The Last LAF

All Good Things Must Come to an End This is the most difficult post I've had to write and coincidentally, it will also be my last. Today marks a day I was never convinced would come. Today, LAFS is two years old. It has been an incredible two years, absolutely incredible filled with more excitement, laughter, awe and humility than I could have ever dreamed. However, today is bittersweet, because today is Read More

INTERVIEW: Charna Halpern

The Mother of Improv Comedy I first fell in love with improv at iO's Clark Street location. iO changed my life, but my story is not unlike many others. Charna created a world at iO that many call "home" and it has become the center of their universe. Charna Halpern is one of the most influential people in improv, has paved the path for hundreds of comedians over the last few Read More

INTERVIEW: Matt Besser

Focus on the Game. Matt Besser is one of the founding members of Upright Citizens Brigade (UCB). UCB started as a Chicago-based improv team composed of Besser, Ian Roberts, Matt Walsh and Amy Poehler and has transformed into a well-known comedy establishment in New York City and Los Angeles. These folks not only formed UCB but Besser, Roberts, Walsh and friends regularly perform together as ASSSSCAT. ASSSSCAT will be performing, with a Read More

INTERVIEW: Dan Bakkedahl

Just make a choice. Dan Bakkedahl has made his mark on Chicago's comedy scene. Coming up in the late 90s and early 2000s, Dan spent a lot of time at iO and Second City. Since his departure, you may have seen him on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, Community, Veep, Legit or a number of other television appearances. He was also in The Heat with Sandra Bullock and Melissa Read More

INTERVIEW: Carisa Barreca

Do everything, because you’re going to need all of it. I am declaring Carisa Barreca Second City's sweetheart. One of the most beautiful, talented, kind and humble ladies I have ever met, Carisa has a heart of gold and nothing but good intentions. With a lifetime of performance background, she can do just about anything you throw at her. I was so lucky to be able to sit down with Read More

INTERVIEW: Scott Adsit and John Lutz

Hitting Your Mark in Hollywood Thanks to Aren Zolninger from Chicago Improv Productions, I was able to sneak in a few minutes to interview Scott Adsit and John Lutz before they took the stage for their "Super Secret" midnight show at Stage 773. As we were waiting for the show ahead of us to clear out, Scott, John and I stepped into a back hallway with CIP staff and a Read More

INTERVIEW: Tim Baltz

If you’re not listening, you’re going to miss the joke. After months of trying to nail down both of our schedules after Tim left Second City's Mainstage, I was finally able to meet up with him to talk life and comedy. I had the pleasure of meeting Tim last Fall at Jimmy Carrane's Improv Nerd and for obvious reasons, I was dead set on interviewing him. Tim is extremely passionate Read More

INTERVIEW: Ted Tremper

Just love what you love and let that be the work that you do. It was a true pleasure interviewing Ted, as I have an incredible amount of respect for him as a person, performer and filmmaker. He's so talented and is such a genuinely kind human being. We met at iO on a late November morning and, truth be told, divulged a great deal of personal details, some of which Read More

INTERVIEW: TJ Jagodowski

I am truly the luckiest person I know. TJ Jagodowski is not only one of the most brilliant improvisers I have ever seen, he's also one of the nicest guys I've ever met. I've bumped into TJ a number of times around iO, but it wasn't until the end of October where I had the pleasure of taking a class taught by him. This man is a poet and every Read More

INTERVIEW: Jet Eveleth

Dream big and then do it. I met Jet at her apartment where she lives with her improviser beau, Brett Elam and his sister Erica. We chatted about where her name came from, some of life’s big questions, drinking sake before bed to live longer and then she told me the details of the secret she’s been keeping from everyone for the last two years… Alright Jet, the first thing I Read More
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REVIEW: Hitch*Cocktails @ Chicago Improv Festival

posted on April 8, 2013 by Kiley Peters posted in Chatter, Reviews | Comments Off on REVIEW: Hitch*Cocktails @ Chicago Improv Festival

Laughter That Kills

HitchCocktailsPerformed in the style of Alfred Hitchcock, this show never falls short of brilliant. With an A-list cast, including Brit Belsheim, C.J. Tuor, Caleb George, Alex Young, Mike Norris and Mel Evans, they killed this show- pun intended. In the opening scene, Evans and Tuor established that Tuor had killed a prostitute in their home while Evans was out at the social club showing off her new hat. In an effort to cover his crime, he insisted that Evans was to tell anyone who asked that Tuor had picked her up from the social club that evening, but all her socialite friends had seen her take the bus… Read More

CIF’s Super Secret Show for Improvisers

posted on April 7, 2013 by Kiley Peters posted in Chatter, News/Updates, Reviews | Comments Off on CIF’s Super Secret Show for Improvisers

Adsit and Lutz Surprise Improvisers with Secret Show

Adsit and LutzNot only was this year’s CIF bigger and better than every year before it, they also did a little something special for the performers. Many of Chicago’s improv stages were vacant last night as many of the improvisers in the city gathered for a “super secret” show at Stage 773. CIF was kind enough to arrange a private midnight soiree with Scott Adsit and John Lutz that was only open to performers in CIF this year. Read More

CIF Reviews and Recap: Part 1

posted on April 6, 2013 by Kiley Peters posted in Chatter, News/Updates, Reviews | Comments Off on CIF Reviews and Recap: Part 1

CIF Starts off Strong

Kevin Mullaney_CIFThis week has been filled with some of the greatest improv shows this city has seen so far this year. This festival has taken over 20 stages throughout Chicago over the last five days with over 150 shows and more than 90 teams from all over the world. Chicago Improv Festival (CIF) has been a true Godsend to Chicago improvisers providing the opportunity to not only perform but to have access to teams from all over the world. Read More

REVIEW: Adsit & Eveleth @ Chicago Improv Festival

posted on April 6, 2013 by Kiley Peters posted in Chatter, Reviews | Comments Off on REVIEW: Adsit & Eveleth @ Chicago Improv Festival

Improv Greatness

Adsit and EvelethScott Adsit and Jet Eveleth are no strangers to improv. So when the two of them team up, you expect greatness and that’s what they brought to the stage Wednesday at Second City for the third day of the Chicago Improv Festival. Read More

REVIEW: Cook County Social Club @ Chicago Improv Festival

posted on April 6, 2013 by Kiley Peters posted in Reviews, Uncategorized | Comments Off on REVIEW: Cook County Social Club @ Chicago Improv Festival

Cook County Delivers To Sold Out Show

Cook County Social ClubCook County is one of my favorite teams to watch. So often you hear teachers remind you that if you’re not having fun, you shouldn’t be improvising. If you don’t get that, watch these guys and you’ll see exactly why. They have the best time on stage and, as an audience member, it’s contagious. They’re hilarious. Their suggestion was “pickup” and the show opened with a lot of whispering, indigestion from curry and then we realized that there was a baby missing. Each scene in this show directly rolls off of something mentioned in the previous scene, so when the line “you’re sucking down cupcakes like heroin” was said, rest assured, it was followed by a number of cupcake consuming and heroin suckling scenes. Read More

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