community, and performed weekly for crowds of up to 100 people. When we graduated and moved to Atlanta in 2017, we formed a new improv team with the same drive and foundation, leading to monthly shows, rehearsals, and workshops as well. During college I also started stand up and sketch comedy, and regularly hit open mics when I moved to Atlanta, connecting and finding community in the comedy scene here. Although I’ve performed stand up on and off throughout the years, I have fortunately recently found opportunities with the incredible group “Comedy and Conversations,” and will soon be the Laughing Skull Open Mic resident and featured in the West End Comedy Festival in March.
I am immensely grateful for my comedy foundation because my teams exposed ourselves to different improv philosophies and formats, traveled to festivals around the US, and even experimented by creating our own formats. That independent drive to make something out of ourselves at a young age and eagerness to perform and absorb as much as possible led to a lot of my success today.
In 2022, after years of virtual improv and missing live performance, I was determined to help the scene grow again and fill gaps I had noticed prior to the pandemic. I created my own improv program where I teach a “Foundational Class” that helps people of all levels and experiences pull off a successful improv scene, and then a “Continuous Class,” where we build on our Foundation to explore different types of scene work and formats. The class is inspired by philosophies from different schools of thought like UCB, Improv Olympic, the Annoyance, and well known improv instructors, with a narrative lens since I have a theatrical background, and is rooted in my philosophies “Everything is a Gift,” and “Chase joy.” I am currently in my 4th year with over 20 classes and 150+ students, as well as a 70% retention rate for the Continuous Class. A big part of the class is leaving your ego at the door and opening yourself up to learning from anyone in the room (which is just a great philosophy for life and leadership). Since I was young, I gravitated towards coaching sports and teaching to ignite a spark in others to help them pursue their passion. By leading my own program, I have been able to facilitate growth and the belief that you matter and are interesting enough to take up space.
Through teaching, I have also discovered my own “why” in my pursuit of comedy and performance. Improvising creates an environment where anyone can come and feel celebrated for their quirks, uniqueness, and voice. Since the artform is all about listening, people who may not feel heard in other areas of life are given support and lifted up. Being a part of someone’s journey and self-discovery to trust themselves and others and have such radical acceptance and love for everything is such a privilege. Uncovering my “why” and performance/teaching experience has also led to a solo show that is currently in development!
In the resurgence of live performance since 2020, I also started two new shows “Road Trip: improv based on stories” and “Mad’s Mixer.” Road Trip was born out of a desire to connect the improv and stand up communities – two places I found community when navigating adulthood post college. Road Trip was also an excuse to play with more people in the improv scene. Whenever asked about my goals, I always say I want to perform as much as possible and build community. Road Trip features a stand up as the storyteller and a rotating cast of improvisers, connecting people from different corners of the scene – some seasoned and some newer, enthusiastic players all on one stage. My show has grown from smaller venues to the mainstage at Dad’s Garage with over 90 people attending each time and storyteller/standups from Comedy Central, HBO, The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel: Live, America’s Got Talent, Netflix is a Joke, Conan, English Teacher, and more. I am endlessly thankful for the joy this show brings to not only me, but the community since it features so much Atlanta talent. May 9, 2025 will be the three year anniversary, and I really hope to make it a big celebration!
Mad’s Mixer is a show featuring improv instructors and the audience! This show allows performers to do a two person scene working on whatever they want with a trusted, seasoned instructor who will take care of them no matter what. This show reiterates community building and growth in a safe environment.
Also in the last few years I have performed with my independent groups Camp Crush, Too Nice Ladies, Edgewood Avenue, and Something Musical. All of my partners in these groups are dear friends who I admire fiercely and truly create magic together. Edgewood Avenue (which is the brainchild of Joseph Lopez) recently recorded our EP and took our improvised puppet variety show full of improv, sketches, variety pieces, a full band, and digital shorts to New York – I am excited to see what we do next! I also had the unbelievable opportunity to star in Invasion: Christmas Carol in 2022 and 2023 at Dad’s Garage thanks to Maged Roushdi and Tim Stoltenberg! This show is the classic tale of Christmas Carol, but is invaded by a new character each night. Stepping in allowed me to revisit my passion for scripted work while also merging with my improv skills – truly the best experience of my life. IXC in 2022 led to my partnership with Dad’s Garage where I also teach classes, work with the corporate team, and perform in shows like Wowie Zowie, Improvised D&D, Murder She Improvised, and Theatre Sports.
On top of pursuing play, I also work in marketing. At my job, I developed a Team Building program for marketing teams that uses improv elements and our consulting knowledge to help teams collaborate, communicate, and trust each other better. I also offer my own Team Building program for other industries rooted in my class philosophy of “Everything is a gift,” that focuses on fiercely loving ideas, creating community, and treating challenges as opportunities.
