Improv Tips

I’m Michael Bradt for The Bit Theater. It’s great to have friends. You are a wonderful person who probably has many friends. You’re going to make more friends during your improv journey, and that’s great. But remember not to have only improv friends. One of the things that makes for a great improviser is to have a wide breadth of experiences and perspectives, and you’re not going to get that if you hang out with only one type of person. Also, get to know the improv friends that you do have. I know it’s tempting to always be doing bits with these hilarious people, but they have a lot more going on than simply “yes, and’ing” over a beer. That’s your improv tip for the day. If you have a rehearsal, class, audition, or show tonight, break a leg, and I will see you next time.

I’m Michael Bradt for The Bit Theater. You’re never too old to be an improviser. You’re not trying to be a professional athlete, here. There’s nothing limiting you from going out there and doing it starting today. The improvisers I know are some of the most accepting, friendly, welcoming people in my life, and I bet you’ll be pleasantly surprised how accepting your classmates and teachers are. I’ve been on stage with all ages, and improv is all about variety, so get out there no matter how old you are (or how old you feel you are) and add your voice to the craft. That’s your improv tip for the day. If you have a rehearsal, class, audition, or show tonight, break a leg, and I will see you next time.

I’m Michael Bradt for The Bit Theater. It’s so important that you know what you want to get from improv. Some people want fame, some want to make a living from it, some want to develop social and career skills, and some just want a fun hobby. All of those things are okay to want. But take a moment today to define what you want your improv career to be, and to set a goal for your improv career. Then set reasonable expectations for reaching that goal. Go so far as to write this down somewhere so you can pull it out every once in a while and remind yourself. Believe me. It will help you avoid the potential frustrations than can come with doing improv. That’s your improv tip for the day. If you have a rehearsal, class, audition, or show tonight, break a leg, and I will see you next time.

I’m Michael Bradt for The Bit Theater. You don’t have to be polite or sneaky in improv. If a character asks if you stole that money and you did, your human instinct is probably to deny it. In improv, it moves the scene along a lot more quickly if you’re brutally honest. “Yes, I stole the money, and I’m using it to start a thieves’ guild.” The more clear you are in a scene, the more helpful you’re being to your scene partner, and brutal honesty is about as clear as communication comes. It’s also an awful lot of fun to be unapologetically honest. Try it! That’s your improv tip for the day. If you have a rehearsal, class, audition, or show tonight, break a leg, and I will see you next time.

I’m Michael Bradt for The Bit Theater. You are the all-powerful god of your improv world. You can create and destroy whatever your imagination can concoct, and so can your scene partner. Honor their choices as much as your own. Don’t fall back on the improv clichés of making it “all a dream” or waking up from a coma at the end of your scene. Give your world and your choices the permanence that they deserve, no matter how wacky that world and those choices have been. That’s your improv tip for the day. If you have a rehearsal, class, audition, or show tonight, break a leg, and I will see you next time.

I’m Michael Bradt for The Bit Theater. There aren’t many bad choices in improv, but there’s one that’s universally bad, and that’s the choice to not make a choice. Only by making choices do you, your scene partner, and the audience learn more about these characters and this world that you’re creating before their very eyes. Don’t let yourself off the hook by not making choices. That’s your improv tip for the day. If you have a rehearsal, class, audition, or show tonight, break a leg, and I will see you next time.

I’m Michael Bradt for The Bit Theater. Remember that you are not the character that you’re playing on stage. Just because you might be playing a villain and saying mean things up there, the audience understands that’s not you. You’re not saying those things to your scene partner, you’re saying them to their character. Don’t hesitate to say things that you, the person are too polite to say. Your character might need to say them, and you’re doing that character a disservice if you don’t. That’s your improv tip for the day. If you have a rehearsal, class, audition, or show tonight, break a leg, and I will see you next time.

I’m Michael Bradt for The Bit Theater. You are enough. There is only one of you on this planet, and you are the only person who has ever lived that has your unique perspective, experiences, thoughts, and emotions. It’s impossible for you not to bring something new or unique to that scene you find yourself in today. Embrace that, and leave that stamp that only you can provide on that scene. That’s your improv tip for the day. If you have a rehearsal, class, audition, or show tonight, break a leg, and I will see you next time.

I’m Michael Bradt for The Bit Theater. It’s okay to be silly. Today, give yourself permission to be silly. Some of the happiest people I’ve ever met are the ones who aren’t afraid of looking dumb, and that goes double on stage. Do that silly voice you only do around your dog. Make up a silly name for your character. Tell a silly joke to a friend. That’s your improv tip for the day. If you have a rehearsal, class, audition, or show tonight, break a leg, and I will see you next time.

I’m Michael Bradt for The Bit Theater. Do you see what I just did there? I kept my mouth shut. Today, I want to encourage you to listen more than you speak. We humans have a tendency to spend a lot of our time thinking about the next thing we want to say instead of listening to what’s being said to us. Today, take your time, take a moment, and really and truly listen. That’s your improv tip for the day. If you have a rehearsal, class, audition, or show tonight, break a leg, and I will see you next time.