Chicago Improv Festival Showcases More Than 765 Improvisers from Eight Countries at 20 Venues, April 1-7
The largest international improv festival in the world, the 16th annual Chicago Improv Festival,April 1-7, 2013, celebrates the art of improv, showcasing more than 150 acts consisting of 765 improvisers from eight countries with live performances at 20 venues located throughout the city. Highlights of this year’s festival will include must-see shows by Scott Adsit, Kay Cannon and John Lutz of NBC’s 30 Rock; Lucas Neff of FOX’s Raising Hope; Craig Cackowski of NBC’s Community and Rob Belushi of Spike TV’s The Joe Schmo Show.
“This year, Chicago Improv Festival shattered last year’s record number of entries with 267 submissions. I can’t stress enough that this will be our biggest festival ever, with the most groups, locations, shows and events–it’s going to be a crazy, ridiculously fun week,” says Chicago Improv Festival Artistic Director Kevin Mullaney, formerly the Artistic Director at Upright Citizens Brigade/Del Close Marathon in New York who has also taught at iO Chicago.
What’sNew?
A new festival format will make it easier for fans to indulge in more of their favorite forms of improv. This year’s festival will highlight 9 different artistic categories of improv, including: Alternative, Emerging Artists, Experimental, Genre, Long Form, Music,Puppetry, Short Form and Improv on Screen, plus other special events. Furthermore, each venue will be largely dedicated to one artistic form of improv.
“By putting similar styled shows in the same venue, it will be much easier for our audience to choose what they’d like to see or explore. Instead of having over 150 choices, they only have to choose whichever of the nine categories that appeals to them. Also, by giving most of the acts two shows, one on Friday and one on Saturday, the audience doesn’t have to choose between two great shows playing at the same time, they can go see one on one night and then go see the other on the other night. Now fans can choose their own improv adventure,” explains Chicago Improv Festival Executive Producer Jonathan Pitts.
“The new changes to the Chicago Improv Festival are the perfect reflection of the mission of Chicago Improv Productions: to celebrate improvisation in all of its forms and expressions. We take great pride in bringing Chicagoans for the 16thconsecutive year, the biggest international improv festival in the world,” says Chicago Improv Festival Producer Aren Zolninger.
16th Annual Chicago Improv Festival Lineup
Monday, April 1
Opening Night Show
TIM: A Night of Timprovisation and TNT(Chicago); 8 p.m.
Category: Alternative
Annoyance Theater
4830 N. Broadway St., Chicago, IL 60640; (773) 561-4664
Tickets: $10 at the Annoyance Theater box office or at annoyanceproductions.com
Tuesday, April 2
Festival Showcase
LGBT Showcase (Chicago); 8 p.m.
The Playground Theater
3209 N. Halsted St., Chicago, IL 60657;(773) 871-3793
Tickets: $10 at The Playground Theater box office or online at the-playground.com
Chicago Improv Festival and Midwest Independent Film Festival Present Comedic Short Film Collaboration; 6 p.m.
Category: Improv On Screen
Landmark’s Century Centre Cinema
2828 North Clark St. Chicago, IL 60657
Ticket: $10 general admission, $15 for reserved seating at midwestfilm.com
Featured Show
Virgin Daiquiri (Chicago) & Lucas Neff of FOX”s Raising Hope and Craig Cackowski (L.A.); 8 p.m.
Category: Long Form
Second City e.t.c.
1616 N. Wells St., Chicago, IL 60614;(312) 337-3992
Tickets: $20 at The Second City box office or online at secondcity.com
Wednesday, April 3
Festival Showcase
Diversity Showcase (Chicago); 8 p.m.
Chemically Imbalanced Comedy (CIC)
1422 W. Irving Park Rd., Chicago, IL 60613; (773) 865-7731
Tickets: $10 at CIC box office or online at cicomedy.com
Special Event
One World On One Stage (International); 7 p.m.
3 Peat (Chicago), Fanny (Chicago) & The Boys (Chicago); 10 p.m.
The Playground Theater
3209 N. Halsted St., Chicago, IL 60657; (773) 871-3793
Tickets: $10 per show at The Playground Theater box office or online at the-playground.com
Featured Show
Cook County Social Club (Chicago) & Scott Adsit of NBC’s 30 Rock and Jet Eveleth (NYC and L.A.); 8 p.m.
