Yuk it up for a mere five bucks!

With $5 value meals all the rage, it pays to see what the Chicago Underground Comedy is serving up at the Beat Kitchen this Tuesday night. With just a 'fin' required for admission, you can catch the acts of six up-and-coming stand up comedians, which adds up to less than a buck an act.... without the hackneyed 'take my wife, please' skits. 

Chicago Underground Comedy producer, Elizabeth McQuern promises 'a strong, consistently inventive and hilarious show full of tremendously talented comedians who flourish on our stage because we are an artist-produced show and we care about nurturing our talent.'

Many of the original cast members of the Chicago Underground Comedy troupe have left to hone their skills in Los Angeles or New York as Chicago is generally recognized as a `stepping stone' for fledgling stand up comedians. Yet, away from the high wattage media glare found on both coasts, Chicago based stand up comedy has been described as a bit more experimental and less calculating since the performers are not kowtowing to industry executives or agents.

Plus, thanks to the long-running success of Second City, the Improv Olympics, the Annoyance Theatre and other notables, Chicago is universally recognized as an 'improvisational' kind of town. McQuern acknowledges the improv effect on Chicago stand up when she cites the many comedians who have gotten their start in improv as well as the fact that 'Chicago's rich improv history flavors its stand-up in many ways, like taking the form of character-based stand-up, having a looser, more improvisational style, more give-and-take with the audience, etc. When we visit other cities and see their stand-up `flavor,'or when out-of-town comedians guest at our show, we see the contrast, and it makes me really appreciate the uniqueness of our comedy.'

Visitors who fill the back room of the Beat Kitchen every Tuesday can enjoy beer specials and 'surprisingly excellent food' as well as sublime stand up from the following individuals. Here is McQuern's take on on a few of the performers in Tuesday night's lineup:

Beth Stelling- 'Incredibly naturally funny person, with a marvelous stage presence that's both powerful and responsive. I've honestly never seen her not kill'

Brendan McGowan- 'Marvelous. Chicago through and through. Has a casual-seeming storytelling style - we've watched him grow from green newbie to powerful, masterful stand-up over these last few years. Consistently well-loved by crowds and genuinely funny'

Dan Polydoris- 'Wonderfully musically talented. His comedy songs are just fantastic. Always funny'

Other Tuesday night performers include Jeff Hansen along with Aaron Foster ( We Love Obama Tour) and Joe Fernandez (Early Weekend Show)

The Beat Kitchen is located at 2100 W. Belmont in Roscoe Village. The doors to the Chicago Underground Comedy Show open at 8:45 p.m with the show beginning at 9:30 p.m. $5 tickets can be purchased at the door or online at ticketweb.com. So, get on the beat and and see why it's been billed as `best show at the best price.'

For more info: www.chicagoundergroundcomedy.com/index2.html