Second City, Chicago

Great, but get there early for good seats. The skits are so funny.

Every show I've seen here is really funny, you definitely get your money's worth. The seating can be a little crowded though and you might try sneaking in your own booze.

Nestled in gorgeous Old Town is the Cradle of Sketch Comedy. Always on the lookout for the next John Belushi, Gilda Radner, or Chris Farley, Second City skewers all sacred cows in service to the big laugh. It's rapid-fire, hit-and-miss, controlled bedlam. Don't dispair if you can't get tickets to the big show. The back-bench is deep, and sometimes Second City Etc. is funnier than the main stage's show.

It's a great theatre with entertaining shows, it's legendary now and is one of the most famous theatre's in the US if not the world.

This comedy theater is known for finding talent for the likes of Saturday Night Live, such as Gilda Radner, Dan Akroyd, Eugene Levy, and Chris Farley. I took some friends to see their show at the smaller theater (there are 2, right near each other), so there are two different casts. Each of the theaters perform a different prepared series of sketch comedy, and at the end they do live improvised sketches (for which the audience can opt to stay or leave). The humor is farcical and sartirical (much like SNL), and a few skits are brief musicals. There is the sort of humor that is so non-PC (politically correct) that it is absurdly funny. Political references definitely have a liberal bent. My friends did laugh, so it was a good time. Tickets were about $18 for the Sunday evening show. They also serve a variety of cocktails and some bar food. I had a turkey panini, where the bread was burnt, so I don't recommend the food.