John Mulaney didn't show up to a recent Chicago Cubs game just to sing the 7th-inning stretch (although he also did that). He also had a huge announcement to make: The hometown boy will make history next summer by headlining Wrigley Field as part of his Mister Whatever tour, marking the ballpark’s first comedy show ever. The announcement came as a surprise during the Cubs game on Tuesday night, when Mulaney joined the broadcast booth and dropped the news to an ecstatic crowd.
Wrigley has seen legendary performances by musicians, but never a standup act of this scale. Given that Mulaney’s tour already includes venues with capacities ranging from a few hundred to nearly 20,000, announcing a 41,000-seat show in Chicago is a bold leap. But that ambition aligns with his reputation for smart comedy, making the moment feel like a kind of homecoming and a statement.
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Pre-sale registration for the July 11 performance is open now through the MLB site. While exact show times haven’t been released yet, fans are watching closely—tickets are already showing up on resale platforms starting around $170.
For locals, this is more than just a high-profile show; it's also a rare chance to see a hometown hero personalize a massive stage. For visitors, it adds another reason to plan a trip next summer that goes beyond music or sports for something uniquely Chicago. The paradox of comedy in a baseball stadium only heightens the event’s intrigue: How will Mulaney fill that void with laughter instead of a bat crack or crowd roar?
"Look, if Mark Grace could come out there every day and just deliver—ripping cigarettes—I can face down this crowd too," Mulaney said in a statement. "I'm so excited for it."
Not that Mulaney has ever shied away from scale during his career. His Mister Whatever tour launched in June 2025 and has spanned clubs, theaters and arenas, often with surprise guests like Nick Kroll and Fred Armisen. But moving into Wrigley is a new chapter, one that isn't just about capacity or ambition, but about creating a cultural moment anchored deeply in Chicago's identity.
Expect the announcement of doors, support acts and ticket tiers to roll out soon. As Chicago anticipates one of the city’s boldest entertainment experiments, the opportunity to watch a comedian command Wrigley’s stage might just become next summer’s defining night.