This week on the 5D Pop Culture Podcast, we were delighted to be joined by Ross Bryant – actor, comedian, improviser, and a familiar figure to tabletop role-playing fans through The Glass Cannon Network and his latest venture, Push the Roll.
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Don’t miss this one!
Ross Bryant is an actor, writer, improviser, and comedian known for his work on Dropout TV, The Glass Cannon Network, Improvised Shakespeare Company, and Ain’t Slayed Nobody. Ross loves tabletop RPGs and storytelling, and he brings humour, creativity, and his quick-thinking style to every episode of his new podcast, “Push the Roll.”
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From his roots in improvisational theatre to becoming one of the most recognisable voices in actual-play podcasts, Ross shared insights into creativity, collaboration, and why even the darkest tales of cosmic horror benefit from a touch of humour.
From Improv Stages to the Gaming Table
Ross began in improvisational comedy, an experience that continues to shape his approach to role-playing. He explained how years of making it up on stage prepared him to embrace the unknown, where storytelling is less about rigid plans and more about responding to the energy of the moment.
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That said, he isn’t allergic to preparation either. Ross joked that the sweet spot lies somewhere between meticulous planning and showing up with “literally nothing” – though you get the sense he’d rather leave room for chaos than script every beat.
Glass Cannon and the Pandemic Pivot
Ross reflected on how the pandemic era shifted his creative path. With live performance spaces shuttered, online role-playing became a lifeline. His collaborations with The Glass Cannon Network not only flourished but also helped maintain a much-needed sense of community.
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He noted the joy of returning to in-person sessions, where the energy across the table adds a depth to performance you can’t quite capture on Zoom. After all, there’s only so much immersion you can manage when someone’s Wi-Fi freezes during a dramatic reveal.
Push the Roll – Improv Meets Horror
One of Ross’s most exciting current projects is Push the Roll, arriving this September. Co-produced with Ain’t Slayed Nobody and Rusty Quill, the podcast is an experiment in fully improvised Call of Cthulhu.
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Listeners provide a title, and from there Ross and his guests create characters and scenarios on the spot. No notes, no prep, no safety net – just pure improvisation. It’s part TTRPG, part performance art, and entirely in keeping with Ross’s ethos that great stories come from discovery in the moment.
Characters, Emotion… and Corgis
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Of course, things weren’t all doom and gloom. Ross shared his love of Welsh corgis, those stout little companions that could almost serve as Call of Cthulhu investigators themselves. (Picture it now: Detective Barkham, sniffing out clues before promptly demanding belly rubs.)
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And yes, we couldn’t resist a bit of gentle teasing about his somewhat modest presence on Instagram – a platform Ross admits he has embraced. He may be fluent in improvisation, but to some of us, the mysterious algorithms of social media remain another kind of horror entirely.
Time for Chaos – Emotion at the Table
Our conversation also delved more into Ross’s experiences on Time for Chaos, the epic Glass Cannon Call of Cthulhu campaign. He recalled how deeply invested both players and audiences became in the investigators’ struggles, and how the group wrestled with the inevitable heartbreak that comes with cosmic horror.
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Ross reflected on the fine line between character and performer, acknowledging that when characters suffer, players feel it too – often far more keenly than expected. For him, this emotional vulnerability is part of what makes actual-play storytelling so compelling: the laughter, the fear, and the very real grief when the dice or the mythos deliver their brutal judgement.
See the video of the interview
Looking Ahead
With Push the Roll soon to debut and plenty of Glass Cannon projects in progress, Ross shows no signs of slowing down. His blend of theatrical training, improvisational flair, and genuine passion for storytelling continue to make him one of the most engaging figures in the TTRPG space.
Push The Roll https://pushtheroll.com
Glass Cannon Network https://www.glasscannonnetwork.com
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