The Second City Honors 65 Year Anniversary With $19.59 Tickets in Chicago, Toronto, and New York!

THE SECOND CITY CELEBRATES 65 YEARS OF LAUGHTER

 $19.59 Tickets For Select Shows Across All Three Cities 

Thursday night performances in each city will feature this special $19.59 ticket price through November 20, 2025.

In December 1959, The Second City opened its doors on a snowy Chicago night, igniting a comedic revolution that continues to transform improv and live sketch comedy today. For 65 years, this iconic institution has been the launch pad for countless comedy legends and remains a driving force in nurturing the next generation of comedy creators, leaving an indelible mark on the world of entertainment.

To honor this milestone, The Second City is hosting a yearlong celebration with specially priced $19.59 tickets to select shows in Chicago, Toronto, and New York. This offer pays tribute to its founding year while inviting audiences—old and new—to join in the laughter.

Chief Revenue & Operating Officer Parisa Jalili shared her thoughts on this momentous occasion: “For 65 years, our performers, staff, and audiences have built an unparalleled legacy of comedy and connection. This celebration is for everyone who has ever filled our theaters with laughter, and we look forward to welcoming even more comedy lovers into our community.”

Thursday night performances in each city will feature this special $19.59 ticket price through November 20, 2025. Don’t miss the chance to experience the hilarity of The Second City’s e.t.c. show in Chicago, the Mainstage show in Toronto, and the Mainstage show in New York at this anniversary price.

Celebrate with us and be part of this historic milestone! Tickets are available at each city’s box office or by visiting https://www.secondcity.com/celebrate-65-years-of-comedy.

About The Second City

The Second City opened its doors in 1959 as a small comedy cabaret and has since grown to become the world's most influential name in improvisation and comedy. Celebrating 65 years, The Second City's stages, Touring Companies, and Training Centers across North America have proudly been the launch pad and artistic home for many of the funniest performers, writers, directors, and comedic minds on the planet. 

For more information on The Second City, visit www.secondcity.com and follow The Second City on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

We Always Bounce Black: A Black Excellence Comedy Revue Playing January 31– March 29 in UP Comedy Club at The Second City

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The Second City’s Black Excellence Revue is Back! Artists from across Second City’s stages round out the cast for

We Always Bounce Black: 

A Black Excellence Comedy Revue

 Playing January 31 – March 29 

in UP Comedy Club at The Second City

Celebrating its 65th year, the world’s most influential name in live comedy, The Second City, is proud to announce the cast and crew of We Always Bounce Black: A Black Excellence Comedy Revue. Second City Alum and celebrated theater director Anthony LeBlanc leads creative on this production with a cast that includes Spencer Hodges, Kaleb Jackson, Wanjiku Kairu, Terrance Lamonte Jr., Daryn Robinson, and Brittani Yawn. Rounding out the creative team are Assistant Director Julia Morales, Music Director Tilliski Ramey and Stage Manager Devonte E. Washington.

Chicago giving you the winter blues? We Always Bounce Black is here to bring much-needed warmth. Brimming with brand new songs, sketches, and – of course- The Second City’s world-renowned style of improv, this cast of future stars are delivering an unforgettable night. The Black Excellence Revue is more than a comedy show – it’s a celebration of Black Joy. And, just like at the Apollo, you are a part of the show.

We Always Bounce Black: A Black Excellence Comedy Revue will run January 31 – March 29 on Friday and Saturday nights at 8pm in the UP Comedy Club, located at 230 W North Ave, 3rd Floor of Piper’s Alley, Chicago. Tickets, starting at $29, are available at The Second City Box Office, by phone at 312-337-3992 or online at www.secondcity.com.  

The producing team includes Ed Wells (CEO), Parisa Jalili (COO/CRO), Elizabeth Howard (VP of Production), Jen Ellison (VP, Head of Creative), and Jeremy Smith (Assistant General Manager & Managing Producer).

About the Artists

Spencer Hodges (Ensemble) (she/her) is an actress, writer, and improviser from NC who is happy to call Chicago a second home. You can catch her performing around town at LSI, iO, The Annoyance, and Second City with her teams Mortal Enemies, The Mermaids, Lil Sluggers, and Hell Mash. Elon University grad.

Kaleb Jackson (Ensemble) (they/them) is a Chicago-based producer, writer, director, and Jeff Nominated actor currently understudying the Mainstage Revue “The Devil is in the Detours” at The Second City and understudied last year’s Black Excellence Show, “Black By Popular Demand.”

Wanjiku Kairu (Ensemble) (she/her) is a comedy writer, producer and singer and is thrilled to be a part of the Black Excellence 2025 ensemble. Off stage, Wanjiku works with a wide range of producers in short films, commercials and print ads. She produces her musical comedy webseries Models, as well as comedy shorts RuPaul's Space Race, and Girl Meets God. Wanjiku can also be found understudying for the latest Mainstage Show, “The Devil is in the Detours”.

Terrance Lamonte, Jr. (Ensemble) (he/him) is thrilled to be part of the Black Excellence Revue! A Chicago West Side native, Terrance has graced Mainstages in the US from ComedySportz-Chicago, Laugh Out Loud, The Annoyance Theater to international stage with Boom Chicago in Amsterdam, NL. At The Second City, he has served as an understudy for numerous productions, including “Best Decision You’ve Ever Made”, “Algorithm Nation and the Static Quo,” and “Dream Freaks Fall from Space”.

