Time to laugh: Comedy shows just might be the ticket this fall
It’s cliché to say “Laughter is the best medicine.”
But with so much uncertainty in our lives today, an evening of laughs could be a quick and temporary remedy for any number of symptoms of our worrying times.
So, take note of the variety of standup comics, sketch comedy players and improv practitioners who can offer an unofficial prescription for laughter. Catch these comedians in the suburbs or in big-city venues ranging in size from sports arenas to intimate comedy clubs. Check each venue’s website for more details.
Suburban spotlights
Die-hard fans of the British troupe “Monty Python’s Flying Circus” won’t want miss seeing one of the surviving Pythons in “Not Dead Yet! John Cleese and the Holy Grail at 50” Thursday, Oct. 9, at the Genesee Theatre in Waukegan. Cleese will answer questions following a 50th anniversary screening of “Monty Python and the Holy Grail.”
The Genesee also hosts social media star Anthony Rodia and his many Italian-American personas in the “Laugh Till It Hurts Tour” Thursday, Nov. 13.
More Italian-American humor can be found this fall at the Des Plaines Theatre with shows like “Make America Italian Again: Comedian Mike Marino & Friends” Thursday, Oct. 16; Pete Correale and his “As I Was Saying Tour” Saturday, Dec. 6; and the “Uncle Louie Variety Show — Holiday Edition” Sunday, Dec. 7.
The Des Plaines Theatre is also likely to shock this season by hosting comics such as Andrew Dice Clay Sunday, Nov. 2, and Trailer Trash Tammy for “The Loose Lips Tour” Thursday, Nov. 20.
More identity comedy is on tap at College of DuPage’s McAninch Arts Center in Glen Ellyn. It’s all in the title for the revised and updated one-man show “Steve Solomon’s My Mother’s Italian, My Father’s Jewish & I’m in Therapy” Sunday, Sept. 28.
Meanwhile, WGN Morning News anchor Pat Tomasulo shares his standup comedy skills during two shows Saturday, Nov. 22 (Tomasulo also performs Saturday, Oct. 18, at College of Lake County’s Lumber Center for the Performing Arts in Grayslake and at Zanies in Chicago Thursday through Saturday, Dec. 4-6).
The McAninch also hosts the touring return of “Capitol Fools,” which skewers U.S. politics via comedy sketches and parody songs Sunday, Oct. 12. Also returning to Glen Ellyn is Paul Reiser, the star of the Emmy Award-winning sitcom “Mad About You,” Friday, Oct. 17.
Over at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts in Skokie, standup fans can see Paula Poundstone of “Wait Wait … Don’t Tell Me!” fame Saturday, Sept. 27, and former late-night talk show host Craig Ferguson Thursday, Nov. 6, with his “Pants on Fire” tour.
And for fans of comic impressions, Frank Caliendo returns for another show Saturday, Oct. 25, at the Paramount Theatre in Aurora.
Arena headliners
Standup comics have unquestionably reached the big time when they can fill up Chicago sports stadiums.
At the United Center, “Saturday Night Live” alum and big-screen movie star Adam Sandler (“Uncut Gems,” “Happy Gilmore”) performs his “You’re My Best Friend Tour” Monday, Oct. 20. Netflix standup star and 2025 Emmy Awards host Nate Bargatze plays the same venue with his “Big Dumb Eyes World Tour” Thursday and Friday, Oct. 23-24.
Then, on Friday, Nov. 7, Jo Koy brings his “Just Being Koy Tour” to the United Center.
Near McCormick Place, the Wintrust Arena finds safety in numbers with two group comedy tours.
The “Sweetest Day Comedy Jam” features a lineup of Lavell Crawford, Bill Bellamy, Tony Roberts, TK Kirkland, Navv Greene, Kevin Tate and Skeet Carter on Saturday, Oct. 18.
Then, on Friday, Nov. 28, Wintrust Arena hosts the famed “85 South” podcast regulars DC Young Fly, Karlous Miller, Chico Bean and more as part of the “Spin The Block Comedy Tour.”
Big Rooms
With more than 3,800 seats, the historic Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University is a truly “big room” for standup comedians. This fall features British comedian Sarah Millican and her “Late Bloomer Tour” Friday and Saturday, Oct. 17-18, while “The Daily Show” veterans Hasan Minhaj and Ronny Chieng do battle with two back-to-back shows called “Hasan Hates Ronny | Ronny Hates Hasan” Friday, Nov. 7.
The 3,600-seat Chicago Theatre is another famed Windy City “big room” for comedy. The fall standup lineup features native New Yorker Sam Morrill and “The Errors Tour” Saturday, Oct. 4; British comedian Jimmy Carr with his “Laughs Funny” tour Thursday, Oct. 9; and Netflix special star Iliza Shlesinger Friday, Oct. 10.
Milestone comic magic is also in the mix with the 50th Anniversary Tour of Penn & Teller playing the Chicago Theatre Friday, Oct 24.
Jam it up
Chicago-based Jam Productions also hosts several diverse humorists at their many Windy City venues.
The Vic Theatre welcomes Scottish comedian Kevin Bridges Sunday, Oct. 5, (he also plays The Riviera Theatre as part of the 312 Comedy Festival Sunday, Nov. 9).
Korean-American comedian Henry Cho brings “The Empty Nest Tour” to The Vic Saturday, Oct. 11, while “MADtv” alumna Anjelah Johnson-Reyes performs “The Family Reunion Tour” for two shows Friday, Oct. 24.
