Chemically Imbalanced Comedy

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Frankie J's on Broadway
2008-04-16 21:08:00
Part of the ongoing Origins of CIC series by Founder and Executive Producer Angela McMahon9/11 had just happened and everyone was feeling pretty awful about themselves. Not knowing how we could make others laugh when we ourselvers were in so much pain. I sat with Frankie in his lofted office above what would soon be a Theater space and just felt numb. I said to him, "We should do something! Like a show. It would 1. make us feel better, 2. get folks into the space, and 3. give me something to do." He was all about it. His father was a firefighter so right away he wanted the charity to be the Widow's and Children's Fund. The space needed a lot of work. But we decided to to do the event in 4 days from that moment. My husband called a cousin of his to come and put the lights on a dimmer switch so we could at least do some slow fades or quick blackouts for each group. Tom and Frank built the stage and me and Frankie's girlfriend at the time hung up some fabric to make a back...
More About: Broadway

Improv Connections
2008-04-15 20:37:00
by Jill of Cornwallis I believe it was Del Close who said that the characters you play are loosely draped over you like a trench coat. It?s true, when you?re on stage you get to play the best (and sometimes worst) versions of yourself. Yesterday I received a Missed Connection from someone who was at one of two shows Cornwallis did at the Theater on Saturday (if you?re not familiar with Missed Connections , they?re a sort of anonymous personal ads people post on Craig?s List or in the Reader if they want to try and get in touch with a stranger they had an encounter with. You can see mine here.) This Missed Connection made me think about the characters I had played in each of the shows, and wonder which one this person may have felt some sort of bond with. Was it the Doctor dealing with an extreme OCD patient? The anorexic woman that was bench-pressed to death by her friend? The co-ed who played Twister? How much of my real self and my true personality came through these performances? W...
More About: Improv

let there be a/c
2008-04-14 20:25:00
CIC has acquired an air conditioner, which means our summer shows will be nice and cool. Of course we still need to rewire the theater and install the thing, so if you haven't had the chance to pledge to one of our Bowl-a-Thon participants, now's a good time! Remember, every donation is tax deductible. We look forward to seeing you in our comfortably climate-controlled theater this summer! if (typeof window.Delicious == "undefined") window.Delicious = {}; Delicious.BLOGBADGE_DEFAULT_CLASS = 'delicious-blogbadge-line';

classic comedy
2008-04-11 21:38:00
by CIC Artistic Associate Nathan PettsMy Grandfather had a mixed tape with the unassuming title "baseball." He had a lot of old stuff like that, he was something of a pack rat. It was Thanksgiving, or Christmas or Easter, or some such holiday, and as usual, Grandpa was hanging out with the grandchildren rather than the adults. He found this tape the day before we arrived, or maybe the week, or month before. He put it in an old Dictaphone-style tape recorder and played it for us. The first track on the tape was "Who's on first."I still remember how hard I laughed.I played it again, and again, and again, and I took it from my Grandpa as a gift, and brought it home, and continued to listen. I would play it at night, before going to bed. I must have heard that routine at least two hundred and fifty times. I still laugh.For me, the routine summarizes simply, and brilliantly everything I love about comedy. The cleverness of it, the quickness of it, the approachability, the style ...
More About: Comedy , Classic

Pimprov in Time Out Chicago
2008-04-10 18:42:00
In the new issue of Time Out Chicago , Comedy Editor Steve Heisler profiles African American comics in Chicago, including sketch duo KevInda and friends-of-CIC Pimprov.From the article, here's creator Marz Timms on the origins of Pimprov:Timms decided to found Pimprov in 2004 simply because he thought the idea of pimps performing improv was hilarious. (It is.) ?I?d have a problem if I felt we were representing the voice of black improvisers, because this show is merely for entertainment,? he says.Still, Timms says sometimes Pimprov offends?both those who see it as glorifying the pimping lifestyle and those who read further between the lines. ?I bashed Tyler Perry the other day, and this lady just had a heart attack,? Timms says. The woman countered that he should support Perry out of race solidarity, and that she would see one of Timms?s shows just because he?s black. ?And I said, ?Look, don?t come see my show ?cause it?s a black show?come see it because you find it funny.?"Full art...
More About: Time Out

