Shake off the blues at suburban Chicago comedy golf equipment

In 2007, partly in response to financial circumstances, the Raue Middle for the Arts in Crystal Lake started a month-to-month comedy night time.

Ticket gross sales had been manner down on the time, mentioned government director Richard Kuranda. He knew he wanted to do one thing to carry individuals within the door whereas additionally offering one thing for the group.

“We considered standup comedy and there was this actually nice man by the title of Pat McGann,” Kuranda mentioned. “Pat got here up and mentioned, ‘Your theater is large and that’s going to suck for standup comics.’ On the time, we had been pondering we might get 50 individuals in.”

McGann got here up with the thought of making a “nightclub” on the stage itself. Kuranda agreed and put McGann in control of discovering the expertise. The comedians they had been searching for wanted to have no less than 20 minutes of written materials.

“Initially, it went from one to 2 comics an evening to 3 comics an evening. Then we had been doing an early present at 7 and a late present at 9. Then it grew right into a month-to-month factor,” Kuranda mentioned. “And right here we’re, 15 years later and it’s been constant throughout.”

The Raue’s comedy nights are referred to as Lucy’s Café and at the moment are curated by John DaCosse.

The comics they current aren’t merely telling knock-knock jokes; they’re difficult social norms and mentioning troublesome matters and looking for the humor in them, he mentioned.

“And that’s actually what has stabilized us a comedy membership,” he mentioned. “We get comics which are attempting to make an announcement on the world with their comedy. During the last three years, we’ve actually taken a leap into comics that aren’t usually represented within the northwest suburbs. Comics of range, not solely in coloration but in addition in race and faith and LGBTQ. It’s a very wholesome mixture of comics.”

Throughout COVID lockdowns, they saved the comedy reveals, even after they might solely present them on-line.

GreenRoom Improv has been doing comedy reveals with the Raue for a number of years now, Kuranda mentioned.

“The factor that I appreciated about them is one, they’d their artwork and craft actually labored out with their crew so it was a very cohesive group,” he mentioned. “The opposite factor I appreciated was they had been getting multigenerational audiences. The primary present, they’d a band onstage doing the intro and the outs. That they had a very nice, enjoyable rapport with the viewers; they had been hysterical onstage. The perfect is it was a clear improv. It wasn’t soiled.”

Earlier than lengthy, they’d amassed a loyal following. Now, GreenMan has a longtime residency on the Raue, in addition to on the Hemmens Cultural Middle in Elgin. Their reveals embrace video games, songs and many viewers participation.

“Individuals want fun. I actually assume it’s a therapeutic course of,” Kuranda mentioned. “When an viewers comes collectively and has a superb time … it’s a very cathartic factor.”

There are numerous comedy golf equipment within the space providing common comedy nights. Listed here are a couple of.

Riddles Comedy Membership: 5055 W. 111th St. 708-422-5055; riddlescomedy.com.

Open mic nights are Mondays at this family-owned membership. Test the schedule for upcoming occasions.

The Bit Theater: Fox Valley Mall, 4034 Fox Valley Middle Drive. 331-900-4248; bitimprov.com.

This 18-and-over membership is a reside efficiency and instructing theater specializing in long-form improv within the Chicago suburbs. There might be a Youngsters Comedy Present Jan. 8, 2023.

Two Brothers Roundhouse: 205 N. Broadway. 630-264-2739; twobrothersbrewing.com.

Nonetheless Not Friday is a standup comedy showcase that includes three up-and-coming comedians doing 20-minute units at 8 p.m. Thursdays. Better of all, the present is free.

The Comedy Vault: 18 E. Wilson St. 630-454-4174; comedyvaultbatavia.com.

Completely no heckling is allowed. Reveals are 21-and-over. Open mic nights are on Wednesdays. Actor-writer-comedian Brian Posehn seems Feb. 2-4, 2023. David Koechner seems March 3-4 for a standup comedy present and an “Workplace” Trivia Occasion present.

CG’s Comedy Membership: The Promenade, 619 E. Boughton Highway, Suite 125. 630-410-8906; cgscomedyclub.com.

Two New 12 months’s Eve reveals characteristic Abi Sanchez, Brooks Sullivan and Mike Caceres. Larry “Uncle Lar” Reeb, an everyday on “The Bob and Tom Present” and former Chicago Comic of the 12 months, performs Jan. 6-7, 2023.

Each Thursday is Open Mic Night time.

Raue Middle for the Arts: 26 N. Williams St. 815-356-9212; rauecenter.org.

Lucy’s Café is an everyday night time of standup comedy. Tim Walkoe headlines Jan. 20, 2023. Moreover, GreenRoom Improv has a month-to-month residency; their subsequent dates are Jan. 21 and Feb. 11.

Hemmens Cultural Middle: 45 Symphony Method. 847-931-5900; Cityofelgin.org/1570/Hemmens-Cultural-Center.

GreenRoom Improv takes over the Hemmens the primary Friday of the month; performing a night of family-friendly improv comedy.

Elmhurst Brewing Firm: 171 N. Addison Ave. 630-834-2739; elmhurstbrewingcompany.com.

Elmhurst Comedy Membership involves Elmhurst Brewing Firm on the second Thursday of the month.

The Laughing Academy: 3230 Glenview Highway. 847-724-2787; thelaughingacademy.com.

This institution holds improv lessons and workshops in addition to Academy After Hours reveals. Take a look at Unhealthy Momz Comedy Jan. 27, 2023.

Digs on Canal that includes Gelsosomo’s: 316 Canal St. 630-243-7210; digsoncanal.com or facebook.com/Digsoncanal.

Comedy Night time at Digs is introduced normally on the third Friday of the month; examine Fb or the web site for upcoming occasions.

E77 Sports activities Bar: 4702 147th St. 708-897-0538; e77sportsbar.com.

This institution often hosts open mic comedy nights.

Orland Park Cultural Middle: 14760 Park Lane. 708-403-6100; orlandpark.org/departments/recreation-parks/theatre/improv.

No Restrict Laughs Orland Park Comedy Improv Gamers carry out 18-and-over reveals at 8 p.m. the third Friday of the month. Because the comedy is fueled by the viewers, every present is exclusive. A Youngsters Improv-able that includes youngsters ages 11-18 is from 6-7 p.m.

Tinley Park Conference Middle: 18451 Conference Middle Drive. Tinleyparkconventioncenter.net/public-events.

Chicago comic Ray Grady tapes his newest particular, “I Ain’t for All people,” reside in Tinley Park Jan. 14, 2023.

Tinley Park Performing Arts Middle: 16801 S. eightieth Ave. 708-342-4200; tinleyparkdistrict.org/location/tinley-park-performing-arts-center.

Fourth Wall Improv presents open mic nights and improv comedy reveals each month. Feb. 11, 2023, is a Winter Open Mic night time. March 18 is titled Nothing Left to Binge Comedy Present. April 1 is an evening of improv comedy from youngsters and teenagers introduced by Coated Bridge Studios and on Might 13, it’s the beautifully-titled, The Not So Darkish Aspect: Return of the Revenge of the Rise Comedy Present.

Three Brothers Theatre: 115 N. Genesee St. 224-419-4325; threebrotherstheatre.com.

“Masters of Sketch: The Arnold Palmer Present” is at 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays Feb. 3-March 11, 2023. It’s part-sketch comedy and part-improv comedy.

Masters of Sketch concludes its season with “The Summer season Sketch Comedy Extravaganza” June 9-July 1.

Annie Alleman is a contract reporter for the Beacon-Information.