BEST STAND-UP IN THE BURBS
2022-23 Season
with headliner Vince Carone, featuring Colleen Brennan and hosted by Tim Benker
@ RAUE CENTER FOR THE ARTS
@ 8:30P
Best stand-up in the burbs! Raue Center brings the best stand-up comics in the Chicagoland area close to home with Lucy’s Comedy, Raue Center’s longest-running program! Curated by comic and radio personality, John DaCosse.
This event is sponsored by
Saturday, September 24, 2022
HEADLINER
John DaCosse is known as a WGN Radio personality and the curator of Raue Center’s Lucy’s Comedy series. During his 30-plus years in stand-up comedy, the brilliant DaCosse has developed a solid reputation nationwide. He has opened for big names like Ellen DeGeneres, George Lopez, Craig Ferguson, and Billy Gardell and has appeared on NBC, Comedy Central and TBS. DaCosse has also served as an audience warm-up for Rosie O’Donnell and “The Oprah Winfrey Show.”
FEATURED
Ted Willson, the comedic half of the wildly popular online show That Checks Out, is a Chicago area native. While entertaining at clubs throughout the Midwest, he regularly makes audiences laugh with his funny and familiar stories that you can’t imagine really happened to him. Ted brings those unbelievable true stories to life with a polished wit and an endearing charm.
HOST
Alan Ford is a Chicago-based Comedian. Opened for Damon Williams, Kevin Farley, Jeff Richards, Steve Ranazzini, Vince Carone, and Carlos Bellarta. Two comedy specials(“Working for the funny” and “Is He Even Funny”)on all streaming platforms. Performed at various comedy clubs all over the midwest( Zanies, Laugh Factory, Comedy Bar, Riddles Comedy Club, The Market Lounge Comedy Club, Miller Beach Theater, The Funny Stop, Etc.
Sent from my iPad
Friday, November 11, 2022
HEADLINER
Jim Flannigan is a nationally touring stand-up comedian from Chicago. Known for his fast-paced, clever punchlines, Jim is a regular headliner at top comedy clubs including Zanies and The Improv, as well as being a regular performer at Chicago’s Laugh Factory and Brad Garrett’s Comedy Club in Las Vegas, NV. Jim has opened for some of the biggest names in the world of comedy, including Sebastian Maniscalco and has made TV appearances on ABC, WGN, NBC Sports, and IFC Network. Flannigan is also the co-host of the hilarious All Over the Place, a weekly podcast that is just that, with Pat McGann. Jim’s debut album, About Time, was recorded at the legendary Zanies in Rosemont, IL for release in 2022.
FEATURED
Denise Medina is an MC and comedian. She graduated cum laude with a BA in speech and performing arts from NEIU. She wants to be relevant and hip but is mostly quirky. A self-described “goofball,” her humor is good-natured, observational, and relatable. She has emceed corporate events, performed for veterans and in comedy clubs such as the Improv, Zanies, Laugh Factory, has been a guest on WGN radio, Chicago Parent’s podcast, and just wrote a little something for the United Nations!
HOST
With his slightly damaged take on things, Mike Preston has worked comedy clubs and sordid one-nighters from coast to coast for over thirty years and made several TV appearances, including SHOWTIME’S COMEDY CLUB, and NBC’S FRIDAY NIGHT. Along the way, he produced and hosted a cable access talk show, as well as self-publishing several books, including the landmark self-help parody – STOP TALKING NOW! In addition to standup, Preston is currently working in the storytelling genre.
Friday, January 20, 2023
HEADLINER
Tim Walkoe is a grand prize winner on ABC TV’s “America’s Funniest People” and had a recurring role on the Fox Network series “Murder in Small Town X” He has been featured on HBO, Showtime, ESPN, National Public Radio, and Comedy Central. Tim has appeared in concert with Whitney Houston, Kenny Loggins, and Elvis Costello; and is a regular headliner in
Las Vegas.
