Few notables. The entrance is a double door and then you are inside the theater. If you are late, you are interrupting the show. So find a seat quickly and sit down. There is no staff manning the door. #Crazy Staff are within view towards the back of the theater. Tix are inexpensive and they allow for donations with purchase. Can you buy at the door? Not sure. I've never seen a ticket taker verify tix. Say you've got a bottle of booze in a brown bag and you'd like to enjoy that booze without botheration. Here's your place. A seat for you and co which you should feel free to use. If you see something worth laughing at, please do so. You aren't guaranteed laughs nor are you required to show proof of tickets! For real.. I scratch my head wondering why I pre-purchased. I should just walk in one day and see what happens. In a perfect world we are all on time and at shows 15 minutes before they begin. So that we can show our tickets, grab a nice seat and get ready to laugh. This however doesn't happen all the time. Nor does having enough content to laugh at. Buh dum tss! https://youtu.be/bcYppAs6ZdI read more

What do you say to a kid who's grumpy or bored? "Come on, I'll take you to the playground!" What do you say to the adult child who's grumpy or bored? "Come on, I'll take you to The Playground!" I had been before and was impressed so it seemed like a no brainer to take the manboy in my life. We quickly became regulars. Here's what we like: The Sunday night show The Free for All is free (we donate though). It's a great deal and ironically funnier than the pay shows other nights. All shows are mostly funny. Some moments were hilarious, some were clunkers. BYOB!!!! And I've even seen audience members eating there too. It's the only co op non profit improv group. The theater is really intimate and casual. This lends you to be more invested in the performance, feel the nervous energy and excitement, and mingle with the performers before and after. You don't feel like a kid alone at a sandbox watching the cool kids play, but involved. The location is great by the Belmont and Addison el stops and many bus routes. So to get to the punch(line)-great deal and pretty entertaining. And in tribute to the venue name and purpose a joke. A man and his wife are asleep in bed. They hear a knocking on their door. The man says, "What do you want?!" A voice says, "Please help...I need a push." The man angrily replies, "It's three am-get outta here!!" his wife says, "Honey, remember when our kids where stranded on the highway and a nice man gave the car a push to the rest area?" The husband answers, "Oh, all right." He trudges down to the front door and opens it and it's pitch dark, he calls out, "Do you still need a push?" "Yes." "Ok, where are you?!" "Over here....on the swingset...." :::crickets::: Giant hook ala Showtime at the Apollo pulls me from computer. read more

I have a brother who tries doing stand up, and I fully support him and anybody who can get up in front of a group of people and perform, because I could not do it myself. This place is not what I would call a gold mine for good performances, but more of a venue for performers who are trying new stuff out on audiences. Not my favorite improv/comedy experience. I felt more uncomfortable than entertained during the entire show because I was concerned about the performers feelings. It was a decent crowd, but they were all loved ones and/or friends of the performers. Essentially, every performer had little to no laughs, and the MCs made it all the more awkward because they weren't funny either, but very good at laughing at themselves to get some chuckles. Honestly, support your local artists, but ultimately what made me mad about this place was when I walked in, about 5 minutes after the show started (yes I'm late every once in a while), nobody checked me in for tickets, for which I paid two. I feel like ultimately I don't have to pay and can just walk in late because no one approached me once to ask for confirmation of payment. read more

Truly a welcoming community. I was able to take part in their class "The Mixer." From the first moment entering there was such a powerful, positive energy. I will totally make a point of visiting again in the future! read more

Decided last minute to see a midnight burlesque show and OMGS IT WAS AMAZING!!! I found myself heckling the hilarious MCs (it was encouraged, I swear!) and my face hurt from all the laughing and cheering. The performers were fantastic and honestly, it was one of my favorite shows I've seen. I made a friend standing in line, she gave me her extra ticket and I shared my beer and wine and we had a blast. The PEEP Show happens once a month, so get on it and check it out!!! Currently combing their calendar and seeing what other shows are available to attend while I'm here in town. Irrelevant drama story we all love to read: Another patron behind me was talking on her phone (on speaker!), loudly complaining about how much fun she wasn't having and shitting on the performers DURING their show! I asked her if she was going to be on her phone on all night and she got bitchy immediately and said it wasn't my show (wut?) and she wasn't disturbing anybody. I countered with she obviously was if I had to ask her about it. She started to say something stupid so I gave her no more attention and turned back to the real show, cheering over her rudeness. She disappeared shortly after, thankfully. Which she should have done in the first place. read more

