Free Improv Comedy in Chicago – Feb 17

Come out for some free improv comedy on Feb 17 at IO Theater. Come see three groups perform for free in the Cabaret. Whiskey Rebellion leads off the fun and describes themselves as proud practitioners of iO Theater’s signature improvised long-form, The Harold. Equal parts improv comedy and comedic performance art, Whiskey Rebellion does not so much perform on the stage as dismantle it, board by board, with an innate sense of physicality, musicality, and a third thing that ends in ‘ality’. Read more

Reminder: Free Doubledecker Bus Rides on NYE in Chicago

Worried you may get too much in the holiday spirit out on the town on New year’s Eve in Chicago and need a lift home? Well, just a reminder from the staff here that on New Year’s Eve, the Miller Lite Free Rides will offer free doubledecker bus service with stops in heavily trafficked bar areas such as the Loop, River North, Old Town, Lincoln Park and Wrigleyville.  They have been providing this free community service on Saturdays since November and it will be heavily used Dec 31.

The Miller Lite Free Rides program is a collaborative effort between Miller Lite, Chicago transit systems, community organizations, law enforcement agencies, civic organizations and others to help keep our Chicago streets safe and prevent drunk driving on major holidays and throughout the year because with great beer comes great responsibility.

Miller says the free rides are intended to remind Chicago consumers to celebrate the season responsibly and to prevent drunk driving. Take advantage of a safe transportation alternative this holiday season and on New Year’s Eve.

The rides operate December 31 from 9 PM to 1 AM. Two buses will travel through the Loop, River North, Old Town, Lincoln Park, and Wrigleyville, making the following stops:

Loop and River North: the Clark and Lake El, Merchandise Mart, Mother Hubbard’s (5 W. Hubbard), and O’Callaghan’s (29 W. Hubbard).
Old Town: Corcoran’s Grill (1615 N. Wells).
Lincoln Park: Kincade’s (950 W. Armitage), McGee’s Tavern (950 W. Webster), Kendall’s Pub (2263 N. Lincoln), and Victory Liquors (2610 N. Halsted).
Wrigleyville: Harry Caray’s Tavern (3551 N. Sheffield), Murphy’s Bleachers (3653 N. Sheffield), the Cubby Bear (1059 W. Addison), Houndstooth Saloon (3438 N. Clark), and Rebel Bar & Grill (3462 N. Clark).

Route and schedule information for Chicago, Milwaukee and Waukesha is available by calling 1-800-FREE RIDES (1-800-373-3743). You can also text the word “RIDE” to 44636; or visit MillerLiteFreeRides.com.

Free Show for Chicago Kids – Juggling Jokes and Telling Tales – Dec 28

Free Kid’s Show on December 28! Don’t miss nationally-known family entertainer Chris Fascione as he tickles the funny bone with his silly stories and comedy juggling antics. Kids of all ages (and their grown-up friends) will delight in Chris’ high-energy, participatory performance of folktales and fun, where everyone gets to be a part of the show! For all ages. This program will take place in the Children’s Program Room of the Thomas Hughes Children’s Library.

Time: 2:00 pm

Location:
Harold Washington Library Center
400 S. State Street
60605

Registration:
Reservations required for groups of six or more. Space is limited. Please call (312) 747-4200 to register.

Free Stand Up Comedy Show – Dec 12

On Dec 12th, Chemically Imbalanced Comedy is presenting a free comedy Stand Up Showcase for DFD-TV’s live-laughs.com comedy channel. This will be a free live taping to be aired on live-laughs.com and will feature Marz Timms, James Fritz, Ken Barnard, Suzanne Monk, Will Miles and others to be announced soon.  Some comedy clubs charge not only a cover just to get in the door, but then they also demand that you buy a certain number of drinks while you watch the show (perhaps in the hope that after a few drinks, the comedy will be funnier?). Not Chemically Imbalanced Comedy – all of their shows are BYOB, so if you’re looking for a cheap night on the town, you need look no further. Just grab a six-pack or a bottle of wine and head on down to enjoy the show. Read more

Free Comedy Every Weds at Coles

Looking for free comedy in Chicago?  Well,  check out the free  open mike night in the middle of Logan Square — where all the unemployed stand-ups live. Comedians Cameron Esposito and Adam Burke share hosting duties at Cole’s free Comedy Open Mic, a good comedy venue for trying out new material and a great place for first-timers to give it a go . It’s free and goes down every Wednesday at 9pm. Cole’s, by the way, is a great new bar at 2338 N Milwaukee with a bang-up staff and $2 PBRs. Here is a Yelp Review of Coles.