Category: Long Form
The Second City e.t.c.
1616 N. Wells St., Chicago, IL 60614; (312)337-3992
Tickets: $20 at The Second City e.t.c. box office or online at secondcity.com
Chicago Improv Festival Short Films;7:30 p.m.
Category: Improv on Screen
WILDCARD (Chicago) & Mullaney Chain and Craig Cackowski (Chicago); 9:30 p.m.
Category: Long Form
Strawdog Theatre Company – Hugen Hall
3829 N Broadway St., Chicago, IL 60613; (773) 528-9696
Tickets: $5 for 7:30 p.m. show and $10 for 9:30 p.m. show at Strawdog Theatre door or online atchicagoimprovfestival.org
Thursday, April 4
Featured Show
Messing with a Friend with Scott Adsit of NBC’s 30 Rock (Chicago); 10 p.m.
Category: Alternative
Annoyance Theater
4830 N. Broadway St., Chicago, IL 60640; (773) 561-4664
Tickets: $15 at the Annoyance Theater box office or at annoyanceproductions.com
Wussball (Chicago), The Crocodile Players (Chicago) & Cool Jacket (Chicago); 7:30 p.m.
Shrink Ray’d (Chicago), CICERO (Chicago) & Jack and the Wolf (Chicago); 9:30 p.m.
Category: Emerging Artists
Athenaeum Theatre – Studio 1
2936 N. Southport Ave., Chicago, IL 60657; (773) 935-6875
Tickets: $10 per show at the Athenaeum Theatre box office or at athenaeumtheatre.org
It’s a Party (Chicago), LIAM (Chicago) & Sophomore Album (Chicago); 7 p.m.
Meat Market (Chicago), Raygun Reagan (Chicago) & Houndstooth and Frank Frank (Chicago); 9 p.m.
Category: Emerging Artists
Athenaeum Theatre – Studio 2
2936 N. Southport Ave., Chicago, IL 60657; (773) 935-6875
Tickets: $10 per show at the Athenaeum Theatre box office or at athenaeumtheatre.org
Featured Show
Damaged Goods (Louisville), Laugh Out Loud House Team (Schaumburg) & Barinholtz and Belushi (L.A.); 8 p.m.
Mission Improvable (Chicago) & Barinholtz and Belushi (L.A.); 10 p.m.
The Comedy Bar
157 W. Ontario St., Chicago, IL 60654; (773) 387-8412
Tickets: $15 per show at the The Comedy Bar box office or at comedybarchicago.com
Portion Control (Chicago), The Tokens (Chicago) & DAAAANG Judy Dench (Chicago); 8 p.m.
Ferret (Chicago), Taco Tuesday (Chicago) & Thora Birch (Chicago); 10 p.m.
Category: Emerging Artists
The Playground Theater
3209 N. Halsted St., Chicago, IL 60657; (773) 871-3793
Tickets: $10 per show at The Playground Theater box office or at the-playground.com
The Theatre of Viola Spolin and Paul Sills–a lecture by Carol Bleackley Sills sponsored by: The Northwestern University Library, The Alice Kaplan Institute for the Humanities and Chicago Improv Festival; 7 p.m.
Northwestern University–€œEvanston Campus (location TBD)
Tickets: admission is free
Friday, April 5
See You Thursday (Columbus), Soulmates (L.A.) & Babelfish-Distillery (Kansas); 10 p.m.
Holy F&%k Comedy Hour (Chicago); midnight
Category: Alternative
Annoyance Theater
4830 N. Broadway St., Chicago, IL 60640; (773) 561-4664
Tickets: $15 for 10 p.m. show and free midnight show at Annoyance Theater box office or atannoyanceproductions.com
Dotterbolaget (Stockholm, Sweden) & Chairs (Chicago); 7 p.m.
1 Deep (NYC), Just Ben (NYC) & Andy Eninger (Chicago); 8:30 p.m.
Third Curd (Denver) & The Forest (Chicago); 10 p.m.
Category: Experimental
Athenaeum Theatre – Studio 1
2936 N. Southport Ave., Chicago, IL 60657; (773) 935-6875
Tickets: $15 per show at the Athenaeum Theatre or at athenaeumtheatre.org
Upstate (NYC) & Well Known Strangers (Pittsburgh); 7 p.m.
Manick (Dallas) & Balmy (L.A.); 8:30 p.m.
