Visitors this week include Tom Cotter, Lisa Lampanelli, Jay Pharoah, Joe Rogan, Jimmy Shubert and JT Habersaat. Robert Hines returns to his hometown, too.
The Chicago Comedy Exposition is this weekend. The stand-up festival features Chicago comedians, visitors and more comedians coming home. Some of the shows are even free. Check it out below!
Ticket alerts for shows which promise to be crazy great, rare and sold out:
On August 3, the Lincoln Lodge presents Nick Vatterott at The Hideout. Tickets here.
Susan Messing announced the 10th Anniversary Show of Messing with a Friend on August 11. The friend is fellow improv legend TJ Jagodowski. Tickets here. Then on September 8, the friend will be stand-up legend Emo Philips who says “very happy that her last name isn’t Dissecting.” Tickets here.
Saturday Night Live‘s Katie Rich and iO’s Holly Laurent are Jo and Ro at iO on August 12. More details.
On October 28, Sam Irby will sit down with Broad City‘s Abbi Jacobson. Tickets on sale August 2.
Following is a spotlight on some of this week’s comedy greatness.
Please confirm all details before heading out! If I steered ya wrong in this heat I’d feel even worse than usual!
Thank you for reading and thank you to the Chicago comedy community.
MONDAY, JULY 18
Feminist Comedy Hour at The Whistler, 2421 N. Milwaukee Ave., 6:30 p.m. Featuring Sonia Denis, Ashley Huck, Meredith Kachel, Melody Kamali, Rachel McCartney and Janine Phan.
Comedy Variety Night: Comedy for a Cause at Stage 773, 1225 W. Belmont, 7:30 p.m. The second of four comedy nights supporting a local cause. Tonight benefits Lurie Children’s Hospital.
Louder Than a Mom at Martyrs’, 3855 N. Lincoln, 8:00 p.m. Come to listen or participate in the ancient, time-honored tradition of celebrating and complaining about your family.
TUESDAY, JULY 19
Fem Com Stand Up at Under the Gun Theater, 956 W. Newport, 7:00 p.m. “Topics from tacos to TSA, Aderall to exes, and of course Kim Jung Il, we’ll cover it all!” Featuring Colleen Prendergast, Emily Thompson, KP Nuruddin, Rachel Lindberg, Sarah Liken, Cristiana Park, Myriam Raymond, Caeli Thoma and Miriam Smith.
Top 10 Tuesdays at The Laugh Factory, 3175 N. Broadway, 7:30 p.m. Featuring Rebecca O’Neal, Scott Duff, Bill Bullock, Sabeen Sadiq, Michael Robinson, Irene Tu, Dave Metz and more comedians TBA.
Women at Stage 773, 1225 W. Belmont, 7:30 p.m. Starkid Productions present this updated tale of Little Women’s Jo March as if it were written by Lena Dunham.
Queer Comedy Five-Year Anniversary Show at Zanies, 1548 N. Wells, 8:00 p.m. Hosted by creator Adam Guerino. Featuring Ali Clayton, Archer Coe, Rachel McCartney and more TBA with headliner Bill Cruz.
Feminine Comique Graduation Show at Under the Gun Theater, 956 W. Newport, 9:00 p.m. Graduation show for the famed all-women comedy class created by Cameron Esposito and now led by Kelsie Huff (the kates, Windy City Live). Featuring Katherine Aldrich, Jessica Checkeroski, Brittani Ferguson, Elizabeth Greenwood, Laurel Proctor, Marsella Lopez, Kelly MacDowell, Melissa Moore, Eralee Rivera and Caroline Wooten.
Momprov at Stage 773, 1225 W. Belmont, 9:30 p.m. A perfect show for busy moms and dads – 30-40 minute production about moms who’ve been advised by their therapists to try improv.
WEDNESDAY, JULY 20
Mom Genes Presents: A Fresh Start at Café Mustache, 2313 N. Milwaukee Ave., 8:00 p.m. Headliner: Mona Aburmishan. Mona is a groundbreaking comedian whose global insight comes from fluency in English, Arabic and German and time spent living in Europe, Africa, The Middle East and hometown, Chicago. She is also a popular guest host on Windy City Live and the producer and host of The Comedy Bowl. The evening also includes the explosive family shenanigans of Mom Genes. Please follow link for more info.
