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UP Comedy Club to Persent All Star Line-Up of Comedy in September

By: Aug. 29, 2013
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UP Comedy Club is known for bringing the best stand-up comedy talent in the country to Chicago. This fall's line-up features many of the best known names in comedy today, including Greg Proops, Dave Foley, Tony Rock, Moshe Kasher, Carmen Lynch, Ian Bagg, Maz Jobrani, D.L. Hughley, Christopher Titus, Kyle Kinane and Loni Love. Each show includes a feature stand-up comic and a local emcee that hosts the evening. Additional special events scheduled for September include "Hollywood Said No!" with David Cross, Bob Odenkirk & Brian Posehn, and "Risk! Live" hosted by Kevin Allison. Dinner will be available before and during the show.

Tickets can be purchased by calling 312-662-4562 or visiting www.upcomedyclub.com. UP Comedy Club is located at 230 W. North Ave, 3rd Floor of Piper's Alley in Chicago.

GREG PROOPS

September 4

"Here he is, though, in front of a live audience each week, bravely recording some of the boldest comedy on the podcasting frontier right now." (Rolling Stone Magazine) It's just Proops and you. There's no fan fare. Proops takes center stage at small table and chair setup with a single microphone. Then he's off. An hour of great conversation that flies by at a break neck clip. He crams the feeling of a great two-way conversation into the lecture-style format of a one-way conversation.

Showtime: Wed. 8 p.m.

Tickets $20

DAVE FOLEY

September 5-7

Dave Foley's early interest in improv led him to comedy workshops, where he met and teamed with Kevin McDonald. Their distinct and irreverent brand of comedy quickly earned "The Kids in the Hall" a large cult following, influencing a new generation of sketch comedy. In 1987, Lorne Michaels produced their first television special. By 1989, the troupe had their own series on the Canadian Broadcasting Co. and, later on HBO, where it aired until 1991. Soon after, CBS and Comedy Central picked it up, where it ran from 1992-1994. Foley and McDonald crossed over into feature films with the 1995 release of "Brain Candy" for Paramount Pictures. Some of the many films Foley has starred in include "Sky High," "A Bug's Life," "A Blast From the Past," "South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut," "Postal," and "Monsters University." Foley has been equally active on the television side, and has appeared on "Will & Grace," "Scrubs," "The New Adventures of Old Christine," "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia," "How I Met Your Mother," "Robot Chicken," "Veep," and has also hosted multiple runs of Bravo's "Celebrity Poker Showdown."

Showtimes: Thurs. 8 p.m. / Fri. 8 p.m. & 10:30 p.m. / Sat. 8 p.m. & 10:30 p.m.

Tickets: $25

MOSHE KASHER

September 12-14

Moshe Kasher. Comedian. Child Genius. Jew. Jew Comedian. OBGYN. Pleasure center. Good tipper. Guiding light. Beefcake. He lives alone in LA. Featured on: NBC's E!'s "Chelsea Lately","Late Night With Jimmy Fallon", Comedy Central, "Conan", "Carson Daly", Showtime's "Shameless" and MTV. He is a writer on NBC's "The New Normal", the Co-host of "The Champs" podcast and the author of the acclaimed memoir "Kasher In The Rye" on Grand Central Publishing. Selected as one of Variety Magazine's "Ten Comics to Watch", LA Times "Faces to Watch" and Itunes, "Comic of the Year."

Showtimes: Thurs. 8 p.m. / Fri. 8 p.m. & 10:30 p.m. / Saturday 8 p.m. & 10:30 p.m.

Tickets: $20

TONY ROCK

September 19-22

American actor and stand-up comic Tony Rock, the younger brother of actor Chris Rock, grew up in Bedford-Stuyvesant, one of the toughest neighborhoods in Brooklyn. His first big break came when he booked comedy jobs in Amsterdam. Soon after, he was named one of the hot young talents to come out of New York in The Hollywood Reporter. In April 2001, he starred in the pilot for the ABC series, "Me and My Needs" and later he got a job hosting the game show "Can You Tell?" Rock lent his voice to the show "Battle Bots," has appeared in a recurring role on "Everybody Hates Chris," and is best known for his role as Dirk Black in the CW series "All of Us."

Showtimes: Thurs. 8 p.m. / Fri. 8 p.m. & 10:30 p.m. / Sat. 8 p.m. & 10:30 p.m.

