Chicago SketchFest Preview

January’s around the corner, and for Chicago sketch comedy fans that means more than snow predictions and post-holiday blahs. Since 2002, Chicago SketchFest has gathered top scripted comedy acts for a whirlwind funny-pallooza at the Theatre Building. The festival seems to get bigger and more heavily sponsored each year, with parties, workshops, and kids’ shows included in the line-up. 2010’s SketchFest kicks off on January 7th and features 100 sketch comedy troupes from this town and beyond.

Even if you just see one show, experiencing the Festival’s round-the-clock buzz is a must. The Theatre Building’s spacious lobby turns into well-organized madness, as cheerful volunteers direct traffic, long lines form outside each of thee three stages, and rowdy fans and performers gather at the bar. Once inside a theatre for the shows (usually two per time slot), guests are treated to a signature SketchFest intro – it’s been a funny video, a screaming team of producers . . . who knows what’s in store. Then, like clockwork, the performances begin on time and rouse laughter from the packed audiences. Repeat.

You can find the full SketchFest schedule here, along with info about all of the performers. To get you started with your planning, here are a few of our top picks, by performance date.

Hey You Millionaires (1/7, 8 pm)

Heavyweight (1/8 & 1/9, 8 pm)

Bri-Ko (1/8, 11 pm; 1/9 & 1/16, 2 pm)

The Reckoning (1/9, 8 pm)

Cupid Players (1/9 & 1/16, 8 pm)

Pangea 3000 (1/9, 10 pm)

Tim and Micah (1/9, 11pm; 1/15, 8 pm)

Aemilia and Ed (1/10, 2:30 pm) (see Aemilia’s Cheeky interview here)

Dominizuelan (1/10, 2:30 pm)

W.A.S. (1/10, 7 pm) (Cheeky interviewed two of the cast members here)

Margolis & Reisman (1/14, 8 pm)

New Exc!tement (1/15, 10 pm)

pH Productions (1/16, 7 pm)

Best Church of God (1/17, 1 pm)

The Union (1/17, 2:30 pm) (see The Union’s Cheeky interview here)

Shock & Awe Review (1/17, 7 pm)