Location: North Side
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10 Performances in North Side That You Shouldn't Miss
The windy city is a cornucopia of modern art, fine dining, cutting edge comedy, and die-hard sports fans. Snap a photo of your reflection in the silver Cloud Gate sculpture at Millennium Park before heading to Grant Park to get hit with the refreshing spray of Buckingham Fountain. There are dozens of museums and theater companies in Chicago, so a cultural experience is never hard to find. You’re sure to laugh your head off at the Second City Theater, the professional launch pad of many famous comedians.
Restaurants in Chicago
1. The Magic Cabaret
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 19 reviews
2. Trickery
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 15 reviews
Chicago's most entertaining magic show. Fun, intimate, sometimes outrageous, and always hilarious. Plus BYOB.
Reviewed By Balanger - Chicago, United States
When in you life have you seen live magic less than 5 feet from you? This up close and magical show is both funny, clever and vastly entertaining. Set in a cozy, 24 seat living room styled theater I was delighted by the skill of Aaron (the magician) and surprised by the sheer comedic timing. You cannot go wrong with this intimate entertainment site. There is alot of magic happening in Chicago these days but this is completely different than the other magical shows in the city!
3. Improvised D&D Comedy Show
4. Second City
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,631 reviews
The Second City is the world's premiere comedy theatre offering the best in Chicago-style sketch and improv comedy every night of the week and has launched the careers of Tina Fey, Bill Murray, Stephen Colbert, Steve Carell and many, many others. First, let’s define a few terms so we’re all on the same page. Sketch comedy is scripted, well-rehearsed scenes that we never, ever call “skits.” (And most of us are mighty touchy about that one. Improv is the unscripted, spontaneous, collaborative art form Second City is famous for. Stand-Up is the classic one-comic-on-stage-with-a-mic-telling-jokes routine. Think Jerry Seinfeld against a brick wall. Typically, any stand-up performances at Second City happen in the UP Comedy Club. A classic Second City revue is made up of original sketches and songs sprinkled with a healthy dose of our world-famous improv. Second City productions are fully written and rehearsed, but no two shows are ever the same.
Reviewed By nina0118 - Boston, United States
I love to laugh, and yet, I was not a big fan of improv comedy... until I visited Second City! I laughed so hard throughout the whole performance! It was hysterical, and probably one of the best nights that I had in Chicago! If you love to laugh, and you love improv, then this is the place for you! Don’t miss it!
5. Blue Man Group
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,148 reviews
Blue Man Group performances are euphoric celebrations of human connection through art, music, comedy and non-verbal communication. Blue Man Group is universally appealing to a broad range of age groups and cultural backgrounds, and is continually injected with new music, fresh stories, custom instruments and sensory stimulating graphics. Seen by over 35 million people worldwide, there is no better time than now to experience Blue Man Group!
Reviewed By NBKFamilyOfFour
BMG is a unique show, one that everyone should try to experience at least once. Kids 6 or 7 enjoy it, and the 90-year old next to me laughed so hard he was almost crying. The performers convey an impressive span of emotion via movement and eyes -- nothing is verbalized. We've seen BMG three times, but the last time was maybe 15 years ago -- quite a while back. The basics of the show remain the same, but even if all the material isn't completely fresh it's still impressive. The reviews that complain about the show scaling back a bit from the past (a slightly less-impressive finale, a little less action) may technically be correct, but we enjoyed the show as much now as the first time we saw it. Highly recommended.
6. Steppenwolf Theatre Company
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 228 reviews
Steppenwolf Theatre Company is where great acting meets big ideas. Our passion is to tell stories about how we live now. Our mission is to engage audiences in an exchange of ideas that makes us think harder, laugh longer, feel more. Steppenwolf is committed to year-round programing that engages our multi-generational audience with thought-provoking productions and helps develop new plays, new audiences and new artists for the future of American theater.
7. Bye Bye Liver - The Chicago Drinking Play
8. Flanagan's Wake
9. Tony n’ Tina’s Wedding
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 206 reviews
Considered one of the hottest tickets in town and an excellent theatre/dinner ticket value, Tony n’ Tina’s Wedding is an all-inclusive night of entertainment presented with the 1980’s throwback feel of the original NYC production. A hilarious, full wedding experience from the I do’s to the buffet to the bouquet toss Tony n’ Tina’s Wedding will not disappoint!
10. Spamilton - An American Parody
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 19 reviews
The hilarious musical mash-up Spamilton has arrived in Chicago to celebrate, roast and eviscerate Hamilton and Lin-Manuel Miranda. Spamilton, created by the mastermind behind Forbidden Broadway, has been hailed as “The next best thing to seeing Hamilton” by the New York Post. A must-see for Hamilton fans, Spamilton received RAVE reviews from the Chicago press!
Reviewed By nancyhM6936TL
Unexpected: There's no plot! It isn't a parody of the play Hamilton; in fact, this show has almost nothing to do with the plot of Hamilton. It's an awesome 1hr 10min of parodies about the spell that big shows LIKE Hamilton cast over both theater goers and even those in the theater arts business -- interesting and more diverse than Chorus Line. FABULOUS ENERGY, UNLIMITED TALENT, VERY CREATIVE, ALL this cast BELONGS on Broadway, TV and in movies. Thank you to the 5 that were willing to work and play at the Royal George on June 28. Sincerely, Nancy & Chris
