Cute local vibe, great energy! Had the best time working in this space at a recent workshop!

This place is absolutely awesome! We bought out the theater for an evening, and invited our clients to enjoy their show. Shelby was the organizer, and we just trusted her to make it a great night. She blew us away. They took care of our every need, and put on a show that left our clients happier than we could have imagined. Thank you Bughouse! We will be back for more in 2023!!! read more

Bughouse Theater - Performing Arts Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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We had a GREAT birthday party for my six year-old at Bughouse theatre. We weren't planning to have a large party, so we decided to attend the weekly 10:30am Saturday show, titled Hogwash, and rent the space afterwards for an hour to eat pizza and cake. Our group was 11 children and their adults. I was impressed upon our arrival. Jeanette, our coordinator, and a few of her fellow performers were setting up the theatre when we arrived. They were very welcoming to my children, husband and me and even brought out some coloring books to distract our children while my husband and I set-up for the party. They were helpful with my questions about party logistics and while there are only 2 tables to use for food, gifts, etc, the 6 year-olds didn't mind eating on the floor. Our performance started which included 5 performers and a guitarist, Kyle. I expected there to be audience participation, but the level we experienced was amazing and surpassed expectations. The show started along the premise that the original script was lost so the audience needed to help with storyline and details. Once the location and characters were established, the children were invited to draw on three big sheets of paper other details that would be important and included in the story. I LOVED that the children were given multiple ways of participating in the performance(drawing setting, orally giving suggestions, acting on stage during performance). The staff was engaging with all the kids and improv is tough enough with adults much less kids that may not always be willing participants! There wasn't a lot of current information out there about this great kids venue in NorthCenter, so I felt like I should share my experience so more people can join in the fun! From the beginning of my party planning and emailing Joe, one of the owners, to the end of the party, all of the staff members were very professional. Thanks Bughouse Theatre! We can't wait to visit again soon! read more

I had no idea what to expect when my friend told me to meet him here for a late-night improv show. With a name like Bughouse Theater, my brain was going wild with possibilities for the decor. Beetle statues? Science experiments? Spy equipment? Nope, none of the above. Actually, the place was so nondescript that my travelling partner and I accidentally made spectacles of ourselves as we peeked through the windows, studying what appeared to be a church group as we tried to figure out what venue our cabbie brought us to. Enough people turned around that my friend finally looked back, laughed and rescued us. Turned out that it was simply intermission between the two improv acts. We paid our entry fee (half price, since we missed half the show. Score!) and sat down with my friend in the pew. Yes, the pew. Seating consisted of about five church pews and two rows of folding chairs. The room looked like a small storefront, with merchandise slats covering three of the walls. My friend said it felt like a pentecostal church, and he wasn't wrong. The only thing that alluded to performance art was the Bughouse Theatre name above the slats in front of the room. There was a platform -- not quite high enough to be called a stage -- where the performers did their thing, and that was about all there was to look at. We were in a beige box, and a chilly one, at that. Ladies, bring a jacket unless you want to blind people with your headlights. I'm not sure if groups perform regularly at the Bughouse, as I don't live in Chicago. I'd imagine that your comfort in the space would have a great deal to do with how much you enjoy whatever you're watching. The Bughouse worked for me, but that may have been because I was sitting among friends and the brothers from Piebenga Plumbing -- that evening's performers -- were hilarious. The $5-$10 entry fee was swell, too, as were the post-show Pixies tunes. read more

I was going to a street fest in my neighborhood with a friend of mine last weekend, but the weather was really bad: rainy, windy, and chilly. We just decided to go to a random comedy show in Bughouse Theater near my place after dropping by the fest for 30 minutes. When we got there 10 minutes before the show, 50 seats were almost filled up. It was an inaugural BYOB show and we were able to bring our own tea ( no alcohol for us this time). Also, they served an complementary Indian appetizer, samosas, and we really enjoyed it before the show. When the show started, I remember I continuously laughed, and my cheeks hurt when the one and a half stand up comedy show ended. I really had lots of fun listening to personal stories and funny experiences of the comedians with different racial, cultural, and religious backgrounds. It turned out to be a wonderful choice for our Saturday evening entertainment. I can't wait to go back their next show for Simmer Brown on June 20th. read more

I came in last night because I'm visiting Chicago from Michigan and Johnny O'Mara was doing a show with his group. I'm a fan of Johnny cause of his work on the Campaign Podcast so I figured i'd throw him some support while I was in the city. All three groups that performed last night were pretty good. I didn't know what to expect, I've never been to an improv show, but there were plenty of laughs and on the whole I enjoyed the whole thing. The Bughouse is an intimate little setting and while it could probably use a fresh coat of paint it served well enough. I'd probably show up again in the future if I lived in the area, ten bucks for a seat is competent reasonable and I always like to support local talent when I can. read more

Checked out a show at this fun, simplistic, nondiscript theater tucked away on a busy street. The Saturday night improv show was a blast with three different acts. Don't go here expecting super clean cut polished work. If you want an intimate show with friendly people (much of the audience is in the industry themselves) than this is worth checking out. read more

Really cool little theater! Saw a show recently called "Everything is Fine: Hosted By LIAR" and loved it! Wouldn't want to be anywhere else on a Tuesday at 8 and I'm going back again soon! read more