Meet Michelle Weiss of Whatabout Theatre

Today we’d like to introduce you to Michelle Weiss.

Hi Michelle, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start, maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers. 
I did improv through high school at Community High in Ann Arbor, undergrad at the University of Michigan Residential College, and grad school at Emerson College. But I didn’t think of myself as an improviser until I moved back to Ann Arbor in 2015 and got cast in an improv team at the Ann Arbor Civic Theater. Through that, I learned of job opportunities at the soon-to-open Pointless Brewery & Theatre. I got the job, and then improv changed my life forever.

Eventually, I was cast in official house teams like This Is A Quiz and Forte Factory, the improvised musical. I also taught classes at the Pointless School of Improv, including teaching online once the building was closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, it was announced that Pointless would close permanently.

In Spring 2021, a group of inspired improvisers got together online and started brainstorming what we would want our new improv home to look like. From those first brainstorming sessions about “Theatre TBD” and through almost countless online meetings since 2021, we got the framework for what is now Whatabout Theatre.

While I’ve been involved with Whatabout Theatre since day one, it’s certainly not my organization – it belongs to the membership and the improv community as a whole. In particular, Whatabout Theatre wouldn’t exist without our initial incorporators and Board members (past and present), among many others: Eric Basil, Katherine Britt, Ashley Davis, Corene Ford, Jayla Gaskins, Debra Gerber, Judy Irvine, Daniel Jackson, Aaron Johnstone, Thomas Macias, Karen Malinak, Manish Mishra-Marzetti, Amy Phillips, Beth Simon, Patti Smith, Matt Townsend, Kate Whitaker, and Elissa Zimmer.

Since our first event in September 2022, we’ve gained dozens of members, held improv jams, put on improv shows, created our Revolving Stage program, had our first successful run, and launched improv classes. Whatabout Theatre is no longer “TBD”, it’s a reality.

I’m so proud to serve as President and Treasurer on the Board of Directors for Whatabout Theatre.

We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Relatively, yes. The pandemic has been very difficult, especially for those of us who do live theatre. It’s so good to be back having in person events again and seeing old and new faces. Right now, our biggest challenge is that we don’t have a permanent space to call our own. We rent space at other venues for our shows, jams, classes, rehearsals, etc. It can be challenging to find available spaces that meet our criteria. However, the relationships we’ve made with the organizations we work with have been incredibly rewarding and we’re very glad to be able to show support and bring people into these awesome venues, like Dreamland Theater, the Ypsilanti Performance Space, and Riverside Arts Center.

Going along with that is the infrastructure challenge. Every space is different, and figuring out how to adapt our events to different locations is an interesting puzzle. Thankfully, Spectrum Staging, LLC has been an amazing tech partner, ensuring our performers are well-lit!

As we grow and learn more, we are frequently having to improve our technology to meet the needs of our members and customers. Right now, we’re implementing a new ticketing platform that will make it easier to sell tickets in person, check people in, and ensure that everyone has a smooth experience at our events.

Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Whatabout Theatre is a nonprofit theatre and arts organization dedicated to producing quality improvisational theatre performances, classes, workshops, and more.

Our mission is to lay the physical and digital foundation for a performing arts community that provides quality entertainment, excellent education, and a creative environment. We work to lift up the voices and experiences of underrepresented communities, including but not limited to BIPOC, Women, Genderqueer people, LGBTQIA+, people with disabilities, and/or economically disadvantaged individuals of all ages.

Whatabout Theatre is all about creating a safe, inclusive environment where people can come and play together. We specialize in relationship-based long-form improv. If you’re familiar with Whose Line Is It Anyway?, that’s what we call “short form.” Long-form improv is more like a one-act play that is created live on the spot. We work on relationship-based improv to foreground the connections between people in our performances.

Our Revolving Stage program is an opportunity for local improvisers/directors/actors to create new works in a longer-than-usual format. Most long-form improv shows have improv teams that perform for 20-30 minutes at a time. By giving a team 45-60 minutes, we open up possibilities for show types, narratives, genres, etc. Our first Revolving Stage production, which ran in 2023, was It’s A Scream! An Improvised Horror Show. This production had multiple sold-out shows, and the cast of It’s A Scream! have continued performing together across SE Michigan even though their run has ended.

Our current Revolving Stage production is Adventure’s Call: An Improvised Hero’s Journey. This show premiered on February 10 and runs on select nights through May 11. It’s a grand adventure that follows the familiar Hero’s Journey structure in a fun, thrilling, comedic way. The next performance will be held at the Ypsilanti Performance Space on Saturday, March 9 at 8pm, preceded by a free improv jam at 6pm.

If you or someone you know is interested in trying improv, they can come to one of our free improv jams or sign up for classes. Our current class term is underway, but registration will open soon for our next term, which begins in April.

The best way to support us is to show up and become a member! Membership provides discounts on tickets and registrations, access to special members-only events, an annual members-only pin, and it also gives the opportunity to vote at our Annual Meeting and potentially serve on the Board of Directors! We’re always looking for more volunteers who want to get involved in Whatabout Theatre’s efforts.

What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
I grew up in Ann Arbor, so it will always have a special place in my heart. I like how it has both the small-town community and the city amenities. I wish game day traffic wasn’t so bad, though!

I love the energy of Ypsilanti. It’s a beautiful, historic town, and it really embraces the weird, eccentric, and esoteric. There’s a sense of being able to just go for it and when you do, the community will be there to support you. It’s a lot like improv.

Pricing:

• Annual Membership: $60
• Monthly Membership: $5
• Show Tickets: $15 (20% off for members!)
• Jams: Free – suggested donation of $5
• Class Registration: $225 (join the waitlist to be the first to learn when registration opens and get the Early Bird discount!)

Contact Info:

• Website: https://whatabouttheatre.org
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whatabouttheatre/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100077003783390
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/whatabout-theatre/

Image Credits
Moni Valentini
Corene Ford
Jayla Gaskins
Michelle Weiss
Ashley Davis
Daniel Jackson