News

• SIGN UP FOR SEASON 6 of THE GIVE ME 5

  January 24

  The Give Me 5 is a 5 minute solo comedy competiton where performers use standup, sketch, storytelling and plain old bit to create the funniest 5 minutes they can. Previous season winners include Wes Haney, Prescott Gadd, Andrew Knox, Christine Tawfik and Matt Barats. Season 6 performances must include atleast one celebrity impression. To sign up email matt@the-playground.com

• Homey Loves Reality TV

  January 5

  During January of 2012, Homey Loves Chachi is taking a break from Chachi. In January, Homey Loves Reality TV. Drawing upon the team members' love of cheesy pop culture, Homey Loves Chachi will re-invent some of your favorite reality TV shows, adapting them as improvised comedies for live audiences.
  
  Schedule of episodes:

  • January 14th - "Hoarders: Buried Alive in their own Homey"
  • January 21st - "The Real Househusbands of Chicago"
  • January 28th - "Toddlers & Tiaras & Tagouts"

• Out of Character + K.C. Redheart crack up Time Out Chicago.

  December 14

  Playground Member ensemble K.C. Redheart and new production Out of Character were both selected by Time Out Chicago as people that cracked them up this year! Pretty great, right?
  

  
  

  Oh, also! Playground alum Lauren Lapkus (The MISSfits) was mentioned for her amazing performance in Alone: Chicago’s Best Solo Acts, part of the Just For Laughs Festival hosted at the Playground.
  

  
  

  Thank you to everyone who helped make our 2011 so fantastic! We couldn't do our shows without our audiences, and we can't thank you enough.
  

• The A.V. Club names the Playground one of four comedy mainstays in Chicago.

  December 2

  The Playground is super excited and delighted to be named by the A.V. Club Chicago as one of the city's comedy mainstays!
  

  
  

  For more on how we're edgy, off-the-wall, and high-minded, check out Matt Byrne's great article on the A.V. Club's website.

• Out of Character EXTENDED! Open Run, Fridays at 8pm TIMEOUT CRITICS PICK!!!!

  November 16

  Chicago, Il. - July 5 - The Playground Theater and GRAFITTI Productions are excited to premiere "Out of Character" on Friday, July 22 at 8pm. Tickets are $10 and available online or at the box office located inside the theater at 3209 N. Halsted St. in Chicago.

  
  Improv is king as far as comedy in Chicago is concerned, and comedy as a whole knows no origin quite like Chicago. With the most recent round of Saturday Night Live auditions and smash success of the Alone showcase in the TBS Just For Laughs Festival, many of Chicago’s improvisers are starting to explore solo sketch comedy - a style of comedy that can showcase who they are as both a writer and performer.

  
  The Playground’s newest production, Out of Character, focuses on well-written and performed solo character sketches to turn each piece into a fully-realized improvised show. The cast prepares for performance by writing an individual character piece as though he or she was the star of their own hit television series. The Out of Character cast as a whole then explores a different personality each week as the star performer is accompanied by the improvisation of supporting cast members.

  
  Click here to read the full press release for Out of Character.