Chicago, Italy
The Playground Theater is a continuously operating non-profit theater in Chicago dedicated to Modern Theatrical Improvisation, a form of theater invented in the city. The Playground was founded in 1997 by a collective of Chicago improvisors. Originally located on Halsted Street, the theater now prod
uces shows at different theatrical venues across Chicago. The Playground Theater was created to provide a Chicago venue where improvisors could have complete artistic control over the work they produced. The theater initially existed as a non-profit co-op, governed by its member companies, or "teams." The Playground was formerly home to over 12 house teams in addition to guest teams, and members of the theater's Incubator Program. The Playground's former Incubator Program allowed applicants to be judged on their skills at scene-based improvised comedy, assembled into Incubator Teams, and subsequently guaranteed a certain number of shows on The Playground's stage. The newly created teams were then allowed to perform, hire their own coaches, and generally pursue a career as an improv ensemble. The Playground launched Playground Theatricals in 2015 with the production of Don Chipotle, an original...
Listen to the audio guide for The Playground Free on WIP — starts by itself when you arrive, even with the screen off