Bye Bye, Lakeshore Theater

[dan telfer]

Sadly, the Lakeshore will be closing it's doors in two weeks. To say I am indebted to this place would be an understatement. Chris Ritter championed the ever loving shit out of me.

I got to work with so many people I admired there. I am tempted to list them all, but I already have a resume I pass around all the time. I won't be obnoxious here. I will just say that I have worked with a Headliner Dream Team. I forged friendships with incredibly talented people who made me such a better artist. This happened over a very short period of time. My only regret is that I was scheduled to headline in May, and the life of the theater is being cut short only three weeks shy.

Thank you to every staffer, intern, and audience member who has supported the theater, not just for shows I was involved in. Thank you to everyone who went to that crazy theater, ever. There was nothing like it on the planet and there will likely never be again. Thanks most of all to Chris Ritter, the first club owner to treat me like somebody with my own ideas worth sharing.

[thecomedian]

The Office spec script reading was the first performance that I saw there. I've had some great comedic times just sitting in the audience whether it was for TJ Miller, Smigel and Dino, The Sklar Brothers or the Office spec script readings.

[J.B.]

Damn sad to see it go.

[percykittens]

very sad

[Adult Ed]

Never been, as a New Yorker I never really expected to go. Still, based on the acts I heard were headlining there, it represented a respect for comedy to me. I am as sad to hear of its closing as I would be if I heard that Largo or Acme was shutting down.

[pollymaepry]

This is the blowest. Some awesome, some so terrible they become awesome memories I'll have forever of The Lakeshore. Thanks a ton to Ritter for all of them.

[Cool Slut]

I'm as sad as three people.

[dan telfer]

More on the closing.

[darrylduffy]

i've only been able to make it out there once, for the Paul F. Tompkins 'Freak Wharf' recording, but figured i'd be able to see another show there next time i was in Chicago. was always excited to read about it on here and see the kinds of acts that The Lakeshore was bringing in.

[dan telfer]

I'll be talking about the closing a little bit on WBEZ Monday morning.

[MAACP]

It made me really sad to see this thread. The Lakeshore is where I got to discover a lot of great local talent, and allowed me to introduce my friends to a lot of my favorite comedians (The Team Submarine/Anthony Jeselnik/Doug Benson show was probably my favorite). Maybe I should've bought more tickets outright instead of taking advantage of the many free offers they had.

Anyways, Ritter, if you still read this, thanks so much for all your hard work over the last few years. Letting ASTers get a jump on the extra Bob and David tickets last year was so cool of you. The Lakeshore was an amazing place, and I'll miss it a lot.

[DJ Sam]

I'm sad I'll never get to experience this venue.

[semisorick]

I have a lot of great memories associated with the Lakeshore Theater and can't believe its closing. It's where I met Matt Belknap, PFT, the Sklar Brothers, Davy Rothbart and it is where I saw Bob and David, Kristen Schaal and Dan Telfer.

If I didn't live two hours away, I'd have gone much more often. Thanks for all your hard work, Ritter...it really has been appreciated.

[drieux]

Very sad news. I only managed to get there once myself but it was a great show (Todd Barry, Natasha Leggero) and hoped they'd be open for a long, long time. Too bad.

[davidd]

Yeah, this is terrible news for Chicago comedy people. At the Lakeshore, I saw Todd Barry, Andy Kindler, Jamie Kilstein, Marc Maron, Eugene Mirman, Patton Oswalt, Janeane Garofalo, Maria Bamford (four times), and the best stand-up show I've ever seen, Louis CK (on the tour where he was doing the material that would become "Chewed Up")

It's even worse when I think about the people I was planning on seeing in the upcoming months, like Maria Bamford, Kristen Schaal, Doug Benson, and probably a lot more. I doubt these comics are going to be coming to Zanies.

[CJ Toledano]

One of the first shows I ever saw as a resident of Chicago was Colonel Ritter's Show at midnight at The Lakeshore Theater. It featured Ken Barnard, Dan Telfer, and was hosted by Team Submarine. All who I now consider great friends of mine. There were only like 15 of us in the crowd but I remember then knowing that this was the perfect comedy venue and was a goal of mine to someday perform there. Also, Steve and Nate made everyone clap for 10 minutes straight. It's a great memory.

Since then I've seen so many shows. From comedians that I had already admired (Paul F. Tompkins, Bill Burr) to comedians I am now huge fans of thanks to LST (Reggie Watts, Kristen Schaal, Brendon Burns). Lakeshore Theater is a very important part of my comedy education that I've received in Chicago. Just as important as the education I got at Second City and iO, if not more. This was THE theater for comedy fans like us.

As a local comic, I can't express the tremendous blow this does for the scene. Lakeshore Theater was THE place to perform. It connected us with the legitimately best in the art form. It was always amazing to see when a guy from our scene got the call that he would be working the weekend and the amount of local comics that would show up just to see him in front of the giant houses that the theater provided. It was simply awesome seeing someone who works at it night after night at open mics in noisy Chicago bars to seeing them now performing in front of 300 people. Lakeshore made that all possible.

After hosting several shows, I was booked to feature for Maria Bamford this upcoming May. Even though it didn't happen, I will be forever grateful for even the thought of Ritter and the rest of the staff thinking of me when it came to booking such a big weekend of shows.

Thanks again, Lakeshore Theater. Let's kill Mike Sheehan at Jim Jeffries next weekend.

No, that's a terrible way to say thanks. I should never include Mike Sheehan in a final toast.

So, just thanks and I hope you are reincarnated in one way or another.

[Ritter]

Thanks guys... Been an amazing run.

[A_S]

It's even worse when I think about the people I was planning on seeing in the upcoming months, like Maria Bamford, Kristen Schaal, Doug Benson, and probably a lot more. I doubt these comics are going to be coming to Zanies.

Not to get off topic, and it's kind of a drive if you're in the city but if you ever make it south, I'd keep an eye on the Jukebox in Peoria. It's generally pretty Bob & Tom-heavy but I know Maria Bamford just spent a weekend there, Doug Benson is playing early May, and Jimmy Pardo will be there at the end of April. I was stuck in the area for too long years ago but managed to see a number of amazing shows there. Plus, kill time before or after a show at either next door venue: the equally terrifying stock car track or strip club!

Back on topic: I moved from the Chicago area 5 years ago and one of the main things that always made me think of moving back was all the great stories from friends about the Lakeshore Theater. Even hearing second-hand stories about the shows was great and made me extremely jealous that I missed them. Very, very sad to hear the doors are closing.

[Davescotts]

I am sooooo sad I was so excited to see dan on my bday Maria bandied Doug benson garfunkel and Oates and rob riggel well now what happens to those shows now will they be done elsewhere or not at all I'm actualy almost at tears I know tears

[JPSpaulding]

Ritter brought the show "The Idiots" starring Craig Anton and Ron Lynch from LA to the Lakeshore and for me it sums up why I have loved going there so much. Thanks for the ride, it's been surreal.