Julia Morales (Assistant Director) (she/her) is a performer, writer, director, teacher, and mentor originally from Houston, Texas. She attended the University of Houston - School of Theatre & Dance and graduated from The American Musical and Dramatic Academy (AMDA). Jules first studied improv comedy in Houston and later moved to New York in 2008 after receiving the NBC Diversity Scholarship to study both sketch and improv comedy. She later moved to Chicago in 2015 while performing with the Second City Theatricals on the Norwegian Cruise Line. She was a 2018 Bob Curry Fellow and was later cast as an ensemble member of the Second City Green Co Touring Company. She is a Second City alum having completed two Mainstage revues, “Do the Right Thing, No Worries If Not” and “Don’t Quit Your Daydream”. Jules performs, directs, and teaches at the Annoyance Theater and performs at various theaters in the Chicago community. She is also an adjunct teacher and director at The Theatre School at DePaul University Comedy Studies program. In 2020, she founded a nonprofit organization called the Stepping Stone Theater which celebrates diversity in the comedy community. Jules is a master movie buff, a self-care enthusiast, and an avid traveler. Follow her journey on IG @callmejules.

Daryn Robinson (Ensemble) (she/her) is a writer/comedian originally from Washington, D.C. She recently performed in The Second City’s long-running and award-winning show “She The People” and understudied The Second City e.t.c. and Touring Company. Daryn also improvises with Shamilton! The Improvised Hip-Hop Musical (Baby Wants Candy) and Improvised Jane Austen (iO Theater), and co-produces the Chicago Reader Award-winning variety show “My Best Friend is Black” (Lincoln Lodge). A proud graduate of Northwestern University (MFA ‘23), Daryn contributes jokes to The Onion.

Brittani Yawn (Ensemble) (she/her) is a performer and writer originally from Cleveland, OH and has earned her BA in Theatre from Miami University. She has toured with The Second City’s Touring Company and is an alum of The Second City Bob Curry Fellowship (2021). Some of her credits include “Oh! The Places You’ll Glow!” (The Second City, ETC), “Poison” (The Plagiarists), “The Suffrage Plays” (Artemisia Theatre), and “The Ridiculous Darkness” (Sideshow Theatre Company). She has also performed with Hell in a Handbag Productions, the Annoyance, and iO, among others.

Anthony LeBlanc (Director) (he/him) Anthony LeBlanc works at Nickelodeon/Paramount doing talent development and as an on-set acting coach on such hit shows as The Reboot of All That and The Really Loud House. He acted as Interim Executive Producer of The Second City in 2020. Previously, LeBlanc served as an Artistic Director for The Second City Inc., as well as a part-time faculty member at Columbia College Chicago. Anthony is a Second City alum who wrote and performed in two original Chicago Mainstage revues, “Taming of the Flu” and the Jeff Award-nominated America: All Better!. He has been a teacher and resident director for Second City, directing several resident stage and theatrical productions in Chicago and Washington, D.C., including “The Winner ... of Our Discontent” (Chicago Mainstage), “Soul Brother, Where Art Thou?” (The Second City e.t.c.), “Generation Gap” at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, and the Helen Hayes-nominated “Nothing to Lose (But Our Chains)” at Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company. And Independently including The Magic Negro and Other Blackity Blackness as Told by an African-American Man Who Also Happens to be Black at The Alliance Theatre in Atlanta. A native of Beaumont, Texas, Anthony holds a degree in Computer Science and Physics from Loyola University New Orleans. Anthony is an autistic Blerd dedicated to promoting Neurodiversity and DEI in comedy.

Tilliski Ramey (Music Director) (he/him) has music directed for three revues with the Second City in the e.t.c. Theater along with their Touring Company. He also plays at the Chicago Magic Lounge, iO, ComedySportz, and performed at The Annoyance.

Devonte E. Washington (Stage Manager) (he/him) is a Chicago native. Born and raised on the southside. He has been working in production for over 10 years. He has molded his skills by learning the aspects of designing and building shows from scratch. His Talents have been used with many events, venues and shows throughout the city.

About The Second City

The Second City opened its doors in 1959 as a small comedy cabaret and has since grown to become the world's most influential name in improvisation and comedy. Celebrating 65 years, The Second City's stages, Touring Companies, and Training Centers across North America have proudly been the launch pad and artistic home for many of the funniest performers, writers, directors, and comedic minds on the planet.

For more information on The Second City, visit www.secondcity.com and follow The Second City on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

 

THE SECOND CITY PRESENTS SHE THE PEOPLE October 5 – November 23, 2024 in The Second City’s UP Comedy Club,

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THE FUTURE IS FUNNY

LEGENDARY COMEDY THEATER THE SECOND CITY PRESENTS

SHE THE PEOPLE

Here at ChiIL Live Shows and ChiIL Mama, we've seen several iterations of She The People and we love it! Bring your besties and enjoy this fiercely funny, female powered show that will have you laughing, empathizing, and shouting "me too".  Just in time for election season, SHE THE PEOPLE is in the house. Don't miss this!

ChiIL Mama, Bonnie Kenaz-Mara and Kathleen Roman

Catherine Hellmann & ChiIL Mama, Bonnie Kenaz-Mara 

Brat summer is over. Now it’s time to Fall, Patriarchy! Laugh, cheer, and rise up as The Second City proudly presents, SHE THE PEOPLE – a theatrical revolution loaded with a dynamic blend satirical sketch comedy, epic original songs, and razor-sharp improv delivered by The Second City’s fearlessly funny queens of comedy. 

She the People isn’t just a hilarious show, it empowers audiences to take a stand and make real changes. This diverse and supercharged Second City ensemble drops an electric, unapologetic, and high-key hilarious CELEBRATION of the strength, resilience, and brilliance of women everywhere. She the People is NOW.

