The Playground Theater

The Playground Theater, founded in 1997, remains the only continuously operating non-profit theater in Chicago dedicated to an art form invented in Chicago - Modern Theatrical Improvisation. The Playground was founded in 1997 by its original member companies. The Playground theater exists as a non-profit co-op, governed by its member companies, or "teams." The Playground currently is home to over 12 house teams in addition to guest teams, and members of the theater's Incubator Program. The Playgrounds Mission is to provide a home for comedians to grow as performers, writers, directors and producers. The Playground is committed to entertaining audiences with successful shows that reflect our core values: fun, freedom, and opportunity. Located at 3209 N. Halsted Street, The Playground features performances every night of the week at 8pm and 10pm.

From time to time the theater holds auditions for its signature Incubator Program, in which applicants are judged on their skills at scene-based improvised comedy. Those who pass are assembled into Incubator Teams with a certain guaranteed number of shows on The Playground's stage. The newly hatched teams are then free to govern their own fates, hire their own coaches, and generally pursue a career as an improv ensemble. Some Incubator teams eventually wind up applying for membership status with the theater.