CIC at Frankie J's
2008-04-10 00:00:00
CIC at Frankie J'sby Angie McMahonBack in 2001 we were doing our shows in the back of a bar called "The Prodigal Son" (a bar shortly after we left that was featured on the Jimmy Kimmal show for their free bacon Wednesdays and sadly burned down a year later from a grease fire). We were told that in one month's time we could no longer do our Saturday Night showcase in the back room because the owners thought bands would bring in bigger crowds and more drinkers. So I started to look into other options.On a NY message board that I looked at a lot a post was up from a guy named Frankie. I knew Frank's name but had never met him. He said he was going to start a restaurant/ Theater in uptown called "Frankie J's on Broadway" and was looking for anyone that wanted to help him out.I quickly emailed him and told him my Theater Company was looking for a new home. I met Frank at his Uptown house for a meeting. He showed me the blueprints and told me all about his vision for the place. ...

the other chemically imbalanced
2008-04-08 19:03:00
In doing web searches for quotes and reviews about CIC, I came up with this winner of a website, Chemically Imbalanced: Espresso-Jogged Screeds. It's a blog about espresso, or "sublime coffee colliding with real life." What does that have to do with comedy," you may wonder? Oh, EVERYTHING. I don't want to get into the messy details, but there are several CIC company members who you never want to see under-caffeinated.There's a lot of funny, sophisticated coffee-talk on the other Chemically Imbalanced's blog, but I especially recommend this post, which calls attention to a great Daily Show piece about the day Starbucks closed. See? Coffee and comedy go hand in hand.And hey, for a really excellent caffeine-fueled bit, check out Angie McMahon's one-woman show, "Judy in Disguise with Glasses," opening this Friday night at the Chemically Imbalanced Theater. I promise you'll never look at office coffee the same way again. if (typeof window.Delicious == "undefined") window.De...

Book of Liz Cast Party
2008-04-07 16:56:00
The cast and crew of Book of Liz celebrate a successful run. if (typeof window.Delicious == "undefined") window.Delicious = {}; Delicious.BLOGBADGE_DEFAULT_CLASS = 'delicious-blogbadge-line';
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Earthshine
2008-04-04 19:05:00
TAKING ON EARTHSHINEby Cynthia ShurIn junior high I read a book called Earthshine by Theresa Nelson. It tells the story of a girl named Slim whose father is fighting hard to enjoy the last months of his life while dying of AIDS. For whatever reason ? the identifiable voice of the girl?s first-person narration, the familiarity of the California setting, the quirky characters, the high stakes of the situation ? it was one of those books that stayed with me. It had been sitting in the back of my mind that it might make a good stage adaptation. A few months ago I bought a copy of the book (I took it out of the public library the first time) to re-read it and see if I still think it would do well on stage, now that I have more experience. As I read I could envision the scenes and possibilities for dealing with events that can?t literally fit on a stage.After I finished reading I did a Google search to check if someone else already had this fabulous idea. I also figured I could find so...

