Manual Cinema’s Christmas Carol
Dec19
Theatre & Performing Arts

Manual Cinema’s Christmas Carol

Manual Cinema’s awe-inspiring, one-of-a-kind rendition of the Dickens classic returns to the Studebaker Theater this holiday season! Avowed holiday skeptic Aunt Trudy has been reluctantly…

Friday, December 19th
7:30 p.m.
Fine Arts Building | Studebaker Theater
410 South Michigan Avenue
The Long Christmas Dinner
Dec19
Theatre & Performing Arts

The Long Christmas Dinner

THE LONG CHRISTMAS DINNER – nine decades long in just one 75-minute act – showcases the lives of several generations of the Bayard family. Wilder…

Friday, December 19th
7:30 p.m.8:45 p.m.
Bramble Arts Loft
The Improvised Shakespeare Company®
Dec19
Theatre & Performing Arts

The Improvised Shakespeare Company®

The Improvised Shakespeare Company® proudly presents its critically-acclaimed, long-running hit show Improvised Shakespeare Chicago, now in its 19th year! Join us for an evening of…

Friday, December 19th
7:30 p.m.9:00 p.m.
iO Theater
1501 N. Kingsbury St.
It’s a Wonderful Life: Live in Chicago!
Dec19
Theatre & Performing Arts

It’s a Wonderful Life: Live in Chicago!

George Bailey – the Everyman from small town Bedford Falls whose dreams of escape and adventure were stopped by family obligation and civic duty –…

Friday, December 19th
7:30 p.m.9:00 p.m.
American Blues Theater
5627 N Lincoln Blvd
Happy Holly-Daze: A Holiday Drinking Game Performance
Dec19
Music & Comedy

Happy Holly-Daze: A Holiday Drinking Game Performance

Year after year, Corn Productions brings the holiday magic in a tradition spanning over a decade. Happy Holly-Daze is a sketch comedy show about all…

Friday, December 19th
7:30 p.m.9:00 p.m.
Cornservatory
4210 N Lincoln Ave
‘Twas The Night Before… By Cirque du Soleil
Dec19
Theatre & Performing Arts

‘Twas The Night Before… By Cirque du Soleil

Due to overwhelming success, the celebrated holiday theatrical ‘Twas the Night Before… by Cirque du Soleil is returning to The Chicago Theatre for a limited…

Friday, December 19th
7:30 p.m.9:30 p.m.
Chicago Theatre
Music of the Baroque: Holiday Brass & Choral Concerts
Dec19
Theatre & Performing Arts

Music of the Baroque: Holiday Brass & Choral Concerts

Principal Guest Conductor Nicholas Kraemer directs this decades-long Chicago tradition for the very first time. The Chorus and Brass Ensemble bring to life festive music…

Friday, December 19th
7:30 p.m.9:30 p.m.
St. Michael Church in OId Town
1633 North Cleveland
Sherlock Holmes and the Christmas Clowns
Dec19
Theatre & Performing Arts

Sherlock Holmes and the Christmas Clowns

Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson travel to the country to spend the holidays with an old army comrade of Watson’s. What they don’t know is…

Friday, December 19th
7:30 p.m.9:30 p.m.
City Lit Theater
1020 W. Bryn Mawr, Chicago, IL, 60660
Dorian
Dec19
Theatre & Performing Arts

Dorian

DORIAN is a thrilling, queer-forward remix of Oscar Wilde’s timeless tale, brought to life in this bold and visually stunning stage adaptation by Phoebe Eclair-Powell and…

Friday, December 19th
7:30 p.m.9:30 p.m.
Open Space Arts
1411 W. Wilson Ave, Chicago, IL, 60640
Wild Door Theater Makes Its Chicago Debut With “Smokefall” at Theater Wit
Dec19
Theatre & Performing Arts

Wild Door Theater Makes Its Chicago Debut With “Smokefall” at Theater Wit

A new voice joins Chicago’s vibrant theater scene this fall as Wild Door Theater proudly launches its inaugural production, Smokefall, November 10 – December 21,…

Friday, December 19th
7:30 p.m.10:00 p.m.
Theater Wit
Oil Lamp Presents “It’s A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play”
Dec19
Theatre & Performing Arts

Oil Lamp Presents “It’s A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play”

Oil Lamp Theater is proud to present the final production in its 2025 season, It’s A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play, November 20 –…

Friday, December 19th
7:30 p.m.10:00 p.m.
Oil Lamp Theater
1723 Glenview Rd, Glenview, IL, 60025
Devil’s Daughter
Dec19
Music & Comedy

Devil’s Daughter

The hottest show in town Devil’s Daughter features a cast of seasoned comedians who have performed together in Chicago and around the country for over a decade.…

Friday, December 19th
8:00 p.m.9:00 p.m.
iO Theater
1501 N. Kingsbury St.
Missed Call Sketch Comedy Show
Dec19
Music & Comedy, Theatre & Performing Arts

Missed Call Sketch Comedy Show

Missed Call is a premier Chicago comedy group that writes and performs an entirely new sketch show every Friday — inspired by the audience’s suggestion!

