Author name: Teme Ring

It’s “Weird” and It’s Going to Get Weirder: A Q&A with the Practical Theatre Company

December 17, 2024 I got this text today: Dear Comedians Defying Gravity, Do you know what comedy is happening this weekend … wow, do I need it! ~Signed: This Year Was Too Much Dear TYWTM, Perfect timing! I just caught up with Victoria Zielinski, Paul Barrosse and Dana Olsen a/k/a The Practical Theatre Company. Their […]

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Middle Western Middle Eastern: A Q&A with Paul Farahvar

December 8, 2024 What do these things have in common: Attorney, Actualizer, and Authentic? An Accurate answer is Paul Farahvar, an A-List multi-talented comedian known for his unique life, original wit, and a knack for comedic storytelling that will have you hanging on to every word. His most recent special Middle Western Middle Eastern is

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18 (!) Shows: Monday, September 16-Sunday, September 22, 2024

CHICAGO COMEDIANS IN THE NEWS Major comedy happening in Chicago this week! The What’s Funny Comedy Festival begins tomorrow night and goes through Sunday. Events include a tribute to Mary Lindsey, standup from Sherri Shepherd, and an opportunity to attend Lil Rel Howery‘s standup special television recording. Schedule below! She’s Got Issues magazine published this

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Ali Clayton’s “Country Queer” is an Adventure in Laughter, Grit and Surprise

August 6, 2024 Finding your identity and true voice can be an exhilarating mission and a heaping load of faceplants. Sometimes you’re rocketing up, up, up to success. Sometimes you’re plummeting down, down, down to hell. I’ve been in all those places. Maybe you have, too. One of the things I love about Ali Clayton?

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11 Shows: Monday, August 5-Sunday, August 11, 2024

Zarna Garg is at the Den this Saturday. Tickets are almost gone. CHICAGO COMEDIANS IN THE NEWS The Bear’s Carmen Christopher spoke with CBS about his new special Live From the Windy City now streaming on VEEPS. Chicago entrepreneur Knowledge Beckom and Lil’ Rel Howery bring the What’s Funny Comedy Festival to the DuSable Museum

11 Shows: Monday, August 5-Sunday, August 11, 2024 Read More »

11 Shows: Monday, July 15-Sunday, July 21, 2024

Allison Goldberg’s “Love Isn’t Blind” is at The Den CHICAGO COMEDIANS IN THE NEWS Nate Bargatze, along with Nicole Byer and Jeff Ross, will headline the National Comedy Center’s Lucille Ball Comedy Festival this August in Jamestown, New York. John Mulaney and Olivia Munn were married last week by Sam Waterston at a ceremony attended

11 Shows: Monday, July 15-Sunday, July 21, 2024 Read More »

The Comedy Beach-Read Guide 2024

Who needs a good comedy-related beach read? Me!! We all need beach reads, whether you’ve got beach plans, travel plans, pool plans, or just plans to cool off in your own bathtub. Our world right now is screaming SCREAMING for laughter. So what could be better therapy than beach reads about comedy? These aren’t bios,

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Ten Shows: Monday, June 17-Sunday, June 23, 2024

Ali Clayton’s Midwest tour takes her to Lincoln Lodge this weekend CHICAGO COMEDIANS IN THE NEWS Last Friday, the Washington Post wrote about Megan Stalter. The in-depth feature article talks about Megan’s time in Chicago, her standout performance in the Max hit series Hacks and her starring role in Cora Bora, a feature film opening

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13+ Shows: Monday, June 10-Sunday, June 16, 2024

Beth Stelling is at The Den Theatre this Thursday. CHICAGO COMEDIANS IN THE NEWS John Mulaney was front and center at the Television Academy’s Saban Media Center in Los Angeles last Wednesday night. It was an encore showing of the fifth episode of Everybody’s in L.A., the show he created for this year’s Netflix is

13+ Shows: Monday, June 10-Sunday, June 16, 2024 Read More »

11 Shows: Monday, June 3-Sunday, June 9, 2024

CHICAGO COMEDIANS IN THE NEWS Lil Rel Howery is one of the stars of Harold and the Purple Crayon, the movie based on the classic children’s book. The Sony Pictures production is in theaters on August 2. Lil Rel plays an illustrated moose who comes to life and accompanies Harold into the real world. You

11 Shows: Monday, June 3-Sunday, June 9, 2024 Read More »

11 Shows This Week: Monday, May 13-Sunday, May 19, 2024

CHICAGO COMEDIANS IN THE NEWS Paul Farahvar‘s new special Middle Western, Middle Eastern has over 10,000 views just two weeks after its release. Ali Clayton releases her debut comedy album Country Queer on May 31. “Recorded in Milwaukee, this album tells her story as a member of a very Southern family from rural North Carolina, a special ed kid,

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10 Shows This Week: Monday, April 15-Sunday, April 21, 2024

Sammy Obeid is at The Den this week. CHICAGO COMEDIANS IN THE NEWS A new Paul Farahvar special is always reason to celebrate. On April 26, Helium Comedy Studio’s will release Paul’s latest, Middle Western, Middle Eastern. Paul is a lawyer-turned-comedian and popular nationally touring headliner. He is the creator of original hit productions like

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When Dave Stone Packs A Lunch, It’s a Comedy Feast

By Teme Ring and Ben Feldman Dave Stone lived many lives before comedy, experiencing things most of us can’t imagine. His newest special Pack A Lunch takes you behind the scenes from an explosive rural Georgia boyhood to an adulthood filled with unplanned twists and turns. For instance, there was the time he worked security

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10 Shows This Week: Monday, March 25-Sunday, March 31, 2024

CCHICACGO COMEDIANS ON LATE NIGHT CHICAGO COMEDIANS ON LATE NIGHT After Midnight with Taylor Tomlinson: Monday: Matt Braunger Tuesday: Kyle Kinane Wednesday: Dewayne Perkins Friday: Lauren Lapkus (rerun) Late Night with Seth Meyers on Tuesday: Cecily Strong CHICAGO COMEDIANS IN THE NEWS I was excited to share a Chicago comedian quoted in a major news

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