ABOUT THE ANNOYANCE
For 35+ years, The Annoyance Theatre has created some of Chicago’s finest comedy. Artists at The Annoyance are encouraged to explore and develop their unique voice. Through improvisation and writing, we work collaboratively to create new and original plays, musicals, sketch-comedies, solo shows, and more in a vibrant, uncensored atmosphere.
VOTE FOR THE ANNOYANCE
in
Chicago Reader's Best of Chicago 2023
- Best Theater Bar or Lobby
- Best Theater Training Program
- Best Venue for Improv
- Best Comedy Show (Lights)
- Best Open Mic
- Best Sketch/Improv troupe (Missed Call)
- Best Theater Designer (Sam MacNerland)
- Best New Theater Production (Spider Ben)
- Best New Play (Goodnight Gladys, Spider Ben)
chicagoreader.com/best
SEE OUR OTHER SHOWS!
Ronee Goldman (Ronee/Farkus)Ronee is a graduate of Ithaca College’s BFA in Acting program. She lives in Chicago where she does Improv and Sketch at theaters throughout the city.
Evelyn Lawrence (Evelyn/Krampus)Once a critically acclaimed fashion model, Evelyn Lawrence now spends her days doing comedy at The Annoyance Theatre & Bar. Described as the theater's "Darling Number One Ingenue", or "The Angel of Music", a show with Evelyn's sure to implement main pop girly bangers and messianic symbolism. You can catch her performing with her sketch groups Missed Call and Motorcycle Rocketship. Or New York Fashion week if that's more your speed.
Chloe Grogean (Karen)Chloe Grogean is elated to make her debut on the Annoyance stage as Karen. She recently had the joy of joining improv team Art By Artist for their run of shows at the iO Theater, and can be found at other venues across the city performing characters and solo sketch. When not performing in person, Chloe can be found making Tik Toks and videos for Instagram (there are some Karen character videos if you scroll down far enough!), writing sketches with friends, and jamming out on her very old, chunky keyboard.
Tara Heilwagen (Tara/Grinch)Tara is thrilled to make her Annoyance Theatre debut as she makes her splash back into the comedy scene. Tara has studied improv for 6 years and completed the iO Training Program after graduating from Ball State University in 2019. She is excited to channel Jim Carey’s The Grinch in her portrayal of the character, as that is, “the GOAT.”
Gabby Seed (U/S Karen)Gabby Seed is a writer and comedian from Kent, Ohio. She moved to Chicago in 2018 to pursue comedy writing and performance and is a graduate of The Second City Writing Program and DePaul University (MFA Comedy Screenwriting). You can see her perform musical comedy and more at The Annoyance, Bughouse, Color Club, Otherworld, and iO!
Liam Fallows (Understudy for Sketch Team Cast Member/Hans Gruber/ Jack Frost)Liam Fallows is a Chicago-based comedic actor and writer from the Philadelphia area. He is currently an SNL scholar at The Second City. He performs around Chicago with his improv troupe, Dawgs with a W, and can also be seen performing at The Second City and The Annoyance. His most recent show, Improvised Hocus Pocus, sold out at The Annoyance. He most enjoys writing television and sketch comedy.
Michael Pisanelli (U/S Bumble, Farkus, Scrooge)Michael Pisanelli (He/Him) is a comedian from Northbrook, IL, a Chicago suburb. A graduate of the Second City Conservatory, iO, and Annoyance Theater, he is frequently performing around the city with his indie groups, Cat Bath and The Documentarians. Starting in November, he can be seen every Saturday at the Comedy Clubhouse performing with One Group Mind. He loves comedy and he loves you.
Danny Sabo (Danny/ Jack Frost )Danny Sabo is thrilled to a part of Christmas Karen 2! He can be seen playing with the improv team Sorry at iO, The Annoyance, LSI, and more. Enjoy the show!
Kate Arloe (U/S Grinch, Krampus)Since growing up in [mostly] New York, Kate has moved way more than any human ever should. She started off wanting to voice cartoons and transitioned into on-camera and stage acting. She’s also written for National Lampoon’s Final Edition Radio Hour and has served as a script doctor for several types of projects. Kate has now kinda morphed into an improv and character nut. She’s also an illustrator, hardcore pumpkin carver, sculptor, hot sauce maker/connoisseur and has a useless ability to know the name of almost any song by its first note. Yeah!
Cody Lee Walker (U/S Box Office Manager)Cody Lee Walker (He / Him) is an Arizona transplant and just celebrated living in Chicago for five years. He has performed with a variety of sketch comedy groups including Farce Side Comedy Hour (ASU) and just closed two sketch shows - Just Do The Sketch (Annoyance Theatre) and Carelessly Optimistic (De Maat Studio Theater). He is particularly proud of his two comedic works for the stage - Mad Messiah - A Play of Rapturous Delight (Binary Theatre Co.) & Thief Cute (The Annoyance Theatre) which he wrote and directed.
David Resnick (David/Hans Gruber)David is a Minnesota-born writer, comedian, and gay uncle ("guncle") to several dogs and humans. He recently returned to the Midwest after a number of years in California ("Cali"), and regularly performs at Chicago's many improv theaters, bars with makeshift stages, and parties where no one asked him to. David is beyond excited to play a villain on Christmas, and wonders if this joy warrants further investigation ("possible therapy topic").
Katie Rae Horn (Elf on the Shelf)Katie Rae Horn (she/her) is a comedian, a stage manager, and a really good friend. She has trained at The Second City (Comedy Studies), The Annoyance, and iO Theater, and is best known for her work in clowning & solo sketch. She is currently Assistant Directing "It's Christmas, Goddamnit!" (Annoyance) and is spreading love and Christmas cheer throughout Chicago.
Brian Scot (Brian/Bumble)Brian Scot is a performer and writer with over 10 years of improv and sketch experience. Originally from northern Minnesota, Brian moved to Minneapolis in 2010 to embark on his performance journey, taking improv classes at the Brave New Workshop and regularly performing with a variety of groups. In 2019, he began writing and performing sketch comedy with Classic Alley before founding Studio824 Sketch Comedy. In 2021, Brian was accepted into the Second City Conservatory program and will continue his studies into 2024.
Ryan Wenzel (STM/Scrooge)Ryan is happy to be here.
TikTok: @myroommateryan
Ross Dobbins (U/S Elf on the Shelf)Ross Dobbins (he/him) is absolutely pumped to be apart of Christmas Karen 2. He is currently an ensemble member at Laugh Out Loud and at Columbia College Chicago studying Comedy Writing and Performing.
Francesca Bucci (Co-Producer/Co-Director)Francesca Bucci is a BFA Acting graduate who has also completed The Second City Conservatory as well as classes with iO theater where she just recently co-produced and co-directed Final Girlies: A multimedia horror sketch revue. While she has opened for a few Annoyance shows this year, this is her first official production with Annoyance Theater. Francesca can be found behind the iO bar, on stage with one of iO's newest ResCo teams, or at any decent bagel spot in Chicago.
Elizabeth Fulton (Writer/Co-Director/Co-Producer)Elizabeth Fulton (she/her) is an award-winning writer, director, producer - and a breakfast sandwich connoisseur. She is a faculty member at the Second City Training Center and a graduate of Second City Training Center's writing and conservatory programs. When she's not at Annoyance, you can see her performing around town at iO, Second City, Clash on Clark, or on her phone at 4:00 am doom scrolling. She's bad at remembering what to include in her bio, so you can find out what she missed by following her on Instagram @elizahhhhhhope - 6 h's because 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 were taken.
Ronee.gold
@evelync0re
