MONDAY, MARCH 27
Chicago Improv Festival: Full schedule and details here
Bassem Youssef at Museum of Contemporary Art, 220 E. Chicago Ave., 6:30 p.m. Bassem Youssef, “the Egyptian Jon Stewart” is here to discuss how he became a comedic pioneer in the Middle East with his satirical television news program Al Bernameg. He is the subject of the new movie Tickling Giants and just published his memoir Revolution for Dummies: Laughing Through the Arab Spring. This program is part of the Chicago Ideas Week Curiosity Series.
The Armando Diaz Experience at iO, 1501 N. Kingsbury, 8:00 p.m. Special guest monologist tonight is actress Marina Squerciati, a/k/a Officer Kim Burgess on the NBC TV series Chicago P.D.
Best Night Ever at Gman Tavern, 3740 N. Clark, 8:30 p.m. Free stand-up showcase with David Sitrick (in from Minneapolis), Erin Grotheer, Arish Singh, Jason Earl Folks, Jay Washington (in from Los Angeles), Rebecca O’Neal and more TBA. Hosted by BNE producer Mike O’Keefe.
TUESDAY, MARCH 28
Chicago Improv Festival: Full schedule and details here
Jay Chandrasekhar at The Music Box Theatre, 3733 N. Southport, 7:00 p.m. Chicagoan, writer, director, actor, Super Trooper Jay Chandrasekhar is here to talk about his extraordinary life and newly published super honest memoir (one of the best I’ve ever read), Mustache Shenanigans: Making Super Troopers and Other Adventures in Comedy. (Super Troopers 2 coming soon!) Interview with Jay here.
Pure & Weary’s Roaring in Our 20s at The Annoyance Theatre, 851 W. Belmont, 9:30 p.m. Pure & Weary’s show was a success at Second City and has now been picked up at The Annoyance for a 6-week run through April 18th. This show takes place during the 1920s and celebrates flappers, comedians and other non-conventional women and the things we all have in common. “Come watch as Pure & Weary Charleston through the ups and downs of their 20s.”
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 29
Chicago Improv Festival: Full schedule here
Elaine Soloway and Meredith Maran at Conrad Sulzer Regional Library, 4455 N. Lincoln Ave., 5:30 p.m. Elaine Soloway’s new book is Bad Grandma and Other Chapters in a Life Lived Out Loud. It’s about her move to the West Coast and how Chicago pulled her back, and her family and first marriage which inspired Jill Soloway’s Transparent. Meredith Maran will be discussing her new book, The New Old Me: My Late Life Reinvention. The theme of the evening: “Reinventing yourself at any age.”
Greg Proops at Lincoln Hall, 2424 N. Lincoln, 8:00 p.m. Greg Proops is here to record an episode The Smartest Man in the World Proopcast.
Comedians You Should Know at Timothy O’Toole’s, 622 N. Fairbanks Ct., 9:30 p.m. Danny Kallas hosts the 2017 Just For Laughs audition show with Mike Bobrinskoy, Blake Burkhart, Reena Calm, Allison Dunne, Ricky Gonzalez, Sayjal Joshi, Toby McMullen, Martin Morrow, Shannon Noll, Pat Tomasulo and Joey Villagomez.
TJ & Dave at iO, 1501 N. Kingsbury, 10:30 p.m. Long form improv by internationally renowned legends TJ Jagodowski and Dave Pasquesi who “improvise a one-hour play filled with elaborately imagined characters whose relationships reveal the wildly funny quirks of human nature.” TJ & Dave have inspired both a book (Improvisation at the Speed of Life) and a movie (Trust Us, This is all Made Up).
THURSDAY, MARCH 30
Chicago Improv Festival: Full schedule here
Mary Lindsey presents Just for Laughs Audition Showcase at The Revival, 1160 E. 55th St., 7:00 p.m. Ten of Chicago’s top comedians selected by one of Chicago’s most influential comedy club founders.
Jay and Silent Bob Get Old at The Vic Theater, 3145 N. Sheffield, 8:00 p.m. With Kevin Smith and Jason Mewes.
Group Improvised Comedy at Comedy Clubhouse, 1462 N. Ashland, 8:00 p.m. Long form improv (20-25 minutes) by three teams of up to 10 improvisers, each based on an audience suggestion. Thursdays through Sundays. Follow link for details, show times and a great explanation of what makes improv an art form like no other.
