What's So Funny About Highwood?

There is plenty to be serious about in Highwood.

If you’re a serious foodie, Highwood has the restaurants.

If you are looking for a new house, Highwood is a location to seriously consider.

If you want to locate your business on the North Shore, think of Highwood, seriously.

The Highwood Evening Market is a farmer’s market that has evolved into a serious, weekly event.

And, of course, the fests. Highwood has a lot of fests. A serious variety of fests.

But, it turns out, there is something seriously funny happening in Highwood, each month, at The Alley, located at 210 Green Bay Road.

For more than a year, since April of 2014, the third Thursday evening of each month has played host to one of the few--if not the only--live stand-up comedy shows on the North Shore.

Comedy is not a stranger to The Alley. Over the years, regularly scheduled comedy nights, as well as special events featuring comedians, have been a part of The Alley’s commitment to providing live entertainment to the area.

The latest iteration of a monthly comedy night, however, has really taken hold as a “go to” event where professional and up-and-coming comics can workout new material and hone their craft in front of a receptive audience.

The monthly comedy night is hosted and emceed by Highland Park resident, business owner and stand-up comedian, Larry Bloom. After performing at The Alley a couple of times, Bloom took note of the fact that there was little to no live comedy on the North Shore. When Steve Goldstein, owner of The Alley, a venue that has become a Highwood institution, approached Bloom with the invitation to host a monthly show, it was an easy sell.

“It is great to have the opportunity to produce this show. Unlike the city [of Chicago], which is famous for its comedy and improv community and offers multiple showcases and open mics every night, the North Shore just didn’t have that to offer,” says Bloom.

“As our Highwood show started to gain traction with local talent and a growing audience, it became a sort of mission to bring comedy to the North Shore.”

Bloom, who owns ATI Graphics, Inc. (www.ATIGraphics.com), a Highland Park based branding and design firm, is comfortable in the role of organizer and promoter, and branding is his business, which is a plus.

Over the years, he has co-produced a series of large business events. Since 2010, he has managed and facilitated Breakfast Of Champions Networking (www.BOC-Networking.com), a long-standing business networking group that meets each month. As a board member and vice president of the Highland Park Chamber of Commerce (www.chamberhp.com), Bloom has been integral in coordinating, branding and promoting many Chamber events.

Bloom describes the show, which is free to attend, as a hybrid of a showcase and an open mic night. “I always want to book in advance a full slate of really funny, talented comedians, while leaving a few slots open for walk-ins,” Bloom explains. “That way, the audience is guaranteed to get a good show, and a comic that walks in can be a great surprise talent.”

Bloom does not book comics that he has not either seen perform live or via online video. “If a comic hasn’t covered the local circuit and gained a bit of a reputation, or does not have any videos posted online, he or she probably hasn’t done enough stage time yet. I’m responsible to the venue and the audience to bring in quality comedians.”

There are no restrictions on content or language. Racy language and edgy subject matter are par for the course. Bloom explains, “Comedy does not have to be ‘clean’ to be sophisticated, or profane to be funny. The men and women that take our stage know how to gauge an audience. They are not afraid to push the envelope, but they also don’t want to lose the crowd. It’s a balancing act and when done well, the audience appreciates the material, even if at first it may be outside of their comfort zone.”

The next Comedy Night at The Alley, 210 Green Bay Road, Highwood, is Thursday, June 18th. The show starts at 8pm and there is no cover charge or minimum.

For more information and to view photos from previous shows, visit the event’s page on Facebook at www.facebook.com/alleyhighwoodcomedyshow. If you are comedian interested in performing, or you would like to include comedy at an upcoming corporate or special event, contact Larry Bloom at 847.748.7490 or larry@funnierbythelake.com.