I’m Michael Bradt for The Bit Theater. I’m somewhat blown away that I’m up to 150 of these improv tips. It’s gotten somewhat difficult to sustain due to the fact that I’ve been unable to improvise, rehearse, or teach over these past few months. So, I’m going to call this the end of the first season and take a bit of a break. I’m not sure yet how long of a break or what the next season will look like, but I’d love to hear your input on that, so please email me with your questions or thoughts at michael@bitimprov.com. In the meantime, I have a couple of plugs. If you’d like to hear me mostly hee ..read more

I’m Michael Bradt for The Bit Theater. When you’re putting an improv team together, it may be tempting to simply cast the people you like best or are friendliest with. That’s not always the best strategy for forming an improv team. Yes, chemistry is important, but don’t let the love of your friends cloud your judgment as to what makes a good improv team. Set up a system for how you’re going to audition new members to your team, stick to it, and don’t play favorites. Just like friends aren’t always the best roommates, they’re not always the best improv teammates. That’s your improv tip for the ..read more

I’m Michael Bradt for The Bit Theater. The world is an absolutely wild place, and unbelievable stories happen every day in real life. So don’t be afraid of occasionally using outlandish plot lines onstage. People do find out that they have long-lost siblings. One twin sometimes is evil. People are in comas for twenty years. Maybe don’t make those stories the first tools you pull out of your box, but don’t let fear that it’s too unbelievable prevent you from ever using those tools. That’s your improv tip for the day. Stay safe, stay healthy, love each other, and I will see you next time ..read more

I’m Michael Bradt for The Bit Theater. Early on in your improv career, you may be told that you should never argue onstage. If the alternative is that you’re always arguing onstage, that’s not a bad rule of thumb. However, arguments happen in real life, so they should inevitably happen onstage. Just be careful that you’re not defaulting to arguments or that the arguments you have aren’t going on forever. If you find yourself stuck in those situations, agree with the other side and end the argument. That’s your improv tip for the day. Stay safe, stay healthy, love each other, and I will see you ..read more

I’m Michael Bradt for The Bit Theater. I'm the first to admit that I don't love warming up. Some improvisers do insist that they need to warm up to get into the mindset of improvising. Others are like me and could take it or leave it. However, one thing that I do find useful is to physically warm up my mouth. Tongue twisters, mouth and check stretches, and buzzing my lips help me with my annunciation and help me avoid getting a case of mushmouth onstage. That’s your improv tip for the day. Stay safe, stay healthy, love each other, and I will see you next time ..read more

I’m Michael Bradt for The Bit Theater. In some circles, there is a bit of a rivalry between short-form improvisers and long-form improvisers. There shouldn’t be. Both short- and long-form improv can be brilliant, both can be terrible, and both can be anywhere in between. The best improvisers I know—and the ones who are the most fun to play with—excel at both short- and long-form improv. More importantly, they don’t pass judgment on anyone for not choosing to do their preferred form. Don’t shut out a particular form of improv, especially if you’ve never tried it. That’s your improv tip for the ..read more

I’m Michael Bradt for The Bit Theater. When you do improv, you’re necessarily going to end up spending quite a bit of time watching improv. When I’m in the audience, I try not to give suggestions, if possible, so as to avoid the appearance of cheating. However, you might have to give a suggestion every once in a while. When you’re in the audience, remember it's not your job to be funny. The improvisers onstage would much prefer a suggestion they've never heard before than hear the same jokey suggestions they always get. Do them a favor and give them a suggestion you’ve never heard before. That ..read more

I’m Michael Bradt for The Bit Theater. Find some characters you're comfortable with and confident playing that you can pull out at any time during a set. Not only will you have a safe space of characters you can use when you’re feeling lost or a set is spinning out of control, but also you can grow these characters over time. In addition, your teammates will learn to recognize these characters, and they'll know what they're getting when you break them out. That’s not cheating any more than it is when you act like yourself, which is really just a character. At least, I don’t think so. That’s yo ..read more

I’m Michael Bradt for The Bit Theater. There will be times in your improv career when you have to play a doctor, lawyer, scientist, or astronaut. Unless you are or have been in one of those professions, you probably aren't going to know what the heck you’re talking about. It doesn't matter. There are many ways you can still play the scene. One way is to go in with bold confidence and make up your own professional lingo and style. Remember, you're creating this world, so the way a certain job is done is entirely your creation. Another way is to play a bumbling, incompetent professional who has ..read more

I’m Michael Bradt for The Bit Theater. Remember when you’re playing a character that even though you’re showing only a moment of that character’s life, they existed prior to your scene, and they’ll exist after your scene. This means that they had a backstory before the scene started, and the actions they take in the scene will have consequences for them, even if we don’t see those consequences. If you keep in mind that the characters you create exist, you’ll have a much easier time remembering to give them a backstory and to make them believable, since their life has consequences. That’s your ..read more