Chicago’s iO, an improv institution, closing is the latest change to the comedy scene

Within the past few months, we have witnessed a massive shake up in the world of comedy and improv. Back… MORE
Chicago’s iO, an improv institution, closing is the latest change to the comedy scene appeared first on The Laugh Button.

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Chicago iO, The improvOlympic, will not reopen after the pandemic: An End To Another Comedy Institution

First the UCB closed up its doors in New York City. Now comes word that the Chicago theater that gave birth to the Upright Citizens Brigade also will not reopen. Charna Halpern, co-founder and still head improviser in charge of improvOlympic (aka iO), …

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Chicago iO, The improvOlympic, will not reopen after the pandemic: An End To Another Comedy Institution

First the UCB closed up its doors in New York City. Now comes word that the Chicago theater that gave birth to the Upright Citizens Brigade also will not reopen. Charna Halpern, co-founder and still head improviser in charge of improvOlympic (aka iO), …

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Michael McCarthy, former “Saturday Night Live” writer, has died at 59

Another sad death in the comedy community. Former Saturday Night Live writer and Second City performer has passed away at… MORE
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iO Chicago alums to write, direct “Del & Charna” movie

Red Crown Productions LLC announced it’s developing a biopic about Chicago improvising legends Del Close and Charna Halpern, Del & Charna. Kay Cannon will direct the film, off a script from Rich Talarico and Alex Fendrich. All three are alums…

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SNL spoofs NBC Chicago slate of TV shows with Chicago Improv, a loving tribute to iO

Improv gets a bad rap from stand-up comedians, but when Saturday Night Live roasts its own, it does so like this short video from the 43rd season finale, Chicago Improv. The sketch imagines NBC stretching for ideas after already green-lighting three dramas from Dick Wolf with Chicago in the title and setting, so why not […]

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iO West in Hollywood to close Feb. 24, 2018

In the mid-1990s, as a handful of Del Close’s disciples moved to New York City to pursue their own show-business dreams as the Upright Citizens Brigade, another Close loyalist and student had gone Hollywood. Paul Vaillancourt saw he wasn’t the only improvOlympic alum in Los Angeles, and he asked Close and Charna Halpern for approval […]

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iO West Is Shutting Down Next Week

iO West, the Los Angeles branch of Chicago’s iO Theater (formerly ImprovOlympic) founded by Del Close and Charna Halpern, is closing its doors for good next week. In an email sent to performers today, iO West Managing Director Zach Huddleston announced that the theater, which has been in operation for over two decades, is shutting down, […]

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Del Close biopic needs new financing, new Del in lead after Mike Myers drops out

A roast of George Wendt at The Second City over the weekend brought with it some unexpected news about an upcoming movie on the late improv icon Del Close. Various sources reported that the financing for Del needs to be reconfigured, and executive producer and Second City owner Andrew Alexander told the Chicago Sun-Times that […]

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