The Apiary

TONIGHT, catch stand-up comic and radio personality James Fritz as he records his first comedy CD. Chicago Underground Comedy and Red Bar Radio present "Deflated," 9 p.m., Beat Kitchen, 2100 W. Belmont, Chicago, FREE.

Photo by Erin Madson

TONIGHT , stand-up comic Sean Flannery 's one man show, "Never Been to Paris," debuts at the Lincoln Lodge. Voted Best Comic by readers of the Chicago Reader this year, Sean's multimedia show is a raucous storytelling experience, wherein details of near-fatal accidents, ridiculous family tales, and yarns about living life like every day's your last will be told. Catch the show tonight or any Friday through September 10.

Lincoln Lodge, 4008 N. Lincoln, Chicago, 9 p.m. Tickets are $10 and can be reserved at (773) 251-1539.

Chad Briggs | All photos by: Elizabeth McQuern

By: Elizabeth McQuern

TONIGHT, Chicago-based comedy powerhouse Blewt Productions is bringing Season Five of its 8 week talent contest Impress These Apes back to ComedySportz Theater (929 W. Belmont).

Called "Hands down the best comedy show in Chicago" by the Chicago Tribune (and described by Season Two Apes winner Kristen Studard as "the best and worst 8 weeks of my life"), Apes once again burdens 8 puny humans with the fate of all mankind, as they struggle with challenging weekly performances under the cruel gaze of their judges, three superintelligent apes from the future.

The Season Five cast includes Clare Kelly , Otis Fine , Chloe Ditzel , Rob Anderson , Alisa Rosenthal , Neil Arsenty , Dyan Flores , and Jamie Campbell , who are each sure to find their own special brand of hell during the 8 weeks of challenges like "stand-up with a puppet," "horror movie," and "interpretive dance" (from seasons past).

At the conclusion of last season, former Bastion editor Elizabeth McQuern chatted with freshly-minted Season 4 winner, Chad Briggs , as well the fearsome Apes themselves, one of whom admitted he could probably never hack it as a contestant himself.

Click to read more ...

Dan Telfer, Tony Sam

TONIGHT, 9PM at the Beat Kitchen , 2100 W. Belmont, Chicago Underground Comedy will be a duo bash, with the return of co-founder Tony Sam and the celebration of the beloved underground room's five-year anniversary, as well as current co-producer Dan Telfer 's debut CD release party.

The CD is part of an EP 3-pak, which also includes new works from Greg Proops and Paul F. Tompkins , released by A Special Thing Records. The CD can be purchased here , or from Telfer’s very hands at the Beat Kitchen, tonight.

Related : The AV Club interviews Dan Telfer .

-- Kristy Mangel

As the sun finally makes its way into the Midwestern sky, for the first time in what seems like forever and several decades, comedy beckons you to stumble out of the cave and see the light. Forgo this, the longest winter of your discontent, for it is indeed time to be jolly, once again. Here to help, here are some bonafide HOT TIPS for this weekend:

Aparna Nancherla | Photo by Q. Ledbetter In North Center, visit Chicago’s longest running independent room, the Lincoln Lodge , for their LAST show of Season 10. Apiary friend/general comedy superstar Aparna Nancherla from D.C. will be dropping in as a last minute surprise, while local killers Cameron Esposito, Eliot Rahal , and Sean Flannery , in addition to Chicago’s very own superstar Junior Stopka, round out the stand-up portion of the evening. Cheeky, multi-instrumented rockers The Band of 1000 Names and poet auteur Joel Chmara close out this raucous night of comedy in multiple forms. Snag yourself a seat at Resi’s Bierstube directly afterward to schmooze and booze with the comedy celebs.

TONIGHT @  9:00PM. 4008 N. Lincoln Ave. (between Cuyler Ave. & Damen Ave.), Inside the Lincoln Restaurant, Chicago.

Rasa Gierstikas and Mo Welch | Photo by Jason Thomas And across town in Humboldt Park, local nutto Mo Welch welcomes a bevy of performers to her monthly fiesta of sketch, stand-up, music, poems, wigs, costumes, and sofas. Tonight the Mo Show will feature Jet Eveleth, Ken Barnard, Subhah Agarwal, Crockett, Puterbaugh Sisters, Tia Ayers, Ricky Carmona , and Lyndsay Hailey . Add to the fact that this quaint little theater space is BYOB, and you’ve just figured out your entire Friday night/Saturday morning. Also featured: homemade chocolate chip cookies from Mo’s ma, and birthday celebrations for Ricky Carmona . Comedy birthdays never go unpunished ‘round these parts; it’s sure to be an all-night party down get out.