Tickets: $25 $20 - $25

HOLLYWOOD SAID NO

September 21

Hollywood Said No! Bob Odenkirk and David Cross, creators of HBO's classic sketch comedy show Mr. Show, present to you this collection of never-before-seen scripts and ideas that Hollywood couldn't find the gumption to green-light. Simply put...Hollywood Said No! Now, for the first time, take a peek at the scripts that didn't get the go-ahead and ponder a world we can only dream about...and beyond! Tickets include a copy of the book.

Showtime: Sat. 1:00 p.m.

Tickets: $22

Risk! Live

September 25

RISK! is a live show and podcast where people tell true stories they never thought they'd dare to share in public. On RISK!, storytellers such as Janeane Garofalo, Margaret Cho, Kevin Nealon, Andy Dick and more have dropped their usual act and shown a side of themselves you've never seen before. Hosted by Kevin Allison (of MTV's The State), the RISK! podcast has been downloaded over 7 million times. Slate.com called RISK! "jaw-dropping, hysterically funny, and just plain touching."

Showtime: Wed. 8 p.m.

Tickets: $20

CARMEN LYNCH

September 26 - 28

Carmen Lynch is the offspring of a petite Spanish nurse and a tall American Naval officer. She was born in California - the town where Clint Eastwood was mayor - and soon after moved to Spain begin her performance career as a flamenco dancer (it sounds like a joke but she's got pictures to prove it). After graduating from The College of William & Mary with a degree in psychology, Carmen applied to the FBI but failed the psychology portion of the exam. So naturally, she moved to NY to pursue acting. Not realizing she's moved to the mecca of stand-up comedy, Carmen eventually tried it out and fell in love-or something. Carmen made her network debut as one of the top 20 comics on the first season of "Last Comic Standing" on NBC. She's also performed on Comedy Central's "Premium Blend" and was featured on HBO's U.S. Comedy Arts Festival in Aspen. She's also done a lot of Spanish shows including SiTV's "Latino Laugh Festival' and toured as one of the Latinas of Comedy with Paul Rodriguez. As a prolific writer, she's also freelanced with MAD Magazine. Catch her on this season of "Last Comic Standing."

Showtimes: Thurs. 8 p.m. / Friday 8 p.m. & 10:30 p.m. / Saturday 8 p.m. & 10:30 p.m.

Tickets: $20

IAN BAGG

October 3-5

After three years in New York City, where he was a regular at all the major comedy clubs, Ian Bagg had made three appearances on NBC's "The Conan O'Brien Show" and performed at HBO's "Aspen Comedy Festival" and "Just For Laughs Montreal Comedy Festival." He has worked as a correspondent for MySpace, hosted Ripe TV's "The Hollywood Burn," and even had his own live talk show "The Ian Bagg Show." Bagg has added credits like NBC's "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn" and CBS's "The Craig Ferguson Show". He was able to be a part of a half hour comedy special, "A Comic's Climb" from HBO and "Comedy Central Presents Ian Bagg." Bagg has done shows in China, Europe, the Middle East, Australia, and all over North America, keeping his frequent flier points high and his knowledge of the world sharp.

Showtimes: Thurs. 8 p.m. / Fri. 8 p.m. & 10:30 p.m. / Sat. 8 p.m. & 10:30 p.m.

Tickets: $20

MAZ JOBRANI

October 10-12

Maz Jobrani is a founding member of "The Axis of Evil Comedy Tour," which aired on Comedy Central in 2007. He has had two Showtime comedy specials, "I Come in Peace" and "Brown and Friendly," and performs stand-up comedy around the world, including the Middle East where he performed in front of the King of Jordan. Jobrani starred in the films "Friday After Next," "13 Going on 30," and "The Interpreter." On TV he was a regular on ABC's "Knights of Prosperity" and FOX's "Life on a Stick." He also recurred on ABC's "Better Off Ted." Jobrani has guest starred on "Curb Your Enthusiasm," "24," "ER," "NYPD Blue," "Traffic Light," "Man Up," "Men at Work," and most recently, "Whitney." He has performed his stand-up on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," "The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson," and "Lopez Tonight." He has been featured on NPR, CNN, BBC and in print in The New York Times, Time Magazine, and Newsweek. Jobrani also co-hosts a popular podcast about fatherhood called "Minivan Men," and currently is gearing up to shoot "Jimmy Vestvood, Amerikan Hero," a feature which he co-wrote and is starring in.

