Comedy Pops Up In Unexpected Places In Logan Square
By Staff in Arts & Entertainment on Jun 5, 2014 4:00PM
Logan Square's favorite comedy showcase is branching out. May 30 marked the second "Fun & Done" pop-up show by the Congrats on Your Success comedy group outside their normal venue at Uncharted Books. This time they took over Bric-a-Brac Records, a primarily 80s/90s throwback store that comedian Odinaka Ezeokoli called "nostalgia blue balls"—every toy and poster you wanted as a child but couldn't have.
It was a fitting environment for the set of eight amiable jokesters to reflect on their childhood triumphs and failures. Each pop-up has a theme and this one was "back in the day." The audience was regaled with tales of finally besting a secretly chicken-shit bully, being a nerd in the hood teaching kids how to sing Eminem lyrics in Latin, and navigating the identity politics of a Rwandan/Haitian heritage. Genocide, early sexual encounters, and kissing cousins were not off the table for potential humor.
Expansion has become necessary for the group as their regular Thursday show has exceeded Uncharted Books' capacity. "We want to have something different but sort of the same brand: free, BYOB, and weird places," says Rebecca O'Neal, one of Congrats' producer-comedians. The pop-ups lend themselves to a more intimate atmosphere. "The fun and dones have way smaller turn outs than Congrats … but it works for the spaces we book."
The small crowds bring out the best in camaraderie between the audience and the performers. "I think it’s been great," says Ezeokoli. "I felt like I was just talking to my friends. That's the vibe we have with Congrats."
In addition to sets from group regulars O'Neal, Ezeokoli, Bill Bullock, Justin Covington, Sonia Denis, and Charlie Rohrer, the show brought in guest comedians Stephanie Hasz and Mikey Manker. "We book two people who have a lot of strong material on the theme," says O'Neal.
O'Neal hints that there are three more pop-ups on the horizon. Keep an eye on the group's tumblr or Facebook page for upcoming lineups. In the meantime, the group can always be found making audiences laugh themselves sideways at their regular show the first Thursday of every month at Uncharted Books.
By: Tamara Matthews