Final Book of Liz Review
2008-04-03 18:56:00
The Book of Liz closed last weekend. While the cast suffers through post-show depression and compiles their own thoughts on the end of the run (soon to be posted on this very blog), here's a Goldstar customer review of the 50th, final performance:"It's too bad I saw this play on its closing night. I would see it again. It verges on the hysterical (all definitions) and is funny, smart, witty; basically everything anyone expects from any Sedaris. Seriously, lobby to get this play back. It's veryentertaining. I won't give away any plot points (like I could!), but I will say that any play that includes both cheese balls and Mr. Peanut is a must-see!"Congratulations to the cast on a wonderful run, and thank you to every audience member who made it out to the show! if (typeof window.Delicious == "undefined") window.Delicious = {}; Delicious.BLOGBADGE_DEFAULT_CLASS = 'delicious-blogbadge-line';
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Bowl-A-Thon Update!
2008-04-02 22:50:00
It's officially April, the official month of the OFFICIAL Chemically Imbalanced Comedy Super-Fun Bowl -A-Thon Extravaganza 2008: SUPERFUN!I just made that title up.But we are having a Bowl-A-Thon, and it is happening on Sunday, April 27th. We're raising money for an air conditioning system, to ensure a comfortable summer of cool comedy at the Chemically Imbalanced Theater. CIC is a not-for-profit theater, which means that all donations are tax-deductable. And hey, won't you feel good about yourself, supporting the arts in a tangible way? You can make a flat donation, or sponsor a bowler at a per-pin level (a nickel, a quarter, a buck a pin). You can even challenge us to do wacky stunts for pledges. How about a dollar per beer imbibed? A quarter for every time we do a little dance when we bowl? Ten bucks per frame if we bowl in formal attire? Use your imagination. Photographic and/or video evidence can be provided.There is an element of competition to the Bowl-a-Thon, as CIC a...
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Snubfest in TimeOut Chicago
2008-04-01 18:38:00
CIC got a nice shout-out in last week's issue of TimeOut Chicago , in a profile on local performer Nick Vatterott:"[Vatterott] showcased a few times for Bert Haas, Zanies? talent scout, but Haas admittedly didn?t 'get' him. It wasn?t until Vatterott was arguably in his element ? hosting a raw stand-up competition at Chemically Imbalanced Comedy?s 2006 Snubfest ? that he clicked with Haas, who was seated at the judges? table."You can the full article here! There's still time to apply for an opportunity to click with the judges at this year's Snubfest -- the submission deadline has been extended to April 10th. if (typeof window.Delicious == "undefined") window.Delicious = {}; Delicious.BLOGBADGE_DEFAULT_CLASS = 'delicious-blogbadge-line';
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Opening Night
2008-03-31 15:33:00
Today was a proud day for me. Today my 3 year old Jordan put on her first show. It was complete with a set, costume changes, props, and a musical score. She knew who her audience was and she targeted them perfectly. I got my invitation to the show in the kitchen and was asked to attend. A beautiful fairy princess came to my feet and asked me to attend the show that would be happening in the Jordan McMahon Theater located a convenient walking distance from the kitchen. I was ushered to my seat and given some Easter chocolate?s to snack on during the show. This princess had no stage hands so as she set up the set herself and I was asked to also work the booth and cue up the sound equipment for the big show. Once the music began I was ushered back to my seat.Act one was a rendition of "Once upon a Dream" where the fairy princess (seen with the pink hat) walked slowly across the river to meet her friends the animals. The dance continued with leaps over the pumpkin river and many many sp...
More About: Night , Opening , Opening Night

Chili Blog
2008-03-28 16:43:00
We, the folks from Counter Productive Lover ? a CIC House Team ?were given the opportunity to contribute to the ongoing blog. This will beour first entry. We will be expressing feelings, thoughts, noticeabletrends and any other goings on that interest us/you. As our openingentry, we would like to share a short bit about ourselves both as agroup and as individuals.Right now we are gathered together as a group to eat an oversizedchili dinner before a show. Is this one of the dumber moves a team hasmade before a show? Yes. But is it any dumber than making a late-nightdecision to find out who can tolerate the most vicious back-whip witha leather belt? No. Fact is, in a pain competition, nobody wins. Oreverybody wins, depending on your stance.Though the endless fascination with watching someone writhe in painwhile simultaneously being aware that your fascination is notnecessarily appropriate to adult human behavior is an exercise inlearning about the self. And that is ultimately the goa...
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Fuck you CIF!
2008-03-27 16:13:00
Did you get snubbed by CIF? Before you say "Fuck you, Jonathan Pitts and Mark Sutton,? be aware that there is another opportunity to be a part of the 2008 Chicago Improv Festival!Snubfest and the Chicago Improv Festival present Second Chances, a special performance featuring groups that were not accepted to CIF. The performance will take place at the Chemically Imbalanced Theater during the week of Snubfest (June 5 ? 8, 2008) and the Chicago Improv Festival (June 2 ? 8, 2008)To apply, please follow Snubfest application guidelines at http://www.snubfest.com/submission.html, and let us know that you were snubbed from CIF. The new deadline for admission is Thursday, April 10. if (typeof window.Delicious == "undefined") window.Delicious = {}; Delicious.BLOGBADGE_DEFAULT_CLASS = 'delicious-blogbadge-line';

