Usually, at this time of year, Ebenezer Scrooge learns the true meaning of Christmas. Funnily enough, trios of Christmas ghosts regularly haunt all kinds of grumpy people - and you get to watch it happen live! Back by popular demand, each 45-minute show of An Improvised Christmas Carol drags a new curmudgeon - who hates something the audience loves - through a hilarious journey of self-reflection. You'll laugh, you'll gasp, you'll sing along! This holiday season, pull up your easy chair, grab a mug of hot cocoa, and don't miss the cozy, fully improvised, made-for-television-but-appearing-on-stage special that is An Improvised Christmas Carol!

You've been summoned...to laugh.

Jury Duty is a fully improvised courtroom comedy where the only thing on trial is sanity itself.

Each night, the cast creates a brand new legal disaster based on audience suggestion, questionable logic, and total chaos. Watch as the foreperson loses their mind, evidence makes things worse, and deliberations go off the rails.

No script, no rules, no justice. Just comedy

The trial is fake, the laughs are real

All the way from its one-year run in Los Angeles comes a brand new team built for Chicago! It's Asshole's Advocate, the court room show for situations that can't be taken to court. This improv show is based off the highly popular subreddit, Am I the Asshole. This long-standing online forum is where millions of people post their awkward social dilemmas or petty revenge and ask if they are the asshole in the situation. We take it a step further and bring in evidence and witnesses to prove that they are or are not the asshole.

A two act improv show. First, Annoyance students get a chance to enter their IDs into a fishbowl to be randomly selected to perform in an improv jam with veteran Annoyance teachers and performers. Then, the night closes with a set from Sight Unseen, an Annoyance house team who, for almost the past decade, has been known for its loose narrative form and vibrant (sometimes vicious) characters.

Gifted Children Winter Break is a three person holiday sketch show from AJ Hernandez-Sortore, Alex Limarzi, and Miranda Bianchi. The Gifted Children will take you on a winter wonderland journey through Santa’s Workshop, Whoville and of course, a really big hill. This show will have 100s of festive lines, and presents for all!

Oh, we're keeping the yuletides GAY! Join us for a queer take on the classic A Christmas Carol as some of your favorite characters from the hit summer show "Steamworks the Musical" navigate the past, present, and future while trying to save the building from being destroyed by an evil Grinch!

Written by Connor James Hirsch, Noah Lanos, Nathan Wetter, and Ryan Brown , "A Very Steamworks Christmas" is coming back for its second year after a sold-out run in 2024.

Missed Call is a premiere Chicago comedy group that writes and performs an entirely new sketch show every Friday.

Hail and well met, traveler! Grab a drink, put up your cloak, and I’ll tell you a tale. Escapades is a completely improvised choose-your-own adventure. Sprinkled throughout each story are opportunities for the audience to vote on what happens next. Whether we’re riding jetpacks on Mars or a unicorn through a gumdrop forest, you’re guaranteed a night of gasps, laughs, twists, turns, and daring rescues. Excelsior!

A Chicago based improv comedy show and drinking game based on the works of Alfred Hitchcock. Based on an audience suggestion, the cast weave together an intricate Hitchcock-like drama, while holding true to the amount of drinking shown in his movies. You'll barely be able to stand the suspense, and the cast will barely be able to stand.

See a collage of character studies, scenes, songs and maybe even some audience interaction, all written in a week by some of Chicago’s most accomplished comedians. The “Holy Fuck Comedy Hour” is a curated hour of eclectic, comedic material written in a week with no rehearsals. Featuring a powerful collective representing a wide cross-section of the Chicago comedy community, the material varies every week.

