Displaying items by tag: comedy

Get ready for a summer of laughs as Steppenwolf Theatre Company welcomes award-winning performers Laura Benanti and Alex Edelman for two limited comedy engagements.

First up, direct from an acclaimed run at Edinburgh Fringe and two sold-out Off-Broadway runs comes Laura Benanti: Nobody Cares, a one-woman comedy show from the mind of Tony Award winner Laura Benanti, playing five performances August 6 – 9, 2026. Known for her dazzling Broadway performances and razor-sharp wit, Benanti takes the stage to share her hilarious, heartfelt and sometimes brutally honest take on motherhood, people pleasing and the joys of aging as a woman. Blending side-splitting storytelling with original songs, this New York Times Critic's Pick is a love letter to recovering ingénues, mothers and anybody working on themselves. Based on Laura Benanti: Nobody Cares, an Audible Original, Nobody Cares is created by Laura Benanti with songs co-written by Todd Almond and direction by Annie Tippe. The Steppenwolf presentation marks the first stop on a national tour for the project following a summer run at London's Underbelly Soho this July, with further stops to be announced.

Up next, following a critically-acclaimed, sell-out run of Just For Us at Steppenwolf and around the globe, Tony and Emmy Award-winning comedian Alex Edelman returns with another hilarious and thought-provoking dissection of identity: What Are You Going to Do, playing five performances August 12 – 16, 2026. This all-new show finds the Bostonian sweetheart asking different and more unsettling questions. Primarily, should he spend his time doing something else? Should he be saving lives like his physician father? Should he be trying to return to the sense of community he experienced growing up among Israelis and Palestinians? In a show that reckons with the effects of time spent in trauma, Edelman deftly weaves in and out of examinations of faith broadly—not just Judaism—and wonders if, perhaps, there might be better things out there for him.

Both shows will be presented in Steppenwolf's Downstairs Theater, 1650 N. Halsted St. in Chicago. A special Steppenwolf member pre-sale begins Tuesday, March 31, 2026 at 12 pm. Tickets for both shows go on sale to the general public on Thursday, April 2, 2026 at 12 pm at steppenwolf.org or by calling the Box Office at (312) 335-1650.

Performance Schedules and Ticket Prices

Laura Benanti: Nobody Cares
Dates: Thursday, August 6 – Sunday, August 9, 2026
Performance Times: Thursday & Friday at 7:30 pm; Saturday at 3 pm & 7:30 pm; Sunday at 3:30 pm
Ticket Prices: $79 – $125 (includes $10 processing fees)

Alex Edelman: What Are You Going To Do
Dates: Wednesday, August 12 – Sunday, August 16, 2026
Times: Wednesday, Thursday, Friday & Saturday at 7:30 pm, Sunday at 3 pm
Ticket Prices: $49 – $84 (includes $10 processing fees)

Artist Biographies

Laura Benanti: Nobody Cares

Laura Benanti (Star and Creator):

"The divine Laura Benanti appears to have reached a point where there's nothing she can't do..."
–Hollywood Reporter

Tony Award winner Laura Benanti is a highly celebrated stage and screen actress. Ms. Benanti debuted her critically acclaimed comedy show Laura Benanti: Nobody Cares at the Minetta Lane Theater in NYC. Ms. Benanti created, wrote (songs co-written with Todd Almond) and starred in the show, which earned rave reviews and was chosen as a New York Times Critics' Pick. The show then had a sold out run at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2025 with encore performances in London and Berkeley. 

Ms. Benanti can currently be seen as a series regular in the role of 'Cindy' on the acclaimed Paramount+ series Mayor of Kingstown, starring opposite Jeremy Renner. Ms. Benanti co-starred in the hit comedic film No Hard Feelings with Jennifer Lawrence and Matthew Broderick. Ms. Benanti's iconic impression of Melania Trump on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert has earned praise from across the industry. Other comedic work includes regular appearances on Elsbeth and Inside Amy Schumer. In television, Ms. Benanti has played dynamic characters in Younger, The Gilded Age, Nashville, Supergirl and Gossip Girl. Ms. Benanti earned rave reviews for her portrayal of a grieving widow in Netflix's film Worth, starring opposite Michael Keaton, Stanley Tucci and Amy Ryan.

In the theater, Ms. Benanti has been nominated for 5 Tony Awards. She took Broadway by storm at the age of 18 as Maria in The Sound of Music and has subsequently starred in ten more Broadway shows (musicals, straight plays, comedies and dramas), including Into the Woods, Nine, (opposite Antonio Banderas), Gypsy (for which she won a Tony Award), She Loves Me, My Fair Lady and Steve Martin's Meteor Shower opposite Amy Schumer and Keegan-Michael Key.

Todd Almond (Songs Co-Writer) is an acclaimed performer, songwriter and playwright. His solo show I'm Almost There was hailed by The New York Times as "a work of wonder," and his recent Broadway performance in Girl from the North Country was praised as "stunning" by The Washington Post and "roof-raising, uplifting, and invigorating" by The Hollywood Reporter. Almond co-wrote the songs for and music-directed Audible's hit comedy Laura Benanti: Nobody Cares, and also appeared opposite Ms. Benanti as Gideon Wolfe in the HBO Max reboot of Gossip Girl. His musical adaptation of The Odyssey, produced at Shakespeare in the Park's Delacorte Theater in Central Park, was hailed by The New York Times as "brash, funny and heart-stirring." Todd recently toured the U.S. in his original musical Kansas City Choir Boy, co-starring rock icon Courtney Love; Rolling Stone called the piece "awesome, slyly punk rock." He also starred in three of his original musicals at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park: The Tempest, The Winter's Tale and The Odyssey. His musical Girlfriend, based on the Matthew Sweet album of the same title, has become a perennial favorite for theater companies across the U.S. and in Japan. His past collaborators include Sarah Ruhl (Melancholy Play: A Chamber Musical), Jenny Schwartz (Iowa), Laura Benanti (In Constant Search for the Right Kind of Attention), Sherie Rene Scott (Piece of Meat), Kelli O'Hara (Live at Carnegie Hall) and Andrew Rannells (Live from Lincoln Center). As a composer and orchestrator, Almond has written and arranged music for Noises Off on Broadway, Iowa at Playwrights Horizons, Fcking A* at Signature Theatre, How to Transcend a Happy Marriage at Lincoln Center Theater and the film adaptation of Michael John LaChiusa's Hello Again. Other New York acting credits include Stage Kiss by Sarah Ruhl at Playwrights Horizons, People Are Wrong at the Vineyard and Law & Order: SVU.