You **Need** to get on over to the Playground ASAP........... --Hilarious groups. You'll seriously be ROFL!! (hehe, I had to do it) --Cheap cover ($5-10) --Young, lively crowd --Small, intimate theater --Super close to the Red Line Belmont stop --BOYB......... Word. read more

The Playground is a great place to drink an entire bottle of wine, straight out of the bottle, and be entertained by people desperate for your laughter and attention. There's always at least one set that's a hit. I love it here! A bit of feedback for the performers/tech people, however: if you aren't performing, please don't whisper in the back, or shout so loud close to the back door that we can still hear you. The space is so tiny. I paid for the opportunity to have you entertain me, and your fellow performers are working their asses off, so be a professional. Believe me, I don't like having to be the Crazy Lady who gets out of her seat to tell you to shut the fuck up. If it's distracting me, it's distracting the entire paying audience. read more

It was a tough sell getting me to go to this thing.. but the economics are very compelling (and it's close to my house). On Sunday nights they charge $0 and it's BYOB. Not too steep. So around 7 I walked over there, stopping at 7-11 to pick up a 6 pack. It's improv. The kind where people from the audience yell out random topics and then a couple of hipster dudes on stage "IMPROVISE!!". I was skeptical. Making Charlie Sheen/Vaccum cleaner/Alaska funny isn't easy. And you usually get what you pay for. So how are a bunch hipsterish dudes doing this for free going to succeed? Well actually, it was laugh out loud funny. And..full disclosure..as a rule I don't like improv. So I'm very impressed. The way the Sunday nite show works is they have 3 separate groups one after another. Each on for about 1/2 hour. It always seemed like something about to be funny was going to happen the whole time. The audience was giddy. Every now and them something funny WOULD happen and we'd and laugh and laugh and laugh. Ahhh ..good times. By the end..having 3 or 4 beers in me, I was definitely in a good mood. I even left $5 in donation bucket on the way out. read more

Poorly organized & confusing. There was 0 comedy involved with the improv. No dedication or real entertainment dedicated to the craft. Extremely weird because it seemed more like an inclusive group of friends telling secrets more than anything. Should have been rehearsed. Maybe the actors were just bad, either way, experience that'll never reoccur! read more

One of the best dive comedy spots in Chicago. First of all, its BYO which is a huge plus. Don't be timid - there will be people in the crowd with 30 racks of Keystone Light. Secondly, its so small that you're no more than 15 feet away from the comedians on stage. This intimate experience makes it much more interesting and fun. Finally, the shows are very unique and experimental. They might not be the most fine-tuned or rehearsed sketches, but everything I've seen here was pretty hilarious. Come with an open mind and a six pack and you'll have a blast on the cheap. read more

Got there right before the show started 8pm Friday, hardly any audience members so we were a bit skeptical.. but a few people rolled in to catch the show and... HOLY HELL IT WAS FUNNY These were some top notch improv actors. Everyone was really on their game. Super funny, good timing, good pace, no awkward moments, quality acting with appropriate dramatic pauses, really creative witty dialogue (how do they do it?). Big fan and will return for sure. read more

Here's the skivvy on the Playground. I've performed there twice as an opening group. We did a 25 minute set. They were very accomodating, and the space is great. If you have an opportunity to do a short set there, you have a great chance, as a performer to make some serious buck. As a theatre goer, you can't really go wrong. If you are in the neighborhood and need a quick laugh, you can usually do it for about $5. They have a great training method for new improvisers around the city. You'll usually see a fresh new group, as well a seasoned house teams -- which are always a great sell. The theatre is BYOB. They don't publicize this, but if you know, you are golden. Most other comedy spots have a bar and you end up spending a good chunk of change on drinks. So for a cheaper alternative, this place is great. Check their website for free shows. I think there are generally free shows on Sunday nights. read more

This place is just terrible. Really just not a single redeeming quality here. I'm not sure how Yelp got it so wrong. Came here for the 10pm show on a Saturday night. ONLY FOUR PEOPLE in the entire theater, which did not bode well for the evening. The "comedians" were roaming the floor and theater prior to the show, which appeared pretty unprofessional from the get-go. They also alluded to often performing for very small crowds of 3 or 4 people, so I think the emptiness is pretty typical (no surprise). Jokes were miserable, if you could even call them jokes. Fake wrestling scenes with the comedians laughing at themselves? Even with two bottles of wine, I have never felt so awkward and uncomfortable in an audience. Ended up walking out of the show early. I would not wish anyone to attend this theater. Pay $10 more and get a far, faaaar superior show elsewhere. read more