Showtimes: Thurs. 8 p.m. / Fri. 8 p.m. & 10:30 p.m. / Sat. 8 p.m. & 10:30 p.m.

Tickets: $27

D.L. HUGHLEY

October 17-19

One of the most popular and highly recognized stand-up comedians on the road today, D.L. Hughley has also made an impression in the television, film and radio arenas. First and foremost a stand-up comedian, he stars in his 5th stand-up comedy special "D.L. Hughley: Reset." In addition, Hughley's first humorous book title, "I Want You to Shut the F*ck Up," is out in bookstores. Hughley also created and starred in the satirical documentary special for Comedy Central "D.L. Hughley: The Endangered List," which premiered to rave reviews in October, and has been

honored by the Television Academy and with a prestigious Peabody Award. Known for being astute and politically savvy in true comedian style, Hughley served as host of his own late night talk show on CNN,

"D.L. Hughley Breaks the News." He is a regular on the late night talk show circuit, including always-memorable appearances on "Real Time with Bill Maher," "Ellen: The Ellen DeGeneres Show," "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart," and "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno."

Showtimes: Thurs. 8 p.m. / Fri. 8 p.m. & 10:30 p.m. / Sat. 8 p.m. & 10:30 p.m.

Tickets: $40

CHRISTOPHER TITUS

October 24-26

Christopher Titus has released three ninety-minute albums in as many years. He has three one-hour comedy specials currently running on Comedy Central. After years of experimentation with dark and personal storytelling, he debuted his one-man show "Norman Rockwell is Bleeding" at the Hudson Theater in Los Angeles. It was from this performance that the dark comedy series "Titus" was born on Fox. The show earned Titus a Writer's Guild nomination as well as an Emmy nomination, and Newsday called him "TV's most original voice since Seinfeld." Titus' third show, "Love Is Evol," deconstructs relationships in a way no comic has ever attempted, and his fourth show "Neverlution" debuted at the Montreal Comedy festival in 2010 to standing ovations. Titus' current show is called "The Voice in My Head," which was purchased for airing rights by Comedy Central in June. After watching Titus perform live, there is no doubt that he is one of the best comics working today.

Showtimes: Thurs. 8 p.m. / Fri. 8 p.m. & 10:30 p.m. / Sat. 8 p.m. & 10:30 p.m.

Tickets: $25

TODD BARRY

November 8-9

New York City-based comedian and actor Todd Barry is widely recognized for his roles as the bongo-playing "Third Conchord" on HBO's Flight of the Conchords and Mickey Rourke's deli boss in 2009 Oscar winner The Wrestler, and renowned throughout the entertainment industry for his nuanced, measured, and thoroughly original approach to stand-up. Drawing audience members in with his deadpan self-deprecation and ability to pile punchline upon punchline, his decidedly low-key stage persona belies a deeply intelligent, often biting, occasionally absurdist worldview, one lauded by discerning fans who seek a fresh yet honest update to traditional observation and social commentary.

Boasting multiple stand-up appearances on The Late Show with David Letterman, Late Night with Conan O'Brien, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, and two Comedy Central Presents specials, Todd's resume also includes such hit TV shows as Louie, Delocated, Bored to Death, Tim and Eric, Chappelle's Show, Sex and the City, and even Sesame Street. Among his additional feature-film highlights are Todd Phillips's Road Trip, Louis CK's Pootie Tang, and Mitch Hedberg's Los Enchiladas. You can see him soon at Sigourney Weaver's right hand man in Amy Heckerling's Vamps, and as Paul Rudd's co-worker in David Wain's Wanderlust. Internationally he has performed at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, Montreal's Just For Laughs Festival, the Vancouver International Comedy Festival, and Kilkenny, Ireland's Cat Laughs Festival.

Todd has been heard on both The Howard Stern Show and The Bob & Tom Show, and his albums Medium Energy, Falling Off the Bone, and From Heaven are available from Comedy Central Records, Amazon and iTunes. He has earned the U.S. Comedy Arts Festival's Jury Award, praise from Ricky Gervais as one of the best comedians of 2009, and accolades from The Onion's A.V. Club, which declared Medium Energy one of the best comedy albums of the decade.