Annie Tippe (Director) is an award-winning director and creator of new work, music theater and film. Off-Broadway: Octet (World Premiere; Signature. Lortel Award: Best Direction, Best Musical), Three Houses (World Premiere; Signature. Lortel Award: Best Musical), Ghost Quartet (World Premiere; Bushwick Starr. Norton Award: Best Visiting Production), Magnificent Bird / Book of Travelers (Playwrights Horizons), Your Own Personal Exegesis (LCT). Regional: HUZZAH! (World Premiere; Old Globe), Life After (Ed Mirvish CAA; Goodman, Jeff Award Nom), COWBOY BOB (World Premiere; Alley), Cult of Love (World Premiere; IAMA), POTUS (Berkeley Rep). Film: Help Me Mary (Lower East Side Film Fest; Best Narrative Short), Egg Timer (Austin Film Fest). Former Ars Nova Director-in-Residence, Drama League Directing Fellow, Williamstown Directing Corps. Upcoming: Cyrano at Old Globe; Babysitters Club with Mark Sonnenblick and Kate Weatherhead. annietippe.com

Laura Benanti: Nobody Cares is presented in association with rigor + ruckus, Jenny Gersten and Ashley Melone & Nick Mills with LD Entertainment, Avadon Broadway LLC & Creative Partners Productions. To learn more about other cities to see Nobody Cares, visit nobodycaresplay.com.

Alex Edelman: What Are You Going To Do

One of the most critically hailed comedians of his generation, Alex Edelman is best known for solo shows that blur the line between his stand-up comedy roots and narrative-driven storytelling. His last offering, Just For Us, played more than 500 performances all over the world - including acclaimed runs off- and on-Broadway. It premiered as an HBO original comedy special in April of 2024, earning him a place on the Time 100 list, a Tony Award and an Emmy Award for Best Writing for a Variety Special. Edelman appeared in Jerry Seinfeld's directorial debut for Netflix, Unfrosted. Beyond stand-up, he writes regularly for TV and can be seen starring in Peacock's The Paper, a Greg Daniels-helmed spiritual successor to The Office. He also writes on the show as a Consulting Producer. 

Accessibility:

Steppenwolf is committed to making the theatergoing experience accessible to everyone. Assistive listening devices are available for every performance and all our spaces are equipped with an induction hearing loop. Our building features wheelchair accessible seating and restrooms, push-button entrances, a courtesy wheelchair and all-gender restrooms, with accessible counter and table spaces at our bars. For additional information regarding accessibility, visit steppenwolf.org/access. If you have questions or would like to make a specific request, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call our box office at (312) 335-1650.

Sponsor Information: 

United Airlines is the Official and Exclusive Airline of Steppenwolf. Steppenwolf is also grateful for the significant season support from lead sponsors Allstate Insurance Company, Paul M. Angell Family Foundation, Bloomberg Philanthropies, Crown Family Philanthropies, Caroline and Keating Crown, Julius Frankel Foundation, Lefkofsky Family Foundation, Northern Trust, Anne and Don Phillips, John Hart and Carol Prins, Shubert Foundation, Inc, Walder Foundation, and Zell Family Foundation. Steppenwolf also acknowledges generous support from premier sponsors Anonymous, Andrew and Amy Bluhm, Michael and Cathy Brennan, Ann and Richard Carr, Chicago Community Trust, Conagra Brands Foundation, Rich and Margery Feitler, FROST CHICAGO, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, The Orlebeke Foundation, Polk Bros. Foundation, Sacks Family Foundation, Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust, Thoma Bravo, Bryan Traubert and Penny Pritzker, and Vinci Restaurant. Steppenwolf also acknowledges support from the Illinois Arts Council and the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events.

About Steppenwolf Theatre Company:

Steppenwolf Theatre Company is the nation's premier Ensemble Theater with 50 members who are among the top actors, playwrights and directors in the field. Thrilling, powerful, groundbreaking productions have made this theatre legendary. From the 1980 phenomenon of Balm in Gilead, to The Grapes of Wrath, August: Osage County, Downstate, The Brother/Sister Plays, and now, the 2025 Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning Purpose, Steppenwolf Theatre has had a long-running and undeniable impact on American Theatre and Chicago's cultural landscape. Founded in 1975 by Terry Kinney, Jeff Perry and Gary Sinise, Steppenwolf started as a group of young people in their teens and early 20s performing in the basement of a church. Today, the company's artistic force remains rooted in the original vision of its founders: an artist-driven theatre, whose vitality is defined by its appetite for bold and innovative work. Every aspect of Steppenwolf is rooted in its Ensemble ethos, from the intergenerational artistic programming to the multi-genre performance series LookOut, to the nationally recognized work of Steppenwolf Education and Engagement which serves nearly 15,000 teens annually. While grounded in the Chicago community, more than 40 original Steppenwolf productions have enjoyed success nationally and internationally, including Broadway, Off-Broadway, London, Sydney, Galway and Dublin. Steppenwolf also holds accolades that include the National Medal of Arts, 14 Tony Awards, two Pulitzer Prize-winning commissions and more. Led by Artistic Directors Glenn Davis and Audrey Francis, Executive Director E. Brooke Flanagan and Board of Trustees Chair Keating Crown — Steppenwolf continually redefines the boundaries of live theater and pushes the limits of acting and performance.

Steppenwolf's Mission: Steppenwolf strives to create thrilling, courageous and provocative art in a thoughtful and inclusive environment. We succeed when we disrupt your routine with experiences that spark curiosity, empathy and joy. We invite you to join our ensemble as we navigate, together, our complex world. steppenwolf.org, facebook.com/steppenwolftheatre, twitter.com/steppenwolfthtr and instagram.com/steppenwolfthtr.

