CHICAGO — The 17th annual Chicago Improv Festival will kick off on Monday, with more than 200 acts from around the world set to descend upon the city.
Hosted in 21 different venues across Chicago, from Wicker Park to River North to Edgewater, the festival will feature local comedy teams as well as acts from places like New Zealand, Brazil and Poland.
Headliners will include ASSSSCat, which features some of the founding members of Upright Citizen's Brigade including Matt Walsh of HBO's "Veep."
On Saturday, former "Saturday Night Live" cast member Horatio Sanz will perform with his group, Horatio Sanz & The All-Stars of Comedy, at Stage 773, 1225 W. Belmont Ave.
Ticket information can be found at chicagoimprovfestival.org. The schedule, which is subject to change, includes:
MONDAY
Stage 773 — The Pro Stage
1225 W. Belmont Ave., 773-327-5252
Tickets available at Stage 773’s box office or at stage773.com
CIF 17’s Opening Night “Best of Chicago Improv”
Musical, Long Form, Genre
8 p.m., $15
Baby Wants Candy (Chicago)
The Boys (Chicago)
The Improvised Shakespeare Company (Chicago)
TUESDAY
The Playground Theater
3209 N. Halsted St., 773-871-3793
Tickets will be available at The Playground Theater’s box office or at the-playground.com
Special Event
8 p.m., $10
Pride Stage [A showcase of some of Chicago’s best LGBT improvisers] (Chicago)
The Second City e.t.c.
1616 N. Wells St., 2nd Floor, 312-337-3992
Tickets will be available at The Second City’s box office or at secondcity.com
Special Event
8 p.m., $20 regular; $30 VIP
Deep Schwa (Chicago)
Trainwreck (Los Angeles/Madison)
WEDNESDAY
Apollo Theater
2540 N. Lincoln Ave., 773-935-6100
Tickets will be available at Apollo Theater’s box office or at chicagoimprovfestival.org
Improv on Screen
7:30 p.m., $10
Various Short Videos (Chicago)
Long Form
9 p.m., $15
Hump Night (Chicago)
Mullaney Chain (Chicago)
ComedySportz
929 W. Belmont Ave., 773-549-8080
Tickets will be available at ComedySportz’ box office or at comedysportzchicago.com
Special Event
8 p.m., $10
One World on One Stage (Improvisers from nine countries performing together)
iO Chicago
3541 N. Clark St., 773-880-0199
Tickets available at iO Chicago’s box office or at ioimprov.com/chicago
Puppetry
8 p.m., $10
Sea Beast Puppet Company (Chicago)
The Noah Ginex Puppet Company (Chicago)
Felt (Chicago)
Puppetry
10 p.m., $10
Brouhaha: Improvised Puppet Musical (Chicago)
Felt (Chicago)
The Second City e.t.c.
1616 N. Wells St., 2nd Floor, -312-337-3992
Tickets will be available at The Second City box office or at secondcity.com
Special Event
8 p.m., $20 regular; $30 VIP
3Peat (Chicago)
Jet Eveleth and Paul Brittain (Los Angeles)
THURSDAY
The Comedy Bar
157 W. Ontario St., 773-387-8412
Tickets will be available at the Comedy Bar’s box office or at comedybarchicago.com
Short Form
8 p.m., $15
Chicago Improv Productions Touring Company (Chicago)
Laugh Out Loud (Schaumburg)
Damaged Goods (Louisville)
Short Form
10 p.m., $15
Count Spatula (Schaumburg)
The Moonsharks (Chicago)
Pimprov (Chicago)
ComedySportz
929 W. Belmont Ave., 773-549-8080
Tickets will be available at the ComedySportz box office or at comedysportzchicago.com
Short Form
8 p.m., $24
The Improv Bandits (New Zealand) vs. ComedySportz (Chicago)
The Playground Theater
3209 N. Halsted St., 773-871-3793
