I love to hate love. For me, love is like going to an abandoned carnival, it looks like it used to be a lot of fun, but all of the attractions are rusted and there are far too many raccoons. There’s only one place I know that a V-Day Scrooge like me can go to avoid getting my heart stabbed in its pulsing bloody back: an anti-Valentine’s Day cabaret! Letters/X is a performance pieced together by real letters, emails, text messages, Facebook posts and other publicly written submissions that are presented as monologues and original songs.  The cabaret was produced in 2004 with Groundup Theatre and has been going strong for nine years. The show has fresh material and is guaranteed to be a savvy way to not celebrate a certain senseless societal holiday. The show runs in the Apollo Theater from February 2^nd through March 10^th and starts at 8pm. You can grab your tickets at the Apollo box office, or  through Ticketmaster.com, but hurry, nearly all performances of the anti-Valentine cabaret sold out last year.

Among the Letters/X ensemble and crew are Jessica Jane Childs, a 7 year veteran whose credits include Steep, Halcyon, Dream Theatre and The Lakewood Manor players, Stephanie Clark who has worked on several Tennessee Rep Theatre productions includingSweeney Todd, Rabbit Hole and Darwin in Malibu, and Anthony Roberts, Chicago’s resident playwright, composer, singer, guitarist and actor who has been involved in productions at American Blues Theater, Chicago Dramatists, Groundup, Serendipity, and American Theatre Company.

The affair is sure to be an absolute solute to all things love, and will allow you to reminisce on true love, lost love, and shady yet necessary affairs. Don’t be left home alone this Valentine’s day. Make sure you hop, skip, and jump over to the Apollo Theater to catch Letters/X soon!

Wanjiku K </3

As many of us begin to complain about this brutal breeze that our Chicago winter has to offer, we begin to think of INDOOR activities that will take the place of what we would rather be doing OUTDOORS! But, have no fear because I have the answer (laughter is promised too!) Starting January 5^th and running through January 15^th, The Chicago Sketch Comedy Festival is here for the 11^th year in a row at Stage 773!

By the way, did you know that Chicago is the sketch comedy capital of AMERICA!? So with that being said, it’s no surprise that The Chicago Sketch Comedy Festival is the WORLD’S largest sketch comedy festival! With 162 performances by MORE than 138 local, national and international sketch comedy groups, this show is one for the record books. The tickets range from $12 to $15 to see a single show but there are also Day Passes ($35) & “Season Passes” (150) for the entirety of the festival. Panels of sketch comedy experts are an added bonus. If you’d like to make it a family event here’s the link for the 2012 Kids & Teen Performer Schedule! http://bit.ly/xmdKak

P.S. In the past years Stage 773 has had over 10,000 people in attendance so guarantee your giggles before it’s too late!

To order tickets you can call Stage 773 concierge box office at 773.327.525 or visit their website here.

-Amanda Rivera

Grab your holiday sweaters, candy canes and…party cups? Corn Productions, the producers of one-act plays, music monologues, and comedy sketches would like to wish you a Happy Holly-daze by inviting you to a drinking game performance. From December 8th-30th they will be “sharing all of their favorite holiday stories, songs, and beverages with you.” Each sketch is a drinking game, giving you the chance to celebrate the season in style. It is BYOB so you can bring anything from eggnog to bottled beer – whatever gets you into the holiday spirit(s).

Happy Holly-daze – A Drinking Game Performance runs Thursdays through Saturdays, December 8th – December 30^th (no show December 24^th) 8pm at Cornservatory, 4210 N Lincoln Ave, Chicago. Ticket price is $6 on Thursdays and $12 on Fridays and Saturdays and can be purchased online at www.cornservatory.org or reservations can be made at 773.650.1331.

- Evan Jones

Back in 1986, a high school wise guy came to Chicago and stirred things up a bit. People danced in the streets and Wrigley Field was taken over by three juvenile delinquents – all for a day off. Now, 25 years later, the legend of Ferris Bueller lives on.

On October 1, in celebration of the film’s anniversary, Groupon and Wrigley are setting up three giant movie screens in the ballpark to show the classic film “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.” Catch a younger Matthew Broderick, Wrigley Field and the Willis Tower, back when it was known as the Sears Tower. With it taking place on a Saturday night, you don’t even have to skip school to attend.  Additionally, there will be an attempt to break the world record for singing the movie’s anthem, Danke Shoen.