Comedy Dance Chicago is bringing their family-friendly show to The Second City! (Fun fact: this group was born out of a Second City Training Center class back in 2014). The show is a high-energy laugh-riot for ages 5 to 95. Comedy Dance Chicago's joyful mashup of sketch comedy, physical humor, music, and dance is sure to have you (and your kids and their grandparents) smiling, laughing, and bopping in your seats! These dancin' fools bring relatable situations to life... anything from the importance of hugs to a good old-fashioned staring contest. And who knows, you might even find yourself on stage! Don't miss this joy-filled experience, perfect for anyone in need of a laughter boost.

People often ask "What is Comedy Dance?" Here's what audiences say:

     "It's one of the funniest, most enjoyable hours you'll spend on a Friday night."
-Chicago Reader

     "My face hurts from smiling!" & "That was so joyful!"

     ""We had SO much fun and Olivia giggled her little head off the whole time."
            -Blair (parent)

Comedy Dance Chicago presents HAPPY DANCE, Saturdays March 21, April 4, April 18, May 2, May 16, May 30 at 2:00pm at The Second City in the e.t.c Theater (230 W. North Ave., Piper's Alley, Chicago, IL). Show runs 60 minutes with no intermission. Tickets are $35 for adults and $29 for kids.

Notable credits include: "8-BITS" and "Oh, the Mundanity!" at The iO Theater; Toronto Sketch Comedy Festival, Charlotte's Queen City Comedy Experience; San Francisco Sketchfest; Laugh Out Loud Schaumburg; I AM Fest at House of Blues; Chicago Sketch Comedy Festival; Chicago Women's Funny Fest, Stevenson High School Odyssey Festival; among others. 

About Comedy Dance Chicago

Comedy Dance Chicago. A different kind of comedy show. A different kind of dance show. Unique entertainment for Chicago and beyond. But... what is comedy dance?! In Layman's terms: they dance, you laugh. Still confused? You'll just have to see it.

Comedy Dance Chicago has been delighting and entertaining audiences for over 10 years.  They are a turnkey option for performing arts venues, K-12 schools, colleges and universities, and corporate events looking to add joy to their next event. Company members bring a range of comedy and dance styles to the show and have trained with the Second City Training Center, iO Chicago, American Theatre Conservatory, Accademia dell'Arte, among others. Having performed at the Chicago Sketch Comedy Festival (Stage 773), iO Chicago, Dance Chicago (The Athenaeum Theatre), Woodstock Opera House, the Association of Applied and Therapeutic Humor Conference, and (that one time) at the House of Blues, Comedy Dance Chicago is thrilled to share laughs and spread the love of comedy dance to the rest of the US. 

Get ready - those phones are about to explode, and Sam is already spinning like a top trying to catch every single one. It’s a full‑blown ring‑storm, and he’s diving into it with the hectic energy of someone who knows the chaos is coming and still can’t outrun it.

A brisk, razor‑funny powder keg of a play, Fully Committed tracks a single frantic day in the life of Sam, the lone reservationist at one of Manhattan’s most elite - and most impossible - restaurant. Becky Mode’s script is a full‑tilt high‑wire act, and Mike Newquist tears across nearly forty characters with the kind of breakneck precision that makes your head spin. As Sam, he’s already a live wire - but then he’s also snapping into entitled celebrities, neurotic assistants, tyrannical chefs, and every flavor of fine‑dining madness that dares to ring his desk. It’s dazzling, anxious, and wildly fun to watch him juggle it all without ever dropping the thread. The comedy snaps because each character is so sharply etched, and Newquist seamlessly shifts among them with the kind of finesse that turns mayhem into art.

At its heart, the nearly 90-minute play gleefully skewers the rituals of status and the agitated, almost feral hunger for exclusivity, exposing just how ridiculous people become when a reservation turns into a badge of power. Sam becomes the unseen fulcrum of that world, and his day unravels from merely hectic to outright surreal as he absorbs tantrums, negotiates impossible demands, and fights to keep a grip on his own sense of worth. Watching Newquist as Sam behind that reservation desk in a constant tinderbox had me instantly aware that I wouldn’t survive two hours in his shoes. His frantic charm and barely contained panic sells the chaos and sparks a whole new respect for the people who actually thrive in that kind of daily combustion.

Fully Committed lands as hard as it does because it’s rooted in real industry absurdity. Mode shaped these characters straight out of real restaurant‑world encounters, giving the show a mix of satirical whirlwind and a bite of truth that feels both sharply recognizable and wickedly real.

Throughout the play, I loved how Sam’s dad kept slipping into the heavy commotion with that gentle, grounding voice - just long enough to let the whole room exhale. Each time he called, Sam’s entire demeanor flipped in an instant; you could watch him go from frazzled to peaceful like someone had hit a reset switch. Those brief check-ins made it clear how a few steady words from a gentle, supportive father (or friend/family member) can cut straight through the noise, offering a tiny pocket of calm even when everything else is burning down around him.

Mike Newquist is pure kinetic joy onstage, delivering a commanding turn in Fully Committed. The Chicago‑based actor and improviser thrives in the city’s storefront trenches, bouncing between sharp‑edged comedy, character chameleon work, and the kind of ensemble disorder where anything can - and usually does - happen. He’s popped up with PrideArts, AstonRep, and The Comrades, tackling everything from contemporary drama to high-velocity comic mayhem. In Fully Committed, it’s his quick‑switch agility that makes him a blast to watch.

Directed by Derek Bertelsen, this Chicago staging arrives with a jolt of fresh energy and real immediacy. Newquist’s performance becomes the engine that drives the whole night, while Bertelsen keeps the momentum razor‑sharp, the pacing tight, and every character shift snapping cleanly into place.

The Den Theatre hosts the run March 13–28, 2026, with performances on Friday and Saturday nights at 7:30 p.m. Tickets for Fully Committed at The Den Theatre are just $26. For tickets and/or any more show information, click here.

Recommended.

This review is proudly shared with our friends at www.TheatreInChicago.com. 

