12th annual Chicago Improv festival kicks off

Hone your audience suggestions—they'll be in demand this week. The 12th annual Chicago Improv Festival begins today, a mere nine months since the last version (yes, organizers have moved the dates again). But a spring slot means we can ditch this crap weather we've been having and duck inside dark theaters for a full week of improv. Naturally, our gut tells us to go easy on the local troupes we can see anytime (not that a Susan Messing–Mick Napier match-up happens every day) and instead focus on visiting companies like Hello Laser, Impromptu Splendor! and the 313. But why listen to us? Pick and choose your own improv adventure with the week's lineup listed after the jump. (Note: The lineup does not include special presentations. For more information and to purchase advance tickets, visit chicagoimprovfestival.org).

Main Stage
Lakeshore Theatre
3175 N Broadway (773-472-3492)

Monday 13, 7:30pm
Opening Act: GayCo Productions
Middle Act: Dyke-Prov
Headlining Act: GayMondo (Guest Monologist: Chicago cabaret singer Honey West)

Tuesday 14, 7:30pm
Opening Act: Mission IMPROVable
Middle Act: Siblings of Doctors
Headlining Act: FACEBOOK

Thursday 16, 7:30pm
Opening Act: Barinholtz and Belushi
Middle Act: Velvet Gunn
Headlining Act: Ike Barinholtz & Jordan Peele

Friday 17, 7:30pm
Opening Act: Barrio Speedwagon
Middle Act: TBA
Headlining Act: Frangela

Friday 17, 10:30pm
Opening Act: Oui Be Negroes
Headlining Act: Boom Chicago Alumni

Saturday 18, 7:30pm
Opening Act: Johnny Lunchpail
Middle Act: Catnip
Headlining Act: The 313

Saturday 18, 10:30pm
Opening Act: Pimprov
Headlining Act: The Doubtful Guests

Sunday 19, 7:30pm
Opening Act: Virgin Daiquiri
Middle Act: Improvised Shakespeare Company
Headlining Act: BASSPROV (with special guest)

Showcase
The Second City Skybox
1608 N Wells St, fourth floor (312-337-3992)

Friday 17, 7pm
Opening Act: Surf-n-Turf
Headlining Act: Snippets

Friday 17, 8:30pm
Opening Act: The Dollhouse
Headlining Act: The DK And Morgan Show

Friday 17, 10pm
Opening Act: JINX
Headlining Act: Without Annette

Friday 17, 11:30pm
Opening Act: The Tuskegee Experiment
Headlining Act: Hot Lawyer

Saturday 18, 7pm
Headlining Act: Impromptu Splendor

Saturday 18, 8:30pm
Opening Act: pH Productions
Headlining Act: Rare Bird Show

Saturday 18, 10 pm
Opening Act: Little American Bastards
Headlining Act: 4Track

Saturday 18, 11:30pm
Opening Act: Ay Diego!
Headlining Act: The Reckoning

Showcase
The Playground Theater
3209 N Halsted St (773-871-3793)

Thursday 16, 8pm
Opening Act: Stripper's Picnic
Headlining Act: Dummy

Friday 17, 7:30pm
Opening Act: Norsk Sceneskrekk
Headlining Act: The Wilhem

Friday 17, 9 pm
Opening Act: Atilla
Headlining Act: Sybil

Friday 17, 10:30pm
Opening Act: WDWMKR
Headlining Act: Hello Laser

Saturday 18, 6pm
Burning Desires

Saturday 18, 7:30pm
Opening Act: Foxy Freestyle
Headlining Act: Bastards, Inc.

Saturday 18, 9pm
Opening Act: Dominizuelan
Headlining Act: Monkey 13 and the Masked Menace

Saturday 18, 10:30pm
Opening Act: Whiskey Rebellion
Headlining Act: Parrallelagramphonograph

Showcase
Chemically Imbalanced Theater
1420 W Irving Park Rd (773-865-7731)

Friday 17, 10:30pm
Opening Act: Poser
Middle Act: Firth & Arjet
Headlining Act: Latchkey Kids

Saturday 18, 10:30pm
Opening Act: Space Robbers
Middle Act: The Uncle Ukelelel Show
Headlining Act: Rooster

Showcase
Gorilla Tango Theater
1919 N Milwaukee Ave (773-598-4549)

Wednesday 15, 8pm
Headlining Act: Iceworm

Saturday 18, 11:30pm
Headlining Act: The Great Puppet Bollywood Extravaganza

Short-Form Showcase
Laugh Out Loud
Streets of Woodfield, 601 N Martingale Rd, Ste 171, Schaumburg (847-240-0386)

Friday 17, 7:30pm & 9:30pm
Opening Act: On The Spot Improv
Headlining Act: Laugh Out Loud Players

Saturday 18, 7:30pm
Opening Act: The Improv Mafia
Middle Act: Team Bobby
Headlining Act: Laugh Out Loud Players

Saturday 18, 9:30pm
Opening Act: The Improv Mafia
Headlining Act: Laugh Out Loud Players

Late Night
Annoyance Theatre
4830 N Broadway (773-561-4665)

Thursday 16, 10:30pm
Headlining Act: Messing with a Friend (Special Guest: Mick Napier)

Friday 17, midnight
Opening Act: Babel Fish
Headlining Act: Psychic Improv

Saturday 18, midnight
Opening Act: The Mustache Rangers
Headlining Act: Three Hole Punch

Night Owl
The Playground Theater
3209 N Halsted St (773-871-3793)

Saturday 18, midnight–3am
Blackout
Bearded Men Improv
Standards & Practices
T & A