TLDR: Improv changes lives, and I am immensely appreciative of its role in mine.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Somewhat! The beauty of Atlanta is that there are so many excited, talented people here. The hard part is we still are a little bit of a secret. Unlike other cities where improv is embedded into their culture, Atlanta is still growing. The indie scene remains strong, and places like Dad’s Garage and Whole World have been around for 30 years, but there is still a battle when it comes to exposure to the general public. People don’t know that improv exists here, let alone that it is high quality.
Also, despite a thriving indie scene, spaces definitely come and go and proving your value as an artist can be a challenge. Knowing that my product is good and advocating for myself and my value in spaces is a struggle I am continually working on (it’s that balance between being likable but also being business-like and knowing my worth). Because improv is still growing here, you really have to carve out your own path and advocate for yourself, there is not necessarily a formula to getting where you want to be.
I am endlessly thankful to anyone who has given me, my shows, and my classes an opportunity to grow and exist in a space, as well as anyone who works as a partner to help us both succeed. The bookstore Bibliotech is a huge part of this. Bookstore by day, improv workshop space by night – this is where I host classes and other community members gather for jams and shows. It is such a supportive partnership and I am immensely grateful to the owner. I also am thankful to all of the spaces in the city that host the show I produce “Road Trip: improv based on stories,” which currently has a run at Dad’s Garage. Another shout out is owed to every mentor who spent time and energy to provide insights and guidance (Mark Kendall and David Perdue are HUGE influences here, but there are many more!). Lastly, improv would be nothing without the booming Atlanta improv community – everyone is so supportive and enthusiastic, and I want to continue to be a part of helping it grow and fostering its success. (It is so rewarding to watch my student’s journeys as they create their own teams, shows, and opportunities – our scene is thriving!!!)
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
A frequent attendee of my show “Road Trip” who hired me for a Corporate gig said they hired me because they see the community I foster, the positive energy I bring, and how I give people wings. (To which I responded, “But not like Red Bull!”) A current student also recently told me I change lives and make an enormous impact.
It blows my mind to hear such kind words and witness the growth in people. I’ve been blessed with this gift to create magic and the opportunity to facilitate people’s journeys as they discover that magic in themselves. It is truly a beautiful (sappy) blessing and a reminder that we are always growing and that finding joy in every moment is imperative.
So I guess the answer to your question is that I specialize in fostering community and creating safe environments where people can stretch, grow, and learn to love themselves. I am proud of the fact that I am a self starter. That I came to Atlanta and did not want to sit around and wait to be asked, but made my own opportunities, and that that hard work has paid off in such a positive way, leading to more opportunities with amazing people and places. Road Trip has grown from its first show with only 12 people (who I begged to be there), to selling out the smaller stage at Dad’s Garage for half a year, to up to 100 people per performance on the mainstage! The show is one where both stand ups and improvisers ask to be on it and are excited to play and meet each other. We had standing room only with 150 people at Redlight Cafe for the December Bash. It is INSANE. I care so much and work so hard, and the fact that people want to be a part of something I have put my heart into is unfathomable. To even see my classes sell out from word of mouth gives me butterflies and makes me want to cry. It’s hard to advocate for yourself and market shows/yourself, but the payoff is worth it. I am proud of encouraging people to adopt this self-starter mindset, and seeing the community grow because of their belief in themselves. I am also proud to contribute alongside the leaders who are opening doors that were not open when I came into the scene. I also know moments and feelings like this won’t last forever, so I am enormously in love and awe of the now.
So, before we go, how can our readers or others connect or collaborate with you? How can they support you?
The best way to grow shows is word of mouth!! While my shows and classes are performing well, my personal goal is to be the best and most sought out in the city!! Come to a show, take a class, tell a friend (or an enemy) – support local comedy clubs and shows. There is SO much that Atlanta offers – from short form to long form improvisation to musical improv to genre-themed shows, Atlanta is packed with talent. Arts in Georgia is not super funded, so help art thrive and bring more joy and play into your life by checking out a show!
The city is getting more on the map too. Last year, I had the opportunity to perform with 19 other performers for a character showcase in front of casting agents for a well known sketch show. It is inspiring to see such skilled individuals, and even more exciting to see them get recognized due to leaders who keep advocating for our city!
Want to get a taste of the Atlanta improv scene? A colleague started @atl_improv on Instagram to share all of the exciting work happening at all the venues!
Come say hi at the next Road Trip! Follow @roadtripimprov for cast and show details! If you want to take a class, you can follow me @madsimprov or visit my website below! No matter where you go to learn or watch improv, I promise you’ll be inspired and changed for the better!
Pricing:
- Road Trip is currently $12 a show and features some amazing (sometimes famous) storytellers and improvisers – check out @roadtripimprov for location + cast updates!
- My classes are $250 for 8 weeks at Bibliotech on McLendon – visit my website for more info!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.madsjoy.me/
- Instagram: @madsimprov + @roadtripimprov
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@madevans77
Image Credits
Sketchety.Shots (all except for the puppet photo which was a friend and purple shirt)
Ames Doyle (purple shirt photo)