The Chicago Metropolitan area has a soft spot for a beautiful disaster, and The Play That Goes Wrong delivers the kind of exquisitely engineered chaos that feels tailor‑made for this theater‑loving region. What begins as a straightforward 1920s whodunit quickly mutates into a full‑throttle demolition derby of missed cues, mutinous props, collapsing scenery, and actors clinging to their dignity by the frayed edges of their costumes. Still, this play-within-a-play has the Cornley Drama Society charging through their staging of Murder at Haversham Manor with heroic - if spectacularly misguided - determination, clinging to the illusion of control even as the entire production disintegrates with spectacular enthusiasm.

That staunch commitment - part boldness, part sheer delusion - is exactly where the comedy ignites. Each disaster tops the last, creating a giddy, snowballing momentum that captures the thrill of live theater at its most unpredictable: anything can happen, and in this gloriously unhinged production, absolutely everything does.

Now this wonderful wreckage has landed in the northwest suburbs, with Metropolis Performing Arts Centre in downtown Arlington Heights offering Chicago‑area audiences a prime view of just how fabulously wrong things can go - and how deliriously right it all becomes.

Adeptly directed by Jahanna McKenzie Miller, the production becomes a finely tuned symphony of disarray - each mishap landing with surgical precision, each failing set piece detonating like a perfectly timed punchline. What unfolds is a relentless cascade of comic disaster, the kind that sends laughter rolling through the audience in unstoppable waves and showcases just how artful a well‑executed trainwreck can be.

Ryan Armstrong (left) as Chris Bean / Inspector Carter and Ryan Michael Hamman as Max Bennett in The Play THat Goes Wrong at Metropolis Performing Arts Centre.

To pull off such a bang-bang comedy, it all starts with the cast - and we’ve got a good one here.

Ryan Armstrong leads the beautifully controlled bedlam with a performance steeped in delicious self‑importance, giving Chris Bean - director, actor, and self‑appointed guardian of “proper theatre” - a pompous grandeur that’s as funny as it is precise, while his turn as Inspector Carter unravels in a perfectly paced crescendo of exasperation. Eric Amundson’s Charles Haversham is a riot of physical comedy, playing a corpse who refuses to stay still (hilarious!), and Casey Ross leans into Thomas Colleymoore’s melodrama with booming gusto, turning every line into a wonderfully overwrought declaration.

David Blakeman’s Perkins is a standout of earnest incompetence, mangling lines and props with lovable sincerity, while Ryan Michael Hamman’s Max Bennett steals scenes with wide‑eyed enthusiasm, overacting and shameless audience‑wooing as Cecil Haversham and Arthur the Gardener.

Even the sound and light operator becomes a crucial player in the unfolding disorder. Richaun Stewart turns Trevor Watson into a wonderfully frayed bundle of barely contained madness, playing the chronically overtaxed tech operator whose deadpan, slow‑burn panic becomes one of the evening’s most dependable laugh generators. Teah Kiang Mirabelli dazzles as Florence Colleymoore, embodying Sandra Wilkinson’s diva bravado with such gleeful abandon that each unhinged beat lands bigger than the last.

Rounding out the cast, Natalie Henry turns Annie Twilloil into the production’s unlikely center of gravity in the second act, charting a sharp, hilarious rise from hesitant stagehand to full‑blown spotlight thief.

Together, this ensemble builds a beautifully calibrated disaster - each actor contributing a distinct flavor of chaos that makes the entire production detonate with joy.

And then there’s the set, an impressive spectacle in its own right. Scenic designer Angela Weber Miller, properties designer Gigi Wendt, and technical director David Moreland push the production well beyond a typical farce, each adding a distinct layer of precision and controlled mishaps. The set functions as a full-fledged character, engineered to collapse, misfire, and betray the actors with such precision that its breakdowns become part of the comedy’s rhythm. Each wobbling wall, treacherous platform, and ill-timed malfunction gives the performers a fresh obstacle to hurl themselves against, turning physical comedy into a kind of athletic endurance test. The design doesn’t just support the charade - it actively conspires in it, creating a living, booby‑trapped environment that amplifies every pratfall and heightens the sense that the entire world of the play is gleefully turning against its inhabitants.

Written by Henry Lewis, Henry Shields and Jonathan Sayer, the Olivier Award-winning The Play That Goes Wrong is the kind of theatrical joyride that reminds audiences why live performance is irresistible: it’s unpredictable, it’s explosive, and it’s crafted with such precision that the turmoil becomes its own kind of art. This production delivers laugh after laugh through fearless physical comedy, razor‑sharp timing, and a cast fully committed to the magnificent meltdown unfolding around them. It’s the rare show that guarantees a good time - whether you’re a seasoned theatre goer or someone who just needs a night of pure, cathartic laughter.

For tickets and/or more show information, visit https://www.metropolisarts.com/event/the-play-that-goes-wrong/. Through March 29^th.

Recommended.

Tickets: Regular $49, Preview $35, Students $25
Pay What You Can: February 25, 7:30 pm
Previews: Evenings, February 25 – February 27. Matinee, February 28.
Opening: February 28, 7:30 pm

This review is proudly shared with our friends at www.TheatreInChicago.com.

Broadway In Chicago is is delighted to announce that tickets for SPAMALOT will go on sale on Friday, February 27. SPAMALOT will play Broadway In Chicago’s CIBC Theatre (18 W. Monroe St.) for a limited two-week engagement, May 19-31.SPAMALOT tour production photos here, rehearsal footage here, and B-roll hereSPAMALOT, which first galloped onto Broadway in 2005 after its 2004 world premiere in Chicago, features a book & lyrics by Eric Idle and music by John Du Prez and Eric Idle. The original Broadway production was nominated for fourteen Tony Awards and won three including Best Musical. Following its critically acclaimed 2023 Broadway revival at the St. James Theatre in NYC, SPAMALOT is now on an all-new North American tour. Under the direction and choreography of Josh Rhodes , the production was praised for its inventive staging, design, and exceptional performances, reaffirming the enduring appeal of Monty Python’s distinctly British wit and comedic brilliance. The Broadway revival now brings its celebrated production to audiences across the country. The tour will travel to more than 30 cities in its first year including Cleveland; Los Angeles; Washington, D.C.; Las Vegas; San Francisco; Seattle; Denver; Atlanta; Dallas; New Orleans; St. Louis; Houston; Ft. Worth; Charlotte; Schenectady; St. Paul, Greenville; Rochester; Milwaukee; Hartford and Costa Mesa. For more information, please visit www.spamalotthemusical.com. 

