Awesome comedy club
Can't beat $5 ticket + byob nights. The theatre is small and intimate. They had 3 performances and all were pretty funny, some performances had some dry moments though. The last bit was a competition between 4 comedians who had 5 minutes each to make the audience laugh which was definitely a success. I'm not sure how much was actually improv but regardless, we had a good time.
I like the playground because its a stomping ground for young new improvisers to get their ideas out and try new things. Each night has a different set of shows, and the theatre is always trying to find new talent and showcase them.
One group that has made an impression on me is Delirious Confetti (Sunday nights at the Free For All) Mostly a male group, the group has always had a high consistent rate of good laughs and improv. They are all normal people coming from different parts of the country and they really make comedy look flawless and easy.
I think the Playground is a Chicago best kept secret that needs to be spread. It's BYOB and cheap, so really if you need a place to drink and see comedy, this is the place.
They had me at BYOB (and free on sundays). My husband, friend, and I were yelping around for a good comedy place close to us. playground theater popped up and I noticed it was BYOB, and to sweeten the deal it was free on sundays! the place was quite small but it wasn't too crowded. it had three acts back to back lasting around an hour and a half all together. I have to say it was an interesting (and cheap) way to end our night. street parking was easily available as well. the acts were unique and interesting and were able to hold my attention. There were also some lol funny moments which I didn't expect. We will be back again!
Review Source:Can't beat $5 ticket + byob nights. The theatre is small and intimate. They had 3 performances and all were pretty funny, some performances had some dry moments though. The last bit was a competition between 4 comedians who had 5 minutes each to make the audience laugh which was definitely a success. I'm not sure how much was actually improv but regardless, we had a good time.
Review Source:The Playground is a great place to drink an entire bottle of wine, straight out of the bottle, and be entertained by people desperate for your laughter and attention. Â There's always at least one set that's a hit. Â I love it here!
A bit of feedback for the performers/tech people, however: Â if you aren't performing, please don't whisper in the back, or shout so loud close to the back door that we can still hear you. Â The space is so tiny. I paid for the opportunity to have you entertain me, and your fellow performers are working their asses off, so be a professional. Â Believe me, I don't like having to be the Crazy Lady who gets out of her seat to tell you to shut the fuck up. If it's distracting me, it's distracting the entire paying audience.
One of the best dive comedy spots in Chicago.
First of all, its BYO which is a huge plus. Â Don't be timid - there will be people in the crowd with 30 racks of Keystone Light.
Secondly, its so small that you're no more than 15 feet away from the comedians on stage. Â This intimate experience makes it much more interesting and fun.
Finally, the shows are very unique and experimental. Â They might not be the most fine-tuned or rehearsed sketches, but everything I've seen here was pretty hilarious.
Come with an open mind and a six pack and you'll have a blast on the cheap.
What do you say to a kid who's grumpy or bored?
"Come on, I'll take you to the playground!"
What do you say to the adult child who's grumpy or bored?
"Come on, I'll take you to The Playground!"
I had been before and was impressed so it seemed like a no brainer to take the manboy in my life. We quickly became regulars.
Here's what we like:
The Sunday night show The Free for All is free (we donate though). It's a great deal and ironically funnier than the pay shows other nights.
All shows are mostly funny. Some moments were hilarious, some were clunkers.
BYOB!!!! And I've even seen audience members eating there too.
It's the only co op non profit  improv group.
The theater is really intimate and casual. This lends you to be more invested in the performance, feel the nervous energy and excitement, and mingle with the performers before and after. You don't feel like a kid alone at a sandbox watching the cool kids play, but involved.
The location is great by the Belmont and Addison el stops and many bus routes.
So to get to the punch(line)-great deal and pretty entertaining.
And in tribute to the venue name and purpose a joke.
A man and his wife are asleep in bed. They hear a knocking on their door. The man says, "What do you want?!" A voice says, "Please help...I need a push." The man angrily replies, "It's three am-get outta here!!" his wife says, "Honey, remember when our kids where stranded on the highway and a nice man gave the car a push to the rest area?" The husband answers, "Oh, all right." He trudges down to the front door and opens it and it's pitch dark, he calls out, "Do you still need a push?" "Yes." "Ok, where are you?!"
"Over here....on the swingset...."
:::crickets:::
Giant hook ala Showtime at the Apollo pulls me from computer.
I don't live in Chicago and I've only been to the Playground once during the Improv Festival at the beginning of this month, but I am completely a fan because I laughed insanely hard for nearly two hours here for $10. I'll gladly return upon my next visit.
