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5 Seminal moments in Annoyance history
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The Annoyance was just selected by the Chicago Reader as the best place to see sketch and improv comedy besides iO or Second City. The Comedy Examiner is well aware of The Annoyance’s importance in the Chicago theater community. Along with Second City and iO, completion of the Annoyance training center is paramount in a well-rounded improv education. No subject is taboo nor is any topic and students are taught to take care of themselves first so that they can then take care of their scene partner. Mick Napier said in an interview that, “It is all about the individual and what an individual actually can do when improvising versus a lot of information about what not to do which is what I experienced when I was learning improvisation. So I don’t really teach many rules or say, “You don’t want to do this…” It’s all about giving each individual power on stage as an individual, and how to help him". In his book he makes the art form tangible and accessible for performers. He preaches commitment. Saying “Whatever Q equals just "f" it, just do it.” It’s an actors commitment to a situation that makes a moment and those moments are usually heightened. As a result, Annoyance shows are sexy, bloody, dirty, political, mean, honest, raw, kitschy, and therefore funny. The have always and continue to push the boundaries of an ever changing art form.
With the help of Annoyance Managing Director and Class Administrator Mike Canale, the Comedy Examiner has complied a list of…
5 Important dates in Annoyance history!
July 17, 1987 – Canale volunteered, “MetraForm performs for the first time ever at the Metro. It was long form improv show about a mythical journey. It was said to be quite boring. The room was also almost 120 degrees.”
October 10, 1987 - Metroform opens "Splatter Theatre." At the time The Annoyance started, Napier was fascinated with horror movie auteur Herschel Gordon Lewis, saying, “I was twenty-four years old and I wanted to create Splatter Theater, which is all about blood, and it was a comedy, kind of a parody of slasher films. After that I was kind of into prison stuff so I did Co-ed Prison Sluts.“
April 21, 1989 - Co-Ed Prison Sluts. The longest running musical in Chicago history. Susan Messing, an ensemble member and the originator of the role Alice, was just selected by the Chicago Reader as Chicago’s Best Improviser. It was a show about wonderfully slutty and horrible people in a co-ed prison… they also had a prison dog too. Mick and the cast had an agreement that when the old dog died the show would close and her death did nearly coincided with the planned leveling of their Clark Street space.
June 10, 2000 - The Annoyance closes its doors on Clark Street. A dark day in Chicago history. Napier, without a theater space, created a production company that would include a theater, soundstage, editing suites, training program producing film, television, digital media, broadband, short handheld content all distributed and marketed from Chicago. The Annoyance web site has tons of this fun schtuff.
June 29, 2006 - The Annoyance re-opens at 4830 N. Broadway after a 6-year hiatus … and Chicago was reinvigorated by the influx of old and new Annoyance energy. Messing’s show just celebrated its 2 year anniversary at The New, New (New?) Annoyance… and Co-Ed Prison Sluts is back! They have shows and classes almost every day of the week.
Whatever the ticket price equals just "f" it, just do it. Go to The Annoyance.
The Annoyance Theatre & Bar
4830 N. Broadway
Chicago, IL 60640
773.561.4665
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