Photo Credit: Bonnie Kenaz-Mara 

She The People is written by the casts of The Second City with Carly Heffernan, Carisa Barreca, and Marla Caceres and features Lexi Alioto, Alex Bellisle, Marla Caceres, Mary Catherine Curran, Sayjal Joshi, and Daryn Robinson. The music director is Lisa McQueen and stage managers are Izzy Patt and Bree Bartman.

Photo Credit: Bonnie Kenaz-Mara 

The producing team includes Ed Wells (CEO), Parisa Jalili (COO/CRO), Elizabeth Howard (VP of Production), Jen Ellison (VP, Head of Creative), Jeremy Smith (Assistant General Manager & Managing Producer)

SHE THE PEOPLE plays for a limited run Saturday nights at 8 p.m. October 5 – November 23.  in The Second City’s UP Comedy Club located at 230 W North Ave, 2nd Floor of Piper’s Alley, Chicago. Tickets, starting at $29, are available at The Second City Box Office (230 W. North Ave, 1st Floor, Piper's Alley), by phone at 312-337-3992 or online at www.secondcity.com.  

 

About The Second City

The Second City opened its doors in 1959 as a small comedy cabaret and has since grown to become the world's most influential name in improvisation and comedy. It celebrates its 65th year in business on December 16th, 2024. The Second City's stages, Touring Companies, and Training Centers across North America have proudly been the launch pad and artistic home for many of the funniest performers, writers, directors, and comedic minds on the planet.

For more information on The Second City, visit www.secondcity.com and follow The Second City on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

Photo Credit: Bonnie Kenaz-Mara 

Dance Like There Are Black People Watching: A Black Excellence Revue At Chicago's UP Comedy Club at The Second City February 3-April 1, 2023

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Dance Like There Are Black People Watching: 

A Black Excellence Revue

At Chicago's UP Comedy Club at The Second City

 

Directed by Rob Wilson, Dance Like There Are Black People Watching: A Black Excellence Revue begins performances February 3 with an all-Black ensemble of writers and performers that includes Kennedy Baldwin, Karl Bradley, Arlieta Hall, Spencer Hodges, Adonis Holmes, and Jason Tolliver. Bryon Henderson is Production Manager, with Devonte E. Washington joining Second City as Stage Manager and Tony Belsito returning as Musical Director. Sabrina Odigie is Assistant Director.

Click the link for discount tickets! Chicago Theatre Week participant 

Let Second City deliver a dose of brilliant Black Joy to melt the icy Chicago winter! With an ensemble of rising comedy stars, Dance Like There's Black People Watching: A Black Excellence Revue is bursting with brand-new sketches, songs, and our world-famous improvisation, here to warm your soul and make you laugh out loud.

LOCATION 

UP Comedy Club at The Second City

230 W North Avenue, Chicago, IL

3rd Floor of Piper's Alley

Click HERE for TICKETS

PERFORMANCE TIMES

Fridays and Saturdays at 8PM

FOOD & BEVERAGE INFO

In Theater Dining | We offer small bites and a wide selection of drinks–including a good dose of local craft beers.

REVIEW: What the Elf? At Second City Chicago

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What the Elf?

Review 

by Catherine “Land of Misfit Toys” Hellmann, Guest Critic 

Second City shows can be rather hit-or-miss. Like Forrest Gump’s proverbial box of Advent chocolates, you never know just quite what you’re gonna get…I was sort of hoping that What the Elf? was going to be a hilarious sendup of my beloved movie, Elf. 

It’s not. But--it is very entertaining as an absurd collection of goofy holiday sketches with a very talented cast of six: three women and three men who deliver an exuberant collection of strange, oddball, occasionally touching, and frequently funny scenes. 

The show begins with a funny tribute song about Chicago scenes like The Bean and traditions like “Don’t Eat Ketchup on Your Hot Dog.” My first favorite sketch was a funny song by Javid Iqbal called “The Muslim Song” with lyrics that he “can’t wait to eat with you” at the end of Ramadan. 

Two “identical twin” elves appeared (never mind that they are different genders) to interact with the crowd with gift suggestions for those hard-to-buy-for loved ones on your list. Bill Letz’s over-the-top energy was incredible in every scene he inhabited. When told that one woman’s fiance loves “The Bears, wine, and his iPad,” the twins advise that she needs to get him “some other interests for Christmas.” The fiance was sitting right there, which made it even funnier, especially after a couple drinks. Another guest with a tough-to-buy-for relative was told: ”Get him a fucking flashlight or something.” 

One of our absolute favorite sketches was a game-show-like premise to guess “Which one is NOT an Elf?” One sweet-looking character, played by the very talented Jenelle Cheyne, had a surprise Satan voice, accompanied by her contorted face and hands, that was hysterical. The final summary was: “Don’t trust someone because they say things with conviction and have a platform.” Wise message. ;-) 

Before intermission, there was a wonderfully choreographed dance number from The Nutcracker performed in office chairs. That was a hoot! 

Scrooge and Jacob Marley did a wonderful sketch using audience suggestions that worked beautifully into the dialogue. Very funny results using lines of dialogue from movies and song lyrics, like the Bruce Springsteen line of “Tramps like us, baby we were born to run!” on Scrooge’s gravestone. (You couldn’t predict an awesome moment like that!) And “You shook me all night long!” very inappropriately said to sweet, innocent Tiny Tim. This is what improv was made for! 

Jenelle Cheyne had some marvelous audience interaction as a poor, hungry orphan begging for food from the front row. Someone gave her a lime, which she scoffed as “wet citrus.” She persuaded a woman to give her a coat and another lady her cell phone; those items she planned to sell on Ebay!

