CCL’s “Revenge of the Reindeer” at Opera House, Thursday Night

CCL’s “Revenge of the Reindeer” at Opera House, Thursday Night

CCL_reindeer-sleighpull1 Add comedy to the list of unsolved mysteries right after the Big Bang and black holes.

In the Woody Allen movie “Crimes and Misdemeanors,” one character describes what tickles our funny bones and wrinkles our noses as “tragedy plus time.”

Steve Martin famously described comedy as “what makes you laugh, but not puke.” He also said: “Comedy is not pretty.”

Check out the faces on the Opera House poster promoting the upcoming appearance of Chicago City Limits. The members of the comedy troupe are not pretty either. But they are widely regarded as very funny.

Chicago City Limits is New York’s longest running show. Hailed as "hysterical and unpredictable" by the New York Times, the national touring production of CCL has appeared at venues as diverse as Lincoln Center, the Smithsonian Institution, Jerry Lewis Labor Day Telethon, the 1995 Super Bowl, and at colleges and regional theaters in North America and Europe.

Director Paul Zuckerman defines improvisation as "comedy without a net." The troupe creates a one-of-a-kind theatrical experience by taking suggestions from audience members and crafting scenes – everything from mini-musicals to game shows  – on the spot, which means no two Chicago City Limits productions are ever alike. The end result is a belly ache – in the good sense.

The impressive list of guest artists who have improvised with Chicago City Limits over the years include international stars such as Paul Reiser, Robin Williams, Brett Butler, and Bill Irwin.

George Todisco and actors participating in the workshop program at The Second City founded Chicago City Limits in Chicago, as the name would suggest, but in 1979, relocated the troupe to New York.  In 1980, the ensemble established its own theater and began a continuous run now numbering over 8,500 Off Broadway performances at The Improv.

Showtime at the Sheridan Opera House is 8 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 11

Tickets, $35 for first row balcony and front cocktail tables and $30 general admission, are available at the Opera House Box Office, Monday – Friday, 10 – 4 p.m. , by phone at 970-728-6363 or through www.TellurideTicket.com.

For further information about other holiday shows, go to www.sheridanoperahouse.com or call the number above.

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