1. What were the qualities of your teammates that drew you to this collaboration? Holly: I really wanted to play on a team with each of my teammates because they were amazing friends- people that I clicked with immediately in improv classes and that I had the most fun with. Plus, I thought they … [Read more...]
The Playground Theater recently hosted a 30-hour improv marathon to raise money for the Illinois Coalition of Reach Out and Read. KC Redheart, an incubator team at The Playground, performed the unthinkable: a new guest team with a new improv form, on the hour, every hour, for 30 hours. They came out … [Read more...]
Our "3 Questions" series continues with the screamingly successful improv team Michael Pizza. In the two years since Michael Pizza (otherwise known as Brett Elam, Eric Christensen, Ben Kass, and Josh Logan) have been together, they've been named "Best New Improv Group" by Chicago Magazine, won … [Read more...]
As this November marks the sixth anniversary of Big Yellow Bus, the Playground’s longest running production, each month leading up to the anniversary will welcome a different theme of artists to provide inspiration to the performers. Beginning in September with “Writers Month,” BYB will … [Read more...]
A great philosopher once said, “If you want to know something, ask a question.” We took that advice two steps further: we wanted to know a whole bunch, so we asked three questions. In fact, we asked the same three questions to several improv teams in Chicago, hoping to get a glimpse into the … [Read more...]
[something clever] Productions presents two different shows in the month of September: SMUT! AN IMPROVISED PORNO, performing Friday September 3, 2010 at 8pm and Friday, September 17, 2010 at 11:30pm; and HORRID! AN IMPROVISED CULT FILM performing Friday, September 10, 2010 at 11:30pm and Friday, … [Read more...]
9 Actors. 30 Hours. No Script. No Sleep. No Sanity On September 10-11 at the Playground Theater, local improv troupe K.C. Redheart will perform 30 straight hours of comedy as part of the inaugural Playground Improv Marathon, a charity event benefiting the Illinois Coalition of Reach Out and Read … [Read more...]
When you Google Image search "tom selleck 80s", you get 39 pages of thick mustaches and perfectly coiffed chest hair peeking out of Hawaiian shirts. It's inspiring. So inspiring, in fact, that a group of avid Selleck fans decided to create an improv show based on "tom selleck 80s". This probably … [Read more...]
It's the Apollo Theatre on a Friday night. After Million Dollar Quartet plays their show to another crowd of tourists, an entirely different musical takes the stage. Baby Wants Candy: The Fully Improvised Musical performs every single Friday night at 10:30 pm with a rotating cast of top-notch … [Read more...]
Chicago’s favorite dirty improv show celebrates their 11th anniversary with a show and after-party WHAT: The Hot Karl 11th Anniversary Sextacular! The ensemble members of the long running hit show The Hot Karl plan to celebrate their anniversary with returning alumni Bill Arnett (iO’s 3033) … [Read more...]
This week, I switch it up a little to show some love for Chemically Imbalanced Comedy. And what better way to do that than to highlight one of their house teams: A Dozen Red Roses. CIC only has 5 sponsored teams on the books, which really says something about the faith they place in these 8 … [Read more...]
We're continuing the trend of indy teams this week with the improv troupe Wildcard! What sets Wildcard! apart from most other teams is that not only did they come up with their own form, but they incorporated it into their name. Unlike other teams that say they have a form, but usually drop it … [Read more...]
For most independent teams, getting one run at one venue is something to be proud of. That's not enough for the long-form improv team Hugs and Pullups. In June and continuing through July, they have three runs going in three different venues. As of this week alone (7/18-7/25), they have FIVE … [Read more...]
“That’s how you intro some shit.” He was right. “He” is Warren Phynix Johnson, one of the four members of BLACKOUT, along with Sherman Edwards, Ramon Smith, and Darwin Smith. He had just finished introducing the night’s opening group, Challenger, and as he was walking back to the green … [Read more...]
Playing like a child with the freedom of imagination and lack of rules is almost always the emphasis for improvisers, but playing for children is another game entirely. Storytown, an improvised fairy tale, performs for an audience of captivated children and hungover adults every Saturday morning at … [Read more...]
The Playground Theater recently hosted a 30-hour improv marathon to raise money for the Illinois Coalition of Reach Out and Read. KC Redheart, an incubator team at The Playground, performed the … [Read More...]
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