Second City’s Don’t Quit Your Daydream is a dream you won’t want to wake up from. I gotta say this show brought me to tears… of laughter. Once the lights dim, you are welcomed with a groovy dance opening and then dive into back-to-back comedy sketches. This show captures all those ridiculous thoughts one could have in a daydream and conveys them in a series of hilarious skits.

Don’t Quit Your Daydream is written and performed by Andy Bolduc, Kiley Fitzgerald, Claire McFadden, Evan Mills, Julia Morales, and Jordan Stafford and directed by Carisa Barreca. This brilliant six-member ensemble plays a variety of characters throughout the show. Some characters include high school students, an angel, a loofa, imaginary friends, a “cool” nun, and an evil villain named Snakewart. All the comedians are amazing performers and are able to radically change their persona from skit to skit. The cast is perfect for this show and has some major wow moments in their execution.

One stand-out performer is Evan Mills who has been working at Second City since 2018. Mills keeps you on your toes as you wait for him to deliver his clever punchlines and funny reactions. He brings a multi-talented performance that includes singing a song about the thoughts that keep him up at night, dancing with his gay crush at prom, and improv as a not-so-famous background actor. During the show, I heard one crowd member say, “Oh my god, he’s hilarious!”

Another comedian that kept the crowd rolling was Andy Bolduc. Bolduc is a natural on the stage and often plays as the privileged white guy or bizarre characters like a brother who is dating his imaginary friend, Flip Flop. He’s convincing in his act and often reminds you of that one weird kid from school. His lines, delivery, and body language fully embrace each role and leave you wanting more.

 Don’t Quit Your Day Dream’s production was flawless. The lights, music, sound effects, and stage setup were seamlessly pieced together. The transitions between sketches happened in the blink of an eye and kept the audience fully engaged throughout the duration of the show. All the seats in the club offered a great viewing experience and a chance to get picked on by the cast.

Each skit in Don’t Quit Your Daydream is unique with a comedic twist. The dream-like storylines take you on a journey to the gates of Black Heaven, an awkward high school prom, a flawed murder mystery scene, and many more. Each sketch has a sense of silly magic, leaving you with childlike wonder. Plus, you get to hear a few corny dad jokes sprinkled throughout the show. But it’s not all jokes. You also get to hear the comedians sing their original songs, watch them show off their moves in a synchronized dance, and test their skills with improv as they engage the crowd. It’s safe to say this Second City show takes sketch comedy to a whole new level.

The Second City comedy club is conveniently located in the Old Town neighborhood inside Piper’s Alley Mall. This area offers many great restaurants that are superb for grabbing a bite to eat before the show. Don’t Quit Your Daydream is held in the mainstage theater with small tables and chairs and a large stage. Second City offers in-theater dining that includes small bites and a wide selection of drinks.

Don’t Quit Your Daydream has a two-hour run time with a quick 15-minute intermission. This summer show runs Tuesdays-Thursdays at 8pm; Fridays and Saturdays at 7pm and 10pm; Sundays at 7pm starting June 7, 2023. Tickets range from $39-$94. Doors open 45 minutes prior to showtime.

I definitely recommend seeing this show, just leave the kids at home since this one is Rated R. Make sure to buy your tickets fast, many shows are selling out! Purchase your tickets online today.

“We make the most money and take the most shit.” I’m sure most of us can relate to this line. We've all been there, working a minimum-wage job and getting nothing in return. Written by Ken Green and directed by Rachel Van, In the Back/On the Floor accurately portrays the hardships minimum wage workers endure in a workplace.

The show takes place sometime around the 2010s in a corporate retail store called “HomeBase''. HomeBase is pretty much the fictional equivalent to our present-day Costco or Walmart. The HomeBase branch in this play is located in the South Loop neighborhood of Chicago and is the workplace of the main characters in this story. Around this time, minimum wage was about $9/hour, barely enough to survive. You see this major pain point impacts the lives of the adult workers who are supporting families and just trying to get by.

The setting of the show transpires during the stocking hours for the HomeBase store. The stage is set with shelves, product boxes, and a break room with folding chairs and a crappy coffee machine. The stage was modest and the perfect setting to display the HomeBase store.

The diverse nine-member cast is extremely talented and each of them truly own their characters. They feel like real people or friends in your life. You grow close to them during the show as you learn more about their struggles at home. The cast consists of old, middle-aged, and young characters from a variety of backgrounds. Their working relationships create an interesting dynamic with growing racial tension and tough conversations.

“In the Back/On the Floor'' has a clever contrast of well-written comedy and the painful realities many working class Americans face. This play puts the toxic corporation work culture under the microscope and rightly criticizes the poor treatment of its workers. The show hilariously mocks cringey workplace phrases we all hate, like “We are more than just colleagues, we are a family.”

The show begins with an over-the-top scene from a HomeBase training video with two characters outlining the unrealistic expectations of its workers. Then it cuts to the break room filled with HomeBase stock team employees complaining about their jobs. The show continues to flip-flop between the ridiculous training video and the dialogue amongst the HomeBase employees. Giving you a taste of good hardworking people versus evil money-grabbing companies.

As the story carries on, the employees face personal difficulties, challenges with their assistant manager, and a tremendous amount of pressure to work harder. As friction builds between the corporate executives and the overworked part-time employees, talks of unionizing naturally arise. You’ll find yourself cheering for the employees, while worrying for their job security. I highly recommend watching this play to see what happens next!

The show is held in the intimate Chicago Dramatists Theatre in the River West neighborhood of Chicago. Opening night was packed full of an excited crowd. We received a warm welcome and were encouraged to contribute a donation to the Stage Left Theatre charity. Masks are required during the show and provided by the staff. Not only do you get to experience a great show, but you also support their charity that supports unheard voices in the theatre community and local artists.

The runtime of the play was around an hour and 45 minutes, with no intermission. Overall, the show was enjoyable and went by quickly. “In the Back/On the Floor” has a showing every Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday April 28th-May 28th. Tickets are $25 per person and definitely worth it! Grab a friend, family member, or loved one and have a wonderful night with great acting and some good laughs.

Performances of Stage Left Theatre’s In the Back/On the Floor run through May 28th at Chicago Dramatists, 1105 W Chicago Ave Ste 202.

Purchase your tickets here: https://checkout.square.site/buy/NNMIMR22NVKYZ6VYX7PU3PRQ