When summer’s as short and temperamental as this one’s been, you’ve got to make every nice day count. Here’s what life along the lakeshore was like yesterday, at least, from my perspective:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Wm8PMYq0bk[/youtube]
Second City’s Training Center has cranked out some amazing comedy talent: Tina Fey, Mike Myers, and Stephen Colbert just to name a few. However, none of the luminary alumni are stand-up comics, and that is not what the theater or the training center is best known for creating.
Recently, though, the Second City training center has added stand-up comedy to its list of available classes. There is a teen program for ages 13-17 (which has a spring session beginning Saturday April 18), and an adult class taught by amazing Chicago comedian Dan Telfer.
The training center’s stage, Donny’s Skybox Theater, even has stand-up performances on Sundays. Comedy at the Don is a weekly showcase of local stand-up, sketch, and improv. You can check that out on Sundays at 9:30pm for only $5. Donny’s Skybox Theater is located on the fourth floor of Piper’s Alley, 1608 N. Wells.
Who knows? Maybe a current student will be the next big stand-up star.
(photo from Elizabeth McQuern)
Fortune magazine has an article titled “How To Find a Job”. It has the usual job hunting tips so you can read it for that. I, however, am reading it to enjoy the antics of one of my favorite Chicago sketch groups Hey You Millionaires. The last page includes the comedy group demonstrating how NOT to answer interview questions.
What a night last night! You can see some of my experiences at the Grant Park Rally on flickr here. After you get done checking that out you can then go over to K-Rock’s collage of various front pages from around the world announcing our new president, Barack Obama. Which will have to do ya because all Chicago papers sold out toot sweet, and even extra printings of the Tribune, Sun-Times, and RedEye (really!!??!?) are hard to come by.
You voted! Good for you! Truthfully, democracy should be its own reward, but we all love freebies. So here’s a list of free stuff you can get for voting. Happy Election Day!
(photo by kalandrakas)
The Trib has a great article that answers all your questions about the Obama rally in Grant Park tomorrow. I got an e-mail from the Democratic Party saying that I will get a ticket this afternoon. I’m hoping it’s legit and not a Nigerian spam scam using Obama tickets. I’ll probably see you there.
(photo from hryckowian)
According to the Chicago Tribune, Obama will hold an election night eventin Hutchinson Field on the south side of Grant Park. I guess you should start silk screening your “Obamapalooza” shirts now for the November 4th fete.
(photo from enigma personification)
What could be an easier way to contribute to charity then watch a comedy show? How about if that show has some of Chicago’s best stand-up comedians in it. Boom! I’m sold.
This Friday at 9 PM, amazing Chicago comedian Carrie Callahan will be hosting a benefit comedy show called “Easier Then Running a Marathon”. It takes place at the Lincoln Restaurant (home of the famous comedy showcase The Lincoln Lodge) at 4008 N. Lincoln. The cost is only $10 and all proceeds go to AIDS research.
Then, Saturday is “Angel’s Farewell Show”. This is a send off to much beloved Chicago comedy super-fan Angel Busque. The show will feature her favorite Chicago comedians which means for only $10 you can see Jason Fever [The Mockumentals], Brian Potrafka [Doug Stanhope’s The Unbookables, author of “Small & Wrong”], Dan Kaufman (The Bob & Tom Show), Sean Flannery (producer and co-host of the Internet radio talk show the Visitors Locker Room), David Kovac (Performed at the request of Mayor Richard M. Daley for the 73rd Annual U.S. Conference of Mayors), Ricky Carmona (HBO Latino), Brendan McGowan (Chicago Underground Comedy), CJ Sullivan (Visitors Locker Room, Chicago Tribune’s Red Eye), Renee Gauthier (Victoria Beckham: Coming to America), Cayne Collier (producer of Chicago’s longest running stand-up showcase, the Elevated), hosted by local favorite Bradley Fojas (NBC’s Stand Up for Diversity). Plus, all the money goes toward Lupus Foundation of America, Illinois Chapter. Doors for this show open at 7:30 and the show starts at 8 PM.
Sure. Why not?
Then head over to Stage Left Theater on Saturday at 12:30am to see comedy group pH Productions show pHRENZY pHUCKED which will be hosted by Sexy Jesus from the new movie Hamlet 2.
Tonight, the talented cast of pH will begin their Hamlet 2 theme by doing their hit comedy show pHamily The Musical as the West Mesa High School Drama Department from the movie. The Friday show starts at 11pm at Stage Left Theater (3408 N Sheffield Ave), and both shows are $10.
Back in February of this year, I heard some rumblings about a Chicago Comedy Festival taking place on Navy Pier during the autumn of this year. It’s supposed to have 100 performers, three stages, and a partridge in a pear tree. I know it’s still summer, but we’re not too far from autumn, and I have yet to hear anything more about this Chicago Comedy Festival (the website is just a placeholder with no information). I’m intrigued, but it’s easier to find information on the Just for Laughs festival coming to Chicago in summer of 2009. I was starting to loose hope that this Chicago Comedy Festival thing was going to happen.
Then today I found this youtube channel labeled Chicago comedy festival. This channel has been uploading segments of a documentary hosted by comedy legend Bob Zmuda about the Chicago Comedy Festival from 2001 over the past two days. If you have 30 minutes (or eight chunks of about five minutes) and you have an interest in comedy, then check out these videos. The documentary is filled with comedy treats, but one of the biggest treats for me was seeing one of my favorite rooms in Chicago, The Lincoln Lodge, pop up around the 2:30 mark in this segment. During that segment you also get to see alternative comics like Neil Hamburger, and SNL’s Fred Armisen playing his character Fericito. Of course, Chicago comedy stalwart, Zanies, is there with a whole mess of amazing comedians to numerous to list. To start you off, I’ll put the first part of the documentary here:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4XnZwGFNZfY[/youtube]