KYLE KINANE

November 14-16

Kyle Kinane's comedy career has taken him across the US, Canada, and England. He has performed in the Leicester, Vancouver, Washington DC, Portland, Just For Laughs/Chicago, and the USCAF/Aspen comedy festivals, and his nights are now occupied with performances at popular venues such as the Upright Citizens Brigade theatre in Los Angeles and the national chain of Improv comedy clubs. He has appeared on TV in "Last Call with Carson Daly," "The Very Funny Show" on TBS, "The World Stands Up" on the BBC, and "Bob's Burgers" on Fox. On film he can be seen and heard in the Judd Apatow film "Funny People," and the recent summer film, "Epic." He is a regular opener for headliners such as Patton Oswalt and Brian Posehn. Askmen.com rated him #5 on their top 10 list of upcoming comedians.

Showtimes: Thurs. 8 p.m. / Fri. 8 p.m. & 10:30 p.m. / Sat. 8 p.m. & 10:30 p.m.

Tickets: $20

LONI LOVE

November 21-23

Both Variety and Comedy Central have named Loni Love among their Top 10 Comics to Watch, and Campus Activity magazine honored her as its Hot Comic for 2009. Love is not only one of the most hilarious and lovable comics performing stand-up on the comedy club and college circuits but also a busy TV host, guest and actress who has also appeared in films and dramatic plays. Love starred in her own half-hour special for Comedy Central in 2007 and has also been seen on the channel's "Premium Blend," "Weekends at the DL," and "Chocolate News." Her many television appearances include "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," "The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn," "The Best Damn Sports Show Period," VH1′s "I Love the 70′s/80′s/90′s," "Vh1′s The Great Debate," and "Comics Unleashed" among numerous others. In 2009 Loni became a CNN correspondent for the show "D.L. Hughley Breaks the News," covering the inauguration of President Obama, as well as doing correspondence for the "Dr. Oz Show" and "The Doctors." Love's primary passion is performing for live audiences. She puts it simply: "I love to make people laugh!"

Showtimes: Thurs. 8 p.m. / Fri. 8 p.m. & 10:30 p.m. / Sat. 8 p.m. & 10:30 p.m.

Tickets: $20

UP Comedy Club Improv and Sketch Comedy Shows:

The Second City's Improv All-Stars

Mondays at 8pm

See Chicago's finest improvisers under the direction of the legendary Mick Napier in an evening of unscripted and unequaled improvisational comedy. This show is highly interactive, hilarious and thoroughly original. Suggested rating R.

Tickets: $16

What the Tour Guide Didn't Tell You

Tuesdays at 8pm
Saturdays & Sundays at 4pm

The Second City does The Second City in this hilarious hometown revue that pulls from 52 years of classic scenes and songs that lovingly make fun of the city we call home. Whether its wholesale political corruption or a hapless ball club on the north side of town, What the Tour Guide Didn't Tell You is a great way to get a laugh filled look at the Windy City.

Tickets: $28

Best Musical!

October 2 - November 6, 2013

Wednesdays at 8pm

BEST MUSICAL! A Completely improvised Musical Comedy was developed in "Off the Porch" Porchlight Music Theatre's new works development program." You suggest the song titles, then watch the cast create hit after show-stopping, high-kicking musical hit in Act I based on your ideas. Cast your vote for "Best Song" then return for Act II where, before your eyes, the cast creates a fully improvised and hilarious musical comedy (complete with costumes & choreography) around the very song the audience selected.

Tickets: $20

TEAM STARKID: 1NIGHT 2LAST 3EVER

September 15-October 27, 2013

Sundays at 7pm (except September 22 and October 20)

After their success this spring with Airport For Birds, Team StarKid is BACK­­ at UP Comedy Club with all new material. Known for creating heartfelt parody musicals for YouTube, Team StarKid now brings you a sketch show with a bit of Pop-Nostalgia, featuring that classic boy-band, 3Ever! There are enough laughs as a Fruit-by-the-Foot is long (approximately 90 minutes)! So grab your Skip-It, pack a lunch, and join us at The Second City's UP Comedy Club for 1Night 2Last 3Ever.

Tickets: $20-$50

UP Comedy Club is located at 230 W. North Ave 3rd Floor of Piper's Alley Chicago, IL 60614.




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