Thumbs up on the BYOB! And TWO thumbs up on the open court improv. This is one of the few theatres in the city where you can do improv without having taken $1000 worth of classes before and I enjoy it for that reason. Open court on Thursday nights is a worthwhile event and I highly recommend it to anyone who has been doing improv for some time or anyone who is even slightly interested in doing it. Its only $5 and you get to both perform and watch others perform and there's a hilarious prize round at the end. A great way to beef up your skills AND have a fun night with your friends. Bravo, Playground! As far as straight performance improv, this theatre is alright, but it REALLY depends on the night and the teams involved. Occasionally you can come across a team that's been together for awhile and have the basics of improv down to the point where they can carry on a decent, funny scene. More often than not, however, you get a group of those people who think they're funny in the car with their friends and think they're comedians because of it. I've been doing and seeing improv for a long time and I think your $10 can be better spent elsewhere. Go to the Playground if you're a performer; go to iO or ComedySportz if you're an observer! read more

Full Disclosure: I am a performer at the Playground Theater! The Playground has been around for ten years and on any given night you'll see anything from improv greenhorns finding their stagelegs to seasoned vets showcasing their comedy chops. If you want to dig into the heart of the Chicago improv comedy scene, the Playground is a great place to start with its slate of improv programming on Tuesdays - Saturdays at 8 pm. Tuesday and Wednesdays will see newer Playground ensembles and guest teams take the stage--it can be hit or miss but usually a couple of the groups the four-team lineup will hit your funny bone just right. Thursday nights feature two newer ensembles, full of enthusiasm and energy, opening for the Big Yellow Bus, an all-star show featuring veteran performers not only from the Playground, but from all over Chicago. Fridays and Saturdays feature line-ups of our member teams, ensembles that actually own and help run the theater. Finall, it's BYOB. So buy a cheap six-pack and join us for the ha ha. read more

This is a review for several unsolicited performances outside of the theater that I've experienced in the last few years, not performances in the theater itself. I have lived right across from the Playground Theater since 2010 and get unsolicited performances in the parking lot behind their theater. Many nights the actors/comedians/etc. hang out in a circle outside of the theater to play improv games. I'm hoping that it's just the interns doing the improv outside because it's not that funny. Actually, it's pretty loud and I feel like I'm at really bad cheerleading camp. I've reached out to the theater several times requesting that they stop using the parking lot for practice. They've responded and claimed that they would "quiet down," but have not since. I plan to reach out to police and the alderman about this. Please stop playing your annoying games outside. Or, rent a bigger space so that you have room to practice your cheerleading routines. read more

This is a mystical land of fantasticness, especially when the group "the fling" is playing. It's B.Y.O.B.... and that means as much or as little as you want to drink... the shows are cheap and all the money goes to support the overhead, its entirely not for profit... Some of the groups kinda suck sometimes, but its totally worth it to see the veterans and give the new players a chance to give it a go. read more

Funny. Cheap. BYOB. I've seen a few improv groups and a couple of stand ups here. They've been consistently funny. It's only $10 to get in. You can bring your own booze, making it even cheaper and even funnier!! read more

Thursday nights at 10:30 pm, The Playground hosts an event called "Open Court", for $5. They have regulars who participate, but if you're into improv, you might even get to try your own hand at it - so bring your friends along to cheer you on. Open Court's format is not set, so you never know what you'll get out of the hour-long show from week to week, but it's fun and the theatre is intimate, so you won't miss any of the action. To cap off the evening, the group does a raffle of oddball items at the end of the night - usually used items such as books and movies. Yes, that's strange, but it's funny and people cheer on the raffle winners. A fun evening out! Note: The theatre is located just north of the Belmont & Halsted intersection, so on-street parking can be difficult on the weekends. Take the Red Line - the Belmont stop is only 2-3 blocks away. read more