It was here that I guffawed at the antics of the ladies of Improvised Jane Austen and then laughed so hard I bellyached after thanks to the talents of Hell Buffalo (who just so happen to hail from fine ol' NYC!). BYOB is always a sweet deal. Even though we couldn't find a place to buy beer nearby because we were dumb tourists, we were lucky enough to have a local as a friend (the same kindly soul who informed us of the show) who kindly shared his six pack with us. And much merry was made. The end.
It was a tough sell getting me to go to this thing.. but the economics are very compelling (and it's close to my house). On Sunday nights they charge $0 and it's BYOB. Not too steep. So around 7 I walked over there, stopping at 7-11 to pick up a 6 pack.
It's improv. The kind where people from the audience yell out random topics and then a couple of hipster dudes on stage "IMPROVISE!!". I was skeptical. Making Charlie Sheen/Vaccum cleaner/Alaska funny isn't easy. And you usually get what you pay for. So how are a bunch hipsterish dudes doing this for free going to succeed?
Well actually, it was laugh out loud funny. And..full disclosure..as a rule I don't like improv. So I'm very impressed.
The way the Sunday nite show works is they have 3 separate groups one after another. Each on for about 1/2 hour.
It always seemed like something about to be funny was going to happen the whole time. The audience  was giddy. Every now and them something funny WOULD happen and we'd and laugh and laugh and laugh. Ahhh ..good times.
By the end..having 3 or 4 beers in me, I was definitely in a good mood. I even left $5 in donation bucket on the way out.
Oh.Ma.Gawd.
A couple of friends and I went to the Playground last night to see some cheap comedy, and WOW. Â We went to a midnight showing, "The Davenports", which is set up like a soap opera, but completely made up. Â
I don't even know where to start. Â The cast came out in formals. Â The intro was to old-sounding 80s music, where they came out in groups and posed, just like in the beginning of every soap opera imaginable. Â Every single man on stage was tall, and every single person on stage was good looking, and there were like 15 or so of them. Â It doesn't seem fair that every single one of them made me laugh at some point. Â Attractive AND funny? Â Suck it, Davenports.
The characters stayed the same throughout the show, which is different from the improv I've seen, but makes sense with the whole soap opera thing, and they gave out a little program at the beginning, so if you weren't sure who a character was, you could just read about them. Â And now I have a handy little souvenir of handsome men I can stalk online.
I will be back. Â I'm afraid to go back next week, as I don't want to seem like a groupie, but it's seriously worth it. Â I will just have to hope no one recognizes me.
I'm a BIG fan of "The Hill" on Wednesday nights at 10pm. Â The group that anchors that most weeks is a group called "Boyish" that makes me laugh every single time I see them. Â Plus you get some great sketch and stand-up thrown in. Â AND it's only $5!
I also LOVE me some burlesque, and The Belmont Burlesque Revue performs there the 4th Saturday of every month.
I especially LOVE me some BYOB!
Now, for the haters... I've seen bad improv at other theaters (like IO) for more money. Â If you're a city-dweller, come here. Â If you still have a student ID, come here on Wednesday nights (when you can get in with a student ID for just $5).
If you want to pay more money for a ticket and be forced to buy over-priced drinks from a bar, than, by all means, snob it up and head to IO, Second City or ComedySportz.
The Playground is the natiion's first not-for-profit improv co-op. Â The players own and run it. Â VIVA LA REVOLUCION!
I went on a Sunday, where the shows are free, so I definitely got what I paid for. Â I agree with the rest that the groups are hit or miss, there were 3 groups and 2 of the 3 were tough to sit through. Â It is BYOB though, so that made things funnier :) Â It's something different to do, but I wouldn't go on a Sunday again, not that I would pay for it either...so I guess I won't be going back.
Review Source:Loved this place last Sunday night. Â For a free improv comedy show, you can't get any better than this. Â Laughed so hard my face hurt. Â Plus the fact that you can BYO pretty much anything (booze, food, etc), this place makes the ultimate budget friendly night. Â At the end of the show, they do ask that you support the comedians by making a donation, so give what you can and enjoy the show! Â Highly recommended. Â First come, first serve seating, so get there early (there's three rows of theater style seats, then banquet chairs for the late comers). Â They're pretty much all good seats, so definitely give it a try! Â Tip: go to CVS to pick up some booze/snacks before you get there. Â Cesar's is also close by if you want to load up on margaritas before hand.
Review Source:The black box theater of your high school years grew up and now it's serving up stand up, improv, and best of all burlesque on a regular basis while letting you bring your own booze (but they don't have wine-openers or any of that, so come prepared!)
