Live Stand-Up Comedy Returns To Highland Park's Madame Zuzu's on January 15th

There is definitely something funny going on in Highland Park, and the venue might surprise you.

If you have seen live stand-up comedy in Highland Park within the last year, you more than likely saw it at Madame ZuZu’s Teahouse, in the Ravinia Business District.

Since last August, ZuZu’s has welcomed Funnier By The Lake Comedy (www.funnierbythelake.com) to produce comedy showcases featuring select professional and up-and-coming comedians from Chicago and the surrounding area.

On Friday, January 15th, live comedy returns to Madame ZuZu’s Teahouse, 582 Roger Williams Avenue, in the Ravinia neighborhood of Highland Park.

Funnier By The Lake Comedy showcases are produced and hosted by Larry Bloom, of Highland Park. Bloom, who has made it a mission since 2013 to bring comedy to the North Shore, was invited to perform in a comedy showcase at ZuZu’s in April of 2015, and found it to be a surprisingly unique and comfortable space for stand-up comedy.

“Since it is small, everybody in the place is audience,” Bloom says of the intimate venue, owned by Smashing Pumkins founder, Billy Corgan. “We don’t use a microphone, so performers are right there, talking to the people. It is great fun!”

“Our previous shows at ZuZu’s have been flat-out amazing. Standing-room-only and every comedian just killed it!” Bloom says. “Everybody in the room--the comics, the audience and even the staff--had a great time.”

Bloom has run a comedy show in Highwood, at The Alley (now 210 Restaurant), on the 3rd Thursday of each month for over a year and a half, and will be moving that showcase down the road, to Highwood’s The Humble Pub, beginning January 21st.

Through Funnier By The Lake, Bloom produces comedy showcases, offers emcee/host services, stand-up comedy for social and corporate events, as well as humorous content for blogs and publications.

The January 15 show at ZuZu’s is free to attend and is gearing up to be another knock-out-drag-out comedy event, with an eclectic lineup including seasoned professionals and up-and-coming performers from a variety of backgrounds and cultures, who are standouts in the Chicago comedy scene.

Performing at the first show of 2016 will be:

Larry Bloom (Host)

Peter Lipsey

Ricky March

Catye Palomino

Sameena Mustafa

Audrey Jonas

Special guest: Prateek Srivastava

Comedian Lipsey, who has been in the business for a quarter century, performed at the most recent Funnier By The Lake Comedy showcase at ZuZu’s, in October. “Proportionally, it was one of the top 25 gigs I’ve ever done. And after 25 years of stand-up, I was really happy to have that happen,” says Lipsey.

Show details:

Date: Friday, January 15
Time: 8 p.m.
Location: Madame ZuZu’s Teahouse, 582 Roger Williams Avenue, Highland Park
Cost: FREE

Madame ZuZu’s is family friendly, even in the evening, so language and content will be appropriate.
For reminders and more show/performer info and to share and invite others, visit: https://www.facebook.com/events/1682943375310688/

Questions about this event can be directed to larry@funnierbythelake.com.