One of the highlights of the evening had to be the wives of the Three Wise Men dishing about their husbands. “For three wise men, our husbands can be morons!” That was a very inspired scene with their gossiping how Joseph was a carpenter who “must be good with his hands!” and how Mary “should have had a birth plan” before she gave birth in a manger! What was Mary thinking not getting a hotel reservation?! 

There was a bonus Act III with more of the pure improv and joy that has made Second City famous. It’s worth sticking around. 

Whether you live in town or the ‘burbs, if you're hanging at home for the holidays, or need to entertain out of town guests, What the Elf? is sure to please every adult on your list this holiday season.

Catherine Hellmann has a birthday near Christmas and has always felt rather ripped off. But at least she’s on vacation from school. Santa would put her on the naughty list based on swearing alone…  

What the Elf?

It’s just not the holidays without hot cocoa…and hot takes! Make merry at The Second City with this original sketch, variety, and improv celebration of the season. After all, what better time to look back and laugh at 2022? Let’s toast to the best…and roast all the rest. 

Thursdays – Saturdays at 8pm

Sundays at 7pm 

The Best of Holidays 

We guarantee yule laugh a whole latke as The Second City unwraps the most wonderful time of the year in our nut-cracking-est, jingle-bell-ing-est revue ever! Celebrate over sixty years of sketches, songs, and comedic conviviality as the next generation of comedy superstars perform our greatest holiday hits. 

Mondays at 8pm

Saturdays at 3pm 

Holiday Improv Brunch

From uproarious laughter to limitless libations, The Second City’s Holiday Improv Brunch is the gift that keeps on giving! Bring your band of merrymakers as we scramble together two of everyone’s favorites, comedy and brunch, for a scrumptiously seasonal breakfast with a totally improvised experience from the city’s finest. 

Sundays at noon

 

The Second City’s Holiday Revue Returns to Paramount Theatre November 25-December 23

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PARAMOUNT READY TO UNWRAP ITS HILARIOUS  HOLIDAY GAG GIFT  THE SECOND CITY'S HOLIDAY REVUE NOVEMBER 25-DECEMBER 23

The Second City's Holiday Revue. Photo courtesy The Second City.  Paramount Theatre is ready to unwrap its annual end-of-year tradition - bringing The Second City’s famous brand of seasonal hilarity to downtown Aurora for the holidays. And this year, Paramount’s gag gift is titled The Second City’s Holiday Revue: I Saw Mommy Kissing The Second City. Have a holly jolly holiday season with Chicago’s famed improv and sketch comedy troupe. I Saw Mommy Kissing The Second City is a new revue starring Second City’s freshest young talent, presented in Paramount’s beautiful, newly-remodeled Copley Theatre, where you’re never more than 70 feet away from this side-splitting, song filled holiday spectacular. Whether you are on the nice list or the naughty list, this show will have you laughing so hard you’ll shoot eggnog out your nose.  So skip the long lines and shipping delays, and give the gift of laughter to everyone you meet this holiday season. Performances are November 25-December 23: Thursdays at 7:30 p.m.; Fridays at 8 p.m., Saturdays at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m., Sundays at 3 p.m. Tickets are $38 and are on sale now. Buy early, as these shows will sell out.  The Copley Theatre is located at 8 E. Galena Blvd. in the North Island Center, right across the street from Paramount Theatre, in downtown Aurora. For tickets and information, visit ParamountAurora.com, call (630) 896-6666, or stop by the Paramount box office, 23 E. Galena Blvd., 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Saturday. This production is for audiences 18 years and older due to strong adult language and content. Children under 12 are not allowed.

Paramount Theatre’s Covid-19 commitment to and safety and protocol Paramount Theatre has followed, and will continue to follow, the requirements of the State of Illinois and the Kane County Health Department. Therefore, Paramount is following the guidance of the State of Illinois and recommends, but no longer requires, masks, proof of vaccination or negative COVID test for patrons. Mask wearing is strongly encouraged, but will be optional. For complete details, please read Paramount’s full Covid Policy.

About Paramount Theater Paramount Theatre, 23 E. Galena Blvd., is the center for performing arts in Aurora, the second largest city in Illinois. The beautiful, 1,843-seat theater, graced with a strong 1930s Art Deco influence and original Venetian décor, nationally known for its high-quality productions, superb acoustics and historic grandeur, has been downtown Aurora’s anchor attraction since 1931. After launching its own Broadway Series in 2011, Paramount Theatre grew to be the second largest subscription house in the U.S. Before Covid, more than 41,000 subscribers from all over Chicagoland and the Midwest were enjoying Paramount’s critically acclaimed, 2019-20 Broadway-caliber productions. In addition, Paramount also presents an array of internationally known comedians, musicians, dance troupes and family shows annually. Paramount Theatre is one of four live performance venues programmed and managed by the Aurora Civic Center Authority (ACCA), along with Aurora’s newly renovated 165-seat Copley Theatre, RiverEdge Park, the city’s 6,000-seat outdoor summer concert venue, and Stolp Island Theatre, an immersive space opening in summer 2023. ACCA also oversees Paramount School of the Arts. Paramount Theatre continues to expand its artistic and institutional boundaries under the guidance of Tim Rater, President and CEO, Aurora Civic Center Authority; Jim Corti, Artistic Director, Paramount Theatre; a dedicated Board of Trustees and a devoted staff of live theater and music professionals. For the latest news from Paramount Theatre, please visit ParamountAurora.com or follow @ParamountAurora on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, @paramountarts on Tik Tok, and on LinkedIn.

