Students at DePaul University shined bright in a three-week takeover of Lakeview’s Annoyance Theatre & Bar this fall, premiering a brand new show each week.

DePaul University’s one-of-a-kind comedy arts program, unknown to many, falls within the established Theatre School. Instead of a major in acting or directing, students do both while learning the ins and outs of comedy, with opportunities to perform in venues around Chicago.

Throughout the fall quarter, students were welcomed into The Annoyance Theatre, a Chicago comedy staple since 1987, to workshop Anchored Show: Unanchored. From October 11 to November 15, students were invited to put on their performances to the public on the same stage as stars like Jane Lynch and Steve Carell. These three weeks are in preparation for the program’s notorious MessFest, a week-long comedy extravaganza with DePaul student-run shows every night.

Photo by Hailey Bosek

Throughout the takeover, guests were welcomed by the iconic history of the theater. Props litter the building, all with stories untold unless you ask the right person. Down the hall lies the Main Stage Theatre, where the Anchored Show lies in wait.

Tourists, students, comedians, parents and many more lined up in the narrow hallway in anticipation of the show. The uniqueness of the theater is its accessibility; any passerby can walk up the stairs and see a prospective DePaul comedian in their early days. Tickets start at $10 but are discounted for students across Chicago universities.

The show includes sketch comedy, improv, rapping, somersaults and of course, laughs. Opening with the entire group of students, the show is composed of individual vignettes, with different ideas being put on stage each week.

Adam Cox, a performer and sophomore student, reflects on his experiences at the theater.

“This isn’t my first time performing at the Annoyance,” Cox says. “We get a slot on Sundays, where we get to sort of pitch whatever shows we want, and we get to perform them in front of an audience that isn’t necessarily all [DePaul] Theatre School students.” 

In this format, no favoritism is played towards upperclassmen — all performers get equal stage time. 

Photo by Hailey Bosek

Freshman William LeMaster is grateful for his time on the Lakeview stage.

“This my first show at the Annoyance, and it’s been a great experience. I’m enjoying the process and I’m learning a lot,” LeMaster says. “This has been my primary experience [in comedy] so far.”

Sydney Breedlove, a junior and one of the oldest performers, still appreciates her experiences at the Theatre as her time at DePaul comes to a close.

“Doing comedy, at a real comedy theater, where actual other comedians are performing real comedy all the time, is the best way to do this, in my opinion,” Breedlove says. “If you perform at the Annoyance, it’s the general population, and I think that’s really important when you’re trying to expose yourself to new artists.”

Anchored Show: Unanchored successfully wrapped its run at the end of November, reaching its goal to prepare for the program’s comedy festival MessFest. You can catch the performers of Unanchored and much more from January 17 to 20, when students will once again gather on the Annoyance stage.

Header by Julia Hester