FEATURED
TJ Stokes is a comedian from Chicago who has performed in several venues in and around the Chicagoland area. These venues include The Laugh Factory, Zanies Chicago, and a sold-out crowd at the Madison Street Theatre in Oak Park. TJ is also one of the producers for a monthly show at The Laugh Factory titled “GOOD VIBES.” He was also featured on the comedy album “Laughter is Good For the Soul” which debuted as the #1 comedy album on iTunes! While TJ is a comedian, the core of everything he stands for is positivity, togetherness, and most of all, spreading love to everyone.
HOST
A Chicago comedy veteran, Tim Benker has performed stand-up from New York to Las Vegas and has co-hosted morning radio in Las Vegas and Houston along the way. Tim currently performs the multi-media comedy show “The Idiots Guide to fixing Stooopid”, and occasionally appears on the musical comedy stage as his alter-ego, The Very Famous Lance Vegas.
Friday, March 10, 2023
HEADLINER
Chicago native Calvin Evans’ comedy career began during his time at the University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana. While obtaining his degree in Sport Management, he fell in love with stand-up comedy and would put his business aspirations on hold. He took his talents back to Chicago and was quickly named Chicago’s Next Big Comic. Calvin attended the famed Second City Training Center. Upon completing their Improv Conservatory program.
His television credits include NBC’s Chicago PD, and Shameless on Showtime. He has also performed standup on the Kevin Hart Comedy Central series Hart of The City, Bring the Funny on NBC, and Conan on TBS. He can be seen reoccurring on the hit HBO Max show SouthSide. His half-hour Unprotected Sets special was released in 2020 on EPIX. calvinevanscomedy.com
FEATURED
Luca Ferro is a Chicago-based standup comedian, and a producer of several comedy shows throughout the Chicago land area. His loud sense of humor and physical comedy has allowed him to open for acts like SNL’s Chris Kattan, and Ronnie Chieng of the Daily Show.
HOST
With his slightly damaged take on things, Mike Preston has worked comedy clubs and sordid one-nighters from coast to coast for over thirty years and made several TV appearances, including SHOWTIME’S COMEDY CLUB, and NBC’S FRIDAY NIGHT. Along the way, he produced and hosted a cable access talk show, as well as self-publishing several books, including the landmark self-help parody – STOP TALKING NOW! In addition to standup, Preston is currently working in the storytelling genre.
Friday, April 14, 2023
HEADLINER
John Knight’s television appearances include A&E, Comedy Central, NBC’s Star Search, and Showtime. Performances include Chicago Comedy Festival, Atlantic City, Las Vegas, performances for the troops overseas, and cruise ships all over the world. Published author of “I’m Still Aggravated but at Least I Didn’t Kill Anybody.” (AHumorous Look at Anger Management.) A former writer for National Lampoon. Videos and articles available at WhatAggravatesMe.net
FEATURED
Dame Grant is a stand-up comedian, actor, and improviser. Dame was recently a semi-finalist on the Kenan Thompson Ultimate Comedy Experience in New York at Gotham Comedy Club and is also a headliner at Zanies Comedy Club. Dame has credits from Funny Bone, Dame is a graduate of the Conservatory at The Second City and also trained in improvisation at The Annoyance Theater. Dame recently completed a rigorous acting program at THE ACADEMY at Black Box Acting Studio and since then has booked roles in indie films and corporate projects throughout the Midwest. When not performing Dame hosts his podcast “The Broke Stops Here”
HOST
Tim Piotrkowski is a stand-up comedian in Chicago. Originally from Ohio he moved to Chicago and got his acting degree. He then started to get involved in the comedy scene performing stand-up, improv, and sketch comedy at such clubs like iO Chicago, Annoyance Theatre and Zanies Comedy Club.
Friday, May 26, 2023
HEADLINER
Vince Carone is fast-talking, frenetic, and frustrated. He has a quick-witted, fast-paced style that envelops you with an avalanche of punchlines that never stop. He is chaotic, cathartic, and a complainer. But the deeper he delves into his show the more you relate to him, root for him, and feel his pain just as he relives it, night after night. That’s Vince’s greatest gift, his ability to instantly connect with the everyman (and every woman). He sees the absurdities of the world and he rallies against them. Vince says the things on stage you would only dare to speak in a mumbling, hushed tone when no one else was within earshot.