Tickets will be available at The Playground Theater’s box office or at the-playground.com
Emerging Artists
8 p.m., $10
Hey-O (Chicago)
The Hoax (Chicago)
Down. Set. Go. (Chicago)
Emerging Artists
10 p.m., $10
Butter Dolphin (Chicago)
Family Values (Chicago)
One Group Mind Theater
956 W. Newport, 312-217-7675
Tickets will be available at One Group Mind Theater’s box office or at chicagoimprovfestival.org
Emerging Artists
8 p.m., $10
Prostitute Tears (Chicago)
Squall (Chicago)
Balt & Co (Chicago)
Emerging Artists
10 p.m., $10
d'Hôtél Winñetkå (Chicago)
Thor (Chicago)
The Public House Theatre — The House Stage
3914 N. Clark St., 800-650-6449
Tickets will be available at the Public House’s box office or at chicagoimprovfestival.org
Emerging Artists
8 p.m., $10
98.6 (Chicago)
Tommy’s Mommies (Chicago)
Emerging Artists
10 p.m., $10
Truth Serum (Chicago)
Dads of Anarchy (Chicago)
The Public House Theatre – The Pub Stage
3914 N. Clark St., 800-650-6449
Tickets will be available at the Public House’s box office or at chicagoimprovfestival.org
Emerging Artists
8 p.m., $10
Lost in Austin (Chicago)
Googly Eyes (Chicago)
Stranger (Chicago)
Emerging Artists
10 p.m., $10
Camo-Collage (Chicago)
Mandate (Chicago)
Lost Dog (Chicago)
FRIDAY
Bughouse Theater
2054 W. Irving Park Road
Tickets will be available at Bughouse Theater’s box office or at chicagoimprovfestival.org
Dramatic
8 p.m., $10
re-Bound (Chicago)
HOME: An Improvised Play (Los Angeles)
Fackliss & Hildreth (Chicago)
Dramatic
10 p.m., $10
Drama (Chicago)
Solid Gold Duets (Chicago)
ONE ACT (Boulder)
Chemically Imbalanced Theater
1422 W. Irving Park Road, 773-865-7731
Tickets will be available at Chemically Imbalanced’s box office or at cicomedy.com
Genre
10 p.m., $15
Midseason Replacement (Pittsburgh)
Gypsy Danger (New York City)
Atlantic Pacific Billy (Dallas)
Genre
11:59 p.m., $15
Improvised Jane Austen (Chicago)
Improvised Star Trek (Chicago)
Collaboraction — Pentagon
Flat Iron Arts Building, Suite 336, 1579 N. Milwaukee Ave., 312-226-9633
Tickets will be available at Collaboraction’s box office or at chicagoimprovfestival.org
Experimental
8 p.m., $15
Zoom! (Oklahoma City)
Looper Dooper (Chicago)
Experimental
10 p.m., $15
Narcissists Anonymous (San Francisco)
Hell on Wheels (Philadelphia)
The Comedy Bar
157 W. Ontario St., 773-387-8412
Tickets will be available at the Comedy Bar’s box office or at comedybarchicago.com
Short Form, Long From
10 p.m., $15
The Nat Turner Revue (New York)
Pimprov (Chicago)
Short Form, Musical
11:59 p.m., $15
The Nat Turner Review (New York City)
North Coast (New York City)
Instituto Cervantes
31 W. Ohio St., 312-335-1996
Tickets will be available at the Instituto Cervantes’ box office or at chicagoimprovfestival.org
Latino
10 p.m., $15
Salsation (Chicago)
Cia de Teatro Contemporâneo (Brazil)
Impro Brasil (Brazil)
Laugh Out Loud Theater
601 N. Martingale Road, Schaumburg, 847-240-0386
Tickets will be available at Laugh Out Loud Theater’s box office or at laughoutloudtheater.com
Short Form
7:30 p.m., $19
Red-Headed Step-Child (Nashville)
The Improv Bandits (New Zealand)
Laugh Out Loud (Schaumburg)
pH Comedy Theater
1515 W. Berwyn Ave., 773-961-8214
Tickets will be available at pH Comedy Theater’s box office or at whatisph.com
Musical
7 p.m., $15
