Battle of the Bits I Winners!

Written By Michael Bradt

Since we opened The Bit, we’ve strived to spread improv joy to as many people as possible. One of the things we’ve been trying to do is involve the student communities around us. From that desire, the idea for the Battle of the Bits was birthed. We recruited six local high schools to participate in an improv competition.

The night was long, hectic, and warm, but amazingly fun! At my age, I’m an absolute dinosaur in the improv scene, so it’s always fun for me to see what the younger kids are doing. Every school was unique, and they all crushed their 15-minute sets in their own way.

More importantly, it was absolutely heartwarming to see the kids socializing with one another, helping one another, cheering for one another, and building a larger community together.

We’re proud to announce the winners below!

We learned a lot from the experience, and we promise that The Battle of the Bits will return in even better form!

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 attended classes and workshops at iO and Second City, and has trained under countless comedians in the Chicago area. 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 and teaching studio in the mid-2010s, Michael and his wife and scene partner Kelsey opened The Bit in 2021 with the intention of providing a welcoming, inclusive community where creative people can create. Since opening The Bit, he has taught hundreds of students and helped them along their improv journey.

https://bitimprov.com
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