Oh.Ma.Gawd. A couple of friends and I went to the Playground last night to see some cheap comedy, and WOW. We went to a midnight showing, "The Davenports", which is set up like a soap opera, but completely made up. I don't even know where to start. The cast came out in formals. The intro was to old-sounding 80s music, where they came out in groups and posed, just like in the beginning of every soap opera imaginable. Every single man on stage was tall, and every single person on stage was good looking, and there were like 15 or so of them. It doesn't seem fair that every single one of them made me laugh at some point. Attractive AND funny? Suck it, Davenports. The characters stayed the same throughout the show, which is different from the improv I've seen, but makes sense with the whole soap opera thing, and they gave out a little program at the beginning, so if you weren't sure who a character was, you could just read about them. And now I have a handy little souvenir of handsome men and hilarious ladies I can stalk online. I will be back. I'm afraid to go back next week, as I don't want to seem like a groupie, but it's seriously worth it. I will just have to hope no one recognizes me. read more

"Period Piece" was great ! The story was entertaining, and the cast did a great job with their execution of this musical comedy. We bought our tickets before the show, and the clerk helpfully informed us that we should come early to get good seats because the show has sold out for most performances. This place is BYOB, but they don't provide anything (cups, cork openers, etc.), so make sure to bring the necessary implements for your drinks. read more

Had a few good laughs for cheap here and it is BYOB:) Some of the comics, okay , one in particular was just plain disgusting. I am all for profanity and crossing the line but sometimes one can go too far for no reason and not even be clever enough to bring it back to funny. All in all there are some laughs to be had here and it is always interesting to go someplace where your not exactly sure what you will get. Watch out for the wheelchair werewolf! read more

This place is great. I usually go on Mondays, it helps me get over the fact that its only the beginning of the work week. the house group Bella=amazing. Everyone of them is so great! and every time i see them its something SO different. AND Rhythm Method!!!! Holy crap...if you like to laugh (you know you do) you should really check them out. They combine music, singing and comedy for a great show. GO see them!!! they are there every Monday all throughout Jan.(2009) Close to the train $5 cover BYOB Laughs what more could u ask for?! read more

The black box theater of your high school years grew up and now it's serving up stand up, improv, and best of all burlesque on a regular basis while letting you bring your own booze (but they don't have wine-openers or any of that, so come prepared!) I'm not much of a comedy buff but I come back again and again for their amazing burlesque shows. Where else can you go to nerd-themed burlesque, watch a hot spock-eared girl show you her "communicator" while the guy next to you sips rum and coke from a giant Iron Man-shaped thermos? And even if that's not your thing they have regular seasonal shows where you can watch lovely ladies dance, accompanied by a comedian MC and surprisingly awesome magician. There's always a good crowd and contrary to what one might think, it's mostly women going out to watch a little bit of raunchy fun, so there's no need to feel awkward or like "that guy" if you want to check it out. If I'm not giving it 5 stars it's only because the space is awkward and the people that perform here deserve a bigger stage and more available seats. read more

LOVE! this place. BYOB already a plus off the bat. I wish there was more places like this around my area. Made me want to join in and see what I can do! read more

I went here recently to watch some improv on a Saturday night, and I definitely got my laugh on. The Belmont Transfer performed along with two other groups that I can't remember the names of. The theater itself is kind of small and cramped. When we first got there, we sat in the middle row and actually had to move to the front because my friend's legs were too long. Nice problem to have, right?!?! Anyway, the Playground is BYOB, which is pretty cool. I wish I would have known this because I definitely would have brought my own booze. I'll have to keep this in mind for next time. I'll be back fo sho! read more

Both Sara and Kelly are quite awesome. It is so evident that Sara puts a ton of effort and preparation in her acts. Loved her performance at the Saturday 7pm show. It was thought provoking and showed well her liberal and progressive instincts. Totally worth the price. Though the place is a bit shabby and not very well maintained. read more

This theater is a great place to see improv for a steal and I love to watch performers try their 5 minutes of characters here. It's located in a great area surrounded by wonderful bars and restaurants. I love to catch a show at the playground and then make my way to Shakers for a drink. read more

I love this place. $5-10, BYOB. Usually three groups each do 30 minutes but they mix it up a lot and have unconventional nights. Usually 1 group is bad and 2 are great. Either way, it's ALWAYS a good time and the people I bring wanna go back. read more

