Chicago: The City That Laughs
By Matt Motyka in Arts & Entertainment on Apr 6, 2009 3:40PM
We've got a good one for you...
Q: Why did Ellen DeGeneres, George Lopez, Bill Engvall, Lisa Lampanelli, Jimmy Fallon, David Alan Grier, Russell Peters, Louis CK, Jim Jefferies, Bob Odenkirk and Andy Dick cross the road?
A: To get to TBS Presents A “Very Funny” Festival: Just For Laughs in Chicago, IL!
Woof, tough crowd. OK, so maybe we need to work on our material but you get the idea. Montreal's long-running Just for Laughs comedy festival, the largest of its kind in the world, and TBS are teaming up to bring this mouthful of an event to Chicago, IL beginning June 17. The festival, which runs for five days and boasts more than 70 shows, will feature stand-up acts, sketch and improv performances, variety shows, film screenings and television tapings at venues spread throughout the city. And in addition to the aforementioned headliners, talent from our local scene will be getting in on the laughs, too.
Tickets go on sale at noon on Monday, April 6, and will be available via the Ticketmaster website (boo!), the respective venue box offices (yea!), or by phone (1-800-745-3000). And because the full line-up hasn't been posted on the festival's website just yet, we've included an abridged cut-and-paste version of the press release to help give you some guidance.
THE CHICAGO THEATRE
Ellen’s Bigger Longer and Wider Show - Wednesday, June 17
DeGeneres will blow the roof off The Chicago Theatre with the third edition of her variety show, which features live music, dancers and unique specialty acts. The show, which will air on TBS, will be produced by Telepictures Productions, with Mary Connelly, Ed Glavin and Andy Lassner, whose credits include DeGeneres’ Emmy®-winning talk show, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, serving as executive producers.
An All-Star Comedy Show hosted by Russell Peters - Friday, June 19
The Canadian comedian, whose rise to fame has been unprecedented, will host an all-star lineup of comedians ready to take Chicago by storm.
Lisa Lampanelli - Saturday, June 20
Coming off her smash hit and first-ever HBO Special, Long Live the Queen, Lampanelli will bring her abrasively funny stand-up to the Festival for a special, one-night appearance.
THE VIC THEATRE
The Nasty Show starring Louis CK and featuring Nick Di Paolo, Patrice O’Neal and Jim Jefferies - Thursday, June 18, and Friday, June 19
This favorite from Montreal’s annual Just For Laughs Festival will feature some of the funniest (and filthiest) comics around.
Comedy You Can Believe In with David Alan Grier - Friday, June 19
This TBS special being filmed at The Vic Theatre will feature host Grier and an exciting group of all-star comedians.
Bill Engvall: Aged and Confused - Saturday, June 20
The star of TBS’s popular The Bill Engvall Show will regale fans with his brand of highly relatable comedy.
Jimmy Fallon: Live in Concert - Saturday, June 20
This event will give fans an opportunity to check out the new Late Night star in the flesh when he performs live.
ROSEMONT THEATRE
George Lopez: Tall, Dark and Chicano - Just added Thursday, June 18, Friday, June 19, and Saturday, June 20 tickets already on sale
Lopez, one of the country’s most popular standup comedians and host of his own late-night series on TBS this fall, adds a third show, extending his run at the Rosemont Theatre.
LAKESHORE THEATRE (additional performances and dates to be announced)
Jim Jefferies: Hammered
The foul-mouthed Aussie comedian shows that no topic is sacred, joining the Lakeshore line-up with a special presentation of his solo show, following his upcoming HBO special.
Bob Odenkirk and Friends
This event features the Mr. Show icon and a hand-picked group of his favorite Chicago comedians and friends.
Andy Dick
The famed comedian will bring his frenetic style to the Lakeshore.
Patrice O’Neal: Positivity
From private parts to politics, Positivity is a funny, righteous look at O’Neal’s incident-crowded life.
iO THEATER
Thursday, June 18
Best of Sketchfest will feature the six top sketch groups picked from Chicago’s January Sketch Festival. (Repeat performance Friday, June 19)
Bob Odenkirk’s Best Of… will feature Sketchfest comics teaming up with Odenkirk for a night of marvelously twisted comedy. (Repeat performance Friday, June 19)
Saturday, June 20
Improvised Shakespeare Company brings the bard’s language to life through improv in one of Chicago’s must-see shows.
Whirled News Tonight features an ensemble of iO improvisers ripping their scenic inspiration from the latest headlines. It’s a treat for comedy and news junkies alike.
The Late Night Late Show marks the return of a Chicago favorite, an improvised midnight talk show featuring celebrity guests.
THE LINCOLN LODGE
Wednesday, June 17
Homecoming will feature Chicago’s brightest comedy alums reuniting for a special show. (Repeat performance Thursday, June 18)
Friday, June 19
Chicago Stand-Up Run-Down will bring a who’s who of top local talent to The Lincoln Lodge. (Repeat performance Saturday, June 20)
ANNOYANCE THEATER
Thursday, June 18
Messing with a Friend features Susan Messing, one of Chicago’s finest improvisers, co-starring with a guest celebrity. She takes her guest partner to hilariously uncomfortable places.
Friday, June 19
Paul Provenza’s Green Room will feature the executive producer/director of The Aristocrats moderating casual, heady discussions about comedy with some of the top names from the Festival. (Repeat performance Saturday, June 20)
Saturday, June 20
Chicagoland is an all-star show with comedy veterans coming together for a special night of improv.
Schadenfreude Rent Party is a multimedia, high-energy comedy show marking the return of one of Chicago’s most venerated sketch comedy ensembles. It also features shorts by popular filmmaker Steve Delahoyde.
Sunday, June 21
The Best Church of God, a mock sermon-based sketch show, offers an opportunity to purge the overindulgence of comedy from everyone’s system.
THE PLAYGROUND THEATER
Friday, June 19
Alone: Chicago’s Best Solo Acts, a collection of outstanding standup solo artists, comes to The Playground Theater.
Saturday, June 20
Don’t Spit the Water, Chicago’s popular live game show, returns from hiatus for back-to-back outings at the Playground, its former home.
FILM
TBS PRESENTS A “VERY FUNNY” FESTIVAL: JUST FOR LAUGHS and the Gene Siskel Film Center of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago are partnering on four nights of the best independent comedic shorts and feature films from around the world. This event will take place within Indie Comedy - The Christopher Wetzel Award for Independent Film Comedy, which was created at the Gene Siskel Film Center to support independent filmmakers. More details to be announced.
TBS Presents A “Very Funny” Festival: Just For Laughs press release