Steve Wyeth is an improviser based in Madison, Wis. With Amanda Rogers, a fellow company member at Atlas Improv Co., he performs as the duo Crossed Wires. Wyeth and Rogers perform the “ABC Title” format, in which they devise a title for a movie that does not exist and then improvise that made-up movie on the spot. 2022 will mark Crossed Wires’ third Countdown Improv Festival appearance. In this spotlight interview, Wyeth discusses his favorite movie genre to perform, the sitcom he’d pitch if he had the chance, and why Grain Belt is the best Midwestern beer.
We’re so excited to have Crossed Wires back with us in Tampa this year! Tell us a little bit about what audiences can expect from your show at Countdown.
Steve Wyeth: A lot of physical humor and a good bit of silliness. We bring action, and we bring fun. You’re going to see two fun people having peak fun.
What’s your favorite type of movie genre to perform and why?
SW: I like horror, for a bunch of reasons; it allows me to have moments of earnest emotion, plenty of action, and a lot of physicality. Plus I’m drawn in my real life to ghosts and the supernatural.
We happen to believe that all improv duos have great bonding moments. Other than a love of improv, what’s something you and Amanda have bonded over? (For us, it’s bad food decisions and needing to use the bathroom at inconvenient times — which, now that we think about it, could be related.)
SW: I think for us, performing on this team together definitely accelerated our friendship. We have both had some of our funnest moments in stage. And we have done some of the dumbest s*it we have ever done.
Of all the places we tour, we go back to Wisconsin and Florida most often. You live in Wisconsin and you’ve now been to Florida at least twice that we know of. Aside from weather, what sets them apart from each other in your view?
SW: Man, the seafood in Florida, my god!
We’ve got a great Atlas contingent at Countdown this year! You’ll be rooming with Griffin Lowmaster. If you and Griffin had a sitcom, what would it be called?
SW: “My Two Sad, Sad Uncles.”
What’s the best Midwest beer and why is it Grain Belt?
SW: My mom used to make this homemade white bread, it was perfect on its own, with jam, honey, lunch meat, whatever. That’s Grain Belt! Just have one on its own, with pizza, steak, seafood, anything. It’s so refreshing and accessible. It’s great as a hipster-type of beer, but unlike PBR, it’s also just this unpretentious, blue-collar beer. It’s manna from heaven. My longest answer so far is this one, and that should tell you something!
Finally, who do you think will be inducted into the Countdown Improv Hall of Fame this year?
SW: Are you guys in the Hall yet? Obviously it should be you… or Obama?