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Explore a Map of Chicago's Improv Theaters | Inventing Improv | Chicago Stories

Explore a Map of Chicago’s Improv Theaters

If you want to go to an improv show or take a class in Chicago, you’re in luck. The city has improv theaters all over, though they are mostly concentrated on the North Side. Big or small, each theater has a different improv style. While some use improv as a means to develop sketch comedy, others use long-form scenic improv, musical improv, or game-based improv. Explore the map to learn more about some of the improv theaters in Chicago.

Photo: The Second City has been a comedic institution in Chicago since 1959. Photo by Meredith Francis
View of The Second City from the street in Chicago

The Second City

230 W North Ave, Chicago, IL 60614

Viola Spolin’s son, Paul Sills, co-founded The Second City with Bernie Sahlins and Howard Alk in 1959. The Second City has since grown into a large company with multiple stages, touring companies, a training center, and more. They also have locations in Los Angeles and Toronto. The actors at The Second City use improvisation to develop a sketch comedy show that is then performed in a cabaret-style theater.

  • The Second City
  • iO Chicago
  • The Annoyance
  • ComedySportz
  • The Playground Theater
  • CiC Theater
  • Bughouse Theater
  • Logan Square Improv
  • The Comedy Clubhouse
  • The Revival
  • Jane Addams Hull House Museum