News

 

 Subscribe

Make-A-Wish Recipient Visits ComedySportz

Details
Published: 05 March 2012

 

15-year-old boy from Canton, Ohio visits backstage and sees a show

Jimmie, a 15-year-old from Canton, Ohio undergoing treatment for Leukemia, asked the Make-a-Wish Foundation to include a visit to ComedySportz among his activities for the Chicago weekend they arranged for him and his family. Jimmie had never been to a ComedySportz show before, but knew of the show from when he lived in Chicago before moving to Ohio.

Jimmie arrived at ComedySportz on Friday, February 17th with his aunt and uncle, Talaya and Jerome and his cousin Maki, with whom he lives in Canton. Jimmie was taken backstage to meet the cast before the show and join them for warm-ups. He says he is just a comedy fan with no ambitions of performing, but he seemed right in his element doing the warm-ups.

Jimmie was diagnosed with Leukemia last year, but has since received two successful bone marrow transplants thanks to donors from Georgia and France. The Make-A-Wish Foundation tells us Jimmie is making a terrific recovery. We’re honored he asked to include us in his special weekend and look forward to seeing him and his family back here in the future.

   
 

alt

Dual Duel Improv Tournament Returns to ComedySportz

Details
Published: 05 March 2012

100 of Chicago’s Top Improv Artists to Compete in 13-Week Tournament!

Dual Duel Improv Tournament Returns to ComedySportz

The single-elimination tournament of two-person improv teams called Dual Duel will return for its fourth (IS THIS CORRECT?) year at The ComedySportz Theatre, 929 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago, beginning Sunday, March 11, 2012.  Performers from improv clubs all over the Chicago area will compete for a $200.00 grand prize and a trophy. Each week, five teams will perform a ten minute set each and based on the audience’s judging, one winning team will advance to the semi-finals.  After an initial round of five weeks from March 11 through April 8th, the first semi-finals round will be held on April 15th.  A second round of preliminaries will take place from April 22 through May 20, with the second semi-finals round on May 27th. The two winning teams from the semi-finals will face off in the tournament finals on June 3rd.

Each week’s program will open with a special guest act, ranging from sketch and improv artists through juggling and magic acts.  The full schedule of tournament contestants and opening acts is below.

Tickets for each show are $10.00 and may be purchased at The ComedySportz Theatre box office, or online through Ticketmaster.com or at all Ticketmaster outlets.

WHERE & WHEN:

  • The ComedySportz Theatre
  • 929 W. Belmont, Chicago, IL 60657 (Belmont/Sheffield)
  • Sundays, 7 pm., March 11 – June 3, 2012
  • Tickets: $10 Adults
  • Box Office: 773-549-8080
  • Ticketmaster.com, 800-745-3000


CONTESTANTS FOR MARCH 11, 2012

  • Droomiez (Sarah Shook & Punam Patel)

  • Dumb Sh*ts ( Nathan Jansen & Pat Dwyer)
  • 
Frankv (Dan Bloom & Matt Lang)

  • The Dirty Shame (Matt Barats & Lee Barats)
  • Ski Do Secret (Josh Logan& Brett Elam)

OPENING ACTS

  • 3/11 - Shock T's (musical sketch)
  • 
3/18 - Cowboy Villain (sketch)
  • 
3/25 - John Sturk (magician)

  • 4/1 - Kumate (Ryan Williams one person improv)
  • 
4/8 - The Davenports (Soap Opera improv)
  • 
4/15 - 45 Kings (Loyola's college improv troupe)

  • 4/22 - Kerpatty (Pat Dwyer and Erin Pallesen's sketch troupe)
  • 
4/29 - Brad French - (juggler)

  • 5/6 - Broncos (improv)

  • 5/13 - To be announced
  • 5/20 - Kerpatty
  • 
5/27 - Ricky and Klahsio (two man improv)
  • 
6/3 - Summmabitch (last year's Dual Duel Champions) 

ABOUT COMEDYSPORTZ CHICAGO:

One of Chicago’s longest-running improv comedy shows, ComedySportz has been performing continuously in Chicago since the summer of 1987. The show’s home base is The ComedySportz Theatre, a 137-seat venue located at 929 W. Belmont, between Clark Street and Sheffield Avenue. In addition to its six ComedySportz performances per week, the theater hosts another six comedy shows weekly, some of which include guest artists in sketch, improv and stand-up comedy; and the popular Saturday morning kids series which introduces young people to classic stories told through the techniques of improv. The theatre also hosts hundreds of private shows for youth and other groups each year.

ComedySportz also provides improv-based corporate and college training workshops, and a touring company that brings the ComedySportz show into businesses, schools and private parties. The ComedySportz Training Center offers professional training in improv techniques for aspiring performers and anyone else seeking to develop the benefits of improv training. ComedySportz of Chicago, Inc. is locally owned and operated. It is an independent licensee of the World Comedy League, Inc

CONTACT: John Olson at The ComedySportz Theatre, (773) 549-8080, ext. 231
For Birthday Parties or Workshops before or after the show, contact Jo-El Lacy at (773) 549-8080 ext 223.
 
