About Us
The Bit Theater: Where Community Meets Creativity
Located in the heart of Aurora, Illinois, The Bit Theater is more than just a venue—it's a space where artistry, connection, and community come to life. Known for its intimate setting and engaging performances, The Bit is the perfect spot for a memorable night out, whether you're a comedy fan, a theater enthusiast, or just looking for something unique to do.
How It All Began
The story of The Bit Theater is one of evolution and passion. Originally opened as The Comedy Shrine, the space had long been a hub for laughter and creativity. In 2021, it was reimagined as The Bit Theater by Michael and Kelsey Bradt, offering a fresh take on improv and live performance. In July 2024, the torch was passed to Patrick Stinson, a seasoned theater professional with a vision to expand the boundaries of what The Bit could be.
A Journey to The Bit
Patrick’s relationship with The Bit began as a student. With a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Musical Theater from Millikin University and decades of experience performing in plays, musicals, and improv across the country, Patrick’s interest in sketch comedy led him to enroll in a sketch writing class at The Bit. The class introduced him to the talented community of performers who made the theater feel like home—a “third place” away from work and home. Soon, Patrick was performing as an improviser, music director, and even in sketch shows.
Building a Vision
When the Bradt family decided to move closer to their own family, they approached Patrick, knowing his extensive experience running theaters such as the Paper Mill Theatre in Lincoln, NH, the Clinton Area Showboat in Clinton, IA, and Fox Valley Repertory at Pheasant Run in St. Charles, IL. For Patrick, the opportunity to lead The Bit was a dream come true.
His vision for The Bit was clear: to foster a space for a variety of performance art. While improv remains at the heart of the theater, The Bit now also hosts burlesque shows, straight plays, musicals, karaoke nights, drag performances, and more. Patrick’s goal is to make The Bit a cultural cornerstone in the community, offering something for everyone.
Why The Bit Is Special
What sets The Bit apart is its people. The performers are the lifeblood of the theater, creating a vibrant community that has turned Patrick’s “third place” into his second. The intimate setting ensures that audiences are close to the action—and when it comes to improv, they’re part of the action, too. It’s the perfect environment for a great date night or an unforgettable evening with friends.
At The Bit Theater, there’s no way to lose when it’s your turn to choose. Join us and experience the magic that happens when art, laughter, and community come together.
We are Committed to Inclusivity in Comedy
The Bit is committed to creating a welcoming and inclusive environment for all audience members, performers, and instructors. We believe that improv and sketch comedy are powerful tools for connecting people from all backgrounds and experiences, and we strive to provide a space where everyone feels safe and respected.
We are committed to:
- Diversity: We believe that the diversity of our performers, instructors, and audiences is essential to creating a vibrant and innovative improv and sketch comedy community. We are committed to actively recruiting and supporting performers, instructors, and audience members from all backgrounds, including people of color, LGBTQ+ people, people with disabilities, and people from different socioeconomic backgrounds.
- Equity: We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to participate in and enjoy improv and sketch comedy, regardless of their background or experience. We are committed to creating an equitable environment where everyone feels respected and valued.
- Inclusion: We believe that everyone should feel welcome and included in our community. We are committed to fostering a culture of respect and understanding, and we will not tolerate any form of discrimination or harassment.
We encourage all audience members, performers, and instructors to share their feedback with us on how we can continue to improve our inclusivity efforts. We are always learning and growing, and we are committed to creating a space where everyone feels safe, respected, and valued.
Specific actions we take to support our inclusivity statement:
- We offer diversity and inclusion training to all performers, instructors, and staff.
- We check in on our students’ safety prior to each workshop.
- We have a zero-tolerance policy for discrimination and harassment.
- We reserve at least one free spot in each one of our classes for students unable to afford the regular class fee. Contact us with any questions.
- We strive to reach out to under-represented populations to ensure that our stages reflect the diversity of our community.
- We make our theater accessible to people with disabilities.
- We provide trigger warnings for pre-programmed content that may be sensitive to some audience members.
- We welcome feedback from our community on how we can continue to improve our inclusivity efforts.
We are committed to creating a space where everyone can enjoy the art of improv and sketch comedy. Thank you for being a part of our community!
What is the difference between long-form improv, short-form improv, sketch comedy, and stand-up comedy?
At The Bit, we focus mainly on long-form improv and sketch comedy, though we also produce short-form and stand-up comedy. Here are the differences.
What is long-form improv comedy?
Long-form improv 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 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?)What is sketch comedy?
Sketch comedy shows consist of scripted scenes which are usually rehearsed, performed, and perfected. (Examples: Saturday Night Live, Key & Peele, The Kids in the Hall, Mad TV, Aunty Donna’s Big Ol’ House of Fun, I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson)What is stand-up comedy?
Stand-up comedy is probably the most familiar form of comedy to the majority of people. Usually, it is a scripted series of jokes performed by one comedian with a microphone. (Examples: What every comedian’s mom thinks they do, What Netflix spends money on)