News
Review: Rivendell's 'Pivot' takes audiences on a darkly funny, 100-minute thrill ride
4+ hour, 34+ min ago (567+ words) I'm a fan of dark comedies. Especially when they deliver an unexpected twist. In the world premiere play "Pivot" at Rivendell Theatre, penned by Jeff Award-winning playwright Alex Lubischer and directed by Rivendell ensemble member Hallie Gordon, that twist comes…...
In the Chicago suburbs, young adults with special needs say 'yes, and…' to improv
6+ day, 4+ hour ago (532+ words) Activities like improv shows are an opportunity for Awesome Life participants to get out of the house, be social and make friends. The organization, based in Naperville, is a nonprofit serving young people with Down syndrome, autism, or other special…...
Inspiring a generation of comedians is part of Catherine O’Hara’s legacy, local performers say
3+ week, 2+ day ago (542+ words) Catherine O'Hara "was an influence on so many comedians from my era," according to one actor, writer and producer who grew up watching the Canadian actress on "SCTV," a satiric show set in the broadcast day of a fictional station…...
How we photographed a 'bleak Friday"
2+ mon, 2+ week ago (500+ words) A shopper walks on Magnificent Mile in Streeterville on Black Friday, Nov. 28. This image is a sign of the times. The light shining on a single shopper and the shadows in the barely decorated storefront allude to a "bleak Friday,…...
Review: In sitcom-esque ‘Superior Donuts,’ the comedic goods have gotten stale
3+ mon, 2+ week ago (301+ words) Actors John N. Williams and Scott Westerman star as doughnut shop exmployee and doughnut shop owner in "Superior Donuts" at The Artistic Home. The comedy "Superior Donuts" premiered at Steppenwolf in 2008 and moved to Broadway the next year for a three-month…...
Latina Comedy Festival expands with largest event yet
4+ mon, 3+ week ago (1018+ words) From left, comedians Casey Larwood, Christina Gutierrez, Eliana La Casa, Kat Diaz, Jess Martinez, Joz Sida, Janice Rodriguez and Jessi Realz are performing in this weekend's Latina Comedy Festival at The Lincoln Lodge in Logan Square. The Latina Comedy Festival…...
C. diff, death and parenthood roll up into a new show from comedian Cameron Esposito
4+ mon, 3+ week ago (846+ words) In her new show "FEAT," at Steppenwolf, Cameron Esposito displays her penchant for finding levity in deeply personal material. Between 2006 and 2012, comedian Cameron Esposito performed stand-up in almost every conceivable Chicago venue: bars, clubs, roller derbies, burlesque shows, the circus,…...
John Mulaney to headline first-ever comedy show at Wrigley Field
5+ mon, 23+ hour ago (146+ words) The Chicago native announced the July 11, 2026 show during a Chicago Cubs game Tuesday, where he sang the 7th Inning stretch. Why are we asking for donations? John Mulaney to headline first-ever comedy show at Wrigley Field The Chicago native announced the…...
Democracy suffers when presidents can't take a joke
5+ mon, 1+ day ago (470+ words) A Midwestern schoolteacher once told her class that a sense of humor is a sign of intelligence. "Look around the classroom," she said. "The smartest kids always get the joke right away. The others might struggle." I've never confirmed that…...
Then they came for the comedians...
5+ mon, 6+ day ago (586+ words) Jimmy Kimmel appears at the 74th Primetime Emmy Awards in in Los Angeles in 2022. This week, ABC suspended Kimmel indefinitely over remarks he made about Charlie Kirk's killing. Nobody cries like a bully. The big goon in the schoolyard, on the…...