Queer Eye: The Musical Parody Now Playing at The Second City

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Queer Eye: The Musical Parody 

Follow everybody's fave Fab Five as they help an Average Joe manifest their full potential through aggressive self-love, laugh-out-loud comedy, and more songs than you can handle, henny! Watch a live "episode" of the show we all thought we knew... until now. Written by Evan Mills and Heidi Joosten, Queer Eye: The Musical Parody features all the avocados, plenty of pompadours, and maybe even a puppet or two. Say "YASS, and" to this hilarious experience where things just keep on getting better...and funnier!

Queer Eye: The Musical Parody plays Thursdays-Sundays in UP Comedy Club at Second City. 

Legendary Chicago comedy institution The Second City is excited to announce the cast and crew of Queer Eye: The Musical Parody, beginning June 3, 2022. Co-created and co-written by Second City Mainstage ensemble member Evan Mills and Heidi Joosten, the show is co-directed by Mills and Stephen Schellhardt, who is also choreographer. Joosten, the composer, lyricist and orchestrator for the show, will fill the role of musical director. Cast members include Bridget Adams-King, Tina Arfaee, Jordan Dell Harris, Bryson Howard, Dakota Hughes, Eddie Ledford, Evan Tyrone Martin, Dominic Rescigno, and Evan Starkweather. Shannon Golden-Starr is stage manager.

Inspired by the hit Netflix show Queer Eye, Second City audiences will follow everybody's fave Fab Five as they help an Average Joe manifest their full potential through aggressive self-love, laugh-out-loud comedy, and more songs than you can handle, henny! Watch a two-act "episode" of the show we all thought we knew... until now. Queer Eye: The Musical Parody features all the avocados, plenty of pompadours, and maybe even a puppet or two. Say "YASS, and" to this hilarious experience where things just keep on getting better...and funnier!

Tickets for Queer Eye: The Musical Parody start at $39.00 and are available by phone at 312-337-3992 or online at secondcity.com. The show schedule is as follows beginning June 3, 2022: Thursdays-Saturdays at 8pm; Sundays at 7pm in UP Comedy Club.

About the Artists

Bridget Adams-King (“Claire/Rachel”) (she/her) is thrilled and so grateful to be making her Second City debut! Some of the theaters she has previously worked with include Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Kokandy Productions, Northlight Theatre, and Griffin Theatre. She is a two-time Jeff-nominated performer for her portrayal of “Kate” in If/Then at Brown Paper Box Co. and “Lucy Parsons” in Underscore Theatre Company’s 2018 production of Haymarket: A New Folk Musical. She has also appeared in an episode of NBC’s hit show Chicago PD. She is repped by Gray Talent Group. @badamsking www.bridgetadamsking.com

Tina Arfaee (“Tan”) (they/any) has been writing and performing in Chicago since 2012, most notably at The Annoyance Theater with Matt Damon Improv. With MDI, she wrote and starred in the web series In-Diana. She has also appeared on an episode of Chicago Fire, Centered the web series, and short film The Sweatshirt. Tina is a graduate of The Second City/NBC Universal Bob Curry Fellowship. She is repped by Big Mouth Talent. @tinatwocats

Shannon Golden-Starr (Stage Manager) (she/they) CHICAGO: I, Banquo, Short Shakespeare: The Comedy of Errors, Q Brothers' Christmas Carol, Shakespeare in the Parks production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Chicago Shakespeare Theatre), Frankenstein, Act(s) of God, Plantation!, Hard Times, Moby Dick, Thaddeus and Slocuum: A Vaudeville Adventure (Lookingglass Theatre Company); The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Frederick (Chicago Children’s Theatre); The King of the Yees, Uncle Vanya, Carlyle, Soups Stews and Casseroles: 1976, Feathers and Teeth (Goodman Theatre); The Mutilated, Simpatico (A Red Orchid Theatre); This Wonderful Life (American Blues Theater); Betrayal (Raven Theatre).

Jordan Dell Harris (“Sam #2”) (he/him) is making his Second City debut! He was last seen onstage as “Donald” in Windy City Playhouse’s The Boys in the Band (Jeff Award winner, Best Ensemble). Other Chicago credits include work with Goodman Theatre, Raven Theatre, Griffin Theatre, The Story Theatre, BoHo Theatre and more. TV credits include 4400 (CW) and Next (Fox).  www.JordanDellHarris.com

Bryson Howard (“Sam #1”) (he/him) is a Chicago transplant from South Carolina by way of Nashville, TN, and Paris, France. After four and a half years of performing improv and scripted comedy around Chicago, the city thankfully has not yet rejected the transplant. He has been fortunate enough to perform in several shows at The Annoyance Theatre; he was part of the cast of The Queer Eye: The Musical Parody at the Playground Theater; he is an ensemble member of Baby Wants Candy, and he can be found performing improv at various venues in Chicago with his comedy partner Cassidy Russell. Twitter: @BrysonHoward. Instagram: @BrysonDallasHoward.

Dakota Hughes (“Bev/Executive Producer”) (they/them) is ecstatic to make their Second City debut! Dakota is a Los Angeles native and graduate of Columbia College Chicago, where they earned a BFA in Musical Theatre Performance. Some favorite credits include Kinky Boots, Cinderella (Paramount Theatre), American Idiot (The Hypocrites), Lizzie (Firebrand), Thrones! The Parody Musical! (The Apollo Theater), and [title of show] (Open Door Rep).

