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player ready...Many established comics will tell you that to get to where they are now, they had to endure a lot of late-night gigs.
Going onstage at 1 or 2 o’clock in the morning, facing tired or drunk patrons who, in many cases, had to suffer through hours of some bad comedy — that is among the challenges that a lot of standups dealt with their first few months in the game.
What makes “The Caffeinated Comedy Showcase” so intriguing is that it is on every Friday night at 2 a.m. On purpose.
Creator Joe Schulenberg calls the gig a “pretty rough little engagement,” but not because of the hour or the temperament of the patrons.
“It’s got to be a little edgy at 2 o’clock in the morning,” says the comic about a 1 1/2-hour show of working comedians and newcomers. Many of them are offering what Schulenberg describes as “guerrilla comedy” for those adventurous enough to seek standup out so late at night.
“The Caffeinated Comedy Showcase” is featured at the Pick Me Up Cafe, 3408 N. Clark St. Call 773-248-6613 for more information.
The next “Step”
The latest chapter in O.C.Y.C. Productions’ “volume” of sketch comedy premieres Tuesday: “Two Steps From Hip.”
The crew is mounting an ambitious, six-volume project that began last year. The goal is to create a complete comedy narrative. Each show will tell an individual story that will eventually combine into one huge epic. Tuesday’s show will include improvisation, sketch comedy and videotaped skits, both of the live and prerecorded variety.
On top of all of this entertainment, you’ll also get “Celia,” billed as the city’s only “fully digital sketch comedian.”
“O.C.Y.C.’s Volume 2: Two Steps from Hip” opens Tuesday and runs every Tuesday through Aug. 25 at the O Bar & Cafe, 3343 N. Clark St. For tickets and other details, call 773-508-6960.
The standup lineup
Here are some performances scheduled for the Chicago area. Current club sets are to run through Sunday, and new acts begin on Wednesday, unless otherwise noted. Lineups are subject to change.
– One of the few things to enjoy about the movie “I Got the Hook Up” (and trust us, there were precious few things to enjoy) was comic A.J. Johnson, who co-starred with rapper Master P as a hustler trying to work a cellular telephone scam.
Johnson is cashing in on his popularity from “Hook Up” by headlining a touring comedy show with the very funny Don “DC” Curry, who co-starred with Brett Butler on ABC’s “Grace Under Fire” earlier this year.
All Jokes Aside emcee George Willborn and comics Tornado and DeRay round out the “I Got the Hook Up Comedy Jam” Friday at the Arie Crown Theater. Tickets are available at Ticketmaster outlets or at the Arie Crown box office, which you can call at 312-902-1500 for more details.
– Wrapping up a two-week stint of making people fall asleep — and having them perform all types of crazy stunts — is comic hypnotist Gary Conrad. Catch him at the Funny Bone (1504 Naper Blvd.-Tower Crossing Shopping Center in Naperville; 630-955-0500) through Sunday.
– Chicago’s sassy Sonya White headlines a show loaded with comedians this weekend at Zanies in Mt. Prospect (2200 S. Elmhurst Rd.; 847-228-6166). Sharing the bill with White are Stan Stankos, Josh Perlman and capable emcee John DaCosse.