Friday, December 19th
8:00 p.m.9:00 p.m.
The Annoyance Theatre
851 W. Belmont Ave.
3 Stages of Love
Dec19
Theatre & Performing Arts

3 Stages of Love

Ghostlight begins its 9th Season with the first installment of a three-part cabaret experience devised by Ensemble Member Khnemu Menu-Ra, 3 Stages of Love. The…

Friday, December 19th
8:00 p.m.9:00 p.m.
Mrs. Murphy & Sons Irish Bistro
3905 N Lincoln Ave
The Lincoln Lodge
Dec19
Theatre & Performing Arts

The Lincoln Lodge

The Lincoln Lodge stand-up comedy and variety showcase plays every Friday and Saturday night in Chicago’s glamorous Logan Square! In addition to The Lodge’s rotating…

Friday, December 19th
8:00 p.m.9:30 p.m.
The Lincoln Lodge Theater
2040 N. Milwaukee Ave.
Halloween Chicago Ghost Tour & Hunt: Lincoln Park Hauntings by American Ghost Walks
Dec19
Festivals, Fairs & Special Events, Tours & Attractions

Halloween Chicago Ghost Tour & Hunt: Lincoln Park Hauntings by American Ghost Walks

Join American Ghost Walks on a spine-chilling Chicago Ghost Tour & Ghost Hunt in Lincoln Park, known for its eerie hauntings and chilling history. Dive…

Friday, December 19th
8:00 p.m.10:00 p.m.
Meeting Point: In front of the Chicago History Museum
1601 N Clark St.
The Disco Biscuits: U.S. 2025 Tour
Dec19
Music & Comedy

The Disco Biscuits: U.S. 2025 Tour

Get ready, Chicago — the legendary The Disco Biscuits are heading your way for a high‑energy live show at Thalia Hall. Known for their unique…

Friday, December 19th
8:00 p.m.11:00 p.m.
Thalia Hall
1807 South Allport Street
Trapped in a Musical – an improvised musical
Dec19
Music & Comedy, Theatre & Performing Arts

Trapped in a Musical – an improvised musical

Trapped in a Musical is a completely improvised Broadway-style show created before your very eyes. It’s the opening and closing night of a brand new…

Friday, December 19th
9:00 p.m.10:00 p.m.
Who’s Holiday! at Theater Wit
Dec19
Theatre & Performing Arts

Who’s Holiday! at Theater Wit

Christmas Day is in our grasp. Why the vodka? Glad you asked! The tot from The Grinch has grown, you see! She’s cursing and drinking,…

Friday, December 19th
9:00 p.m.10:00 p.m.
Theater Wit
Jason Ellis at The Comedy Bar
Dec19
Music & Comedy

Jason Ellis at The Comedy Bar

2-Item Minimum Per Guest Valid ID Required for Entry First Come, First Served Seating No Outside Food or Beverage Born in Melbourne Australia, and now…

Friday, December 19th
9:00 p.m.10:30 p.m.
The Comedy Bar
500 N. LaSalle St.
Late Night Slice: Presented by Wet Pizza
Dec19
Music & Comedy

Late Night Slice: Presented by Wet Pizza

Experimental comedy variety show, featuring the funniest and most unique acts in Chicago. This show creates a space for weirder and less conventional comedy pieces…

Friday, December 19th
9:30 p.m.11:00 p.m.
The Home Comedy Theater
2843 North Halsted Street
The Stand-Up Showcase Showdown
Dec19
Music & Comedy

The Stand-Up Showcase Showdown

FRIDAY | DECEMBER 19 | 9:30 PM | iO THEATER CLEAR YOUR SCHEDULES, and pre-deck those halls, because The Stand-Up Showcase Showdown is back just…

Friday, December 19th
9:30 p.m.11:00 p.m.
iO Theater
1501 N. Kingsbury St.
Voila: The Improvised Musical
Dec19
Music & Comedy, Theatre & Performing Arts

Voila: The Improvised Musical

iO Chicago presents: a fully made-up, off-off-off Broadway style musical every Friday at 10pm in the Fremont Theater. Spend your Friday night with us. See…

Friday, December 19th
10:00 p.m.11:30 p.m.
The iO Theater, 1501 N Kingsbury St, Chicago, IL 60642, USA,
The iO Theater, 1501 N Kingsbury St, Chicago, IL 60642, USA,
Hitch*Cocktails
Dec19
Music & Comedy, Theatre & Performing Arts

Hitch*Cocktails

A Chicago based improv comedy show and drinking game based on the works of Alfred Hitchcock. Based on an audience suggestion, the cast weave together…

Friday, December 19th
10:00 p.m.11:30 p.m.
Annoyance Theatre & Bar
851 W. Belmont Ave., 2nd Fl.