Displaying items by tag: sketch comedy
The Second City's Laughing For All The Wrong Reasons - Paramount's Copley Theatre - Through June 20th
Paramount Theatre is proud to host the world’s most influential name in comedy, The Second City, back for for a three-week limited engagement with The Second City presents Laughing For All The Wrong Reasons at Paramount’s intimate Copley Theatre, 8 E. Galena Blvd. in downtown Aurora, May 28-June 20.
Celebrating its 67th anniversary in 2026, Second City’s Laughing For All The Wrong Reasons features classic sketch comedy and songs from the company's rich history, fresh new favorites, and the signature brand of irreverent improv that The Second City is famous for. With alumni such as Tina Fey, Stephen Colbert, Keegan-Michael Key and Tim Robinson, The Second City has an unmatched track record of launching the careers of comedy superstars.
The cast that’ll have you laughing for all the wrong reasons features Second City’s “stars of tomorrow,” the current Second City Touring Company, featuring Emily Anderson, Avery Ford, Dani James, Max Lazerine, Dave Lyzenga, Julia Morales, and Cassidy Russell. Musical director is Sam Scheidler. Stage manager is Amanda Leo.
Performances are Thursdays at 7:30 p.m., Fridays at 8 p.m., and Saturdays at 2:30 and 8 p.m. in Paramount’s Copley Theatre, 8 E. Galena Blvd. in downtown Aurora. Tickets are $46. For tickets, visit ParamountAurora.com, call (630) 896-6666, or stop by the Paramount box office Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., or until show time on show days. For group discounts, contact Melissa Striedl, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or (630) 723-2461. *Prices are for in-person purchases. Additional fees apply for phone and online orders.
She the People at Second City
With six women onstage pulling no punches and taking no shit – like The Vagina Monologues, if it were freaking hilarious – She the People is the show we need right now. Written, designed, and performed by the women of The Second City, these funny and talented actresses use their wits and comedy chops to send up sexism in advertising, politics, and pop culture.
With sketches ranging from 10 seconds to 10 minutes, She the People parodies all kinds of situations in which women regularly find themselves. A lady in a parking lot is cat-called and, hit with a sudden burst of pink light and romantic music, turns around to face her verbal assaulter, instantly in love. A group of single female wedding-goers slow-motion fight for the thrown bouquet to Mozart's Lacrimosa. A businesswoman gives a boardroom presentation in a dinosaur costume, irritated that her colleagues are focusing on what she's wearing instead of her ideas: "If Bob came up here dressed as a coelurosaurian theropod from the Cretaceous Period, nobody would bat an eye!" I bet if Bob grabbed people by the pussy, too, he would be let off the hook.
This is a refreshingly feminist show, giving women the space to share their experiences without a devil's advocate constantly undermining them. On the other side of the coin, the show doesn't shy away from critiquing postmodern feminism as well. A scene comes to mind of a group of twenty-somethings out to brunch discussing social issues only to constantly get distracted by, "Mimooooosaaaaas!"
Beyond that, She the People fearlessly takes on male-dominated politics – a roomful of all-male politicians sanction laws on female healthcare while giggling at the mention of "boobs" – the sugarcoating of women in media – "I'm a woman in a maxi pad commercial, and I'm going to the emergency room because there's some blue Windex stuff coming out of me," – and systematic racism – a group of friends play a board game called "Privilege"; guess which girl gets five tokens for getting into the same Ivy League school as her parents and which gets zero tokens for getting detained at the airport for no reason.
So, grab your friends, male and female alike, grab a drink, and enjoy two hours of woke comedy. If you're a man and bring your girlfriend or wife to this show, she will appreciate you, not only because of the sweet date idea, but because she identifies with those women onstage, and if you hear them and understand them, you've heard and understood her.
She the People is playing at Second City's Up Comedy Club Thursdays through Sundays until April 1st. Tickets can be purchased at the box office at North & Wells or on the Second City website.