Heidi Joosten (Music Director/Composer/Lyricist/Orchestrator) (she/her) is thrilled and grateful to be making her Second City debut with this show that is so near and dear to her heart. A multi-hyphenate performing artist, Heidi has collaborated on over 100 new theatrical, comedic, and concert works in the Chicagoland area since her arrival in 2014. Notable writing credits include: Queer Eye: the Musical Parody (The Second City), Saint Hildegard: the Rupertsberg Tour (Theo Ubique), Micro (Music Theatre of Madison), and The Bone Harp (Underscore Theatre Company). Joosten is a highly-sought after composer with over 200 works to her name, and her award-winning music has been performed across the United States, Canada, Europe and Australia. Heidi holds a Bachelors of Music from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and Masters of Music from Roosevelt University - Chicago College of Performing Arts. Proud member of ASCAP and the Dramatists Guild. www.heidijoosten.com

Eddie Ledford (“Bobby”) (he/him) is a Chicago-based actor, singer and comedian. He is a graduate of The Second City’s Conservatory, an ensemble member of the queer comedy group Baby Wine, and has performed in theaters, festivals and digital projects around the city including The Annoyance, Rhino Fest, Chicago Sketch Fest, Ordinary Peepholes, Commercial Appeal and web series Guilty. He originated the role of “Bobby” in the show’s initial run at The Playground Theatre and is very happy and grateful to reprise it at The Second City. Instagram: @_eddele

Evan Tyrone Martin (“Karamo”) (he/him) is excited to be making his Second City debut! Most recently, Evan could be seen in Blues In The Night at Porchlight Music Theatre opposite Broadway star Felicia P. Fields. Regional credits: “Jim” in Roundabout Theatre's digital reading of Zora Neale-Hurston's musical SPUNK (directed by Lili-Ann Brown); The Black Clown (Ensemble) at American Repertory Theater/Lincoln Center's 2019 Mostly Mozart Festival; Hair (“Hud”) at Mercury Theater; Jesus Christ Superstar (“Jesus,” BTAA Nomination) at Paramount Theatre; Dreamgirls (“Curtis,” BTAA Nomination) and Far From Heaven (“Raymond,” Jeff nomination) at Porchlight Music Theatre; and The Little Mermaid (“King Triton”) at Arkansas Rep. Evan has worked with Godspeed, Arkansas Shakes, Chicago Shakes, Chicago Humanities Festival, and many others. He also toured starring in the hit revues Unforgettable: Falling in Love with Nat King Cole and An Unforgettable Nat King Cole Christmas. Next up, Evan will play “Mister” in The Color Purple at the legendary MUNY in St. Louis. Instagram: @3vanMart1n. He is repped by Paonessa Talent.

Evan Mills (Co-Director/Writer/Creator) (he/him) is incredibly grateful to be co-directing the original musical he wrote with his writing partner Heidi Joosten, Queer Eye: The Musical Parody. He is currently an ensemble member in The Second City’s 110th Mainstage Revue and was previously an ensemble member of The Second City’s Mainstage Revue Together at Last. Evan has toured with Second City’s RedCo and is a recipient of the Bob Curry Fellowship Program. He spent a summer in Washington D.C., performing at the Kennedy Center in Generation Gap and has also performed at the Chicago Symphony Orchestra with The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra. He has been featured in the Break Out Comedy Festival, LA Laughter Comedy Fest, and the Comedy Central Showcase. You can check out his original music on Spotify (“A Little Bit Alexis” cover and “Sissy Boy”) and follow him on all social media platforms @awkvanmills.

Dominic Rescigno (“Antoni”) (he/him) is experiencing a dream come true doing this show with these people on this stage. He is a graduate of Second City’s Comedy Studies program and is currently finishing the Conservatory. He has performed for Lyric Opera of Chicago, The Onion, ClickHole, Walt Disney World, and starred in Chicago's long-running comedy Tony N' Tina's Wedding. His two webseries The Dominics and Dominic Tonight! have been critically ignored. www.dominicrescigno.com | @dominicrescigno

Stephen Schellhardt (Co-Director/Choreographer) (he/him) is thrilled to be a part of the Queer Eye: A Musical Parody family. He is a Jeff Award-winning director and actor, as well as choreographer, producer, educator, and casting director. In Chicago, Stephen has worked with the Marriott Theater, Writers Theatre, Drury Lane Theatre, Mercury Theater, Chicago Shakespeare Theater, About Face Theatre, Northlight Theatre, Chicago’s Lyric Opera, The Goodman Theatre, Porchlight Music Theatre, Ravinia Festival, Northwestern University, and BoHo Theatre, where he served as a company member and Artistic Director for six years. National tours include Altar Boyz. International credits include Jane Austen’s Persuasion at The Royal Winchester Theatre in England and the Shanklin Theatre on The Isle of Wight (Chamber Opera Chicago). From 2014-2017, Stephen served as Associate Producer and Casting Director at Writers Theatre in Glencoe before becoming a visiting professor at Northwestern University and then moving to The Chicago College of Performing Arts, where he now holds the title of Head of Musical Theatre. Stephen is a graduate of Carnegie Mellon University’s School of Drama and a proud member of the Actors Equity Association. 

Evan Starkweather (“Jonathan”) (he/they) is a Chicago-based performer and writer making their Second City debut. They were last seen performing karaoke at a bar in New Orleans during Mardi Gras, but before that, they wrote and performed numerous sketch and musical variety shows at The Annoyance, The Playground, and The Second City Training Center. They are a graduate of The Second City Conservatory, and their music video “Platonic Gay Best Friend” has been featured on Funny or Die. @evanspelledellen

 

About The Second City

The Second City opened its doors in 1959 as a small comedy cabaret and has since grown to become the world’s most influential name in improv and comedy. Second City's stages, Touring Companies, and Training Centers across North America have proudly been the launch pad for many of the funniest names on the planet, including John Belushi, John Candy, Steve Carell, Stephen Colbert, Chris Farley, Tina Fey, Keegan-Michael Key, Eugene Levy, Tim Meadows, Bill Murray, Mike Myers, Suzy Nakamura, Catherine O’Hara, Amy Poehler, Gilda Radner, Sam Richardson, Joan Rivers, Amber Ruffin, Jason Sudeikis, and Steven Yeun, among many more.

ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar: Fall 2021 Theatre Favorites in Chicago

ChiIL Live Shows on our radar

Mask up and see some shows! Photo credit: Milan Pejnovich 

Pictured: Milan Pejnovich, Bonnie Kenaz-Mara (ChiIL Mama), Catherine Hellmann, Deb Frels

The ghost lights have been on 24/7 as stages across the US went dark for over 18 months, while covid ravaged our country. It's not over yet, but with vax cards in hand and masks on faces, we are finally able to gather in person again. Treat yourself! There are many stellar shows on stage in Chicago this fall and we've never been happier to gather with friends and family for a change of scene and some epic story telling. Here are just a few of our favorites. 

Photo credit: B Kenaz-Mara

CHICAGO MAGIC LOUNGE

5050 N. Clark St., Chicago, IL 60640

312-366-4500

https://www.chicagomagiclounge.com/

Music & Magic

Mondays at 7:00pm

Tickets: General Admission $20

Photo credit: B Kenaz-Mara

The Showcase

Tuesdays at 7:00pm

Tickets: Standard: $35; Front Row: $40

Luis Carreon and Paige Thompson, August 10-August 31.

 

Photo credit: B Kenaz-Mara

The Signature Show

Thursdays-Sundays at 7:00pm, Fridays and Sundays at 10pm 

Tickets: $50-$55 (Standard); $65-$75 (Premium, includes 654 Club admission)

Featuring Special Guest Nick Diffatte

654 Club features Luis Carreon 

Special Guest Nick Diffatte is quickly becoming one of the most talked about and in-demand young comic magicians working today. His unique brand of entertainment seamlessly blends dry humor, quick wit, and incredible skill. His performances are presented with perfect comedic timing and a deadpan delivery that has kept audiences laughing uncontrollably all over the country for over 14 years. Most recently, Nick has been seen in a residency at the Planet Hollywood Casino in Las Vegas, The World Famous Magic Castle in Hollywood, luxury cruise lines and “The Late Late Show with James Corden” on CBS.

 

CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE THEATER

800 E. Grand Ave., Chicago, IL 60611

312-595-5600

www.chicagoshakes.com

As You Like It

By William Shakespeare

Adapted & directed by Daryl Cloran

Conceived by Daryl Cloran and the Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Festival

In the Courtyard Theater

Regular Run: October 16 – November 21, 2021 

 

Photo credit: B Kenaz-Mara

Set in the ‘60s, the exuberant celebration of love features nearly 20 musical numbers from The Beatles songbook, performed live onstage, including “She Loves You,” “I Want to Hold Your Hand,” “Let It Be,” and “Here Comes the Sun.” The company includes Melanie Brezill (Celia) Adam Wesley Brown (Forest Lord/Hymen), Tony Carter (Oliver), Austin Eckert (Charles the Wrestler/Amiens), Lachrisa Grandberry (Audrey), Kevin Gudahl (Duke Senior/Duke Frederick), Heidi Kettenring (Phoebe), Kayvon Khoshkam (Touchstone), Kieran McCabe (Forest Lord), Steven Pringle (Adam/Sir Oliver Martext), Liam Quealy (Orlando), Lakeisha Renee (Rosalind), and Nancy Voigts (Corin).

 

Remember This: The Lesson of Jan Karski

By Clark Young and Derek Goldman

Directed by Derek Goldman

Starring David Strathairn

In The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare

Press Opening: November 4, 2021 at 7:45pm

Regular Run: November 5 – November 14, 2021

 

Academy Award-nominated actor David Strathairn takes the stage in a tour-de-force solo performance, Remember This: The Lesson of Jan Karski. Best known for acclaimed performances in Good Night, and Good Luck, Nomadland, and Lincoln, Strathairn takes on the role of real-life World War II hero Jan Karski. After surviving the devastation of Poland by Nazi Germany, Karski swears allegiance to the Polish Underground and risks his life to carry the first eyewitness reports of the Holocaust to the White House, where his warnings are met with inaction and disbelief. Strathairn captures the remarkable life of the self-described “insignificant, little man” who spoke truth in the halls of power in a timely story of moral courage.

 

Q Brothers Christmas Carol

Written by Q Brothers Collective (GQ, JQ, Jax, Pos)

Directed by GQ and JQ

Developed with Rick Boynton

In The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare

Preview Performances: December 8 – December 9, 2021

Press Opening: December 10, 2021 at 7pm

Regular Run: December 11 – December 23, 2021

 

The Theater’s raucous and irreverent holiday tradition returns in a special limited engagement in The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare. Created and performed by Chicago hip hop sensations the Q Brothers Collective (GQ, JQ, Jax, and Pos) and developed with Creative Producer Rick Boynton, this wildly entertaining 80-minute reinterpretation of the Charles Dickens classic mashes up hip hop with contemporary musical styles ranging from reggae and dancehall music, to dubstep and epic rock ballads—all underscored with beats spun live at the turntables by DJ Supernova

COURT THEATRE

5535 S. Ellis Avenue, Chicago, IL 60637

(773) 753-4472

www.courtheatre.org

 

Photo credit: B Kenaz-Mara

The Tragedy of Othello, The Moor of Venice

by William Shakespeare

Directed by Charles Newell and Gabrielle Randle-Bent

Featuring Kelvin Roston, Jr as Othello

Regular Run: October 17 - November 21, 2021

In addition to live performances, a digital version will be available to stream on-demand.

