With 2016 insisting on being a Dumpster fire right down to the end, one of my first wishes for 2017 has to be “someone tell a joke.” Luckily Chicago comics are ready with 50 of them. Entering its 11th year in NYC and having expanded into seven other cities since, the comedy show 50 First Jokes arrives in Chicago on January 3.
The format is straightforward: 50 stand-ups take the stage to share the first new joke they’ve written in the new year. The Chicago lineup is packed with stalwarts of the local scene (check the full list of confirmed names below) and produced by the Comedy Exposition’s Liz Maupin (also of Late Late Breakfast) and Zach Peterson (Arguments & Grievances, VHS). 50 First Jokes will take the @North Bar stage starting at 8pm; tickets are $10 and are on sale now.
The confirmed lineup as of this morning:
Cleveland Anderson
Jeff Arcuri
Sammy Arechar
Geoff Asmus
Carly Ballerini
Bobby Budds
Bill Bullock
Adam Burke
Peter-John Byrnes
Reena Calm
Erica Nicole Clark
Bobby Condon
Brandy Denise
Marty DeRosa
Jeanie Doogan
Matt Drufke
Calvin Evans
Joe Fernandez
Dan Friesen
Gena Gephart
Cameron Gillette
Kaitlyn Grissom
Stephanie Hasz
Dave Helem
Miles Hendrix
Kelsie Huff
Tyler Jackson
Meredith Kachel
Danny Kallas
Steven King
Xavier Lamont
Lainie Lenertz
Nicky Martin
Danny Maupin
Rachel McCartney
Tim McLaughlin
Sameena Mustafa
Shannon Noll
Rebecca O’Neal
Deanna Ortiz
David Philips
Nicholas Rouley
Matty Ryan
Dan Sheehan
Sarah Sherman
Derek Smith
Kristin Toomey
Stephanie Weber
Toler Wolfe
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