I'm not much of a comedy buff but I come back again and again for their amazing burlesque shows. Where else can you go to nerd-themed burlesque, watch a hot spock-eared girl show you her "communicator" while the guy next to you sips rum and coke from a giant Iron Man-shaped thermos? And even if that's not your thing they have regular seasonal shows where you can watch lovely ladies dance, accompanied by a comedian MC and surprisingly awesome magician.
There's always a good crowd and contrary to what one might think, it's mostly women going out to watch a little bit of raunchy fun, so there's no need to feel awkward or like "that guy" if you want to check it out. If I'm not giving it 5 stars it's only because the space is awkward and the people that perform here deserve a bigger stage and more available seats.
Ive been here several times, usually it is to support a friend of mine. The pricing always seems a bit steep for improv which is always a hit and miss. At least I know when I go to see a troop I'm familiar with I will be seeing a good show.
The space is relatively small which could be charming but most times it just seems stuffy. A big plus is the theatre is BYOB
I'll continue to support friends who perform here on occasion but it would be tough getting me in here on a whim.
I went Saturday night to their Vaudeville Vivat! show. Â I had a good time, but the jokes were pretty hit-or-miss. Â There were definitely some incredibly funny parts, but there were also aspects of the show that seriously dragged; the rest of the audience (apparently part of a big group who were either family or friends) evidently found it funny, so it may have been something they added that night as part of an in-joke I just wasn't in on.
All in all, it was fun and there were definitely GREAT moments, but it wasn't consistently great.
Went with a large group last night for a birthday. Â It was a fun idea for not much money and BYOB is always nice. Â The place is your typical, low-budget improv dirty dark room but who cares? Â I wasn't there for the ambience. Â It is in a really convenient location, close to the el and bus lines. Â I'm lazy so location often dictates whether I go places.
The show consisted of three groups, each performing for about 30 minutes. Â The performers were a grab bag of 20 and 30-somethings and a few 40 year old-ish folks sprinkled in. Â In each of the three groups there were one or two people who carried the rest. Â Some didn't seem to have a funny bone in their body but the crowd was kept laughing by a few solid comedians. Â
One really odd thing that ought to be mentioned: why bother to ask the crowd for a suggestion before each skit if you totally ignore it? Â Each of the three groups asked the audience to shout out something, in true improv fashion. Â And each group then launched into a pre-planned skit that had nothing to do with the shouted phrase. Â It's like they were just doing it for posterity, or read that improv skits are supposed to start that way.
Here's the skivvy on the Playground. Â
I've performed there twice as an opening group. We did a 25 minute set. Â They were very accomodating, and the space is great. Â If you have an opportunity to do a short set there, you have a great chance, as a performer to make some serious buck.
As a theatre goer, you can't really go wrong. Â If you are in the neighborhood and need a quick laugh, you can usually do it for about $5. Â They have a great training method for new improvisers around the city. Â You'll usually see a fresh new group, as well a seasoned house teams -- which are always a great sell. Â
The theatre is BYOB. Â They don't publicize this, but if you know, you are golden. Â Most other comedy spots have a bar and you end up spending a good chunk of change on drinks. Â So for a cheaper alternative, this place is great. Â
Check their website for free shows. Â I think there are generally free shows on Sunday nights.
This place is great. I usually go on Mondays, it helps me get over the fact that its only the beginning of the work week. the house group Bella=amazing. Everyone of them is so great! and every time i see them its something SO different. AND Â Rhythm Method!!!! Â Holy crap...if you like to laugh (you know you do) you should really check them out. Â They combine music, singing and comedy for a great show. GO see them!!! they are there every Monday all throughout Jan.(2009)
Close to the train
$5 cover
BYOB
Laughs
what more could u ask for?!
Had a few good laughs for cheap here and it is BYOB:)
Some of the comics, okay , one in particular was just plain disgusting. I am all for profanity and crossing the line but sometimes one can go too far for no reason and not even be clever enough to bring it back to funny.
All in all there are some laughs to be had here and it is always interesting to go someplace where your not exactly sure what you will get. Â Watch out for the wheelchair werewolf!
I love this place! Great theater to see up-and-coming cutting edge comedy. You can see sketch, improv, stand up, or short films on any given night.
It's BYOB. If you've ever bought a drink at a comedy theater, BYOB is a good thing. Me and my broke friends grab a few beers at the CVS down the street for cheap. Piece of cake!
Load up on the PBR tall boys and check this place out!
My favorites:
Graffiti Sketch show - Fridays 10pm
Don't spit the water - Saturday 10pm
CEO of Everything - Any time they play
Big Yellow Bus - Thursdays 8pm
Don't miss out.