Jimmy Shubert at Zanies, 1548 N. Wells, 8:30 p.m. Shows Wednesday through Sunday. Please check site for all show times. Jimmy Shubert was a finalist on Last Comic Standing in 2014 and is an international headliner. His credits include King of Queens, Off Their Rockers with Betty White, Entourage and Sonny with a Chance, among many others. His Comedy Central special inspired a standing ovation from the audience. He has two albums: Animal Instincts and Pandemonium, both produced by Grammy Award winner Dan Schlissel of Stand Up! Records.
Dave Maher II at The Annoyance Theatre, 851 W. Belmont Ave., 9:30 p.m. “5 Mics: Dave and four of his goofiest, meanest, funniest friends reboot the insult-comedy format found at 1930s venue Club 18, described by Kliph Nesteroff in The Comedians as a place where ‘five comedians simultaneously berated patrons.’”
THURSDAY, JULY 21
Jay Pharoah at Zanies, 1548 N. Wells, 7:30 p.m. Jay Pharoah has been a Saturday Night Live cast member since 2010. His film credits include Ride Along, Lola Versus and Top Five. Jay Pharoah will be at Zanies in Rosemont on Friday and Saturday nights.
Can’t leave out Shaq, Denzel, and The President!
Thirsty Thursday at Under the Gun Theater, 956 W. Newport, 9:00 p.m. Pure & Weary’s Katherine Biskupic and Leah Frires bring back “Liquid Courage: A drinking show” by popular demand for a second run following their success at Second City’s Beat Lounge. Directed by Megan Johns. The show is at Under the Gun this month and then it’s back to Second City for August.
The Comedy Exposition: 42×42 at Cole’s Bar, 2238 N. Milwaukee Ave., 9:00 p.m. Forty-two comics, Chicagoans and visitors, do 42-second sets. Plus, four sets from four special guests and an opportunity for audience members to step in the spotlight.
Just Dickin’ Around All Ladies Showcase at Hydrate, 3458 N. Halsted, 9:45 p.m. The JDA showcase is “a women-run, queer-friendly showcase that provides a safe, supportive space with a positive energy for our performers and guests.” Enough reason to go, but also: free pizza! Produced by Krista Atkinson, Scott Duff and Marla Depew. Host: Krista Atkinson. Featuring: Heather King, Andie Main, Elyse Nylin, Amy Sumpter and Whitney Wasson.
Messing with a Friend at The Annoyance Theater, 851 W. Belmont Ave., 10:30 p.m. Tonight’s guest: Tara DeFrancisco of iO, Second City and ComedySportz. This is a show where the improvisers morph from character to character before your eyes. Believable and magical at the same time. A little bit dangerous, too. Anything can happen. Susan Messing was named “Best Improviser” by the Reader and “Improviser of the Year” at the Chicago Improv Festival.
FRIDAY, JULY 22
Tom Cotter Interview on Chicago’s Comedy Scene Radio, 8:00 a.m. Tony Carr and Steve Touhy interview Tom Cotter who is headlining at the improv this weekend. Follow the link or download the app and you can have Chicago comedy 24/7!
The Comedy Exposition at Schubas, 3159 N. Southport, 6:30 p.m.-Midnight Follow link for complete schedule of showcases and main events. Includes headlining performances by Rebecca O’Neal, Megan Gailey, Eddie Pepitone, Tom Brady and Drew Frees.
Lisa Lampanelli at the North Shore Center for Performing Arts, 9501 Skokie Blvd, Skokie, 7:30 p.m. Known as “The Queen of Mean” for her insult super powers. The Grammy-nominated Lisa Lampanelli is one of the most renowned of the Friars Club roasters. She has also written her memoirs Chocolate, Please: My Adventures in Food, Fat and Freaks. Her play, Stuffed, opens in New York this fall. Stuffed addresses the way food and body issues mess with women’s lives.
Tom Cotter at The Improv, Woodfield Mall, Schaumburg, 8:00 p.m. and 10:15 p.m. Shows Friday thru Sunday. Tom Cotter was the first comedian to reach the finals of America’s Got Talent. His award-winning rapid-fire misdirection got him standing ovations at every stage of the show. He has also appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, Last Comic Standing and Inside Amy Schumer. He is the author of the badass parenting guide, Bad Dad, just published this year. Please check out our interview here!
Joe Rogan at The Civic Opera House, 20 N. Upper Wacker Dr., 8:00 p.m. Host of the popular podcast, The Joe Rogan Experience. Former host of Fear Factor. His film credits include Zookeeper and Here Comes the Boom. Interesting fact: at age 19, Joe Rogan won the US Open Tae Kwon Do Championship. You can find his many albums and comedy specials here.
