Improv Tips

Introducing Season Two!

Hello, everyone! Michael here. After a long and needed hiatus, I am back. I was recently listening back to season one of Improv Tips, and I thought to myself, “Oh, boy. Y

Hiatus

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’v

Teammates

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. Th

Stranger Things

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 u

Agree to Disagree

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 argui

Warm Ups

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 o

The Long and Short of It

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 sho

Giving Suggestions

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 tr

Go-To Characters

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 yo

Fake it 'Til You Make It

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 b

Characters Exist

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

The Joker

I’m Michael Bradt for The Bit Theater. There's one in every class. The person who finds their way to improv because they've always been told that they're so funny. And th

Planting Plants

I’m Michael Bradt for The Bit Theater. One of the most precious commodities your audience gives you is their trust that you’re making everything up. I feel like I shouldn

Think Before You Speak

I’m Michael Bradt for The Bit Theater. Five seconds of silence onstage can feel like a lifetime. But a mistake that is easy to make is to feel obligated to immediately re

Use "We" and "Our"

I’m Michael Bradt for The Bit Theater. One of the things I love most about improv is how collaborative an art form it is. It’s worth remembering that when you’re talking

Being On

I’m Michael Bradt for The Bit Theater. Once you get comfortable identifying as an improviser, it can be tempting to be “on” one hundred percent of the time, both onstage

Watching Improv

I’m Michael Bradt for The Bit Theater. It's always a good idea to watch other people improvising. It's a great way to learn new techniques, forms, and skills. But don't a

Delayed Reaction

I’m Michael Bradt for The Bit Theater. Don’t feel obligated to pay off an audience’s suggestion within the first thirty seconds of your set. There are few things more sat

Team Names

I’m Michael Bradt for The Bit Theater. Stop wasting time agonizing over your improv team’s name. That’s your improv tip for the day. Stay safe, stay healthy, love each ot

Safe Space

I’m Michael Bradt for The Bit Theater. Just as it's important to know your weaknesses as an improviser, it’s equally important to know your strengths. Know what you’re gr