Chicago Theater Just for Laughs events

• Wednesday, June 17 – Ellen’s Bigger Longer and Wider Show. DeGeneres brings back the third edition of her award-winning variety show to the The Chicago Theatre. It will feature live music, dancers and unique specialty acts. The show will air on TBS.
• Friday, June 19 – An “All-Star Comedy Show” with host Russell Peters. Among the most popular comics of the day, the Canadian comedian hosts an all-star comedy lineup that will have audiences rolling.
• Lisa Lampanelli – Saturday, June 20 – The Queen of Mean will perform her show “Long Live the Queen” an abrasive, abrasively, raunchy form of stand-up.

Vic Theater Just for Laughs events

• Thursday June 18 and Friday June 19 – The Nasty Show will star some of the biggest names in comedy. Come out and see Louis CK with Nick Di Paolo, Patrice O’Neal and Jim Jefferies. This fan-favorite from the Montreal Just for Laughs Festival brings you the most hysterical and un-PC comics on the continent.
• Friday, June 19 – “Comedy You Can Believe In with” David Alan Grier. his is another TBS special that will air later on TBS. It will feature Grier as host and an eclectic group of all-star comedians.
• Saturday, June 20 – Bill Engvall: Aged and Confused. The star of the popular The Bill Engvall Show as well as a Blue Collar Comedy Tour alum will regale fans with his brand of highly relatable comedy.
• Saturday, June 20 – Jimmy Fallon: Live in Concert. This event will give fans an opportunity to check out the new Late Night star in the flesh when he performs live.

Rosemont Theatre Just for Laughs Festival events

• Thursday, June 18 Friday, June 19, and Saturday, June 20 – George Lopez: Tall, Dark and Chicano. Come see one of the country’s most popular comedians bring his energetic and crass style to the Rosemont.

Lakeshore Theater Just for Laughs events

• Jim Jefferies: Hammered – The foul-mouthed Aussie comedian shows that no topic is sacred, joining the Lakeshore line-up with a special presentation of his solo show, following his upcoming HBO special.
• Bob Odenkirk and Friends – This event features the Mr. Show icon and a hand-picked group of his favorite Chicago comedians and friends.
• Andy Dick – The famed comedian will bring his frenetic style to the Lakeshore.
• Patrice O’Neal: Positivity – From private parts to politics, Positivity is a funny, righteous look at O’Neal’s incident-crowded life.

Chicago’s local comedy at the Just for Laughs Festival

• Some of comedy’s biggest stars cut their chops on Chicago’s stages. One of the pillars of the Festival will be an extensive grassroots programming line-up that will showcase the next generation of Chicago talent. Just For Laughs has joined forces with not only some of Chicago’s most respected comedy ensembles (like Schadenfreude and Chicagoland) but also theaters that feature their groundbreaking work. The Festival will work with the historic iO Theater, the annual mainstay Chicago Sketchfest, the prolific Annoyance Theatre, the experimental Playground Theater and the trailblazing standup venue The Lincoln Lodge.

IO Theater Just for Laughs events

• Thursday, June 18 – Best of Sketchfest will feature the six top sketch groups picked from Chicago’s January Sketch Festival. (Repeat performance Friday, June 19)
• Bob Odenkirk’s Best Of… will feature Sketchfest comics teaming up with Odenkirk for a night of marvelously twisted comedy. (Repeat performance Friday, June 19)
• Saturday, June 20 - Improvised Shakespeare Company brings the bard’s language to life through improv in one of Chicago’s must-see shows.
• Whirled News Tonight features an ensemble of iO improvisers ripping their scenic inspiration from the latest headlines. It’s a treat for comedy and news junkies alike.
• The Late Night Late Show marks the return of a Chicago favorite, an improvised midnight talk show featuring celebrity guests.

The Lincoln Lodge Just for laughs events

• Wednesday, June 17 - Homecoming will feature Chicago’s brightest comedy alums reuniting for a special show. (Repeat performance Thursday, June 18)
• Friday, June 19 - Chicago Stand-Up Run-Down will bring a who’s who of top local talent to The Lincoln Lodge. (Repeat performance Saturday, June 20)

Annoyance Theater Just for Laughs Chicago events

• Thursday, June 18 - Messing with a Friend features Susan Messing, one of Chicago’s finest improvisers, co-starring with a guest celebrity. She takes her guest partner to hilariously uncomfortable places.
• Friday, June 19 - Paul Provenza’s Green Room will feature the executive producer/director of The Aristocrats moderating casual, heady discussions about comedy with some of the top names from the Festival. (Repeat performance Saturday, June 20)
• Saturday, June 20 - Chicagoland is an all-star show with comedy veterans coming together for a special night of improv.
• Schadenfreude Rent Party is a multimedia, high-energy comedy show marking the return of one of Chicago’s most venerated sketch comedy ensembles. It also features shorts by popular filmmaker Steve Delahoyde.
• Sunday, June 21 - The Best Church of God, a mock, sermon-based sketch show, offers an opportunity to purge the overindulgence of comedy from everyone’s system.

The Playground Theater Just for Laughs events

• Friday, June 19 - Alone: Chicago’s Best Solo Acts, a collection of outstanding standup solo artists, comes to The Playground Theater.
• Saturday, June 20 - Don’t Spit the Water, Chicago’s popular live game show, returns from hiatus for back-to-back outings at the Playground, its former home.

All in all it looks like the first run of this event is going to be one of the highlights of the year. Make sure you’ve got your Just for Laughs tickets ready to go because this is one event you don’t want to miss.