The cast includes Major Attaway (Aladdin) as King Arthur, Sean Bell (Harmony) as Sir Robin, Chris Collins-Pisano (Forbidden Broadway) as Sir Lancelot, Ellis C. Dawson III (Hamilton) as Sir Bedevere, Leo Roberts (Les Misérables) as Sir Galahad, Amanda Robles as The Lady of the Lake, Blake Segal (Mary Poppins) as Patsy and Steven Telsey (The Book Of Mormon) as The Historian/Prince Herbert.The cast also includes Lindsay Lee Alhady, Delaney Benson, Jack Brewer, Connor Coughlin, L'ogan J'ones, Graham Keen, Claire Kennard, Ben Lanham, Nathaniel Mahone, Maddie Mossner, Emilie Renier, Mark Tran Russ and Meridien Terrell.  The creative team includes scenic and projection design by Paul Tate dePoo III, costume design by Jen Caprio, lighting design by Cory Pattak, sound design by Kai Harada & Haley Parcher, wig design by Tom Watson and music supervision by John Bell. Jonathan Gorst is the Musical Director/Conductor. The team also includes Matthew Brooks (Production Stage Manager), Anna K. Rains (Stage Manager) and Dani Berman (Asst. Stage Manager), James Neal (Company Manager) and Kat McIntyre (Asst. Company Manager). Derek Kolluri is the Associate Director, and Michael Fatica is the Associate Choreographer. Casting is by Geoff Josselson, CSA and RCI Theatricals serves as General Manager. SPAMALOT is produced by Jeffrey Finn.
 
Lovingly ripped off from the film classic, Monty Python and the Holy Grail, SPAMALOT has everything that makes a great knight at the theatre: from flying cows to killer rabbits, British royalty to French taunters, dancing girls, rubbery shrubbery, and of course, the Lady of the Lake. SPAMALOT features well-known songs including “Always Look on the Bright Side of Life,” “The Song That Goes Like This,” “Find Your Grail” and more that have become beloved classics in the musical theater canon.   
 

www.spamalotthemusical.com

CONNECT WITH SPAMALOT
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PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE
Tuesday, May 19 – 7:00 p.m.
Wednesday, May 20 – 7:00 p.m.
Thursday, May 21 – 7:00 p.m.
Friday, May 22 – 7:00 p.m.
Saturday, May 23 – 2:00 p.m. & 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, May 24 – 1:00 p.m. & 6:30 p.m.Tuesday, May 26 – 7:00 p.m.
Wednesday, May 27 – 1:00 p.m. & 7:00 p.m.
Thursday, May 28 – 7:00 p.m.
Friday, May 29 – 7:00 p.m.
Saturday, May 30 – 2:00 p.m. & 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, May 31 – 1:00 p.m.TICKET INFORMATION (as of February 26, based on availability and subject to change)

Individual tickets for SPAMALOT will go on sale Friday, February 27 and range from $35.00 - $125.00 with a select number of premium tickets available. Ticket price listed is when purchased in person at the box office. Additional fees apply for online purchases. Tickets are available now for groups of 10 or more by calling Broadway In Chicago Group Sales at (312) 977-1710 or emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. For more information, visit www.BroadwayInChicago.com.

ABOUT BROADWAY IN CHICAGO
Broadway In Chicago was created in July 2000 and over the past 26 years has grown to be one of the largest commercial touring homes in the country. A Nederlander Presentation, Broadway In Chicago lights up the Chicago Theater District entertaining up to 1.7 million people annually in five theatres. Broadway In Chicago presents a full range of entertainment, including musicals and plays, on the stages of five of the finest theatres in Chicago’s Loop including the  Cadillac Palace Theatre, CIBC Theatre, James M. Nederlander Theatre, The Auditorium, and just off the Magnificent Mile, the Broadway  Playhouse at Water Tower Place.
 

For more information and tickets, visit www.BroadwayInChicago.com.
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As a longtime comedy fan, seeing a show at Second City has been on my bucket list for years, so when the opportunity to attend Black and Highly Flavored came up, I jumped at it. That excitement, however, was paired with some hesitation: I questioned whether I was the right person to review a show rooted in experiences I do not personally share. By the end of the night, after laughing until I cried, those concerns were completely put to rest.

At a time when diversity in comedy too often comes at the expense of BIPOC performers rather than celebrating their lived experiences, Black and Highly Flavored stands out as a rare gem. Now in its fourth year as Second City’s Black Excellence Revue, the show is a sharp and joyful two-act performance that blends sketch comedy, improv, music, and dance to uplift Black artists while remaining accessible, engaging, and enjoyable – and even relatable – for everyone in the audience.

Jam-packed from start to finish, this comedy show includes upwards of 20 sketches, ranging in length from a few minutes to as short as 15 seconds. The content of the skits is just as wide-ranging, pulling from everything from 70s laugh-track sitcoms to ChatGPT, and from John Steinbeck to Janet Jackson. With such varied material, it’s inevitable that not every joke lands with every audience member; however, the lightning-fast pacing of the show means that even if a joke doesn’t land for you, the show has already moved on to its next laugh.

Not only are the scripted parts of the show hilarious, but it also features improvisation at many points throughout the night. Black and Highly Flavored is particularly smart about how and where improv is incorporated, utilizing the famously divisive style of comedy to connect with the audience through tailored, rapid-fire one-liners, maintaining the polish of the longer, scripted skits.

Under the direction of Julia Morales, the six-person cast is stellar, and each actor truly brought their own distinct charm to the show. Tyler Vanduvall delivers off-the-charts physical comedy to the stage, throwing himself – sometimes literally – into every role, human or not. Kimberly Michelle Vaughn wears her heart on her sleeve on stage, exuding talent and joy, as she sings, dances, and laughs like no one is watching. Lauren Walker’s characterization is unmatched, making every one of her (many, many) roles just as animated and memorable as the last. EJ Cameron engages with the audience like no other, skyrocketing the intimacy of the show through his charisma alone. Jillian Banks is spunky and larger-than-life, adding both laughs and layers to any scene she’s in. Last, but certainly not least, is Jason Tolliver: the improv king of the night. Tolliver is sharply funny – and he knows it – allowing his genuine self-amusement to shine through on stage, making you laugh first at the joke, and then again at his reaction to himself.