The Riviera Theatre features famed internet comedians such as Trey Kennedy in “The Relatable Tour” Thursday, Oct. 2, while Nurse Blake brings his “But Did You Die? Comedy Tour” Sunday, Oct. 12.
And then at the more intimate Park West, comedian and social media star Rob Anderson dares to ask “Are You Afraid of the ’90s?” for two shows Friday, Dec. 5.
What’s the 312?
The 312 Comedy Festival returns for a third run across multiple venues in Rosemont and Chicago Tuesday through Sunday, Nov. 4-9. Some of the headliners include Fortune Feimster and her “Takin’ Care of Biscuits Comedy Tour” at the Chicago Theatre (Saturday, Nov. 8), “Crashing” star Pete Holmes at the Riviera Theatre (Thursday, Nov. 6), and new “Saturday Night Live” featured player Kam Patterson of the comedy podcast “Kill Tony” at Park West (Saturday, Nov. 8).
The 312 Comedy Festival also features acts at both Zanies locations. In Chicago, Marie Faustin (the podcast “Peak 2000s”) performs Friday and Saturday, Nov. 7-8. Then at Zanies in Rosemont, “Seinfeld” star Patrick Warburton appears Tuesday, Nov. 4, and Joe Machi performs Friday and Saturday, Nov. 7-8. For details, visit 312comedyfestival.com/.
Sketch landmark
So many recognizable names in comedy, ranging from Steve Carell to Amber Ruffin, can trace their roots to The Second City in Chicago.
Since 1959, The Second City has been the hub for sketch comedy revues, comedy tours and classes. The Second City’s 113th Mainstage revue is “This Too Shall Slap,” while “The Chaos Theory of Everything” is the 49th revue at The Second City e.t.c. There are also loads of other shows for families or by training center groups at other venues within in The Second City complex, like the UP Comedy Club and Judy’s Beat Lounge.
The Second City also has suburban holiday plans with the revue “Jack Frost Roasting on an Open Fire.” The touring show plays twice Saturday, Dec. 6, at the McAninch Arts Center in Glen Ellyn, and then plays a sit-down engagement at the Metropolis Performing Arts Centre Dec. 15-31.
Suburban standup
An impressive supply of standup acts who are nationally famous or on the rise locally can be found in suburban comedy clubs.
The Improv Comedy Showcase in Schaumburg has acts on tap such as sitcom star Steve Byrne (Friday through Sunday, Nov. 7-9), “MADtv” alum Aries Spears (Thursday through Sunday, Nov. 13-16) and “In Living Color” veteran Tommy Davidson (Friday through Sunday, Dec. 12-14).
The Comedy Vault in Batavia hosts a special appearance by “Super High Me” comic Doug Benson Friday and Saturday, Sept. 26-27; “The Office” star David Koechner Thursday through Saturday, Oct. 16-18; and podcaster/comic star Jim Norton (“Sword Fight”) Friday and Saturday, Nov. 7-8.
Zanies Comedy Club in Rosemont offers acts such as “America’s Got Talent” impressionist Tyler Fischer (Friday through Sunday, Sept. 26-28), Taiwanese-American comedian Jason Cheny (Thursday through Saturday, Oct. 16-18) and New York-based comedian Rosebud Baker (Friday and Saturday, Nov. 21-22)
The Comedy Plex is an intimate 150-seat venue in Oak Park that attracts the likes of Vladimir Caamaño (Friday and Saturday, Oct. 10-11), Mr. Derick (who plans a taping session Friday and Saturday, Nov. 21-22) and Laurie Kilmartin (Friday and Saturday, Dec. 19-20). The newer Babs Comedy Club in Forest Park celebrates its first anniversary Saturday, Oct. 25. There you can catch plenty of local standup and improv performers.
Chicago standup
The original Zanies in Chicago’s Old Town is still a draw, with acts such as Keegan Tindall (Thursday through Saturday, Sept. 25-27), Sahib Singh (Thursday through Saturday, Oct. 16-18) and Harry Settel aka Lil Sasquatch (Thursday through Saturday, Nov. 13-15).
The Den Theatre in Chicago’s Wicker Park is a known haven for standup comics on its Heath Mainstage. Some of The Den’s headliners include viral star Christianee Porter in “The Christi Show” Sunday, Oct. 12; “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” Emmy Award-winner Alex Borstein in her show “Alex Borstein is Thirsty” Tuesday, Oct. 14; and 1990s alternative comic and film star Janeane Garofalo Wednesday through Friday, Oct. 15-17.
Chicago also has a local branch of The Laugh Factory, and it features plenty of local standup comedians in regular shows such as “The Nasty Show,” “Stand Ups, Sit Down” and “Whose Lie Is It Anyway?”
Comedy on the spot
Improvisational comedy can be a crap shoot. But with the right performers drawing from audience suggestions, a unique comedy moment is guaranteed.
Several Chicago theaters specialize in improv shows, via competitive games or through long-form themes. Some city venues to check out include the iO Theater, the Annoyance Theatre & Bar and The Revival.
Or, if you want to stick to the suburbs, there’s improvisational comedy troupes such as GreenRoom Improv at the Hemmens Cultural Center in Elgin and the Raue Center for the Arts in Crystal Lake. Also keep an eye on the Improv Playhouse in Libertyville as it moves to a new location at 130 N. Milwaukee Ave.