Jr. Varsity (NYC), Minneapples (Minneapolis) & Wicked City (NYC); 10 p.m.
Category: Long Form
Athenaeum Theatre – Studio 2
2936 N. Southport Ave., Chicago, IL 60657; (773) 935-6875
Tickets: $15 per show at the Athenaeum Theatre box office or at athenaeumtheatre.org
Pedestrian (Chicago), Samantha Gold (Chicago) & Truth Serum (Chicago); 6 p.m.
Kent Spent The Rent (Chicago), Clown Car to Sicily (Chicago) & McGarnakle (Chicago); 8 p.m.
Visibly Tight (Chicago), The Laser Improv Show (Chicago) & Yes Diggity and Blood Oath (Chicago) 10 p.m.
Category: Open Stage
Bughouse Theater
2054 W. Irving Park Rd., Chicago, IL60618
Tickets: $5 per show at the door of Bughouse Theater
Noah Ginex Puppet Company (Chicago),Brouhaha (Chicago) & The Josh & Tamara Show (NYC); 10:30 p.m.
Category: Puppetry & Improv
Chemically Imbalanced Comedy (CIC)
1422 W. Irving Park Rd., Chicago, IL60613; (773) 865-7731
Tickets: $15 at CIC box office or online at cicomedy.com
Featured Show
Damaged Goods (Louisville) & Barinholtz and Belushi (L.A.); midnight
Comedy Bar
157 W. Ontario St., Chicago, IL 60654; (773) 387-8412
Tickets: $15 at the The Comedy Bar or at comedybarchicago.com
Hitch Cocktails (Chicago) & Ballpark Theater (Oklahoma City); 7 p.m.
Mannerhouse Manor (L.A) & Improvised Phillip K. Dick (NYC); 8:30 p.m.
Category: Genre
Gorilla Tango Theatre
1919 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago, IL 60647; (773) 598-4549
Tickets: $15 per show at Gorilla Tango Theatre box office or at gorillatango.com
Nat Turner Review (NYC), Russian Clowns (Russia/Chicago) & Laugh Out Loud House Team (Schaumburg); 7:30 p.m.
Nat Turner Review (NYC), Russian Clowns (Russia/Chicago), Laugh Out Loud House Team (Schaumburg); 9:30 p.m.
Category: Short Form
Laugh Out Loud Theater
601 N. Martingale Rd., Streets of Woodfield, Ste. 171, Schaumburg, IL 60173; (847) 240-0386
Tickets: $15 per show at the Laugh Out Loud Theater box office or at laughoutloudtheater.com
Ashland (Chicago) & Vox Pop (D.C.& NYC); 7 p.m.
Stacked (Chicago) & Wünderstudies (Pittsburgh); 9 p.m.
Improvised Sondheim (Chicago) & Aquarius (NYC); 11 p.m.
Category: Musical
pH Comedy Theater
1515 W. Berwyn Ave., Chicago, IL 60640; (773) 961-8214
Tickets: $15 per show at pH ComedyTheater box office or online at whatisph.com
Kyle and Drew (Dallas), SCORESBY (NYC) & JoKyR and Jesster (Salt Lake City); 7 p.m.
Nice Astronaut (Austin) & Umlautilde (Phoenix); 9 p.m.
Mendoza (NYC) & Horses (NYC); 10:30p.m.
Machine A (New Orleans), Crab Hands (Minneapolis) & Galapagos (Phoenix); midnight
Category: Long Form
The Playground Theater
3209 N. Halsted St., Chicago, IL 60657; (773) 871-3793
Tickets: $15 per show at The Playground Theater box office or online at the-playground.com
Meowsers (St. Louis) & Dummy (Chicago); 7 p.m.
Bierdo (Philadelphia) & Children of a Lesser God (Chicago); 8:30 p.m.
Plain White She’s (Denver), Adrift (Philadelphia) & Potential Boyfriends (Chicago); 10 p.m.
Warren (NYC), Princess Cake (L.A.) & The Scramble (NYC); midnight
Category: Long Form
Second City Skybox
1616 N. Wells St., Chicago, IL 60614; (312) 337-3992
Tickets: $15 per show and $10 for midnight show at The Second City Skybox or online atsecondcity.com
Los Improviachis (Chicago), M4W (Minneapolis) & Selfish Green Men (Chicago); 7 p.m.