Very great atmosphere. I'm originally from the NYC and I liken them to Chicago's own Upright Citizens Brigade. UCB used to have a space very similar to what they have there and were similar in delivery and style. The Jane Austen troupe there was hilarious in addition to all the performers. Best ten bucks I've spent this week. Screw the movies man go see these guys. Not to mention it was "Rapture weekend" so it was nice to know I'd be laughing my ass off... (j./k) Go see these guys! If you do go there and if you BYOB make sure to sit on the sides, not the middle like I did (rookie mistake), ALSO don't forget to bring a bottle opener. Recap (bottle opener + sides) I'm making this a regular thing and want these guys to stay in business! read more

Had friends coming into town and I researched A LOT of comedy shows. This was BYOB, cheap ($10 a head), not sold out, and nearby. Of the 3 improv groups one was really awkward, another was kinda funny and the last one was really funny (Cowlick !) I would recommend this place if a group of friends living in Chicago are looking for something to do. For entertaining out-of-towners, I would head to Second City. read more

Ive been here several times, usually it is to support a friend of mine. The pricing always seems a bit steep for improv which is always a hit and miss. At least I know when I go to see a troop I'm familiar with I will be seeing a good show. The space is relatively small which could be charming but most times it just seems stuffy. A big plus is the theatre is BYOB I'll continue to support friends who perform here on occasion but it would be tough getting me in here on a whim. read more

I don't live in Chicago and I've only been to the Playground once during the Improv Festival at the beginning of this month, but I am completely a fan because I laughed insanely hard for nearly two hours here for $10. I'll gladly return upon my next visit. It was here that I guffawed at the antics of the ladies of Improvised Jane Austen and then laughed so hard I bellyached after thanks to the talents of Hell Buffalo (who just so happen to hail from fine ol' NYC!). BYOB is always a sweet deal. Even though we couldn't find a place to buy beer nearby because we were dumb tourists, we were lucky enough to have a local as a friend (the same kindly soul who informed us of the show) who kindly shared his six pack with us. And much merry was made. The end. read more

If you are looking for a random yet fun night, go to The Playground. Free sunday night shows... BYOB. read more

This place is so cute! I found tickets on Groupon for the Dirty Kitties show and it was hilarious! How can you go wrong with an older couple singing dirty songs to an accordion? It was kind of sad though that there were so few people cause it's such a little divey place to catch a show! And on a plus side you can BYOB!!!!! My only complaint was the chairs... I hate those old school black pleather chairs... read more

I went Saturday night to their Vaudeville Vivat! show. I had a good time, but the jokes were pretty hit-or-miss. There were definitely some incredibly funny parts, but there were also aspects of the show that seriously dragged; the rest of the audience (apparently part of a big group who were either family or friends) evidently found it funny, so it may have been something they added that night as part of an in-joke I just wasn't in on. All in all, it was fun and there were definitely GREAT moments, but it wasn't consistently great. read more

We went to the free for all on Sunday and loved it so much that ended up staying for the next show, Preach, for $5 each, can't beat that!! it was insightful, touching and really really funny. read more

My friend and I visited this improv theatre for the first time on a Wednesday night for their weekly production O.I.N.K. We went in a little tipsy and ready to laugh, as previously we've always really enjoyed the improv we've seen in Chicago. However, after an hour, we got up and left in the middle of a sketch because we were bored sober. Beyond the utter lack of humor and wit, all the acts succeeded in offending us (which is pretty hard to do). I was shocked by the blatant homophobia, especially considering this theater is located in Boystown. The "humor" was delivered primarily by persumably straight white men though a lot of the jokes focused on gays and women. There is cerainly a time and place for this sort of politically incorrect humor but their's wasn't satire. Rather, it was humor that sprouted from discomfort with the differences in race, sexuality, and gender. As a queer woman, I was obviously not their intended audience. The only good thing to be said about this theater is that it is BYOB. read more

Low key, laid back, party. Like the basement of that friend whose parents are never home. Stop by the 7-11 or CVS and go hang out at any of their shows for funny shows. Comedy Queue on Saturdays at 10 is full of dumb fun. The final show of the night plays random youtube videos with improv comedy. read more

I'm going to Comedy Queue again tonight. Improv and Videos and Sketch Comedy and Standup. It's a fast and easy dose of everything good going on in Chicago. It runs every Saturday at 10pm. More info about Comedy Queue is on the site for the night. https://sites.google.com/site/comedyqueue/ I see alot of Variety Shows at Playground. They're good at putting together different groups and styles of comedy. Other places are pretty specific with what type of show they do. I like the Variety throughout the week for all their shows. read more