Cedric the Entertainer brings laughter, life lessons to Aurora’s Paramount Theatre, one-night-only, Saturday, August 8
17 June 2026 in Upcoming TheatreYou know him from “The Neighborhood,” “The Last O.G.,” “The Proud Family” and much more. Don’t miss your chance to…
Northlight Theatre to celebrate its new home in Evanston with a Grand Opening Gala "Celebrating our Past, Building our Future" Saturday, August 15, 2026
16 June 2026 in Theatre BuzzNorthlight Theatre's Board of Directors proudly presents Northlight Theatre's Grand Opening Gala, "Celebrating our Past, Building our Future," marking the culmination of the company's 50th Anniversary…
A Red Orchid Theatre Announces Remount of Hit Production BIRDS OF NORTH AMERICA September 10 – October 4, 2026
16 June 2026 in Upcoming TheatreA Red Orchid Theatre is thrilled to announce a remount of its critically-acclaimed, father-daughter drama Birds of North America, returning for a limited…
Raven Theatre's *OCTET* Makes Downtown Debut at The Goodman
16 June 2026 in Upcoming TheatreFollowing an acclaimed extended run at Raven Theatre, Dave Malloy's "unique, ravishing and resplendent" (Chicago Theatre Review) a cappella musical Octet transfers to…
Funny, Incisive 'Southern Rapture' Skewers All Parties in 'Angels in America' Fracas
15 June 2026 in Theatre in Review“Southern Rapture” quickly elicits loud guffaws from the audience, a heartening circumstancve, as it means playwright Eric Coble’s script is…
Where Identity Slides: Steppenwolf’s Mesmerizing Catch as Catch Can
15 June 2026 in Theatre in ReviewMia Chung’s Catch as Catch Can, which premiered with Page 73 in New York in 2018, arrives at Steppenwolf Theatre…
Bargatze’s Big Dumb Eyes Tour Lands in Rosemont With Subtle Force
13 June 2026 in Theatre in ReviewNate Bargatze’s Big Dumb Eyes tour made its stop at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont with the steady, understated presence…
BrightSide’s intimate staging of The Producers shines with Broadway-sized power
13 June 2026 in Theatre in ReviewBrightSide Theatre’s The Producers storms into Meiley Swallow Hall with the kind of swagger only Mel Brooks can inspire: brash,…
Factory Theater’s Two Out of Three Falls is a Theatrical Event
13 June 2026 in Theatre in ReviewThose familiar with the Factory Theater space might feel themselves do a double take upon entering the theater for Two…
Magic Pairs with Artistic Expressions of Empathy in EAM’s Summer Art Exhibitions
11 June 2026 in BCS SpotlightElmhurst Art Museum’s two new exhibitions feature a pair of artists with Midwestern roots whose outlooks and perceptions of the…
Oak Park Festival Theatre's 51st Season Opens with HAMLET and THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST
10 June 2026 in Upcoming TheatreFor the first time in company history, Oak Park Festival Theatre presents two productions in repertory: William Shakespeare's HAMLET and Oscar Wilde's THE…
Ballet Folklorico Quetzalcoatl returns to Paramount Theatre to perform folk dances from Mexico’s different regions, Thursday, July 30th
09 June 2026 in Upcoming DanceImmerse yourself in the enchanting wonder, vibrant magic and joyous celebration that is Mexican folkloric dance when Ballet Folklorico Quetzalcoatl…
Guest’s New Andy Warhol Play A Study in Primo Theater
08 June 2026 in Theatre in ReviewWhen Terry Guest left Atlanta and arrived in Chicago ten years or so ago, a bracing reality check caused the…
Intimate and Unflinching: The Last Five Years at Oil Lamp Theater
07 June 2026 in Theatre in ReviewWhen Jason Robert Brown’s The Last Five Years premiered at Chicago’s Northlight Theatre in 2001, it flipped the traditional rom-com…
Chicago Shakespeare's Brokeback Mountain Soars
06 June 2026 in Theatre in ReviewSome stories refuse to fade with time, and Brokeback Mountain is one of them. What began as a modest short…
Poetry in Motion: Joffrey's Eugene Onegin enraptures at the Lyric Opera
05 June 2026 in Theatre in ReviewThere’s something magical about stories. Stories have the power to transcend time, reaching across the centuries to share their thoughts,…
Redtwist Theatre presents Anatomy of A Suicide August 12-30
04 June 2026 in Upcoming TheatreProduced in partnership with JunkHeart, The Metal Shop Performance Lab is proud to announce the cast and creative team for Anatomy of a Suicide, August…
4 Chairs Theatre's Good People coming to Theater Wit July 17th through August 23rd
03 June 2026 in Upcoming TheatreWelcome to Southie, a Boston neighborhood where a night on the town means a few rounds of bingo, this month’s…
DESERTED - REDTWIST THEATRE - Through AUGUST 2nd
03 June 2026 in Now PlayingAward-winning Redtwist Theatre presents Deserted, playing June 14 through August 2, a world premiere by Melanie Coffey and directed by Laura Sturm*, at Redtwist Theatre, 1044 W. Bryn…
Black Ensemble Theater continues its 50th Anniversary Season with the revival of the hit musical revue Men of Soul