Jam Sandwich (Chicago), Graffiti On The Fourth Wall (Midlothian) & Pizza Party (Chicago); 8:30 p.m.
Gentlemen’s Falcon (Chicago), Gay Moon (L.A.) & Wolodarski (Chicago); 10 p.m.
Category: Open Stage
Upstairs Gallery
5219 N. Clark St., Chicago IL, 60640
Tickets: $5 suggested donation per show upon entry
Saturday, April 6
See You Thursday (Columbus), Soulmates (L.A.) & Babelfish-Distillery (Kansas);10 p.m.
Pancakes on Sunday (Chicago) & Wisesnatch (Chicago); midnight
Category: Alternative
Annoyance Theater
4830 N.Broadway St., Chicago, IL 60640; (773) 561-4664
Tickets: $15 for 10 p.m.show and $10 for midnight show at Annoyance Theatre box office or atannoyanceproductions.com
Chairs (Chicago) & Chicago Danztheatre Ensemble (Chicago); 7 p.m.
1Deep (NYC), Just Ben (NYC) & Liz Joynt Sandberg (Chicago); 8:30 p.m.
Third Curd (Denver) & Sheila’s Sister (Chicago); 10 p.m.
Category: Experimental
Athenaeum Theatre – Studio1
2936 N.Southport Ave., Chicago, IL 60657; (773) 935-6875
Tickets: $15 per show at the Athenaeum Theatre box office or at athenaeumtheatre.org
Upstate (NYC) & Well Known Strangers (Pittsburgh); 7 p.m.
Manick (Dallas) & Balmy (L.A.); 8:30 p.m.
Jr.Varsity (NYC), The Minneapples (Minneapolis) & Wicked City (NYC); 10 p.m.
Category: Long Form
AthenaeumTheatre – Studio 2
2936 N.Southport Ave., Chicago, IL 60657; (773) 935-6875
Tickets: $15 per show at the Athenaeum Theatre box office or at athenaeumtheatre.org
Crispin Gloves (Chicago), RLM (Chicago) & Shades of Brown (Austin); 6 p.m.
Classy D (Chicago), Mayhem SC (NYC) & Old Smuggler (Chicago); 8 p.m.
Inkprov (Chicago), RuBin (NYC) & Monkey Island and Salsation Improv (Chicago); 10 p.m.
Category: Open Stage
Bughouse Theater
2054 W.Irving Park Rd., Chicago, IL 60618
Tickets: $5 per show at the door of Bughouse Theater
Sea Beast Puppet Company (Glen Ellyn), Noah Ginex Puppet Company (Chicago) & The Josh and Tamara Show (NYC); 10:30 p.m.
Category: Puppetry & Improv
Chemically Imbalanced Comedy
1422 W.Irving Park Rd., Chicago, IL 60613; (773) 865-7731
Tickets: $15 at CIC box office or online at cicomedy.com
FeaturedShow
Beatbox (Chicago) & Barinholtz and Belushi (Chicago/L.A.); midnight
The Comedy Bar
157 W.Ontario St., Chicago, IL 60654; (773) 387-8412
Tickets: $15 at the The Comedy Bar or at comedybarchicago.com
Lonesome (Chicago) & Ballpark Theater (Oklahoma City); 7 p.m.
Mannerhouse Manor (L.A.) & Improvised Philip K. Dick (NYC); 8:30 p.m.
Category: Genre
Gorilla Tango Theatre
1919 N.Milwaukee Ave., Chicago, IL 60647; (773) 598-4549
Tickets: $15 per show at Gorilla Tango box office or online at gorillatango.com
Moonsharks (Chicago), The IMPers (Edgartown) & Laugh Out Loud House Team (Schaumburg); 7:30 p.m.
Moonsharks (Chicago), The IMPers (Edgartown) & Laugh Out Loud House Team (Schaumburg); 9:30 p.m.
Category: Short Form
Laugh Out Loud Theater
601 N. Martingale Rd.,Streets of Woodfield, Suite 171, Schaumburg, IL 60173; (847) 240-0386
Tickets: $15 per show at the Laugh Out Loud Theater or at laughoutloudtheater.com
Kate and Mike (Chicago) & Vox Pop (D.C. & NYC); 7 p.m.
pHamily (Chicago) & The Wünderstudies (Pittsburgh); 9 p.m.