Although not technically complicated, Black and Highly Flavored’s production was incredibly well planned and curated. Every lighting cue, sound effect, prop, and costume felt perfectly curated to the skit without overwhelming the show. The use of screens on stage was balanced well to be additive, rather than taking away from the joys of real-life theatre by being overbearing. The production from start to end was incredibly well-paced, void of any painful transitions or dead moments. This is undoubtedly a team effort but could not have been accomplished without Music Director and live musical performer Cesar Romero, who both beautifully and comedically underscored the whole evening. Add to that an in-your-seat food and drink menu, and Second City’s UP Comedy Club might just have it all!

Black and Highly Flavored is running at Second City’s UP Comedy Club on Thursdays and Fridays through March 20th. Tickets are available at www.secondcity.com/shows/chicago/the-second-city-black-excellence-revue-chi.

Paul Slade Smith’s Unnecessary Farce - a 2006 comic whirlwind that is fast becoming a modern staple of the genre - lands with full force in Buffalo Theatre Ensemble’s lively production at The McAninch Arts Center in Glen Ellyn. The show is a reminder of how exhilarating a well‑constructed farce can be when every door slam, double‑take, and spiraling misunderstanding is executed with precision.

The setup couldn’t be more straightforward: two green cops stake out a bargain‑basement motel, poised to catch a small‑town mayor admitting to embezzlement. The camera is trained on the adjoining room, the accountant is prepped to draw out the confession, and everything should go smoothly. Naturally, it doesn’t. What follows is an avalanche of mistaken identities, disappearing clothing, and panicked improvisation as characters burst through the wrong doors at precisely the wrong time.

Smith’s script operates like a beautifully rigged Rube Goldberg machine of mayhem, each beat triggering the next with wicked precision. The comedy lands not because anyone is a cartoon, but because these poor, well‑meaning souls are desperately – hilariously - outmatched by the situation. And just when the chaos feels like it can’t possibly escalate further, in stomps a thick‑accented Scottish hitman, sending the whole affair hurtling into a delirious, side‑splitting crescendo that has the audience laughing at both the gags and the sheer engineering genius behind them.

The production thrives on the strength of a sharply attuned ensemble, each performer bringing a distinct spark that fuels the play’s escalating hilarity. Lisa Dawn, as the ever‑frazzled accountant Karen Brown, and Brad Lawrence, playing the straight‑laced Officer Eric Sheridan, ignite the evening with a rhythm that blends sharp comedic timing and buoyant physicality. Their energy sets the tone long before Frank Nall ambles in as Mayor Meekly, whose beautifully understated, steady presence becomes even funnier as he’s swept - again and again - into one absurd predicament after another.

Laura Leonardo Ownby, as the ever‑eager Billie Dwyer, injects the show with a burst of quick‑witted, slightly off‑kilter energy that’s instantly endearing. There’s a touch of Julie Hagerty in her wide‑eyed charm—funny, irresistible, and just unpredictable enough to keep the audience leaning in. When she hits her big moment, she lands it so cleanly and with such delightful abandon that the crowd breaks into spontaneous applause. Stepping in for Robert Koon for this performance, David Scott Crawford takes on the role of Todd with an easy confidence and a nimble, quick‑thinking presence. He slips into the ensemble’s rhythm without a hitch, matching their pace and tone so naturally that the substitution feels entirely organic.

Doreen Dawson, as Mary Meekly, offers a warm, steady presence that subtly elevates the entire ensemble, giving every twist, turn, and impeccably timed door‑slam an extra spark of comedic payoff. And closing out the company, Bryan Burke storms in as Agent Frank - uproariously funny and armed with expertly dialed‑in bluster that sends the chaos over the top in the best possible way. He leans into the character’s bluster and bravado with such sharp comic instinct that every entrance, line, and reaction becomes its own little punchline. Burke’s presence adds a final, satisfying jolt of absurdity to the ensemble’s chaos. I remember really enjoying his performance in Buffalo Theatre Ensemble’s Native Gardens. That same sharp instinct for timing and that wonderfully unforced comedic presence show up again here.

Together, this ensemble operates like a finely tuned comic engine - fully committed, perfectly synchronized, and clearly delighted by the demands of farce. Their collective precision makes the escalating madness feel effortless, transforming the production into something that doesn’t just execute farce, but celebrates it.

Superbly directed by Kurt Naebig, Buffalo Theatre Ensemble embraces the play’s breakneck rhythm and gleeful silliness, delivering a production that feels both tightly engineered and joyfully unhinged. It’s the kind of show that rewards timing, commitment, and a willingness to lean into the ridiculous - and this staging at The MAC does exactly that.

A crowd‑pleaser from start to finish, Unnecessary Farce proves once again that when farce is done right, it’s irresistible.

For tickets and/or more show information, visit https://atthemac.org/events/unnecessary-farce/.

When the sun plays peek-a-boo and a pre-winter chill settles over Chicagoland, locals inevitably look for ways to warm their hearts as well as their fingers and toes. It’s during this time of year that locals venture indoors and when the Chicago theatre scene offers respite from the bitter cold. Like a favorite holiday treat, there are dozens of choices available to seekers of light and warmth, from recurring favorites and classic retellings to original plays and immersive theatre. There is no better way to celebrate the season and to lighten spirits than a good hearty laugh, or two, or three, or so many your sides hurt the next day. You’ll find no better way of warming up this December than seeing the deliciously dirty fairytale that is Rapornzel now playing at the Hoover-Leppen Theatre.

Rapornzel (yes, you read that right, it is not a typo) is a panto-style reimagining of the classic fairytale of Rapunzel. Many years ago, the King and Queen of a far-off kingdom were blessed with a baby girl with long, magical, downstairs hair. One day, the jealous witch Mother F**ker kidnapped the child and locked her in a tower, selfishly squandering her merkin magic for herself. With the help of local hairdresser Dame Fanny Follicle, her thick-as-s**t son Pascal, the dashing Prince Ride-her, and the Hairy Fairy, will Rapornzel ever come out?