ImprovBoston Allstars (Boston)
GULP! (Chicago)
North Coast (New York)
Musical
9 p.m., $15
Stacked (Chicago)
Hidden Falls (Boston)
Musical
10:30 p.m., $15
Mansical (Chicago)
pH productions (Chicago)
The Playground Theater
3209 N. Halsted St., 773-871-3793
Tickets will be available at The Playground Theater’s box office or at the-playground.com
Long Form
7 p.m., $15
RuBin (New York City)
DAAANG Judi Dench (Chicago)
Franzia (Dallas)
Long Form
9 p.m., $15
Heel Turn (Oklahoma City)
Another Man’s Trash (St. Petersburg)
Sand (Chicago)
Long Form
11p.m., $15
Adrian & Adrien (Houston)
Houndstooth (Chicago)
Featherweight (New York City)
One Group Mind Theater
956 W. Newport, 312-217-7675
Tickets will be available at One Group Mind Theater’s box office or at chicagoimprovfestival.org
Long Form
7 p.m., $15
Beowulf (Chicago)
Gus (Baltimore)
Eaglefox (New York City)
Long Form
9 p.m., $15
The Wunder Kidz (Minneapolis)
3Peat (Chicago)
Frank Frank (Chicago)
Long Form
11 p.m., $15
Switch Committee (Chicago)
Work Spouse (Dallas)
The Second City Skybox Theater
1608 N. Wells St., 4th Floor, 312-337-3992
Tickets available at the Second City Skybox Theater’s box office or at secondcity.com
Long Form
7:30 p.m., $15
Honey (Brooklyn)
Horses (New York City)
Long Form
9 p.m., $15
Dead Parrots Society (Bellingham)
SCRAM (Chicago/Minneapolis)
Long Form
10:30 p.m., $15
Kanyay! West (Los Angeles)
Sheila's Giant Wall of Plot Twists (Chicago)
Long Form
11:59 p.m., $15
King Bee (Washington, DC)
Mayhem (Minneapolis)
Stage 773 — The Pro Stage
1225 W. Belmont Ave., 773-327-5252
Tickets available at the Stage 773 box office or at stage773.com
Special Event
8 p.m., $20
The Improv Institute’s 30th Reunion (Chicago)
Long Form
10 p.m., $20
Jimmy Jet Johnnie (Chicago/Los Angeles)
Sheldon (Los Angeles)
Theatre Momentum
1800 W. Cornelia Ave.
Tickets will be available at Theatre Momentum’s box office but not online
Open Stage
7:30 p.m., $5 suggested donation
Yes Diggity (Chicago)
Briami Sound Machine (Chicago)
Ginger Price (Chicago)
Stir-Friday Night! (Chicago)
Open Stage
9 p.m., $5 suggested donation
Improvaholics (Chicago)
Still Too Soon? (Libertyville)
Pete Repeat (Chicago)
Open Stage
10:30 p.m., $5 suggested donation
Gramp Stamp (Chicago)
Visibly Tight (Boston/Chicago)
Pancakes on Sunday (Chicago)
Upstairs Gallery
5219 N. Clark St.
Tickets will be available at Upstairs Gallery’s box office but not online
Open Stage
7:30 p.m., $5 suggested donation
Dinner with Stu (Chicago)
Mind Spinach (Chicago)
Booby Trap (Chicago)
Big Trees (Milwaukee)
Open Stage
9 p.m., $5 suggested donation
The DC Intervention (Chicago)
Quiet Wyatt (Chicago)
Vanilla Extract (Chicago)
Seriously Unprepared (Chicago)
Open Stage
10:30 p.m., $5 suggested donation
Thee Bluebeard (Chicago)
Los Improviachis (Chicago)
Ben and Alison (Chicago)
Dirty Shame (Atlanta)
SATURDAY
Bughouse Theater
2054 W. Irving Park Road
Tickets will be available at Bughouse Theater’s box office or at chicagoimprovfestival.org
Dramatic
8 p.m., $10
One Act Roulette (Chicago)
HOME: An Improvised Play (Los Angeles)
Dramatic
10 p.m., $10
Impressionistic Horror (Chicago/Florida/Los Angeles)
ONE ACT (Boulder)
Natural Gas (Chicago)
Chemically Imbalanced Theater
1422 W. Irving Park Road, 773-865-7731
Tickets available at Chemically Imbalanced Theater’s box office or at cicomedy.com
