Ms. Chris, as she is known to her students, has taught Isshinryu Karate since 1992.
Chris is currently an 8th degree Master in Isshinryu. She has taught at several OKC schools and has attended numerous teaching and instructional seminars through the National Association of Martial Artists, and is certified by the Cooper’s Institute. Chris co-owns Family Self Defense Center with her husband “Mr. Z” Szelap, an 8th degree Isshinryu Black Belt.
She invented the first ever Isshinryu History Board Game: “Vertical Punch”, which is used as a study tool for her students. In 1994 and 1999 the International Isshinryu Hall of Fame Board chose Ms. Chris as one of the top 5 Female Instructors, in 2003 she was voted the Top Contributor to Isshinryu Karate, and received the same Contribution honor again in 2009 this time paired with Mr. Z. In 2010 and 2018, Ms. Chris was honored as Top Female Instructor of the year, and was honored in the top five in this category in 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, and 2017. In 2014 Ms. Chris was nominated Top 5 internationally for Master Senseis and in 2017 and 2018 for Sensei of Senseis. In 2012, Ms. Chris became a charter member in the Midwest Women’s Martial Arts Hall of Fame for Excellence.
Chris currently teaches with her husband, and attends local and national tournaments with her students. She received a BA degree from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor in Child Psychology.
Ed, Mr. Z, Szelap has trained in the Martial Arts since 1977 and has taught since 1986.
Mr. Z currently holds the rank of 9th degree Grand Master Black Belt in Isshinryu and a 1st degree Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do. He has attended seminars by many noted Isshinryu Masters, and teaching seminars through the National Association of Professional Martial Artists. He has been certified by the nationally accredited Cooper’s Institute. Master Z was inducted into the prestigious Isshinryu Masters Hall of Fame in July of 2016. He is one of only 134 Masters selected from all over the world in the past 60 years to receive this honor.
In 1992 Ed started his own Isshinryu school, Family Self Defense Center, which he now co-owns with his wife Chris, a 8th degree Black Belt in Isshinryu.
In 1993, 1994 and 1997 Ed was chosen in the top five nationally for Male Instructors, receiving a #1 ranking in 2011. In 2012 and 2014, Ed was chosen the Top Master Sensei in the country. In 2002 Ed was chosen #1 for his “Isshinryu Spirit” by the Isshinryu Hall of Fame Board, and received top five honors in 2011 and 2015. Master Z was inducted into the prestigious Isshinryu Hall of Fame in 2016. His school, FSDC, was voted one of the top five Dojos in the country in 1999, 2002, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2015, and also received the Most Outstanding Dojo Award in 2011, and Most Supportive Dojo in the country in 2012. In 2009, he and his wife Chris were selected as the Top Contributors in the Nation to Isshinryu Karate.
Ed currently teaches with his wife, and attends local and national tournaments with his students.
As an Ivy League dropout and community college graduate from Pontiac, MI, Mike brings a pointed look at life, family, and relationships that few others can…or should. From his upbringing in a family with 17 children to discussing his life as a father, Mike’s comedy is jagged wit mixed with a smooth delivery. Mike has worked in some of the finest comedy venues in the country to work with mainstream comedians as Kevin Hart, Hannibal Burress, Jim Norton, Artie Lange, Rickey Smiley, and Natasha Leggero to name a few. Mike was featured on Hulu and Fox Television’s comedy showcase “Laughs” (Season 1) and the Detroit episode of “Kevin Hart Presents: Hart Of The City 2” on Comedy Central (Season 2).
Mike’s first full length comedy CD “The Charm Offensive” available on all digital platforms.
Described as “smart,” “original,” and “hilarious,” Kate Brindle is a unique breath of fresh air on the comedy scene.
Kate has performed her sarcastic (yet upbeat and spunky) style of comedy on the Canadian Broadcast Channel, Cox Cable, and Comcast Cable. She advanced in the California’s Funniest Female Contest, and was featured in the Oddball Comedy Festival and International Great Plains Comedy Festival. She’s also opened for Louie Anderson, Dave Attell, Bill Burr, Kevin Nealon, Kevin Pollak, and Sarah Silverman.
Originally from Dexter, Michigan (Population: 72), Kate moved to New York City to study acting at New York University. Since then, she’s been entertaining audiences at venues across the nation such as Mark Ridley’s Comedy Castle, Dr. Grins Comedy Club…and every bowling alley, basement, and dive in between.
An audience favorite, Kate brings to the stage her quick wit and impeccable timing. Whether she’s talking about her family or making quirky observations of everyday life, Kate continues to charm crowds with her witty and sassy brand of humor.
She is currently performing her stand-up act on stages across the United States and Canada. Catch this rising star while you can!
Daryl Bean has been involved in standup comedy since 2018 as a performer and show producer, as well as one of the most in-demand videographers in the MI comedy scene. Daryl is also one of the co-producers of the recently revived podcast Sitting Down with Standups. He’s performed at a number of different venues in MI and will be MCing at Mark Ridley’s Comedy Castle in Summer 2023.
Tom is a natural born comedian who prefers laughter to any
other drug. As a child, his quick wit and smart mouth got him in all
kinds of trouble. Now those very same skills help him pay the mortgage and keep his wife happy.
With 40 plus years of life experiences, Tom knows exactly what
not to say, however, he usually says it anyways. Audiences agree his style of
comedy is smart, relatable and extremely funny.
Tom connects with his audience through stories about his childhood, marriage and being a father of seven children, none of which look like him.
Over the years, Tom has shared the stage with many great
comedians, but his momma taught him to never kiss and tell.
Tom is a regular at The Old Country Buffett, The Golden Corral and any other venue that has an all you can eat buffet or a stage with a microphone. If you have a buffet and a microphone, good luck getting him to leave.
Steve Smargon is a Marine Corps veteran and winner of the National Clean Comedy Challenge. He is also a member of Wounded Warriors, and was featured in the bestselling, “200 Comedy Writers and Stand-ups Walk Into A Book.”
Connie’s act is unlike any you have seen before and it is unlikely you will ever see anything like it again. She combines deeply personal experiences with rapid fire comic delivery and will leave you saying, “Oh, no, she didn’t!” Her background as a lawyer, i.e., born arguer, drove her to analyze what has caused the rapidly rising number of the “intelligence challenged” folks that inhabit the planet, and the answer will throw you for a loop. Connie will leave you doubled over with laughter, or spewing wine out your nose, regarding the absurdities of our society, which threaten to eliminate the long-accepted teachings of Darwin from our very memories. Prepare to have your entire belief system shaken when Connie takes the stage. You won’t regret it. You’ll RELISH it.
Matt Conn has performed all over the country including the World Famous Hollywood Comedy Store and is a regular at Mark Ridley’s Comedy Castle where he was a finalist in the Detroit to L.A. competition. He’s been described as having a whimsical balance of witty observations combined with boyish charm. Matt’s clean and clever humor strikes a chord with audiences of all ages.
Jason Fuller started his comedy career just over 3 years ago, with a lifetime of adventures from being in the Army reserves to being a professional wrestler. Jason has performed all across the midwest and has been on Fox 2 Detroit in support of his comedy career. Jason has often hosted at Mark Ridley’s Comedy Castle in Royal Oak and will be opening for Ben Bailey this November.