WHO WE ARE
Crossroads Comedy Theater is a place to play, learn, and connect through comedy. With communities in Indianapolis and Philadelphia, we offer classes, shows, and creative experiences for people who are curious, a little nervous, looking to meet new people, express themselves creatively, or just looking for something fun and human to do for a couple hours a week. We get people off their phones and into a fun, positive, and supportive environment building valuable life skills while having a blast.
We believe comedy works best in an environment that is welcoming, supportive, and low-pressure. You do not need experience. You do not need to be “funny.” You do not need to be a performer. You just need a willingness to show up and try. Our goal is to create spaces where people feel comfortable taking creative risks, meeting new people, and enjoying the process as much as the laughs.
Founded in 2021 by Mike Marbach, Crossroads grew out of a desire to keep creating and collaborating when live performance went away during the pandemic. What began as a handful of shows and experiments became a roaming home for classes, productions, podcasts, and community programming. Today, Crossroads is building a vibrant community in Indianapolis, continues to grow in Philadelphia, and has even dipped its toes into Chicago and other cities through productions of Study Hall, all through comedy that puts connection first.
WHY WE DO IT
Crossroads Comedy Theater is a nonprofit organization dedicated to making comedy and arts education accessible, welcoming, and impactful. We create positive, supportive spaces where people can explore their creativity, build valuable life and work skills, and find a “third place” to learn, connect, and have fun. Through student aid, pay-what-you-can events, community partnerships, and other accessibility efforts, we work to lower barriers so that everyone can experience the power and joy of creative expression.
HOW WE GOT HERE
Crossroads Comedy Theater was founded in 2021 in Indianapolis by Mike Marbach with the original intention of offering classes and shows to the people of Philadelphia. Stay with me on this. At the time, Mike was new to Indianapolis, but had a whole network of people living in his hometown of Philly, so it was easier to get something started more quickly. Previously, Mike served as Education Director (2011-2017) and Artistic Director (2017-2020) at Philly Improv Theater where he also taught, directed, and performed.
After live entertainment stopped due to the pandemic in 2020, Mike found that many of the performers he most often worked with were interested in continuing to find ways to create and Mike obliged. They collaborated to find ways to move shows such as Study Hall: Comedy Inspired by Lectures and Not Yet Rated: An Improvised movie to the virtual world and put on dozens of online performances throughout 2020.
Each of these shows had their own websites, social media, email addresses, and ticketing systems not to mention a mini podcast network. So in 2021 everything was united under one roof in Indianapolis, Indiana – Crossroads Comedy Theater.
OUR STORY
Crossroads Comedy Theater was founded in 2021 by Mike Marbach of Philadelphia. Previously, Mike served as Education Director (2011-2017) and Artistic Director (2017-2020) at Philly Improv Theater where he also instructed, directed, and performed. After live, in-person entertainment was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic shutdowns, Mike found that many of the performers he most often worked with were interested in continuing to find ways to create and have fun. As a result, the cast of Study Hall: Comedy Inspired by Lectures tested the waters of virtual performances via Zoom. When successful runs of Study Hall gave Not Yet Rated: An Improvised Movie the thumbs up that no sharks were in the digital waters, this cast also dove into the online ocean. Did that metaphor work?
While lifeguarding all of that, Mike realized that the Wooder Cooler podcast network and each comedy show he oversaw had their own websites, social media, email addresses, and ticketing systems, and decided it was best to pull everything under one roof. That’s how Crossroads Comedy Theater was born. Well, not born so much as the appropriate forms were filled out, fees were paid, and the business entity was registered with the government.
Though Crossroads was originally formed in Indiana – it was Philly that was seeing all the action. Now fully residing in Indianapolis, Mike has stepped down from most of his Philly efforts to concentrate on helping to finally work to build up Crossroads in Indianapolis.
We recognize that although we have a great reputation in Philly, no one knows who the heck we are in Indy. For this reason we’ve partnered with Red Curb Comedy in Avon. Red Cub has been around for over five years and has entertained thousands at their awesome theater in Avon, Indiana. Crossroads and Red Curb will be working together to train the next generation of Indy performers and generally introduce more to the many benefits an improv or writing class can have both personally and professionally.