Politics are exhausting, but inevitable and important. People are exhausted, but continue to seek normalcy via social interactions. The Second City’s 110th mainstage show’s bifurcated title reflects those two realities: Do […]
Back in 2020, comedy icon Carol Burnett was scheduled to bring her one-woman show, “An Evening of Reflection and Laughter,” to the equally iconic Chicago Theatre. Then a global pandemic […]
In the midst of war and plague, a good dose of literate snark is required. Noted curmudgeon and raconteur Fran Lebowitz visited the Auditorium Theatre in Chicago, one of only […]
Life’s been a circus over the last two years, so we might as well lean into it. Welcome to the Chicago Circus & Performing Arts Festival, the Windy City’s newest multidisciplinary […]
Full disclosure: I listen to standup to help me sleep. During these dystopian times, when I’m frequently unable to catch some ZZZs, I’ll play a comedy special on the bedroom […]
Tons of festivals are starting to roll and and last week VERSA Festival shared one of the more unique and intriguing lineups so far. Taking place in Lincoln Park on […]
As kids growing up watching How the Grinch Stole Christmas, we were supposed to take comfort in the piety and altruism of the denizens of Whoville. It was a magical […]
Have you ever wondered–can dogs be showpeople? Are canines natural performers who adore the limelight and thrive on the roar of the crowd? Can they take direction? Do they understand […]
Tonight WTTW’s Chicago Stories premiers “Inventing Improv,” a one-hour special about “Chicago’s greatest export,” improvisation, and its visionary creator, Viola Spolin. Writer/producer Jude Leak chronicles the journey of Spolin, the […]
Way back when, when I was, I guess, a “cub” writer, I was unofficially assigned the “nerd beat.” This was in no small part due to the fact that my […]
Stage 773’s Chicago Nerd Comedy Festival is a staple in Chicago’s nerd/pop culture scene. In fact I’ve been covering it since its inception in one form or another. It’s always […]
Nostalgia is a hot commodity lately, likely due to the rather dismal present and threat of an even more dire future. Taking a look back at simpler times can be […]