Fun, cheap, and best of all BYOB! I went to 2 shows in the same week actually. The first time was by accident; I thought I had been to this place before and got there with my date and realized it was a completely different comedy spot that I had been to. It turned out to be really funny though. If you sit too close to the stage, you might end up being the butt of a joke, but that's improv for ya. Anyway, they had a free show the following weekend, which was hilarious. Usually tix are only $10. It's a good deal and a nice change to the regular night out.
Review Source:Had friends coming into town and I researched A LOT of comedy shows. This was BYOB, cheap ($10 a head), not sold out, Â and nearby.
Of the 3 improv groups one was really awkward, another  was kinda funny and the last one was really funny (Cowlick !)
I would recommend this place if a group of friends living in Chicago are looking for something to do. For entertaining out-of-towners, I would head to Second City.
This was my first time seeing improv and a jolly time was had. Â We didn't have time to grab some booze before the show, but some girl next to us was nice enough to share. Â That alone makes for a good night. Â We saw 3 groups preform and they seemed to work well together. Â The girl who was emceeing the production did an excellent job, she ended up being one of the players in the final team. Â I wouldn't mind coming again, but next time I will remember to grab some booze beforehand.
Review Source:Alright, so when you open a comedy club with a BYOB policy, why in god's name are you SHHHHHing people when they're clearly embracing the jovial atmosphere on a Friday night? WTF? The first act sucked, the host was a tool, and the only funny act was two young girls that did a great job of not taking the whole thing too seriously. Probably won't go back...in fact, I totally won't go back
Review Source:Thumbs up on the BYOB!
And TWO thumbs up on the open court improv. This is one of the few theatres in the city where you can do improv without having taken $1000 worth of classes before and I enjoy it for that reason. Open court on Thursday nights is a worthwhile event and I highly recommend it to anyone who has been doing improv for some time or anyone who is even slightly interested in doing it. Its only $5 and you get to both perform and watch others perform and there's a hilarious prize round at the end. A great way to beef up your skills AND have a fun night with your friends. Bravo, Playground!
As far as straight performance improv, this theatre is alright, but it REALLY depends on the night and the teams involved. Occasionally you can come across a team that's been together for awhile and have the basics of improv down to the point where they can carry on a decent, funny scene. More often than not, however, you get a group of those people who think they're funny in the car with their friends and think they're comedians because of it. I've been doing and seeing improv for a long time and I think your $10 can be better spent elsewhere. Go to the Playground if you're a performer; go to iO or ComedySportz if you're an observer!
Small theater for watching professional comedy hopefuls practice their improv. Â I enjoy it, even if I'm not drinking (it's BYOB). Â Skill levels vary, depending upon the night, but many of the improv groups have been together for a few years and have terrific timing - it takes a lot ot make me laugh hard, but a few groups managed it. Â Shows are usually $10 per person, and parking is nearly nonexistent, so take the CTA.
Review Source:I perform here on a team called Pastor of Muppets, and love it.  It's a great place to invite friends to come see my shows because it's near the Belmont CTA and there are lots of places to go before or after a show.  Also the theater is BYOB, and shows are only $10.  My broke ass friends love that.  You can see who is playing on the Playground website <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.the-playground.com&s=fe41967af257de237e43cff4154e05ec0013d34d68ee19fecd70f03282dc2fce" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.the-playgroun…</a>
Review Source:Thursday nights at 10:30 pm, The Playground hosts an event called "Open Court", for $5. They have regulars who participate, but if you're into improv, you might even get to try your own hand at it - so bring your friends along to cheer you on. Open Court's format is not set, so you never know what you'll get out of the hour-long show from week to week, but it's fun and the theatre is intimate, so you won't miss any of the action. To cap off the evening, the group does a raffle of oddball items at the end of the night - usually used items such as books and movies. Yes, that's strange, but it's funny and people cheer on the raffle winners. A fun evening out!
Note: The theatre is located just north of the Belmont & Halsted intersection, so on-street parking can be difficult on the weekends. Take the Red Line - the Belmont stop is only 2-3 blocks away.
I went here one Friday Night with my boyfriend and we had a blast. Â It's cheap (10 bucks a head), funny and BYOB. Â The theater is small and we sat in the front row but it wasn't uncomfortable at all. Â I suggest trying this out - round up some frineds and six-packs at Binny's and you're good to go!
Review Source:This is a mystical land of fantasticness, especially when the group "the fling" is playing.
It's B.Y.O.B.... and that means as much or as little as you want to drink... the shows are cheap and all the money goes to support the overhead, its entirely not for profit...
Some of the groups kinda suck sometimes, but its totally worth it to see the veterans and give the new players a chance to give it a go.
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