 
ComedySportz Chicago 

Saturday Morning Kids Series Announced

Details
Published: 05 March 2012

Kids Interact with Classic Stories in The ComedySportz Crew Adventures

  • The ComedySportz Crew Meets Peter Pan
    January 21 – March 31, 2012
  • The ComedySportz Crew Meets Alice in Wonderland
    April 7 – June 16, 2012
  • The ComedySportz Crew Explores The Jungle Book
    June 23 – September 1, 2012
  • The ComedySportz Crew Meets Sleeping Beauty
    September 8 – November 10, 2012
  • The ComedySportz Crew Meets The Snow Queen
    November 17, 2012 – January 26, 2013
 
alt

The ComedySportz Theatre today announced the complete 2012 schedule of shows in its popular Saturday morning Kids’ Series, The ComedySportz Crew Adventures. Following on the successes of its 2011 productions - Cinderella, Winnie-the-pooh and Little Red Riding Hood - ComedySportz will mount new productions of four classics of children’s literature, all re-imagined in the ComedySportz style. The shows, performed by improv-trained actors, invite the young audiences to take part in the stories. Scripts and show concepts are developed by ComedySportz ensemble members David Flora and Annie Rijks.

In each show, two characters known as the ComedySportz Crew enter the world of the story with the help of a magical device called the “Imagination Machine.”  They frequently have to deal with interference from an evil villain called “Expensivo,” who follows the crew on their exploits and creates trouble for the story’s characters as well as the crew.  The shows are an excellent way to introduce children to the world of theater and its differences from video games or film/video entertainment. The audience’s imagination is a key ingredient, along with production values like colorful costuming to involve them in the story.


ComedySportz Chicago to Mark 25th Anniversary Year

Details
Published: 02 March 2012
ComedySportz Chicago to Mark 25th Anniversary Year with International Comedy Competition and Three Months of Activities 
 
CONTACT:  John Olson, Communications Director

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


ComedySportz Chicago to Mark 25th Anniversary Year with International Comedy Competition and Three Months of Activities


CHICAGO, February 10, 2012

The long-running Chicago improv show ComedySportz will mark its 25th Anniversary with a summer-long celebration called “25 Yearz: Competing. Celebrating. Giving Back.” The festivities will begin in July with ComedySportz Chicago hosting a tournament of 21ComedySportz clubs to include 19 clubs from across the US and two from Europe. In August, the Chicago club will salute its history with a series of especially themed shows and cast reunions. The party will conclude in September, as ComedySportz Chicago gives back to the community by raising money through ticket sales and other promotions for five different charities serving the Lakeview neighborhood, where the club is located at 929 West Belmont Avenue.

July – “Competing.”  ComedySportz World Championship to be Held in July at Chicago’s Athenaeum Theatre.

“Competing” is the Anniversary theme for July, honoring the unique ComedySportz brand of competitive comedy, in which two teams of improv comedy players use spontaneous audience suggestions for scenes, songs and games. The teams earn points based on audience approval. The concept began in 1984 in Milwaukee and expanded to Chicago in 1987, with the first independently owned club to license the ComedySportz name and concept. All 21 clubs, including the European clubs in Manchester, England and Berlin, Germany, are expected to attend the July World Championship. Up to 150 players will perform at the Athenaeum from July 18 to 21. All performances will be open to the public.

August – “Celebrating.” ComedySportz Chicago Will Salute Its Many “Families” in August.

“Celebrating” is the theme for August, when ComedySportz will involve and pay tribute to the various groups that have contributed to the show’s success. ComedySportz performers from across its 25-year history will return to perform in “Alumni Weekend,” August 2-4. August 9 -11 will be “80s Weekend,” with special show content themed to the decade of ComedySportz’s birth. The theatre’s neighbors will be celebrated during Lakeview weekend, August 16-18, and the vibrant Chicago Improv community will be honored during the Chicago Improv Festival at ComedySportz from August 23-25.

September - “Giving Back.” Fundraising Events to Assist Community Organizations.

For each of the five weekends in September, ComedySportz Chicago will donate a portion of ticket fees to a local charity or community group serving the Lakeview neighborhood. Recipients will be announced shortly. Additionally, cast members will donate their time to the charity as well. “We couldn’t have made it 25 years without the support of our local community. This will be a great way to not only thank our neighbors, but also acknowledge and celebrate our community’s diversity,” says Matt Elwell, CEO of ComedySportz Chicago.
 
ABOUT COMEDYSPORTZ CHICAGO

One of Chicago’s longest-running improv comedy shows, ComedySportz has been performing continuously in Chicago since the summer of 1987, and has called 15 different venues in the area its home. Currently, the show’s home base is The ComedySportz Theatre, a 137-seat venue located at 929 W. Belmont, between Clark Street and Sheffield Avenue. In addition to its six ComedySportz performances per week, the theater hosts another six comedy shows weekly, some of which include guest artists in sketch, improv and stand-up comedy; and the popular Saturday morning kids series which introduces young people to classic stories told through the techniques of improv. The theatre also hosts hundreds of private shows for youth and other groups each year.

ComedySportz also provides improv-based corporate and college training workshops, and a touring company that brings the ComedySportz show into businesses, schools and private parties. The ComedySportz Training Center offers professional training in improv techniques for aspiring performers and anyone else seeking to develop the benefits of improv training.

ComedySportz of Chicago, Inc. is locally owned and operated. It is an independent licensee of the World Comedy League, Inc.

CONTACT: John Olson at The ComedySportz Theatre, (773) 549-8080, ext. 231

WEB SITE: http://www.COMEDYSPORTZCHICAGO.com
 
ComedySportz Chicago 
birthday