Free Screening of Mike Judge’s New Film “Extract” – Sep 1

The new Mike Judge movie is ready for release on September 4th and the guys at AV Club say it is seriously funny.  A free screening is planned for September 1 so email to get your free tickets.  “Extract,” is the latest comedy from writer/director Mike Judge (“Office Space,” “King of The Hill,” “Beavis and Butt-Head”).  Joel, played by Jason Bateman (“Juno,” “Arrested Development”), is one step away from selling his flavor extract factory and retiring to easy street when a freak workplace accident sets in motion a series of disasters that put his business and personal life in jeopardy.
The film also stars Kristen Wiig (SNL, “Ghost Town”), Mila Kunis (“Forgetting Sarah Marshall”) and Ben Affleck (“State of Play”).

If you’d like a pair of free tickets to an advance screening–on September 1 at River East in Chicago–just e-mail the AV Club guys your favorite three workplace comedies.

Free Comedy: Wednesdays at ComedySportz, Starting June 10

If you haven’t seen it, ComedySportz is the longest running stage show in Chicago and is team improv comedy played as a sport!   Come out on a Wednesday night starting tonight June 10, for their Free Night of Comedy, at 8 pm.   Read more

Free Event: Chicago NPR Taping of ‘Wait Wait … Don’t Tell Me!’ – June 11

Come be in the audience at Pritzker Pavilion in Millenium Park on June 11 for a free taping of the hilarious weekly news quiz from NPR and Chicago Public Radio, Wait Wait… Don’t Tell Me! as they move their regular live taping to the great outdoors. Play along as they answer questions and mock the news in a whip-smart review of the week’s events and quiz celebrity guests on meaningless trivia. It’s NPR…without the dignity.  Read more

Tribune: 10 Last Minute Options For Memorial Day

Are you scrambling for something fun to do this long weekend? If Memorial Day means more to you than a parade or brat on the grill in a relative’s backyard, then you’ve got options. Here are some:

1. Cargo trade-in
You know he’s going to wear his cargo shorts. So, let him, then head over to His Stuff and trade in the shorts and upgrade your man to something more trendy Read more

Schubas Presents Free Comedy at “Your Sunday Best”

Looking for some free comedy? Come to Schubas and watch dozens of comics burn through four-minute sets at this fast-paced night of stand-up. The newbies are hit or miss, but local pros stop by all the time.

Your Sunday Best at Schubas  — Sundays at 9:15pm

3159 N Southport Ave
Lakeview/Roscoe Village/Wrigleyville, Chicago
773-525-2508

El: Red, Brown, Purple (rush hrs) to Belmont. Bus: 9, 77

Price:     Free Admission

Enjoy Free Comedy at the Sunday Night “Free for All”

Enjoy free comedy on Sunday nights at the Playground Theater as they present the Sunday Night Free for All.  You get three comedy acts for free as a trio of local comedy troupes performs improv for the recession stressed. The group Koleno proves competent, but it’s middle troupe Panty Filers that blew us away with its high-energy, boundary-pushing, fourth-wall-breaking improv. Hair Club for Men opens.

Koleno is a four person improv team in Chicago that has been together since 2004. A Koleno show starts with a member taking the suggestion of a location and from there it quickly turns into fast paced comedy that often resembles a fist-fight. Koleno is Steve Fleming, Dan Luebbe, Mike Matuzewicz and Peter Sebastian and is coached by Kevin Fleming.

Location: The Playground Theater  3209 N Halsted St (at Belmont Ave) Lakeview/Roscoe Village/Wrigleyville area

Time: Sundays 7:30 pm   —   Free Admission

773-871-3793   Take the El: Red, Brown, Purple (rush hrs) to Belmont. Bus: 8, 77 |

Top 25 Things to Do in Chicago

1.Navy Pier has been a Chicago landmark since it opened in 1916.It now showcases a unique collection of restaurants, shops and plenty of entertainment. At Navy Pier you’ll find the Chicago Children’s Museum, an IMAX theater, Crystal Gardens (an indoor botanical park), the Chicago Shakespeare Theater and Smith Museum of Stained Glass Windows.

2.The Art Institute of Chicago is one of the world’s great art museums, with collections dating from 3,000 B.C. through the present, including famous French Impressionist paintings and drawings; fine and decorative arts from America, Europe, Africa, Asia and Latin America; photography, textiles and architectural works.

3.Explore a world-renowned garden located right in Chicago’s backyard. The Chicago Botanical Garden is a 385-acre, living Read more

Free Comedy Every Weds.

Here is another excellent entertainment option for free in Chicago: The Edge Comedy Club’s Big Fancy Stand-Up Comedy Open Mic. Every Wednesday night, from 8:30 to 10:30, pros and amateurs perform for free at the Chicago Center for the Performing Arts (Phone: 312-733-6000) which is located at 777 N. Green St. (1 block west of Chicago and Halsted Avenues). Click here for a map.

This comedy show is borne out of the Edge Comedy Boot Camp, where you can learn to be a comic yourself. You will be impressed by the number of young comics showing off their skills; some have a bright future, some love to use their humor to deaden the grind of their regular 9-to-5, and some need to pursue a different career before it is too late. But you will have fun one way or another.