03 June 2026 in Upcoming TheatreBlack Ensemble Theater continues its 50th Anniversary Season with the return of the celebrated musical revue Men of Soul, written and directed by Artistic…
Collaboraction Theatre announces June shows and events in its new House of Belonging in Humboldt Park
03 June 2026 in Upcoming TheatreNow fully activated, Collaboraction Theatre Company’s new House of Belonging in the Kimball Arts Center, 1757 N. Kimball Ave in…
keerah - Lost Between Myth and Reality
03 June 2026 in Theatre in ReviewDefinition Theatre's Amplify New Play Program exists to elevate emerging voices, and Netta Walker's keerah certainly arrives with ambition. Loosely…
Metropolis Performing Arts Centre presents The Wizard of Oz July 8th through August 9th
03 June 2026 in Upcoming TheatreMetropolis Performing Arts Centre, located in the heart of downtown Arlington Heights, 111 W. Campbell St., is proud to announce the cast…
No Dogs in the Kitchen Theatre Company Presents 'The Importance of Being Earnest' July 9-26
01 June 2026 in Upcoming TheatreNo Dogs in the Kitchen Theatre is thrilled to continue its third season with The Importance of Being Earnest, written by…
Kokandy Productions Presents SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE - August 13 – November 1, 2026 at The Chopin Theatre
01 June 2026 in Upcoming TheatreFollowing is critically acclaimed productions of Sweeney Todd and Into the Woods, Kokandy Productions once again celebrates the great Stephen…
'The Last Word' - A Cocktail of Comedy, Mystery, and Heart
01 June 2026 in Theatre in ReviewSome theatrical experiences ask you to sit back and watch. "The Last Word" invites you to pull up a chair,…
Paramount’s smash hit, immersive Million Dollar Quartet returning to rock Aurora’s Stolp Island Theatre, March 4-May 31
30 May 2026 in Upcoming TheatreParamount Theatre’s smash hit, immersive musical Million Dollar Quartet wrapped its spring run at downtown Aurora’s Stolp Island Theatre this…
The Second City's Laughing For All The Wrong Reasons - Paramount's Copley Theatre - Through June 20th
28 May 2026 in Now PlayingParamount Theatre is proud to host the world’s most influential name in comedy, The Second City, back for for a…
Award-winning musical Mexodus makes Chicago premiere at Studebaker Theater in November
28 May 2026 in Upcoming TheatreStudebaker Theater (Erica Berger and Jacob Harvey), P3 Productions (Ben Holtzman, Sammy Lopez, and Fiona Howe Rudin) and Audible, in collaboration with Teatro Vista…
About Face Theatre announces 2026-2027 season
28 May 2026 in Upcoming TheatreAbout Face Theatre is proud to announce its 32nd season featuring the Pulitzer Prize winning musical A Strange Loop and the Midwest Premiere of i…
Latest Articles
-
Cedric the Entertainer brings laughter, life lessons to Aurora’s Paramount Theatre, one-night-only, Saturday, August 8
Written by Buzz Center StageYou know him from “The Neighborhood,” “The Last O.G.,” “The Proud Family” and much more. Don’t miss your chance to catch Cedric the Entertainer live on tour, one-night-only, in his only Chicago-area stop, Saturday, August 8 at 8 p.m. at… -
Northlight Theatre to celebrate its new home in Evanston with a Grand Opening Gala "Celebrating our Past, Building our Future" Saturday, August 15, 2026
Written by Buzz Center StageNorthlight Theatre's Board of Directors proudly presents Northlight Theatre's Grand Opening Gala, "Celebrating our Past, Building our Future," marking the culmination of the company's 50th Anniversary Season and the beginning of a new era in Evanston. The Grand Opening benefit event will be held on Saturday, August…
-
A Red Orchid Theatre Announces Remount of Hit Production BIRDS OF NORTH AMERICA September 10 – October 4, 2026
Written by Buzz Center StageA Red Orchid Theatre is thrilled to announce a remount of its critically-acclaimed, father-daughter drama Birds of North America, returning for a limited engagement September 10 – October 4, 2026 at 1531 N. Wells St. in Chicago's Old Town neighborhood. Written by Anna Ouyang Moench and directed by Artistic…
-
Raven Theatre's *OCTET* Makes Downtown Debut at The Goodman
Written by Buzz Center StageFollowing an acclaimed extended run at Raven Theatre, Dave Malloy's "unique, ravishing and resplendent" (Chicago Theatre Review) a cappella musical Octet transfers to Goodman Theatre for a two-week run this summer. Directed by Keira Fromm—Associate Director of The Goodman's Iceboy! or The Completely Untrue Story…
Does your theatre company want to connect with Buzz Center Stage or would you like to reach out and say "hello"? Message us through facebook or shoot us an email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
*This disclaimer informs readers that the views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in the text belong solely to the author, and not necessarily to Buzz Center Stage. Buzz Center Stage is a non-profit, volunteer-based platform that enables, and encourages, staff members to post their own honest thoughts on a particular production.