TONIGHT @  9:30PM. Reversible Eye Gallery, 1103 N. California Ave. (between Haddon Ave. & Thomas St.), Chicago.

Kristen Studard | Photo by Paul Octavious Finish your comedy weekend in Chicago’s historic Uptown neighborhood at the cozy, legendary Annoyance Theater Sunday night, for the acclaimed and nonsensical Kristen Studard’s first ever solo show, “ Small Victories ”. She will reprise her role as a concupiscent bumblebee , for which she won instant infamy and the title of Impress These Apes Champion, second season, in addition to myriad other characters and flights of fancy. Studard is quoted as saying she hopes to get a multi-million dollar fertilizer endorsement deal from this show; come out to say you saw her when …

Sundays @ 9:30PM , through June 13, 2010. The Annoyance Theatre & Bar , 4830 N. Broadway (just north of Lawrence Ave.), Chicago.

-- Kristy Mangel

Lots of news out of the Second City / iO camps this past week. Any eyewitnesses in these camps who want to throw us feature interviews, show recaps, show previews, behind-the-scenes gossip, photo essays, and et cetera, please do email .

--Time Out Chicago has a nice profile piece on the new blood at Second City, both at Mainstage and in the e.t.c. theater. Profiles include Tim Baltz, Allison Bills, Brendan Jennings, Sam Richardson, Tim Robinson , and Mary Sohn . In addition, e.t.c. opens their new revue, “ The Absolute Best Friggin’ Time of Your Life ” this Sunday, May 2.

--TOC also succinctly wrapped the 2010 Chicago Improv Festival .

--New Apiary pal Daniel Solzman has a fun interview with former Second City and Boom Chicago cast member Joe Canale over at his blog, Chicago Improv Celebrity News .

Joe Canale performs with Tim Meadows and Brad Morris at iO | Photo by Angela Manginelli --Solzman also alerts us to the All-Star Celebrity Jam for Charity month, beginning at midnight TONIGHT at iO. According to their recent missive: “iO has designated April 30th - May 28th as All-Star Celebrity Jam for Charity month. All month in the Jam slot (Fridays at midnight) we will have the most talented improvisers in the city, as well as local celebrities, performing short-form games and Jam favorites--all in the name of charity. The success of this event is dependent upon the improv community and its friends all over Chicagoland donating their time and talent to pack the house…Proceeds from the door as well as donations solicited during the show will go to Global Aid Network ( www.globalaid.net ) and will be used specifically to aid in relief efforts taking place in Haiti.”

Hey improv / sketch crew, what else is the haps? Tell us tell us tell us .

-- Kristy Mangel

CJ Sullivan and Sean Flannery, Visitors Locker Room --You have only a day or two to make your bets on the Derby , folks! Combine your gambling impulsion with a financial pledge to help get the Visitors’ Locker Room commercial airtime on the Glenn Beck show. Yes, for real. Your pledge will not only go towards a block of primetime for the comedy sports podcast, but will also be expertly bet on one of them horsies in the Derby this weekend. Read the full missive on the endeavor here .

--Details on headlining acts and events for JFL Chicago 2010 are beginning to emerge; Time Out Chicago and the Comics’ Comic Sean McCarthy are both gearing up for the big event.

Robert Hines --There’s a maybe-pseudo-secret offer going on right now, to get 10 free tickets to see Robert Hines TONIGHT and tomorrow, in addition to a free game of bowling, at the Diversey Rock n’ Bowl bowling alleys. Full details can be found here ; other local favorites scheduled to perform include Drew Michael, Junior Stopka, Emily Lake , and CJ Toledano , according to our source.

--Local sketch group Octavarius is on a mission: to have the Oxford English Dictionary release “boner” as their esteemed Word of the Day. Campaign partners include Chemically Imbalanced Comedy, pH Productions, MISSION IMPROVable, Claymore Productions, Nothing Special Productions, CNGM Pictures, Hugs 'n Pull Ups, Improv Mafia, Sam Hill, Boom Boom Washington Accidental VJ and More Productions. Read more details and the full release here .

And to wrap up this wonderful Friday, watch as Paul Thomas delves into the complications and joys of human cloning:

My Monstrous Clone from Paul Thomas on Vimeo .

-- Kristy Mangel