During the movie, pay special attention to the scenes at the baseball game. Do you know the score or what game they are at? Check out some impressive detective work here – you’re sure to impress your friends with your knowledge.

Tickets are $10 for bleacher seats, $25 for an outfield lawn seat or $75 for a VIP outfield lawn seat that gets you access to a pre-event party at the Captain Morgan Club, but also be on the lookout because our CEO, Billy Dec, is giving away some tickets on twitter & facebook!

So, dust off your 80s gear, warm-up that voice and grab some close friends to help “Save Ferris!”

-Evan Jones

Pick a topic – any topic. Now, with a group of your friends, create a comedy sketch and a song to go with it. You have 1 minute. GO. Not the easiest task. It takes a special person with talent to accomplish such a goal… and have it be funny. Living in the city of Chicago, we have our pick of comedy troupes and clubs. We even have entire organizations dedicated to the craft, such as Second City and iO. With such a great pool of individuals out there willing to share their passion with audiences, don’t you think we deserve to laugh at them and with them?

I recently attended a show featuring Stacked, an all female Musical Improv group. They delivered a “four-part harmony through a wide range of characters and clever play.” The energy on stage was infectious, causing all in attendance to be engaged in the action. Its this dedication that is taking them all the way to the Toronto Improv Festival in about a month. Scenes from recent shows are up on their website. If you need a laugh – or two – take a look!

Catch the ladies of Stacked, Leotard Foundation and Slow Clap! on Friday, September 23 at Midnight in the Del Close Theater. Tickets are $5 or FREE for iO students. Interested in becoming a student? Check it out here.

- Evan Jones
@ewjonesy

I laughed yesterday when I tweeted that I was going to be a guest talking about Social Media in Business on a new live show with Cardinal Francis George & Second City, knowing that immediately thousands of people who follow me stopped what they were doing and went… “HUH?!”  That’s what I love about this new show called “Chicago Live!“  It sounds so diverse, entertaining, relevant, alive & Chicago!

This unique Tribune & Second City production is filmed in front of live studio audience on Thursdays at 6:30p, at Chicago Theatre’s Downstairs Stage, hosted by Rick Kogan, featuring special guests that represent the city’s top newsmakers, entertainers, athletes, artists… w/quick sketches by Second City members! After the show, the audience is invited to a reception with the cast, crew & guests.. Seriously, sounds like a blast!

With that, I’m truly honored to be part of the show this Thursday, May 5th! I’m psyched to join filmmaker Melissa Pierce, and Social Media editor & radio host Amy Guth, on stage to discuss the use of Social Media in Business! Other guests will include Catholic archbishop of Chicago Cardinal Francis George ( interviewed by Manya Brachear), Arlington Park’s Howard Sudberry previewing the upcoming race season (interviewed by Phil Rosenthal), Local bluegrass band Cornmeal, and again… Peformances by Second City!

Please be in the audience, enjoy & cheer us on! Tickets: http://trib.in/fLEtrt AND BTW, would love to get some questions, advice, feedback, thoughts… from you about what all you think I should talk about ahead of time!?  Please let me know on Twitter, Facebook and/or comment below as soon as you can! If you can’t make the show, Chicago Live! re-airs on WGN radio the Saturday following the Thursday tapings from 11p-midnight.  Podcasts are also posted to the Chicago Live! website the Friday after each show.Thanks!!!!

After my improv performance at the iO a few weeks ago I’ve kind of been obsessed with Chicago’s world renowned & thriving improv and comedy scene! Today I’m keeping the laughter going with another amazing comedy event called “laughing hearts comedy night” tomorrow/Wednesday, March 9 at 6:30p at stage 773 (1225 W. Belmont Ave). Even better, 100% of the ticket proceeds go to the american heart association!