Genre
10 p.m., $15
Midseason Replacement (Pittsburgh)
Gypsy Danger (New York City)
Atlantic Pacific Billy (Dallas)
Collaboraction Pentagon — Flat Irons Art Building
1579 N. Milwaukee Ave., Suite 336, 312-226-9633
Tickets will be available at Collaboraction’s box office or at chicagoimprovfestival.org
Experimental
8 p.m., $15
Zoom! (Oklahoma City)
Taco Tuesdays (Chicago)
Laser Comedy Show (Chicago)
Experimental
10 p.m., $15
Narcissists Anonymous (San Francisco)
Hell on Wheels (Philadelphia)
Fizz Bar
3220 N. Lincoln Ave., 773-348-4600
Tickets will be available Fizz Bar’s box office or at chicagoimprovfestival.org
Alternative
8 p.m., $15
License to Krill (Minneapolis)
Multiball (New York City)
The Hot Karl (Chicago)
Alternative
8 p.m., $15
Squeeze Play (Chicago)
WiseSnatch (Chicago)
Instituto Cervantes
31 W. Ohio St., 312-335-1996
Tickets will be available at the Instituto Cervantes’ box office or at chicagoimprovfestival.org
Latino
8 p.m., $15
Salsation (Chicago)
Cia de Teatro Contemporâneo (Brazil)
Impro Brasil (Brazil)
Latino
10 p.m., $10
Will Luera & Teatro Luna (Boston/Chicago)
Brazil Jam (Brazil)
Laugh Out Loud Theater
601 N. Martingale Road, Schaumburg, 847-240-0386
Tickets will be available at Laugh Out Loud Theater’s box office or at laughoutloudtheater.com
Short Form
7:30 p.m., $19
Squalid Gold (Los Angeles)
Damaged Goods (Louisville)
Laugh Out Loud (Schaumburg)
Short Form
9:30 p.m., $19
Squalid Gold (Los Angeles)
Damaged Goods (Louisville)
Laugh Out Loud (Schaumburg)
pH Comedy Theater
1515 W. Berwyn Ave., 773-961-8214
Tickets will be available at pH Comedy Theater’s box office or at whatisph.com
Musical
7 p.m., $15
ImprovBoston Allstars (Boston)
Church of Saturday Saints (Chicago)
North Coast (New York City)
Musical
9 p.m., $15
AstonishMINTs (Chicago)
Hidden Falls (Boston)
Musical
10:30 p.m., $15
Buffalo (Chicago)
Improvised Sondheim Project (Chicago)
The Playground Theater
3209 N. Halsted St., 773-871-3793
Tickets will be available at The Playground Theater’s box office or at the-playground.com
Special Event
5 p.m., $5 {Note: This event is for CIF performers only}
Geeking Out With: The Talk Show [special guests UCB] (Boston/Los Angeles)
Long Form
7 p.m., $15
The Belmont Transfer (Chicago)
Manick (Dallas)
Well Known Strangers (Pittsburgh)
Long Form
9 p.m., $15
Hot Dog (New York City/Philadelphia)
Gentleman’s Falcon (Chicago)
Glassworks Improv (Eau Claire)
Long Form
11 p.m., $15
Mister Town City (Los Angeles)
Fake Cops (Toronto)
Burns & Gallo (Toronto)
One Group Mind Theater
956 W. Newport, 312-217-7675
Tickets will be available at One Group Mind Theater’s box office or at onegroupmind.com
Long Form
7 p.m., $15
Umlautilde (Chicago/Phoenix)
Cake Bagel (Washington DC)
Evente (New York City)
Long Form
9 p.m., $15
Virginia Slims (Los Angeles)
After School Special (Kansas City)
Kent Spent the Rent (Chicago)
Long Form
11 p.m., $15
Sweet Tease (Chicago)
Hello Laser (New York City)
The Second City deMaat Studio Theater
1608 N. Wells St., 3rd Floor, 312-337-3992
Tickets available at the Second City box office or at secondcity.com
Long Form
7:30 p.m., $15
SPIT (Philippines)
Teatribù: The Stereotypes (Italy)
Dramatic
9:30 p.m., $15
Razowsky, Mason, Bill (Chicago)
Long Form
9 p.m., $15
Klancyk: Twisted Personalities (Poland)
