Is this seat taken?

I’ve stared at the schedule dozens of times, postponed prior engagements and strategized my nearby dining options in a desperate attempt to cram in as much comedy as possible at the tenth annual Chicago Sketch Comedy Festival. There’s no way to see all 129 groups, so here’s my plan of attack.

Thursday 6
Mountain Dawn, 8pm
What’s this? A sketch supergroup with veterans from Annoyance, Second City, iO and Impress These Apes? I’m placing my bets on this one. The Mary Kay Letourneau Players open.

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Friday 7
Clap It Out, 7pm
These guys cracked me up with Improviser, a musical parody of the art form. Whatever they unleash this time, my curiosity is piqued.

2 Man No Show, 8pm
I swooned over this oddball Canadian duo at 2010’s Chicago Improv Festival and can’t wait to see how its stellar character work and infectious camaraderie translate to sketch.

Elephant Larry, 9pm
We’ve described these New York–based Sketchfest favorites as “consistently clever” and “blessed with a Midas touch for comedy.” We never tire of them.

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Saturday 8
Heavyweight, 9pm
This locally grown supergroup (T.J. Miller, Brady Novak, Mark Raterman and Nick Vatterott) has mostly gone coastal, but they should deliver the funny even if movie-star Miller sits this one out.

New Exc!tement, 10pm
One of the great joys of Sketchfest is when visiting groups, unfettered by the Second City mold, blow us away with completely unexpected scene work. This bizarre and bawdy New York quintet did just that at last year’s fest.

Keilly & Roeters, 11pm
The late shows tend to get, dare we say it, sketchy. That’s why I’m staying awake for this bold and brainy L.A.-based duo and Groundlings vets. Their combination of chemistry and smarts killed in years past.

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Sunday 9
Inside Joke Films, 4pm
Sundays are a great day to see local acts. At Snubfest 2010, Inside Joke Films’ Jonathan Braylock and Ramy Youssef were indefatigable, ebullient and endlessly clever. Both judges and audience awarded them Best Sketch Group. The duo Sausage follows.

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January 13
Germans + Long Pork, 9:30pm
I missed this local quartet of experimental and slow-burn sketchers at last year’s fest, but another TOC comedy writer raved. They’re paired with lowbrow jokers Long Pork.

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January 14
Maria, 7pm
The character work from this funny quartet of wise Latinas has so much integrity, it’s often more realistic than the people they’re lampooning.

the tim&micah project, 9pm
Offbeat, physical and occasionally head scratching, the infinitely silly Tim Soszko and Micah Philbrook delight.

FUCT, 10pm
At last year’s fest, this New York troupe created a lot of buzz (and some anger). Fearless, outrageous and masochistic are words used to describe them, and I can’t wait to see what all the fuss is about.

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January 15
GayCo, 7pm
This “best of” show promises to bring out the greatest gay bits from the group’s 15-year history.

Blaire, 8pm
Another Sketchfest favorite, the five local women of Blaire proudly go for estrogen-fueled subject matter, but don’t expect any heartwarming romcom crap. These ladies are ballsy.

Summer of Tears, 9pm
This talented group won Best Sketch Group at Aspen in 2007 and produced a pilot with Henry Winkler. They’re back at Sketchfest, so they’re not quite movie stars yet. But we’re happy to watch these arrested adolescents claw their way toward adulthood with their smart, sophomoric, self-absorbed high jinks.

Maximum Party Zone, 10pm
Ten years after performing at the first Chicago Sketchfest, the likable trio of local weirdos reunites. Are these oldies still goodies?

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January 16
Soul Fools + Blackout, 7pm
A lot of newbie groups populate Sketchfest’s final day. I’m leaning toward the African-American one-two punch of sketch group Soul Fools, scene veterans since 2003, coupled with late-night favorites Blackout.

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