If you couldn’t glean it from the title, Rapornzel is a serious-unserious play. Serious in the fact that the cast and crew put on a spellbinding, side-splitting comedic performance, but unserious to ensure the audience was able to escape the bitter cold reality for a few short hours and simply enjoy a hilarious performance. The story is written in the pantomime style or “panto.” Panto is a theatrical performance style dating back to the 1700s, traditionally performed around Christmas time. The popular form incorporates song and dance, exaggeration, and fourth wall breaks to tell a story. It often interchanges slapstick puns heavy with innuendos and groan-worthy dad-jokes to break the monotony of traditional theatre. Critical to the success of these comedic shows is audience participation. It’s highly encouraged to react and respond to the actors on stage, think “booing” the villain, “cheering” the hero, and responsive questioning from the actors such as: “Chicago is so cold…” to which the audience responds: “How cold is it?” wherein the actors then deliver a witty or punny joke in the tale that may or may not make you laugh, guffaw, or simply groan at how bad it is (in a good way). Panto is not for everyone, nor are puns or dad jokes, but in the Vonnegut style approach of moving the story along, it’s difficult not to enjoy, and even an ostrich chuckle at least once.

But when it comes to Rapornzel, I guarantee you’ll laugh more than once. Rapornzel is what you get if you take a fairytale and remix it with a book of dad-jokes, throw in a general use of 1980s musical bangers, and finish it with the dry wit of 2025. Rapornzel is one of the many bawdy, silly, and immensely entertaining pantomime scripts written by professional performer-writer Tom Whalley. The writer’s works have become a popular holiday season tradition at PrideArts, joining the ranks of Whalley’s other works like Jack Off The Beanstalk, Sleeping with Beauty, and Throbbin Wood. With unimaginable R-rated puns, pop songs, and audience participation, Rapornzel follows a growing holiday tradition within PrideArts. This year’s production is exceptionally acted by Chicago talent like Jeremy Cox, who plays Hairy Fairy Dandruff, Peter Moeller as the local hairdresser Dame Fanny Follicle, and the sexy and incomparable Gina Cioffi as the evil Mother F**ker who kidnaps Rapornzel. For those still tepid about the play or the panto style, don’t worry, the skilled actors utilize their quick wits, improvisation skills, and comedic timing to make this production enjoyable for all, never overstepping where they sense timidity. They read and respond to the audience to both give and get energy to move the story along and draw out a smile from even the most austere theatre goer.

Therein lies the beauty of this type of theatrical play. Whalley’s style of Panto grants permission to the audience to simply lighten up, be silly, and share some laughs. In short, in its seriousness to stage a good production, it masterfully creates a space to be supremely unserious. There aren’t many theatrical stylings that can pull that off these days. 2025 has been wrought with ill humor, tired remakes, and uninspired sequels. It’s refreshing and welcome to see a production that doesn’t take itself too seriously while still representing Chicago theatre, PrideArts, and the theatrical community well. The actors, panto, and Rapornzel itself, beg the attendees to lighten up. It reminds us that we don’t always need to seek hidden meaning between the witty one-liners, and we don’t need to laugh at every joke we’ve heard at countless Thanksgiving tables by distant relatives. We should endeavor to seek out light and warmth as the days grow shorter and the darker nights descend. Rapornzel beckons Chicagoans inside and endeavors to thaw critical hearts this holiday season. It’s a healthy reminder that it’s okay to shout, especially when asked or directed to do so. It’s fine to laugh or simply smile. And it’s encouraged, and I daresay desperately needed, to remember that nothing, including fairy-hairy-overly-share-y-tales, is really that serious. Funny, yes. Serious, no. That in and of itself is a gift.

 Rapornzel is playing for a short while longer through December 14^th at the Hoover-Leppen Theatre in Center on Halsted (3656 N. Halsted, Chicago). Grab your winter jacket and your tickets today, available at www.pridearts.org, and warm up with a few hearty belly laughs guaranteed to shake away your winter blues.

I walked into Steppenwolf Theatre not really knowing what to expect when going to see their new play Noises Off. Turns out, admittedly, I have never heard of the comedic art of British Farce or the original 1982 play by English playwright Michael Frayn called Noises Off. My only goal when selecting this play was to laugh and enjoy my time. I can successfully say that I did laugh a lot, and I enjoyed my time, but it took some time to get there.

The comedy show, directed by Anna D. Shapiro is a play-within-a play with a cast acting as actors, backstage crew and the director of the show preparing for an upcoming play called ‘Nothing On’. The show begins with the opening scene of actress Dotty Otley playing Mrs. Clackett, a housekeeper who is answering the phone while the homeowners are away. This takes place during a late night dress rehearsal just hours away from their opening performance. As the rehearsal carries on, many issues arise amongst the actors and the director. Missed cues, wrong lines, broken doors and lost props drives the cast into a mess. Meanwhile, drama unfolds amongst the cast with secret relationships, personal problems, and the mounting pressure of getting the show right.

The beginning of the show feels a bit confusing, having little context as to what is going on. All of the characters enter on and off the stage, while carrying two identities between their actor character and their play character. This constant movement and character changes make it a bit challenging to follow. By the end of the first act, I got the gist of what was happening and who each of the characters were.

Act I of the show is about the horrendous dress rehearsal that sets the stage and gives you an inside look at the drama and affairs amongst the cast. Act II takes you backstage, where chaos erupts during their opening night performance. And Act III brings you back to the front stage with one of the final shows for the cast. Out of the three acts, Act III is by far the best. All of the preparation, failures, and drama reaches a climax with a dizzying final performance with everything that could go wrong in a play. I found myself laughing along with the majority of the crowd during Act III.

The Steppenwolf Theatre stage hosts the set of the ‘Nothing On’ play the actors are preparing for. The set is the inside of an old British home with a staircase and many, many doors waiting to be slammed. The stage smoothly rotates between acts as you move to the front and back stages. The stage design works well for the show and gives enough dimension to keep things interesting.