Zanies’ Comedy Cruise departing from Shoreline’s Dock at Polk Bros. Park, Navy Pier, 8:30 p.m. Starring Ralphie Roberts.
Election 2016 The Musical: Bernie Sanders and the No Good, Very Bad, Horrible Election at Second City’s Skybox Theater, 1616 N. Wells, 8:30 p.m. This election season set to music and comedy. Tonight and July 29.
Ryan Chiaverini: Will You Accept This Rose? at Under the Gun Theater, 956 W. Newport, 9:00 p.m. This improvised parady … og my gof, I’m so distracte!d I can’t spell … ANYWAY THIS IMPROVISED PARODY of The Bachelor typically features actual contestants from the show, but tonight it’s Chicago’s most eligible … what the heck, America’s most eligible bachelor, Windy City Live’s dreamy, steamy Ryan Chiaverini.
Robert Hines at Riddles Comedy Club, 5055 W. 111th St., Alsip, 9:00 p.m. Robert Hines is the Chicago comedian behind Toby Jones’ “Good Ass BBQ and Foot Massage Restaurant,” which became so iconic that Steph Curry adopted its jingle and dance as his pre-show ritual. Great write-up in this Tribune article. Also two shows Saturday night at 8:00 p.m. and 10:30 p.m.
JT Habersaat at WIP Theater, 6670 N. Northwest Highway, 10:00 p.m. Friday and Saturday nights. Look for JT Haberstaat’s new one-hour special, Misanthrope and for his album on the Stand Up! Records label. He is known for helming the Altercation Punk Comedy Tour since 2008. He is the author of The Altercation Archives. “When not on the road JT enjoys bourbon, his cats and silence.”
SATURDAY, JULY 23
The Comedy Exposition at The Hideout, 1354 W. Wabansia, 2:00 p.m.-Midnight Kicks off today with a free show from The Late Late Breakfast followed by free preview of the Seeso series starring Rhea Butcher and Cameron Esposito, Take My Wife. The evening features two showcases, the first headlined by Marina Franklin and the second by Rhea Butcher. Rhea’s debut album Butcher will be released on August 19. Available for pre-order here.
The Comedy Exposition at @North Bar, 1637 W. North, 6:30 p.m. – 10:30 p.m. Showcases with headliners Marty DeRosa, Calvin Evans and The Puterbaugh Sisters.
Tom Cotter at The Improv, Woodfield Mall, Schaumburg, 7:00 p.m. and 9:15 p.m. Shows thru Sunday. Tom Cotter was the first comedian to reach the finals of America’s Got Talent. His award-winning rapid-fire misdirection got him standing ovations at every stage of the show. He has also appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, Last Comic Standing and Inside Amy Schumer. He is also the author of the badass parenting guide, Bad Dad, just published this year. Interview coming soon!
Type One at iO, 1501 N. Kingsbury, 7:00 p.m. Free! Writers Mike Seskauskas and Landis Wiedner present a reading of their new comedy pilot about a Type 1 diabetic support group. In addition to laughs and the opportunity to see an innovative new work and provide feedback to the writers, this show offers a fresh perspective to break stereotypes and raise awareness. “Think The Office meets an AA group meets Type 1 meets a terrible family reunion.”
The History of Comedy at The Metropolis Performing Arts Center, 111 W. Campbell St., Arlington Heights, 9: 30 p.m. What made people laugh centuries ago? How did we arrive at today’s comedy? Andrew Pond and Michael Wood present an evening of hysterical analysis. Through August 27.
Lola Balatro at High Hat Club, 1920 W. Irving Park Rd., 10:00 p.m. There’s no better com-rock band. I can guarantee it. If you know them, you’re a convert. If not, you will be. Go listen to time fly. LB interview here. Also Paul Thomas’s birthday show.
SUNDAY, JULY 24
The Comedy Exposition at The Apollo Theater Studio, 2540 N. Lincoln Ave., 3:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. Three shows: Comedy Secrets, Super Talent Show and a stand-up showcase headlined by Ricky Gonzalez.
Tom Cotter at The Improv, Woodfield Mall, Schaumburg, 7:00 p.m. Tom Cotter was the first comedian to reach the finals of America’s Got Talent. His award-winning rapid-fire misdirection got him standing ovations at every stage of the show. He has also appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, Last Comic Standing and Inside Amy Schumer. He is also the author of the badass parenting guide, Bad Dad, just published this year. Interview coming soon!
Greg Proops at The Comedy Exposition, Lincoln Hall, 2424 N. Lincoln Ave., 8:00 p.m. The closing ceremony.