Laugh's Chance
Lakeshore Theater in the Lakeview neighborhood takes a gamble by reinventing itself as a one-of-a-kind, all-and-anything venue for comedy

Friday, April 6, 2007

BY NINA METZ

In a town that never has enough rental theater space, it was a big deal when the Lakeshore Theater -- a former movie house on the corner of Broadway and Belmont -- reopened as a theatrical venue in 2002. But over the past five years, says artistic director Chris Ritter, it has been a major challenge booking profitable runs for the 330-seat venue.

"When we first opened the facility, it was not unlike the Apollo or the Mercury or the Royal George, in that our main idea was to be a rental facility that brings in open-ended runs." This proved to be a dead end for the Lakeshore and, starting this month, the theater is looking to change its image.

Comedy is the new image, with the theater booking mostly one or two-night stands featuring comics, sketch comedy troupes, and theatrical pieces (including Julia Sweeney's one-woman show, "Letting Go of God").

The comedian and film director Paul Provenza, who befriended Ritter during a recent trip to Chicago, is acting as an informal adviser.

"Our programming for the past four years hasn't really been curated in any sense," Ritter says. "It just has been, 'Hey, do you want to pay the rent?' But for this size theater, there's just not that many 'Menopause The Musical'-type shows out there."

The new concept is still a little unformed. "We are trying to do something utterly unique. We're not trying to be a sketch comedy house like Second City; we're not trying to be an improv house like i.O.; we're not trying to be a standup house like Zanies."

It will be quite a coup if the Lakeshore can define itself on its own terms to ticket buyers. The crowd they want to cultivate is considerably younger and hipper than your average "Water Coolers" audience member (a Lakeshore show last year).

Ritter says he is looking to create a mix of unknowns and headliners (he has approached Sarah Silverman, for example) and is also programming concerts at the venue that "speak to the same audience" that attends comedy shows. There are plans to redo the lobby and bar area to make it more conducive for lingering before and after shows. And Ritter is floating the idea of the theater hosting an annual international comedy festival.

The new programming, he thinks, is a better fit for the Lakeview neighborhood. "Instead of trying to work so hard to get people from the suburbs to drive in and figure out where to park, for a $50 ticket, we've got 30,000 people who live within walking distance of us. Now we'll be able to provide programming for people who live in this neighborhood who will visit us frequently, as long as there is something new to see."

Lakeshore Theater is located at 3175 N. Broadway, Chicago. Tickets are available at (773) 472-3492 or online by clicking here.

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