Step into the one glamorous but now lovingly frayed Blue Velvet Lounge, where the only thing not improvised are the jazz standards crooned by lounge singer Seth Lowry. As Seth’s velvet voice fades, the ensemble sweeps in, spinning spontaneous scenes inspired directly by the songs just performed. One moment, you’re eavesdropping on the eccentric regulars tucked into the lounge’s candlelit corners; the next, you’re whisked far beyond the club to follow the unexpected lives of the characters you just met—bartenders with secret ambitions, mysterious strangers with tangled pasts, and dreamers who stepped into the Blue Velvet for reasons they can’t quite explain. Playful, surprising, and steeped in a retro-cool vibe, this show blends live music and improvised storytelling into a one-of-a-kind night where every note inspires a new twist—and every visit to the Blue Velvet reveals something you’ve never seen before.

As a Christian kid, maybe you grew up with Veggie Tales, Psalty the Singing Songbook, or The Donut Man. But what wholesome content do the kids of today have? Why, Benny Bingo and the Evangelikids of course! Become an Evangelikid and meet us at the Flamingo Club House! We'll learn all about Jesus and the Gospel through songs, stories, prescriptive gender roles, and patriarchy! But when the cameras cut, it seems like some of the kids, and perhaps even Benny Bingo himself, are starting to have questions....maybe even doubts? Watch this heartwarming and hilarious original musical that explores themes of deconstruction, queerness, and individuality within the confines of an oppressive belief system — all while unapologetically leaning into joy.

Cast:
Andrew Jessop - Benny Bingo
Samantha Nieves - Samantha
Jono Mammel - Chris
Lily Ryan - Joey
Jacob Coldiron - Eddie
David Ward - Phillip
Viv Vaeth - Paget
Megan Ramsey - Stage Manager

Jess Alexander - Benny Bingo u/s
Henry Olson - Chris/Eddie/Phillip u/s
Gilary Valenzuela - Joey/Stage Manager u/s
Gabriella Smurawa - Madeleine/Paget u/s

— —

Lisa McQueen - Music Director
Barb Jackson - Director
Hugh Walker - Writer/Composer
Liz McCreight - Producer

Secret Family is a monthly sketch show featuring a cast that is exactly like a real family, only their drama and infighting is mostly pretend, and their love for each other is 100% conditional. To the best of their knowledge, they are not related. The family members are Brian Park, David Resnick, Evelyn Lawrence, Haley Gillman, Lola Selby, Nic Nightingale, Nichole Reed, and Thomas Toles. Follow them on instagram: @secretfamilysketch and you'll get a kiss on the cheek.

What even is Hanukkah? And how the hell do you spell it?? "OY!" is back with sketches, songs, and improv from an all-Jewish cast exploring the customs and cultures that bring Jews together all over the world, while also celebrating Jewish joy and traditions. So get off your tuchus and come celebrate the holidays with us!

Annoyance founder Mick Napier created the Trigger Happy form out of a desire to make improv look as slick and beautifully put together as a scripted show. Through a language invisible to the audience, the fully improvised show magically comes to life. There is truly nothing else like it. An Annoyance Signature Improv show.

Review: https://www.newcitystage.com/2015/01/31/review-trigger-happythe-annoyance-theatre/

In this 90-minute original Christmas musical, a high school drama teacher is tasked with writing an award-winning musical to restore the scandal-plagued school's reputation - and save his job. Along the way, he faces the challenges of directing a difficult cast of teenagers, dealing with a gym teacher determined to see him fail, an impossible-to-please principal, visits from the ghost of Charles Dickens, and the taunts of a pop star.

Enjoy an evening of off-the-cuff improv with some of the best emerging talent in the Chicago area. Fire & Beer is a fully improvised comedy show that explores the dark sides of life, relationships and human beings. The show features the Annoyance House Ensemble who excel at both long- and short-form improv. You can expect lots of laughs during this unpredictable improv show.

An hour long comedy show featuring some of Annoyance Theatre’s best and funniest. Show Runner: Hails Reeves

Oh, we're keeping the yuletides GAY! Join us for a queer take on the classic A Christmas Carol as some of your favorite characters from the hit summer show "Steamworks the Musical" navigate the past, present, and future while trying to save the building from being destroyed by an evil Grinch!