This event was shared with me by a facebook friend patricia true agos (thank you!), who’s walked the Chicago heart walk for the last seven years for her mom. her mom was the first person in her hometown to have open heart surgery… at the age of 15! doctors told her she would be unlikely to have children, but patricia is the youngest of five kids. her mom volunteered at the american heart association and coordinated many events on behalf of the aha and more charities until she passed away of heart attack in 2003. since 2004, patricia has raised nearly $13,000 but wanted to do something more. as a graduate of the second city conservatory, she loves to laugh and make people laugh, and with those passions “laughing hearts comedy night” was born.

performers include pastor dave of the best church of god, off off broadzway, the union, the tim & micah project, henrietta pussycat, and more. there’s also gonna be a silent auction with awesome items like chelsea handler autographed books, blackhawks pucks signed by jonathan toews and patrick kane, an adult class at the second city training center, tickets to several chicago theaters, and so much more. check out her site for tix & info, and go! it’s good for the heart!

if you guys are friends with me on facebook or follow me on twitter then you know I love to share how my life is always crazy w/ random things always happening beyond my control!  Well, earlier this week, during a meeting about my blog in my private office, a super nerd barged in & started causing chaos, so fast that I couldn’t tweet or facebook it, but somehow I caught it on video (see above)!  i was so scared and thrown off at first (& worried she was a stripper) that i immediately started sweating as I normally do during my frequent panic attacks-  turns out she wasn’t a stripper at all, but comedian angela riccio from rent a nerd and was a birthday gift for our new interactive marketing coordinator tim toomey!

you guys know how much i love chicago arts, theatre & appreciate those in it- & let me tell you that performance definitely took guts!  so shout out to angel riccio who combines years of experience as a stand up comedienne to make us all laugh!  rent a nerd is based in chicago & provides custom comedy entertainment for private & corporate events.  it has grown from a one nerd operation in 1987 to present day with a “gaggle of geeks” booking about 800 performances a year!  check out the video above to see some of the silliness!

First, my buddy Duncan Keith, star defenseman for the Blackhawks will serve as Grand Marshal of the LifeLock.com 400 NASCAR Spring Cup Series this Saturday, July 10th at the Chicagoland Speedway. You can check out the Keith and a little NASCAR by visiting www.chicagolandspeedway.com.

Vince Vaughn is in town shooting a new Ron Howard and Brian Grazer flick this summer,  just released that he’s bringing his Wild West Comedy Tour to Chicago for one night along with fellow comedian Kevin James. You can see them Friday, July 23rd at Park West Theatre — read more for all info…

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

****Live Performance****

VINCE VAUGHN’S WILD WEST COMEDY SHOW

HOSTED BY VINCE VAUGHN AND KEVIN JAMES

FEATURING STAND UP COMICS RICHIE MINERVINI, STEVE BYRNE AND BILL BURR TO PERFORM LIVE AT THE PARK WEST THEATER IN CHICAGO ON FRIDAY, JULY 23rd, 2010.

CHICAGO, July 7th, 2010 – For one night only, Vince Vaughn and Kevin James are set to host Vince Vaughn’s Wild West Comedy Show, a night of stand up and sketch comedy with national comedians Richie Minervini, Steve Byrne and Bill Burr and surprise special guest stars. The live comedy/variety show will take place at the Park West Theater in Chicago on Friday, July 23rd at 9pm. Tickets go on sale Thursday July 8th at 4pm and are available at all Ticketmaster outlets, online at ticketmaster.com and at The Park West Theater box office. Tickets are $50.00 for General Admission and $75.00 for preferred seating.

Vaughn started the Wild West Comedy show in 2005, when he hosted 30 consecutive live shows across the country, which was captured for the documentary film Vince Vaughn’s Wild West Comedy Show: 30 Days & 30 Nights – Hollywood to the Heartland.

Vaughn and James are currently in Chicago shooting a new Universal Pictures comedy from director  Ron Howard and producer Brian Grazer.  The film also stars Jennifer Connelly, Winona Ryder, Channing Tatum and Queen Latifah and shoots in Chicago through August 11th.

###

as you saw from my wild and beyond hectic pictures from this weekend, it was a crazy past couple of days hanging out with john mayer, hosting the annual piven theatre workshop benefit with jeremy piven, appearing live on tv and radio and just exploring chicago! so crazy in fact that jimmy kimmel mentioned it last night on his show! and it was featured on new york post page six, the huffington post, and perez hilton!