Mansical (Chicago) & Aquarius (NYC); 11 p.m.
Category: Musical
pH Comedy Theater
1515 W. Berwyn Ave., Chicago, IL 60640; (773) 961-8214
Tickets: $15 per show at pH Comedy Theater box office or online at whatisph.com
Kyle and Drew (Dallas), Hugs and Pullups (Chicago) & JoKyR and Jesster (Salt Lake City); 7 p.m.
Nice Astronaut (Austin) & Umlautilde (Phoenix); 9 p.m.
Mendoza (NYC) & Horses (NYC); 10:30 p.m.
Machine A (New Orleans), Crab Hands (Minneapolis) & Galapagos (Phoenix); midnight
Category: Long Form
The Playground
3209 N.Halsted St., Chicago, IL 60657; (773) 871-3793
Tickets: $15 per show and $10 for midnight show at The Playground Theater box office or online atthe-playground.com
Festival Showcase
ImprovKAndy (Zurich, Switzerland); 7 p.m.
Mischler & More (Amsterdam, Netherlands); 8
p.m.
The Improvements (Stockholm, Sweden); 9 p.m.
JadaJada (Tampere, Finland); 10 p.m.
Frei-Wild (Berlin, Germany); 11 p.m.
Category: Long Form
The Second City DeMaat
1616 N.Wells St., Chicago, IL 60614; (312) 337-3992
Tickets: $10-$12 per show at The Second City DeMaat or online at secondcity.com
Special Event
Lethal Action Force (Chicago) & The Katydids (Chicago); midnight
The Second City DeMaat
1616 N.Wells St., Chicago, IL 60614; (312) 337-3992
Tickets: $10 at The Second City DeMaat or online at secondcity.com
Meowsers (St. Louis) & JED (Chicago); 7 p.m.
Bierdo (Philadelphia) & Jimmy Jet Johnnie (Chicago); 8:30 p.m.
PlainWhite She’s (Denver), Adrift (Philadelphia) & Pimprov (Chicago); 10 p.m.
Warren (NYC), Princess Cake (L.A.) & The Scramble (NYC); midnight
Category: Long Form
The Second City Skybox
1616 N.Wells St., Chicago, IL 60614; (312) 337-3992
Tickets: $15 per show and$10 for midnight show; available at The Second City Skybox or at secondcity.com
Ginger Price (Chicago), The Class of ’94 (Minneapolis) & Flying High (Chicago); 7p.m.
Improvised Jane Austen (Chicago), We’re From Here (Toronto) & DMNK (Chicago); 8:30p.m.
Shere Khan (Chicago), The Mannequin Room (NYC) & Hunkz R Us (Chicago); 10 p.m.
Category: Open Stage
Upstairs Gallery
5219 N. Clark St., Chicago, IL 60640
Tickets: $5 suggested donation per show upon entry at Upstairs Gallery
Sunday April, 7
Special Event
Official 16th Annual Chicago Improv Festival Apprentice Team Showcase; 1 p.m.
Athenaeum Theatre – Studio 2
2936 N. Southport Ave.,Chicago IL, 60657; (773) 935-6875
Tickets: $10 at the Athenaeum Theatre box office or at athenaeumtheatre.org
Chicago Improv League; 7 p.m.
Category: Long Form
ComedySportz
929 W. Belmont Ave.,Chicago IL, 60657; (773) 549-8080
Tickets: $5 at ComedySportz box office or online at comedysportzchicago.com
Closing Night Featured Show
Improvised Shakespeare Company (Chicago) & NBC’s30 Rock Show featuring Scott Adsit,Kay Cannon and John Lutz; 8 p.m.
SecondCity UP!
1616 N. Wells St., Chicago, IL 60614; (312) 337-3992
Tickets: $25 at The Second City UP! or online at secondcity.com
For more information about the 16th Annual Chicago Improv Festival,please visitchicagoimprovfestival.org or call 773-875-6616.
About Chicago Improv Productions
Chicago Improv Productions is a 501 c3 non-profit Illinois arts organization offering year-round improv programs, including:Chicago Improv Festival; College Improv Tournament; Educational Outreach;Illinois High School Improv All-Stars; Teen Comedy Fest and other shows and special events in Chicago. Annually, Chicago Improv Productions presents or produces more than 235 improv acts and ensembles from all over the globe.