3 Nights of Comedy with Michael Glatzmaier

Maybe you want to go out for a night of standup comedy or improv in the style of Whose Line Is It Anyway? Or perhaps you’ve always thought taking an improv class would be fun. Sure, you can do all this in Waco, but it’s likely to be spread across the calendar at multiple venues.

That’s not the case this week, however, as Michael Glatzmaier brings all three comedy experiences to Bare Arms Brewing from Thursday, November 18, through Saturday, November 20.

The “I Make Stuff Up” Comedy Tour

Glatzmaier’s “I Make Stuff Up” show is built around improvising songs on the spot, based on audience suggestions … and the more offbeat the better. Always wanted to hear a song about twerking for Jesus? He’s done it. He can do country, rap, and even yodeling, and other popular songs he’s created on the fly include “Chris Pratt Is My Man Crush” and “Pokemon Go! Server Crash.”

Despite the “live without a net” aspect of his shows — who knows what topics the audience will want him to sing about next? — Glatzmaier emphasizes that it’s all about having fun and bringing people together, never about making fun of anyone. At the same time, he says, it’s definitely adult-oriented humor.

On Thursday, Glatzmaier is joined by Mike Hudak, a Texas-based comic originally from Boston, for a night of standup. Hudak, a former professional wrestler, switched to comedy after stints in the ring and behind the scenes for Paragon Pro Wrestling in Las Vegas.

On Friday night, Glatzmaier and Jake Sanders are the instructors for “Improvised Drinking,” an improv class. Participants will learn improv basics as well as how to use “Yes, and” — as opposed to “No, but” — to improve listening and communication skills. And on Saturday, Glatzmaier and other professional comics from Texas and the West Coast team up for a night of group improv, again based on audience suggestions.

Michael Glatzmaier’s Road to Waco

Glatzmaier grew up in the Pacific Northwest, where his dad taught him to play guitar when he was eight. Never a fan of learning other people’s songs, he quickly started making up his own, based on people walking by his family’s home. By age 11, he was busking on the streets of Spokane, Washington.

This turned into a career as a touring comic, which ground to a halt during the pandemic. (In fact, Glatzmaier was in China using improv to teach English when the COVID outbreak began.) He returned to the road six months ago, frequently performing at wineries and craft beer breweries.

That led to his first performance at Bare Arms Brewing last July, and Glatzmaier was such a hit, co-owner Jill King was happy for him to return. She described him as “fun, warm, and just endearing” and his show as “good clean comedy that lets you laugh the night away.” King added, “When he said he was coming back to Texas, it was a given that we would have him back.”

Glatzmaier is also making a documentary of the “I Make Stuff Up” tour for a future comedy special. Beyond a record of his performances, it will show him learning to do new things, such as brewing beer, at his various stops around the country.

MGTeams

Glatzmaier is adamant that the benefits of developing improv abilities extend far beyond a career in comedy. Whether you want to deal with a fear of public speaking, improve your listening skills, or learn to think faster on your feet, he says improv can help. To that end, he founded MGTeams, which teaches customized workshops in corporate, education, and nonprofit settings.

He’s particularly drawn to teaching improv to public school students — Glatzmaier was in special education classes as a kid — because “performing can help us out as people.”

Enjoy standup comedy on Thursday, November 18, an improv class on Friday, November 19, and group improv on Saturday, November 20. Shows start at 7 pm each night at Bare Arms Brewing, and tickets range from $10 – $20.

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