Fort Wayne Improv is a theater group established in 2024 to bring more comedy to Fort Wayne and the surrounding Indiana area.
What is Long-Form Improv Comedy?
Long-form improv comedy is a spontaneous artistic expression usually inspired by one audience suggestion at the beginning of the show. In long-form improv, the actors are free to explore the performance to find the interesting parts. It is completely made up on the spot. (Examples: Murderville, Middleditch and Schwartz)
What is Short-Form Improv Comedy?
Short-form improv comedy is very interactive and relies more heavily on audience participation than long-form. Generally performed as a series of games with rules that the performers follow, it is completely made up on the spot. (Examples: Whose Line Is It Anyway?)
Who Am I?
Michael Bradt has been entertaining folks since birth, but formally as an improviser, comedian, actor, and instructor in the Chicago and northern Indiana area since the late ‘90s. He has produced, directed, and performed in thousands of comedy shows. In his youth, he won a stand-up competition organized by Dave Odd Productions by having more friends than any of the other comedians, which was the greatest win of all. Once, he heckled David Spade on the floor of a Vegas casino until Spade escorted himself out. Michael earned a B.S. in biochemistry a LONG time ago. He taught high school biology, chemistry, and physics before going back to law school and earning his J.D. (also, a LONG time ago). While he moonlights as a comedian, his day job is real estate law. After his first foray into owning an improv theater in the mid-2010s, Michael and his wife and scene partner Kelsey opened The Bit Theater in Aurora, Illinois in 2021 with the intention of providing a welcoming, inclusive community where creative people can create. In 2024, Michael and Kelsey sold the theater and moved to Fort Wayne, Indiana in order to be closer to family. Michael’s passion for improv can’t be tamped down, so he sought out opportunities to help grow the improv community of Fort Wayne. He was shocked that fortwayneimprov.com was available, so he immediately got to work!