 

Photo credit: B Kenaz-Mara

Othello—the noble general, husband, scholar, and traveler—fights for his life, right to love, and position in society. When Othello’s closest confidant objects to his actions, their brotherhood is shattered, provoking a series of tragic events for Othello and everyone around him.

Co-directors Charles Newell and Gabrielle Randle-Bent helm this theatrical examination of humanity and tragedy in Shakespeare’s fraught and famous work. Through scenic design that place audiences in the middle of the action, this telling grapples with how complex notions of race, gender, and complicity at the heart of the play’s murderous events speak to a world on the brink of change.

 

DRURY LANE THEATRE

Drury Lane Theatre

100 Drury Lane

Oakbrook Terrace, IL 60181

(630) 530-8300

http://drurylanetheatre.com

 

Photo credit: B Kenaz-Mara

Forever Plaid

Written and Originally Directed and Choreographed by Stuart Ross 

Musical Continuity Supervision and Arrangements by James Raitt

Originally Produced by Gene Wolsk

Directed and Choreographed by Paul Stancato

With Music Direction by Valerie Maze

Preview Performances: September 17 – September 22, 2021

Press Opening: Thursday, September 23 at 8:00 p.m.

Regular Run: September 24 – November 7, 2021

 

Photo credit: B Kenaz-Mara

On the way to their first big gig, tragedy strikes Forever Plaid, a “guy group” specializing in barbershop quartet harmonies and pitch-perfect melodies. Forever Plaid begins when the guys are given the chance to perform from the afterlife. This smash hit musical is a nostalgic homage to the music of the ‘50s and includes hits such as “Three Coins in the Fountain” and “Love is a Many-Splendored Thing.”

The cast of Forever Plaid features Brian Eng (Sparky), Michael Ferraro (Frankie), Yando Lopez (Jinx) and A.D. Weaver (Smudge).

MERCURY THEATER

3745 N Southport Ave, Chicago, IL 60613

(773) 325-1700

www.mercurytheaterchicago.com

 

Sister Act                                                                                                 

Book by Bill and Cheri Steinkellne, and Douglas Carter Beane

Directed by Reneisha Jenkins

Music Direction by Diana Lawrence

Choreography by Christopher Chase Carter

Featuring Chicago Legends Alexis J. Roston (Deloris) and Hollis Resnik (Mother Superior)

Preview Performances: November 5 – November 10, 2021

Press Opening: November 11, 2021 at 7:30pm

Regular Run: November 12, 2021 – January 9, 2022

This feel-good musical comedy is based on the hit 1992 film that has audiences jumping to their feet!  Featuring original music by Tony and Oscar winner, Alan Menken (Newsies, Beauty and the Beast, Little Shop of Horrors), this uplifting musical was nominated for five Tony Awards, including Best Musical.  When disco diva, Deloris Van Cartier, witnesses a murder, she is put in protective custody in the one place the cops are sure she won't be a found: a convent! Disguised as a nun, she finds herself at odds with both the rigid lifestyle and uptight Mother Superior. Using her unique disco moves and singing talent to inspire the choir, Deloris breathes new life into the church and community but, in doing so, blows her cover.  Sister Act is reason to rejoice!

 

 

NORTHLIGHT THEATRE

9501 Skokie Blvd in Skokie, IL 60077

(847) 673-6300

http://www.northlight.org/

 

Songs for Nobodies

By Joanna Murray-Smith

Directed by Rob Lindley

Music Direction by Andra Velis Simon

Featuring Bethany Thomas

Preview Performances: September 23 – September 30, 2021

Press Opening: October 1, 2021at 8pm

Regular Run: October 2 – October 31, 2021

 

This tour-de-force performance celebrates the iconic work of Judy Garland, Patsy Cline, Billie Holiday, Edith Piaf and Maria Callas. Share in the unexpected encounters between these legendary divas and the ordinary women whose lives were changed by their brush with fame. Featuring such favorites as “Come Rain or Come Shine,” “Crazy,” and “Ain’t Nobody’s Business If I Do,” Songs for Nobodies illuminates the power of song to share a story, heal a heartbreak, and inspire a dream.

 

The World Premiere of

Mr. Dickens’ Hat

A Play with Music

By Michael Hollinger

Directed by David Catlin

Music Direction by Chuck Larkin

Preview Performances: November 26 – December 2, 2021

Press Opening: December 3, 2021 at 8pm

Regular Run: December 4, 2021 – January 2, 2022

 

In a cozy Victorian shop sits the hat of Charles Dickens, who once used it to carry water to the victims of a train wreck (that’s true!). When a pair of bumbling thieves plots to steal it (that’s imaginary!), young Kit sets out to foil their plan, save the hat, and free her father from debtors’ prison. Filled with a host of colorful characters, constables, and carolers, this warm winter’s tale with original music brings to life the universal lesson: “Beneath our hats, we are all the same.”

 

THE SECOND CITY

Mainstage

1616 N. Wells Street, Chicago

312-337-3992

www.secondcity.com

The Second City presents its 109th Mainstage revue

Happy to Be Here*

Press Opening: September 30, 2021 at 7pm

You’re gonna want to sit down for this news. We’re warming up the bentwood chairs and ready to invite you back inside our theater! Join humans on stage making humans in the audience laugh as we toast being together again. Our Mainstage performances are a celebration of our resilience, our relationships, and our mutual need to get back into the habit of making eye contact. We’ve been pushed apart both physically and politically for way too long…now it’s time to enjoy some good, clean (or at the very least...ultra-hygienic) togetherness.

ChiIL out in Chi, IL, mask up, and see some shows! As always, check back with ChiILLiveShows.com (adult) and ChiILMama.com (family friendly) early and often for original reviews, arts and entertainment news, photo filled recaps, giveaways, and more. See you out there!