Improv/Sketch Search
The Social Takeover
Through 1/30: Wed 8PMImprov/Sketch
Chicago comedians take over an audience member's Facebook for one night in this improv show at the Laugh Factory. $20-$30
773-327-3175Mo Freedom, Mo Problems
Through 2/1: Fri 7:30 PMImprov/Sketch
A sketch show about the American Dream.
Game Night
Through 2/7: Thu 8 PMImprov/Sketch
This family friendly show is inspired by the improv of Whose Line is it Anyway. Performers involve the audience and board games are available in the lobby before and after the show. $10
In Sovereign We Trust
Through 2/8: Fri 8 PMImprov/Sketch
Experimental improv duo Mike Klasek and Clayton Margeson present this new sketch revue inspired by Disney theme park rides. $10
Perfume, Whiskey and Sickness of the Soul
Through 2/9:Improv/Sketch
In this two-part evening of improvisation, a guest team warms us up with some long-form work, then the Chemically Imbalanced Comedy ensemble comes on and creates a Tennessee Williams-style play from scratch. On the night I attended, the warm-up outshined the main event. The first troupe, Mad Contender, wasn't perfect--the members had some agreement issues early on--but by the end of their set they were sailing along, earning big laughs. The Williams parody went less well, in large part because the cast failed to evoke the spirit of the great man's plays. Nor did most of them understand how to create a Williamsian character. One actress did a fine job of imitating Blanche DuBois's insane, past-obsessed chatter, but her efforts were lost in the rising tide of mendacity. You need more than a southern accent to do Williams well. --Jack Helbig $2-$10
Claymore and Wisesnatch
Through 2/14: Thu 8 PMImprov/Sketch
Described as an "improv seminar," this competition between two gender-specific troupes—all-male Claymore and all-female Wisesnatch—is a foul-mouthed affair filled with strong but scattershot physical comedy. On the night I saw the show, Wisesnatch began their set by asking for a suggestion of something you can say to "fuck up" a job interview, and an audience member naturally responded with "fuck." The bits that followed alternately flamed and fizzled, offering characters like a perverted babysitter and parents using their child as a practice dummy for medical procedures. Spinning off from the suggestion "horse," Claymore displayed an interesting, free-form style that involved using abstract movement and a kind of scat singing to transition between scenes. Though some of their bits felt gratuitously sexual and violent, the members of Claymore were impressively fearless in invading one another's personal space. —Marissa Oberlander $10
Warlock
Through 2/17: Sun 8 PMImprov/Sketch
The local improv troupe performs as part of CIC's ongoing Sunday Night Signature Showcase. $14
Go Hug Yourself
Through 3/9: Sat 10 PMImprov/Sketch
A sketch revue that explores the pitfalls of "dating, work, marriage, and life in Chicago." $8-$13
What the Tour Guide Didn't Tell You: A Chicago Revue
Through 3/26/13: Tue 8 PM, Sun 1 PMImprov/Sketch
There's more to Chicago than Italian beef and the Magnificent Mile, as illustrated by this sketch show. $28
CIT Alumni League
Through 5/5: Sun 7 PMImprov/Sketch
Alumni of Chicago ImprovProductions compete in teams of two in the College Improv Tournament (CIT), where they will be evaluated by two pro judges and audience members. $7-$10
Hump Night
Through 5/29: Wed 7:30 and 10:30 PMImprov/Sketch
Kevin Mullaney hosts this improv-based variety show, which features local comedians and musicians. pay what you want
Cafe Cabaret
Every third FridayImprov/Sketch
This variety show hosted at Cafe Ballou has a new cast every month..
Talk Hard
Open run: Fri, midnightImprov/Sketch
Chicago's late-night scene seems to be gearing up for its own version of a network-talk-show ratings battle, what with Joe Kwaczala's periodic The Late Live Show playing the Chicago Sketch Comedy Festival and Patrick Rowland's Barack All Night continuing at iO. Joining the ranks of the city’s suit-and-tie gab show hosts is Jamie Campbell, who—not unlike Jimmy Pardo—comes across as a witty tough guy with a self-deprecating soft spot and a need for your approval. As per the competition, Campbell's show features a monologue, musical guests, and off-the-cuff chatter with local comedians, punctuated by occasional dry non sequiturs from cohost Kevin Pomeroy. At the opening, Talk Hard seemed to be working out its kinks and finding a voice. With some ironing, it may become a showcase to watch. —Dan Jakes $10
Cook County Social Club
Open run: Tue 8 PMImprov/Sketch
These four performers are as brazenly committed to improv's "affirm everything" mantra as any I've seen. Their dark, flamboyant comic sensibilities clearly aligned, they orchestrate black-comedy vignettes tethered to richly odd characters. But what most impressed me was how fluidly and creatively they transitioned between scenes, usually dangerous improv moments. The Frank Hayes 4 opens. --Ryan Hubbard
$12
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