Congrats Dave Whalley!
2008-03-26 15:08:00
Claire Alethea Whalley Born: 3/25/08 at 4:50 pm cst 8 lb 2 oz 19 1/2 if (typeof window.Delicious == "undefined") window.Delicious = {}; Delicious.BLOGBADGE_DEFAULT_CLASS = 'delicious-blogbadge-line';
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Yelp Talk
2008-03-25 19:11:00
Recently on Yelp .com a Yelp'r wrote "Has anyone seen The Book of Liz?"Here is What some folks had to say:-------------------------------"I want to see it. I've been to Chemically Imbalanced Comedy's showcase. It's a nice little venue."- Carrie M."I love that play! I have seen it as well as read it! Hillarious! She even has the recipe for the cheeseball in her new book 'I Like You, Hospitality Under the Influence.'"- Jenn H."I saw it in the fall and it was very funny indeed."- Robert S."Went with a group of gals and we all thought it was hilarious- totally recommend it!" -Photocour t. if (typeof window.Delicious == "undefined") window.Delicious = {}; Delicious.BLOGBADGE_DEFAULT_CLASS = 'delicious-blogbadge-line';
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Missed Connections!
2008-03-24 15:16:00
Love is always in the air at CIC. Check out this missed Connection:----------------Spotted you at a play... - w4m - 25Reply to: pers-615468288@craigslist.orgDate: 2008-03-22, 11:21PM CDTHello. I feel strange and slightly lame for posting this, but here goes nothing...I was at Book of Liz this evening, and spotted you. You were wearing a tan coat, and it was fun to observe your reactions to the play. I looked up a few times to see you glancing in my general direction. Of course, that could have been for any number of reasons. You seemed to kind of linger after the show for a little while, but I was with some other people and didn't have the guts to say hello. I hope that you had a good time at the show and enjoyed the rest of your evening.I don't really know what the purpose of posting this truely is, but you were cute...Have a great weekend. if (typeof window.Delicious == "undefined") window.Delicious = {}; Delicious.BLOGBADGE_DEFAULT_CLASS = 'delicious-blogbadge-line';
More About: Fun , Connections