Vince has been seen on TBS and heard on Chicago’s Mancow in the Morning radio show, and WGN Radio. He has released 5 hour-long comedy albums and he runs a podcast called “Peek Behind the Curtain”. This guy hits on all cylinders.
He was the winner of the 2019 “Best of the Midwest” Competition at Gilda’s Laughfest. Vince’s show is filled with genuine, heartfelt laughs. He’s fast, he’s furious and he is funny. It’s not just a wild ride. It’s a journey. It’s a whirlwind of ranting, raving, and refreshing material. No matter the price, Vince Carone is worth the admission.
FEATURED
Colleen Brennan is a Chicago based stand-up comedian, actor, writer (Wisecrackin’), producer (Momedians of Momedy and Back Room Comedy @ aliveOne), and podcaster (Defending Indiana). A graduate of the Conservatory Program at The Second City, Colleen also received training in stand-up comedy at The Second City and Feminine Comique.Described as a polished performer, Colleen’s unique, observational angle as a married, visibly stable mother highlights the hilarious details about life as a human.
Colleen has performed in festivals, theaters, clubs, and shows all over the Midwest such as: Snubfest 2016 (*Winner – Audience Favorite), Lady Laughs Festival (Madison, WI), Zanies, The Laugh Factory, The Comedy Bar and The Foundation Room at the House of Blues, She has been a guest on The Kelly Clarkson Show, WGN’s “Pretty Late with Patti Vasquez” and WCIU’s “The Jam”. Colleen also appears regularly in her car driving her children all around Chicago.
HOST
A Chicago comedy veteran, Tim Benker has performed stand-up from New York to Las Vegas, and has co-hosted morning radio in Las Vegas and Houston along the way. Tim currently performs the multi-media comedy show “The Idiots Guide to fixing Stooopid” , and occasionally appears on the musical comedy stage as his alter-ego,The Very Famous Lance
Vegas”
JOHN DACOSSE
John is known as a WGN Radio personality and the curator of Raue Center’s Lucy’s Comedy series. During his 30-plus years in stand-up comedy, the brilliant DaCosse has developed a solid reputation nationwide. He has opened for big names like Ellen DeGeneres, George Lopez, Craig Ferguson, and Billy Gardell and has appeared on NBC, Comedy Central and TBS. DaCosse has also served as an audience warm-up for Rosie O’Donnell and “The Oprah Winfrey Show.”
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Tim Paul, board president
John Jacobsen, vice president
Chuck Stevens, treasurer
Luanne Flavin, secretary
John Green
Mike Johnson
Richard Kuranda
Stacey McInerney
Jack Minsley
Rich Naponelli
Michelle Nowland
Sandra Pierce
William Schmiel
Regan Shepley
Steven Szalaj
Jerry Trachsler
RAUE CENTER STAFF
Richard Kuranda, executive director/founding artistic
director (CEO)
Justin Wellington, managing director
Meredith Schaefer, director of marketing & institutional advancement
James Knight, economic development manager
Michele V. Knight, marketing manager
Chris Tumblin, technical director
Ryan Meadow, technical manager
Jenna Klaproth, operations manager
Maribeth Ling, front-of-house manager
Box Office Staff
Dan Cosgray
Naomi Unverzagt
About Raue Center For The Arts
Raue Center is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to enriching the lives of all through the arts. For 20 years, they have provided quality programming – striving to make it pertinent, available, and affordable to all. As a painstakingly restored, 1920s regional showcase theatre named for its benefactor—Lucile Raue—Raue Center has attracted the finest stars, Broadway shows, musicians and artists. Named on the League of Historic American Theatres, Raue Center is one of the finest examples of restored art and decor in the nation. The 750-seat theatre, located in historic downtown Crystal Lake, Illinois, is a gathering place for our region’s citizens and has become a true destination.
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