Please consider sharing our story and making a donation at the following link: http://cicomedy.chipin.com/chemically-imbalanced-comedy

Chemically Imbalanced Comedy will start its 13th season in September. Over the past 12 years we have been home to various comic voices in Chicago and a launching pad for some of our City's largest talent. 

We have spent the last two years expanding our space. The expansion means more seating in the theater, a new lobby, and a full bar. The opening of the bar has been stalled by issues with contractors and the city. 

The delay has put the theater under a great deal of financial stress. We need help from you, our wonderful supporters. 

If CIC is important to you, please consider making a Tax deductible donation so we can continue to thrive as a part of the Chicago theater scene.

 

A few words from friends of the Theater: 

"For me, CIC started off as a place where a very strange corn musical was happening, but grew into a safe haven where comedians who were too off the beaten path for even the cliquey cool theaters to reject, but always had a home at CIC. It was always a place to push the limits without fear, a place where you could grow in a way comedically that no other Chicago establishment could allow you to--- it was its own thing entirely, and it should continue to be that..." -TJ Miller (Star of such films as Gulliver's Travels, Yogi Bear, Cloverfield and many more) 

"It was the night Zanies booker Bert Haas saw me host Snubfest at Chemically Imbalanced Comedy, that gave me my start doing stand-up clubs. To have an outlet like C.I.C. to perform sketch, improv and stand-up is why I moved to Chicago for comedy. If C.I.C. were to close, Chicago would lose one of the few places where audiences can see many genres of comedy. CIC's supportive attomosphere makes it one of the few places performers can go on stage and truly feel free to create." -Nick Vatterott (Stand Up Comic, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon) 

"CIC was one of the first real independent showcase opportunities for young improvisors. My SC Conservatory class, The Rooftop Players, were one of the first acts to perform with CIC, and it's amazing to see how far they've come. It would be a shame to see that door of opportunity close, as stage time is a priceless commodity for the young improvisor. Supporting venues like CIC is like supporting the Chicago improv scene itself. "- Sean Monahan (Co-Owner Westside Comedy Theater LA) 

"CIC was integral in giving me the performance opportunities I needed when I first starting performing in Chicago. The environment was supportive, fun, and a perfect place to take risks and grow as an improvisor. I can't imagine my first three years in Chicago without them. I wish that everyone else in the community can have the same experience and benefit from what CIC has to offer."- Tim Baltz (Main Stage Performer The Second City Chicago)

Cat & Mouse Game Store and Chemically Imbalanced Comedy bring you: Settlers of Fundraising for Funny People A settlers of Catan tournament and fundraiser for CIC, Sponsored in part by Cat & Mouse Game Store June 9th at CIC: 1422 W. Irving Park Road $20 Entry Fee (to be paid on day of via cash or check) 11-11:30am Check In 12pm - 4pm - 3 Games (Round 1) 4pm - 5pm Semifinal Tables 5pm - 6:30pm - Final Table 1st Place - Sizable pay out of pt (estimated at $150 - $200) 2nd Place - copy of a board game (TBD) or $50 Gift Card to Cat & Mouse Game Store 3rd and 4th Place - TBD All Semi-Finalists - $25 Gift Certificate to Cat & Mouse Game Store All Participants - $5 Gift Certificate to Cat & Mouse Game Store and 1 free ticket to any CIC show. (improv, sketch, stand up, comedic plays) Extra Prizes/Fun Awards will be given out throughout the day! Send an e-mail to BryanLeeBeckwith@gmail.com if you would like to reserve a spot in the tournament Let's have fun out there!

 

CIC proudly welcomes The Kids in the Hall's Kevin McDonald for one show only!

On Saturday, May 5th, at 10:30pm, Kevin McDonald will provide the stories, and some of CIC's best performers will improvise the rest. Join us for a special night of comedy. BYOB, and tickets are $15.


Cast:
Jill Fenstermaker
Jorin Garguillo
Jared Jeffries
Sean Keith
Phil Meister
Louie Saunders
Amy Speckien
Farrell Walsh

Date/Time: May 5th, 10:30pm
Buy Tickets: $15

http://youtu.be/-CMCRgCDqbM

Howard Cross: Two Giants of Improv Perform Saturdays at CIC

Jorin Garguilo and Farrell Walsh bring their two person improv show Howard Cross to CIC on Saturdays in March. Farrell and Jorin have been improvising together for 6 years on iO's Friday night mainstay Revolver, and for the last year at CIC with Rainbow Deli. Each week, Howard Cross will be joined by a different CIC house ensemble. Skilled and subtle, Farrell and Jorin are storytellers who weave together ridiculously fun shows from a simple suggestion. The scenes between these two veteran performers are smart, surprising, gleeful, thoughtful and strangely touching. Most importantly, Howard Cross plays with the knowledge that there is a very good chance that one of them will laugh. Hard.

Farrell Walsh is the Artistic Director of CIC Theater, and is part of CIC's house ensemble Rainbow Deli. Farrell teaches at the iO theater, having studied at both iO and The Annoyance Theater. At iO, he is a founding member of the house team Revolver, and also performs with The Armando Diaz Experience, The Scene, and Dinner Bell. He was a cast member of Close Quarters, and is honored to be half of Howard Cross.

Jorin Garguilo began improvising in North Carolina at ComedyWorx (formerly ComedySportz-Raleigh) after seeing a show on his 17th birthday. After moving to Chicago in 2004 and completing classes at iO, Jorin joined Farrell on the Harold team Revolver. He performs at iO, the Playground, and at CIC (with the team Rainbow Deli). Jorin performs in a number of shows every week, but his girlfriend says Howard Cross is her favorite of them all.

Get Your Tickets Here. Just $10

Join Kevin McDonald of the Kids in the Hall for a two day, 14 hour workshop to improve your acting and writing skills. In a group of twenty to thirty actors you will learn how to write comedy through performance, and use improv as a writing tool.

The workshop will warm up with improv games to help sharpen storytelling skills, and evolve until students are doing their own improvised scenes in small groups. Kevin will go from group to group, helping and guiding with the "writing" of each scene. Each group will then have the opportunity to present their sketch.

After getting notes, revising and presenting the scenes again, the workshop will end with the groups going away and actually finalizing their scenes. The now fully written scenes will be performed one last time for everyone.

This workshop will improve your acting and writing skills, and will teach you how both skills work in unison to create great scenes and hilarious comedy.

Date: May 5th & 6th
Time: 10am-5pm both days
Cost $300

If you are interested in signing up, please email Jared Jefferies (who set all this up) at jmjeffries2@gmail.com SUBJECT: KEVIN MCDONALD WORKSHOP

Payment must be by check made out to "Kevin McDonald." Jared will be collecting these checks before the end of April, so please be serious about committing to this rare opportunity.

Should be a lot of fun.