One of the funniest comedians of our time is returning to the Chicago Theatre. Wanda Sykes announced this morning that her Herlarious tour will touch down here on April 9th.
I need to impart a piece of important life-or-death information. Do not buy seats in the front row of the mezzanine. The advantages of having a straight-sight to the stage must be balanced with the risk of laughing so hard you accidentally propel yourself over the edge. This nearly happened to me at a previous Chicago Theatre Wanda Sykes show. I laughed so hard I had to hold onto the railing in front of me to prevent convulsing into the audience below. From the look of the shaking bodies around me, we were all in similar peril. I risked my life and I’d do it again.
Wanda Sykes is one of the best storytellers of our time. Her comedy is about heavy issues like racism and politics and lighter subjects like growing older (she is 51), her younger French wife and French speaking kids and the ensuing domestic dissonance. When she talks about her wife, she speaks in a smooth French femme fatale accent and mimes the stylish dangling of a cigarette, even though her wife doesn’t smoke. Enjoy your non-aching face on the way to the theater, because the laughter is going to be a work-out, albeit a welcome one.
In addition to her stand-up, Wanda Sykes appears frequently on The Ellen DeGeneres Show where she is a favorite guest. She was a cast member of HBO’s Curb Your Enthusiasm and The Chris Rock Show and currently plays Daphne Lido in ABC’s Black-ish. She has won numerous awards, including an Emmy for “Outstanding Writing” and The American Comedy Award for “Outstanding Female Stand-Up Comic.” She is also an executive producer of Last Comic Standing.
I rarely say that a show is guaranteed fabulous and unforgettable, but I say that here.
At the moment, Wanda Sykes is doing only one show, but there’s a chance more will be added. Her tour is managed by the same company that produced John Oliver’s recent appearance at The Chicago Theatre and Trevor Noah and Carol Burnett’s upcoming appearances in March and May, respectively. As tickets sold out, additional shows were announced.
Tickets for the April 9 show will be sale this Friday at noon. Go to thechicagotheatre.com or call the box office at 800-745-3000.
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