Written by Connor James Hirsch, Noah Lanos, Nathan Wetter, and Ryan Brown , "A Very Steamworks Christmas" is coming back for its second year after a sold-out run in 2024.

They take edibles. Then they improvise. There's a 'too-high' button, for when it gets too crazy.

Usually, at this time of year, Ebenezer Scrooge learns the true meaning of Christmas. Funnily enough, trios of Christmas ghosts regularly haunt all kinds of grumpy people - and you get to watch it happen live! Back by popular demand, each 45-minute show of An Improvised Christmas Carol drags a new curmudgeon - who hates something the audience loves - through a hilarious journey of self-reflection. You'll laugh, you'll gasp, you'll sing along! This holiday season, pull up your easy chair, grab a mug of hot cocoa, and don't miss the cozy, fully improvised, made-for-television-but-appearing-on-stage special that is An Improvised Christmas Carol!

In this 90-minute original Christmas musical, a high school drama teacher is tasked with writing an award-winning musical to restore the scandal-plagued school's reputation - and save his job. Along the way, he faces the challenges of directing a difficult cast of teenagers, dealing with a gym teacher determined to see him fail, an impossible-to-please principal, visits from the ghost of Charles Dickens, and the taunts of a pop star.

“Paint & Pyro” is a fast-paced, 60 minute stand-up comedy showdown where five comics each perform a tight individual 5–6 minute set while painting live onstage, racing the clock and each other. When the brushes stop, the audience votes the best finished portrait and chooses the worst one to be dramatically burned in the alley, blending comedy, chaos, and creative destruction into one unforgettable spectacle.

Wall Pasta is a show where Chicago comedians try out brand new sketch material and see what sticks! Hosted by Elizabeth Wilson and Claire Hyman, this bi-weekly showcase is an opportunity for the city's silliest to debut brand-spanking new material in front of a supportive, captive audience. To perform in or watch the show, follow @wall_pasta on Instagram for updates.

Join us for Comedian Cabaret 16: Show Tunes with Holiday Flair, a night of talented comedians cosplaying as Broadway singers! Chicago is just overflowing with talent, and there's not nearly enough stage time to see it all. That's why Comedian Cabaret began: to give comedians a chance to flex more than their improv and stand up chops. Love showtunes? Love spooky stuff? Then this is the show for you!

A night for Annoyance students to JAM!

Looking for a Stand-up Comedy Open Mic that’s a supportive room and always a good time? Look no further than the Ya'll Mic. Whether you’re a seasoned comic, an improvisor who’s always wanted to try standup, or you just decided that today’s the day for your first open mic (kudos) – The Ya'll Mic is a great venue to workshop your bits. The show is every Tuesday from 5:30pm – 7:30pm. Signup is online and the signup sheet is posted on Facebook & IG on Mondays. The list is emailed out a few hours before the show. Comics get 4 minutes of stage time (and a lifetime of memories.) While all are welcome, the room prioritizes BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and Femme comics. Come laugh with us!

Hosted by members of Tuesday Musical Improv, this free weekly jam allows anyone to try out musical improv on the Annoyance Mainstage. Sign-ups begin at 6:45--no experience necessary!

The Annoyance's very own musical ensembles. Every Tuesday at 8pm, two groups improvise brand new musicals based on audience suggestions. Featuring Musical Director Lisa McQueen and starring the Annoyance Musical Ensembles. Follow us on instagram: @tuesdaymusicalimprov

Are you and your improv team looking for another place to get on stage? We've got a warm and supportive room ready to give you laughs and claps! Bring your own team to Annoyance on Tuesday nights to get a rep in and giggle. If you don't have a team to bring, no worries! There's a mashup team and we're happy to throw you on it! Signups are at 8:30PM and we'll hit the stage at 9:00PM. See you every Tuesday!

Open Stage is an opportunity for anyone to get on stage and try out whatever they're currently working on - standup, sketch, songs - you name it. At Open Stage anything can happen and it usually does!