Improv Kandy (Switzerland)
The Second City Skybox Theater
1608 N. Wells St., 312-337-3992
Tickets available at the Skybox box office or by going to secondcity.com
Long Form
7:30 p.m., $15
We’re From Here (Toronto)
Pat Shay Dancers (Chicago)
Long Form
9 p.m., $15
Magnet Theater TourCo (New York City)
Sheldon (Los Angeles)
Long Form
10:30 p.m., $15
Child’s Play (Ft Lauderdale)
3033 (Chicago)
Long Form
11:59 p.m., $15
Hey Puppy (Athens, Ohio)
Saturday Super Show (Chicago)
Stage 773 - The Pro
1225 W. Belmont Ave., 773-327-5252
Tickets available at the Stage 773’s box office or at stage773.com
Special Event
7 p.m., $25
Maribeth Monroe & Andy Cobb (Los Angeles)
BASSPROV [special guest Dan Bakkedahl] (Chicago)
Special Event
8:30 p.m., $25
Improv4Humans with Matt Besser [guests Ian Roberts, Betsy Sodaro, Matt Walsh] (LA)
Special Event
10:30 p.m., $25
Horatio Sanz & The All-Stars of Comedy (New York)
Messing With a Friend [special guest Mark Sutton] (Chicago)
Theatre Momentum
1800 W. Cornelia Ave.
Tickets available at Theatre Momentum’s box office but not online
Open Stage
6 p.m., $5 suggested donation
Jack & The Wolf (Chicago)
Hugs and Pullups (Chicago)
McGarnackle (Chicago)
Open Stage
7:30 p.m., $5 suggested donation
B Squared (Chicago)
Flower Shop Bangers (Chicago)
Old Smuggler (Chicago)
Gayle (New York)
Open Stage
9 p.m., suggested donation
Graffiti on the Fourth Wall (Midlothian)
Creepy Basement Players (St. Louis)
Valid Hysteria (Chicago)
Open Stage
10:30 p.m., $5 suggested donation
KUMATE!!! (Chicago)
Bicycle Fall (Chicago)
Shantira Jackson (Chicago)
Upstairs Gallery
5219 N. Clark St.
Tickets will be available at Upstairs Gallery’s box office but not online
Open Stage
6 p.m., $5 suggested donation
Press Play (Washington DC)
The Wonder Jeers (Chicago)
Madde Gibba (New York)
Selfish Green Men (Chicago)
Open Stage
7:30 p.m., $5 suggested donation
Columbus Unscripted (Columbus)
Bloodbath and Beyond (Chicago)
WHO PROV (Chicago)
WiseSnatch (Chicago)
Open Stage
9 p.m., $5 suggested donation
The Improvised Theatre Company (Chicago)
Hi, Hello! (Minneapolis)
Hitch*Cocktails (Chicago)
Venkman (Chicago)
Open Stage
10:30 p.m., $5 suggested donation
Daddy Warbuck (Chicago)
BIG FIRE! (Chicago)
The Spotty Truth (Chicago)
Cool Jacket (Chicago)
SUNDAY
The Playground Theater
3209 N. Halsted St., 773-871-3793
Tickets will be available at The Playground Theater’s box office or at the-playground.com
Apprentice Team Showcase
1 p.m., $5
Misfit Monkeys (Jackson)
See You Next Thursday (Columbus)
Stage 773 - The Pro
1225 W. Belmont Ave., 773-327-5252
Tickets available at the Stage 773’s box office or at stage773.com
Special Event
3-4 p.m., Free
Upright Citizens Brigade Q & A – with Matt Besser, Ian Roberts, and Matt Walsh, plus book signing
UP Comedy Club
280 W. North Ave., 3rd Floor, 312-337-3992
Tickets will be available at The Second City’s box office or at secondcity.com
Special Event
6:30-7 p.m., Free
Book Signing – Matt Besser, Ian Roberts and Matt Walsh will sign copies of their new book, Upright Citizens Brigade Comedy Improvisation Manual in the lobby of UP Comedy Club
Special Event
8 p.m., $40 regular; $50 VIP
Upright Citizens Brigade’s ASSSSCAT (with Matt Besser, Ian Roberts, Matt Walsh, special guests Tim Meadows, Horatio Sanz and Betsy Sodaro)
