New sketch comedy shows keep winter laughs coming

Don't let the plunge in temperature deep-freeze your funny bone. Try thawing out at one of the new sketch comedy shows opening this month:

• Gorilla Tango's R-rated (21 and older and they're not kidding), late-night interactive show "Boozelegger's Ball" debuted last week and runs at 11:30 p.m. Fridays through Feb. 29 at 1919 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago. Tickets cost $15. They're available online at www.gorillatango.com or at (773) 598-4549.

• Rich and Rebecca Sohn debut their new sketch comedy show "Idiot Tango" Saturday at The Annoyance Theater, 4830 N. Broadway, Chicago. The show runs at 8 p.m. Saturdays through Feb. 16. Tickets cost $10. They're available at www.theannoyance.com or at (773) 561-4665.

• Kicking off its fourth year, the offbeat game show "Don't Spit the Water" returns from its two-month run at Arlington Heights' Metropolis Performing Arts Centre to its spiritual home, the Playground Theater, 3209 N. Halsted St., Chicago. Showtime is 10 p.m. Saturdays. Tickets cost $15 and are available at www.dontspitthewater.com or at the box office. For information on being a contestant, call (866) 208-6296.

• Also at the Annoyance, "Hey You Millionaires," a new show written and performed by James Asmus, John Bohan and Jim Fath and featuring some of their best bits from the last 10 years, opens Sunday. The show runs at 7 p.m. Sundays through March 9 at 4830 N. Broadway, Chicago. Tickets cost $10. They're available at www.theannoyance.com or at (773) 561-4665.

• The premise of "The Gentleman Follies of 1908" has a couple of early 20th-century vaudevillians hop-scotching through history in Gorilla Tango's latest. The show runs at 8 p.m. Wednesdays through Feb. 13 at Gorilla Tango Theatre, 1919 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago. Tickets cost $10. They're available at (773) 598-4549 or at www.gorillatango.com.

A capital idea … The Capitol Steps, the D.C.-based ensemble known for its ecumenical approach to political satire (meaning Democrats, Republicans and Independents are fair game) returns next week to Centre East, North Shore Center for the Performing Arts. The group performs at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, 8 p.m. Jan. 18, 5 and 8 p.m. Jan. 19 and 3 p.m. Jan 20 at 9501 Skokie Blvd., Skokie. Tickets cost $45 and are available at (847) 673-6300 or www.centreeast.org.

And just in time for Super Tuesday … The Capitol Steps perform one night only Feb. 1 at Aurora's Paramount Theatre, 23 E. Galena Blvd. Showtime is 8 p.m. Tickets range from $25.50 to $35.50. They're available at the box office, (630) 896-6666 or at www.ticketmaster.com.