Michael Bradt
Michael 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. During the course of his nearly quarter of a century in improv, Michael has produced countless shows and trained countless improvisers. 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!
Kelsey Bradt
Kelsey is a former grade school teacher and administrator who found her way to the improv stage because of her love of comedy. As a former owner and founder of The Bit Theater in Aurora, Illinois, she could be found behind the bar as much as she could be found on the stage. She was instrumental in organizing the kids’ improv program at The Bit. She has appeared in hundreds of shows and is the founder and exactly one half of M’Kay, a two-person improv troupe specializing in long-form monoscenes.