Chicago
City Limits Improvisational Theater
Chicago City Limits is New York's longest-running comedy
revue, thrilling audiences for over twenty-five years
with its unique style of improvisational comedy. Its
critically acclaimed show, award-winning National Touring
Company, and top notch theatre training program has
made Chicago City Limits a New York landmark.
Chicago City Limits was founded in 1977 in Chicago by
George Todisco and actors participating in the workshop
program at The Second City. In 1979, Chicago City Limits
relocated to New York, performing regularly at Catch
a Rising Star, the Improv, the Duplex, and other noted
clubs. It established its own theater in the summer
of 1980 and began a continuous run that is now over
8,500 performances!
Over the years, Chicago City Limits has made numerous
TV appearances, including "The Today Show,"
"McLaughlin," "The Joan Rivers Show,"
"The Jackie Mason Show," Comedy Central, PBS,
and "Good Day NY." The group appeared in its
own TV new comedy series, "Reel News," on
the USA network.
The Chicago City Limits National Touring Company performs
at colleges, corporate events and regional theatres
throughout the country. The group has appeared at such
diverse venues as Lincoln Center, HBO's US Comedy Arts
Festival, the Smithsonian Institution, The Super Bowl,
and the "Jerry Lewis Labor Day Telethon."
The Chicago City Limits Training Center, now in its
24rd season offers New York City's most thorough improvisation
training, with classes for beginners and seasoned performers.
Besides comedy improvisation classes, Chicago CIty Limits
offers workshops on topics such as musical improvisation,
character development, improvisation for actors, sketch
writing, physical comedy, and stand up.
Chicago City Limits also teaches creativity and team-building
seminars for corporations across the country. For more
information on corporate work, click here: www.chicagocitylimits.com
Touring
The Chicago City Limits National Touring Company performs
for colleges, regional theaters, companies and organizations
throughout the US and the world.
Corporate Entertainment and Training
Chicago City Limits brings its unique style of comedy
and improvisation to meetings and events for many of
today's top corporations. The group provides banquet
entertainment, speaker and support and entertainment
at company meetings, breakout sessions and more.
The basis of improvisation – listening, thinking
out of the box, maximizing the productivity of the group
– are brought to life in a series of dynamic workshops
designed to facilitate teambuilding, creativity and
diversity training. CCL is a leader in corporate training,
and develops customized training programs for its clients.
Although the core of the work used improvisational theater
techniques, theatrical skills and aptitude are not requirements.
First Sundays Comedy Film Festival
The First Sundays Film Festival is a home base for creators
of short comedy films. Drawing from Chicago City Limits'
20+ years in comedic storytelling, it is First Sundays'
mission to empower filmakers by offering a venue for
their passion, to use technology to the best of their
ability, to get to the heart of the story, to make it
funny, and get it on screen. That formula has already
earned us a consistent following, one that is growing
with each and every show. We're a playground for filmakers
and audience alike. So get out there and make a film,
submit it to us, and we'll show you the gems. The revolution
will not be televised, it's all on the screen at First
Sundays.
