Perhaps the original comedy-show-in-an-unexpected-location, Congrats on Your Success sets up shop each month in Uncharted Books in Logan Square. It’s free and BYO, though there’s a cache of booze around for early arrivers courtesy of Powell Brew House. And this month free beer flows for all as Congrats celebrates a full year in business.
Producer-performers Bill Bullock, Justin Covington, Sonia Denis, Odinaka Ezeokoli, Rebecca O’Neal, and Charlie Rohrer constitute the anniversary lineup, but the key to Congrats on Your Success’s, uh, success is the organizers’ behind-the-scenes skills. In separate e-mails, I asked each to say something nice about the others, wondering how they’ve managed a potentially volatile entertainment relationship in their inaugural year—and man, do they know each other well. Their responses were almost identical: Denis brings the crowds, O’Neal is the PR machine, and Bullock handles the money. Covington, who’s stayed involved through a move to Michigan, plays the role of taskmaster, Ezeokoli is the documentarian, and Rohrer is the director on show nights, adjusting sound and putting together a balanced lineup.
You should go to this show even if you can’t make it to this month’s party. It’s consistently packed with an audience described by Ezeokoli as “DTF,” plus performances that feature song and dance, the occasional inflatable toy, and a Rainbow Cone of comedic flavors. If you require additional stimulation, you can always browse the titles.