Bravo Star
2008-03-21 17:03:00
Resident Artist Mike Devine can be seen in the background of this season's Top Chef episode that took place at the Lincoln Park Zoo. if (typeof window.Delicious == "undefined") window.Delicious = {}; Delicious.BLOGBADGE_DEFAULT_CLASS = 'delicious-blogbadge-line';
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No Bad Review this week.
2008-03-21 16:11:00
Thanks to all of the loyal Bad Reviw fans. But we are taking Easter Sunday off. We hope everyone has a nice holiday.We do have some other amazing shows lined up for the weekend. Only two weekends left to catch The Book of Liz by Amy and David SedarisAnd our Comedy Showcase has fantastic line ups all weekend:March 21 Black Irish Panty Filers 21st Century Men Host Adam Higgins March 22Counter Productive LoverBasic 8CornwallisHost Brady NovakHope to see you out this weekend, and Have a very Happy Easter! if (typeof window.Delicious == "undefined") window.Delicious = {}; Delicious.BLOGBADGE_DEFAULT_CLASS = 'delicious-blogbadge-line';
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Brush with Fame
2008-03-20 17:31:00
Executive Producer Angie McMahon stand with an enthusiastic Michael Ian Black at the Lakeshore Theater during last summer's run of Bad Review. if (typeof window.Delicious == "undefined") window.Delicious = {}; Delicious.BLOGBADGE_DEFAULT_CLASS = 'delicious-blogbadge-line';
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Cats of Death
2008-03-18 16:56:00
by Jay GishAl Gore, an inspiration to reincarnated Hitler? It's episode two of the "Cats of Death ." if (typeof window.Delicious == "undefined") window.Delicious = {}; Delicious.BLOGBADGE_DEFAULT_CLASS = 'delicious-blogbadge-line';
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Happy St. Patrick's Day!
2008-03-13 23:52:00
Don't send a lame St. Patrick's Day eCard. Try JibJab Sendables! if (typeof window.Delicious == "undefined") window.Delicious = {}; Delicious.BLOGBADGE_DEFAULT_CLASS = 'delicious-blogbadge-line';
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More Myspace
2008-03-13 15:39:00
Sponsored Improv Troupe 96D chimed into cyber world with a new myspace page. Friend 'emCLICK HERE if (typeof window.Delicious == "undefined") window.Delicious = {}; Delicious.BLOGBADGE_DEFAULT_CLASS = 'delicious-blogbadge-line';
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Tonight New Show Debut!
2008-03-12 14:24:00
Chemically Imbalanced Comedy proudly presentsDouble FeatureFeaturing Long Form Improvisation from Tha Weave And 21st Century MenChicago?Chemically Imbalanced Comedy strives to support the Best and the Brightest Comedy in Chicago. We are excited to feature two Improvisational groups made up of seasoned performers from Second City, The Annoyance, IO, pH Productions, The Playground and Chemically Imbalanced Comedy. Tha Weave has performed with CIC for the past Three years as a Headlining Troupe in our Comedy Show case. The Cast includes Tim Baltz (Annoyance Company Member, pH Company Member, Second City Touring Company Member, IO Troupe Member of Bullet Lounge), Barry Hite (Annoyance Company Member, pH Company Member, Improvised Shakespeare Cast member at IO), and Clayton Duba (pH Company Member, and The Senate Troupe Member at The Playground). Tha Weave has performed their Three person show in the CIC showcase, The Annoyance Theater, and at the Del Close Marathon at the UCB Theate...
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Vote for Us!
2008-03-11 22:04:00
We have been listed in a online contest for the Best Comedy in Chicago.Go Here to vote for us: CLICK HERE if (typeof window.Delicious == "undefined") window.Delicious = {}; Delicious.BLOGBADGE_DEFAULT_CLASS = 'delicious-blogbadge-line';
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Snubfest now taking Submissions
2008-03-10 15:50:00
Have you ever been left out of a comedy festival? Have you tried several attempts to get your work seen and keep hitting a brick wall? Do you feel like you are being over looked because you are not connected or are unknown? Well here is your chance to let the world in on your work.Chemically Imbalanced Comedy has been lucky enough to attend festivals in NYC, Toronto, Montreal, and Chicago. But we have also had our fair share of being snubbed. So this June Chemically Imbalanced Comedy wants to bring you SnubFest '08. All comedy encouraged to apply! We are looking at Solo Acts, Stand Ups, Improv, Sketch, Musical Comedy. The only catch is the project had to have been rejected from another festival sometime in 2007.To be considered for SnubFest '08 please send the following information:1. Name of Troupe/Act (please indicate if it is improv, sketch, solo ect..)2. Name of your Cast Members and Crew3. Length of time for your Act4. Contact Name/Phone/Email5. The Name of the Festival your ...
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The 'Book' that wouldn't close
2008-03-06 15:07:00
by Casey PilkentonI moved to Chicago in June of last year to get a fresh start with the whole improv thing. I spent all of my waking hours searching for jobs or something to make me know that my decision to move to Chicago was a good one. A friend of mine was living in Vegas at the time and searching online for things in Chicago that may...motivate me, make me happy, get my mind off my worries, etc. He said to me, "What you need is a show to do." Knowing my love for all things Sedaris, he came across the audition notice for 'The Book of Liz' at CIC and basically told me I was going to audition. I hadn't gone to a real audition in over a year, but I dusted off the old rep book, pulled some fancies out of my closet, and set up an appointment for an audition. The day I auditioned, I was really down in the dumps. The icing on the cake of my morning that sucked was that I couldn't find the place and I called Troy (Vegas friend), and I told him, "Look. Great idea, but I can't find t...
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Help! Air....
2008-03-05 14:53:00
Hey folks -Every year, Chemically Imbalanced Comedy holds a bowling fundraiser. This year is especially important because we are raising funds to get central air in our new Theater space. I know a lot of you out there in CIN land perform in our space (and especially since this years Snubfest is in June!!!), I am sure you don't want to perform in a hot sweaty yucky space all summer. So here is how you can help.You can sponsor any CIC Company member on a per-pin, per-gutterball, per-beer or per-whatever-you-want basis. We bowl three games, and when all is said and done, your bowler looks at how much you've pledged and tells you what you owe. If you've pledged, say, five cents per pin and they knocked down a total of 360 pins in my three games, you owe them a total of 18 bucks. Then you give them a check, or cash. OR You could go to our website RIGHT NOW and sponsor a bowler with a flat rate of your choice. Go tohttp://www.cicomedy.com/Bowl-a-Thon.htm l and pay through paypal. Make s...
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Goldstarevents.com User Reviews
2008-03-04 17:28:00
GOLDSTAREVENTS.COM Member Review From the Friday Night show of The Book of Liz"Chemically Imbalanced Theater is an awesome, intimate venue with a great personalized experience. I'm recommending all my friends check it out, or any other show at this theater. Cheers!" if (typeof window.Delicious == "undefined") window.Delicious = {}; Delicious.BLOGBADGE_DEFAULT_CLASS = 'delicious-blogbadge-line';
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