Just Dickin’ Around All Ladies Show at Hydrate, 3458 N. Halsted, 8:30 p.m. Hosted by Dina Nina Martinez (JDA member). Showcase guests: Krista Atkinson (JDA member), Liz Blanc, Adele Cliff, Meghana Indurti and Brittany Meyer. Showcase followed by all ladies open mic. Free show and free pizza. Donations accepted and go to performers.
Fortune Feimster at Zanies, 1548 N. Wells, 8:30 p.m. Through Saturday. Follow link for all show times.Fortune is a regular on The Mindy Project.
Messing with a Friend at The Annoyance Theatre, 851 W. Belmont, 10:30 p.m. 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. This week’s friends are Scott Adsit (30 Rock, Big Hero 6, Veep) and Kevin Dorff (The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien, Late Night with Conan O’Brien). A special Chicago Improv Festival 20th Anniversary edition.
FRIDAY, MARCH 31
Chicago Improv Festival: Full schedule here
Group Improvised Comedy at Comedy Clubhouse, 1462 N. Ashland, 8:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. Long form improv (20-25 minutes) by three teams of up to 10 improvisers, each based on an audience suggestion. Thursdays through Sundays. Follow link for details, show times and a great explanation of what makes improv an art form like no other.
Heather McDonald at The Improv, Woodfield Mall, Schaumburg, 8:00 p.m. and 10:15 p.m. Through Sunday. Follow link for all show times. Sunday is a special recording of Heather’s Juicy Scoop podcast.
The Lincoln Lodge at Subterranean, 2011 W. North Ave., 8:00 p.m. The Lincoln Lodge is known for the comedians it helped launch: Cameron Esposito, Hannibal Buress and TJ Miller and more. Always high quality comedy with local and visiting performers. Dedicated to making comedy accessible and affordable.
SATURDAY, APRIL 1
Chicago Improv Festival: Full schedule here
Wham City Comedy and Christine Ferrara at The Hideout, 1354 W. Wabansia, 7:00 p.m. All from Baltimore. Wham City says, “We tour once a year so please come and see us because we are doing very, very badly. We are slowly being crushed beneath a behemoth of responsibilities that we can’t even barely comprehend, while our mental and emotional stability hangs by a thread all so that we can ‘fulfill our dreams’–we dont even have dreams anymore because we don’t sleep, we just lay awake at night thinking about email. We just thought it would be better than this. We thought comedy would save us, but oh god we fucked up so so bad. We suck and we hate ourselves. Please please please give us money–WE ARE DYING.”
Lola Balatro at WIP Theater, 6670 N. Northwest Highway, 8:00 p.m. Warning: if you go, they will become your favorite band (if they’re not already). If you don’t go, you’ll miss out on your favorite band. Interviews with Lola Balatro here and here.
Billy Crystal at The Chicago Theatre, 175 N. State St., 8:00 p.m. The “Spend the Night with Billy Crystal Tour.” With the divine Bonnie Hunt.
Fuck Trump: A Collection of Songs to Demonstrate What a Horrible Person Donald Trump Is at The Annoyance Theatre, 851 W. Belmont, 8:00 p.m. Directed by Mick Napier, the world renowned founder and director of The Annoyance.
Mainstage Mic at The Comedy Clubhouse, 1462 N. Ashland, 8:00 p.m. A new show on Saturdays in April! Each week features 60 minutes of stand-up by three top in-house comedians plus a special guest and a headlining spot by one of Chicago’s renowned comedy vets.
Group Improvised Comedy at Comedy Clubhouse, 1462 N. Ashland, 10:00 p.m. Long form improv (20-25 minutes) by three teams of up to 10 improvisers, each based on an audience suggestion. Thursdays through Sundays. Follow link for details, show times and a great explanation of what makes improv an art form like no other.
SUNDAY, APRIL 2
Chicago Improv Festival: Full schedule here
Billy Crystal at The Chicago Theatre, 175 N. State St., 7:00 p.m. The “Spend the Night with Billy Crystal” Tour. With the divine Bonnie Hunt.
I miss The Bonnie Hunt Show every day-it was my favorite talk show of all time:
Group Improvised Comedy at Comedy Clubhouse, 1462 N. Ashland, 8:00 p.m. Long form improv (20-25 minutes) by three teams of up to 10 improvisers, each based on an audience suggestion. Thursdays through Sundays. Follow link for details, show times and a great explanation of what makes improv an art form like no other.