I am thoroughly impressed by the cast in this show. Each actor seamlessly switches in and out of their play characters without error. Most of them carry the British accents well, while others could finesse it a bit more. By the third act, the actors were flying off and on stage, changing props, exchanging lines and swapping characters rapidly. I felt my head spinning and was shocked by each actor’s ability to carry on at that pace.

Rick Holmes who plays the Director of the play named Lloyd brilliantly captures the God complex a stereotypical play director holds. He’s condescending, pessimistic and truly vain. Holmes is convincing in his role as the director, and he exudes the distasteful personality of a narcissistic director who gets inappropriately involved with his cast. Meanwhile the cast in the ‘Nothing On’ play is a mixed bag of over-confident, lackadaisical, overly emotional, and dramatic personalities. Each character has a unique personality, which is entertaining to watch as the drama unfolds.

One standout cast member is Andrew Leeds who plays Garry Lejeune and his character Roger Tramplemain. Leeds is a quirky actor who is confident in his role and questions the director on a few of his decisions. I found Leeds to be the most exaggerated character with ridiculous behavior and a very convincing fall down the long staircase. He is quick in his character’s actions and is hilarious in his lines. He seems experienced in all things farce comedy and effortlessly switches in and out of his Garry and Roger roles.

Izumi Inaba’s costume design for the show embraces the 70s era style for the ‘Nothing On’ play with bright vibrant patterns. Each costume accurately portrays the characters each of the actors were playing. Some of the costume pieces eventually become props in the show and work as comedy pieces.

This production runs approximately 2 hours and 40 minutes with two short intermissions. The show itself feels a bit long between the first two acts but quickly picks up speed by Act III. I recommend getting to the theatre early and grabbing a drink and a small snack at the front bar.

As mentioned before, this show is based on a British farce comedy and the touring production of a bedroom farce. Farce is a style of comedy that heavily relies on physical and sometimes violent humor and ridiculous highly exaggerated situations. This show is well suited for adults who are into slapstick comedy and find “Monty Python and the Holy Grail” funny. Not to mention this show is loud in parts. There is a lot of door slamming and the play is ironically named Noises Off. I found this show to be pretty funny as I picked up on farce humor. This show is truly chaotic, stressful, a tad confusing and just downright absurd in the best way.

Noises Off, a Co-Production with Geffen Playhouse, is now playing at the Steppenwolf Theatre Company located at 1650 N Halsted Street in Chicago. This show will run from September 12th to November 3rd. Showtimes include 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays-Saturdays and 3:00 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Single tickets for the show range from $20-$148 and are now on sale at steppenwolf.org and at the Box Office at (312)-335-1650.

It’s a truth universally known that the holidays aren’t always a great time for everyone. Holiday traditions and expectations can often leave us feeling emotionally void or overwhelmed, particularly with how bleak 2023 has been for so many. But in every darkness there is joy to be sparked and light to be found, if one is willing to look for it. This holiday season I discovered a shining light in the The Jinkx & DeLa Holiday Show at Auditorium Theatre. 

The Jinkx & DeLa Holiday Show is an internationally acclaimed holiday variety show returning to Chicago following the massive success of their previous holiday tours. Co-written, co-created, and starring global drag icons and RuPaul’s Drag Race stars BenDeLaCreme and Jinkx Monsoon, fans braved the winter cold to witness a fabulous spectacle, whip-smart comedy, and creative song parodies embodying and cleverly critiquing holiday traditions. 

The holiday show harkens back to classic comedy variety shows that used to dominate television and stage. Jinkx and DeLa are an iconic and dynamic duo, with quick and witty banter and humor that is conflict free, a rarity in today’s comedic world. Even more impressive is that the show is entirely helmed by the queens themselves, with BenDeLaCreme in the producer and director’s chairs.  Too often, queer and drag stories are written and produced by people outside of the community. The Jinkx & DeLa Holiday Show and BenDeLaCreme Presents are reminders why authentic queer storytelling is not only necessary but should be widely celebrated. BenDeLaCreme says, “With all the hatred, darkness, and misinformation flying around our world today, it is an honor and a privilege to spend the holidays with tens of thousands of audience members each year, creating joyous community spaces where we can gather strength through laughter and celebration. Whether you consider it the most wonderful time of year or the most troubling, we’re here to tell you… you’re right! So let’s make it our own.” Monsoon adds, “It’s been a wild year, so let’s end it wildly. DeLa and I strive to entertain while we enlighten and enliven. The Jinkx & Dela Holiday Show is not only a moment of respite, but also of community, at a time where we need our chosen family and community most of all. So add us to your holiday plans, or let us BE your holiday plans— either way, you’re welcome to join us.”

The Jinkx & Dela Holiday Show is a shining light within the darkness, and truly a magnificent experience. The Auditorium Theatre audience were loyal followers of Jinkx and DeLa, many having seen their 2023 show in multiple cities on their tour, while others were back for their yearly tradition of seeing the iconic duo perform. In talking with Jinkx and DeLa, we learned this year’s holiday show changed the formula of the variety show, pairing the usual sweet vs. spicy duo as a united front, emphasizing the core message of togetherness and unity amidst an ever divisive and polarizing world. At the end of the show, the stars beseeched the audience to carry the joy, laughter, and love exuded and felt throughout the show out into the dark world; to spark that light within others and be the light so needed in the darkness. With everything that has happened in 2023, and the last few years,  Jinkx and DeLa have channeled their worry, frustration, and anxiety into a beautifully crafted show filled with lightness, and have created an enduring and worthwhile holiday tradition sure to be enjoyed for years to come.

Though the tour only visited Chicago for one night, this show is sure to become a staple in Chicagoland, only growing and getting better with time. One of the prevailing themes of this year’s variety show was that while our traditions anchor us to the holiday season, we can consistently look within ourselves and our communities to create new traditions or adapt and grow our old traditions. And most importantly, if we cannot find a light within the darkness, we ourselves can be the light for those around us. I cannot wait to add The Jinkx & Dela Holiday Show a must-see holiday tradition and I’ll see you all there in 2024.

This year’s tour will run through December 30 across the US, UK, and Canada with the show that proves they’re still the reigning “queens of Christmas'' (Entertainment Weekly). Tickets are available at JinkxandDeLa.com.