The Bentwood Comedy Festival is a space for all comedy and all comedians in the birthplace of long form improv and the home of some of the best live comedy the country has to offer: Chicago, IL. In addition to our live shows, we are looking for video sketches, comedic short films, and web series to include in our inaugural festival.
Named after the classic bentwood style stage chair, the Bentwood Festival will bring some of iO’s top alumni back to Chicago for a week long celebration of improv, stand-up, sketch and experimental comedy. The festival will feature a diverse array of the best comedic talents from within Chicago, as well as a variety of performers from improv theaters all over the country. For 10 days in August, the iO Theater will be the epicenter of live comedy, celebrating the history and success of Chicago as the country’s premiere training ground for young comedic talent.
For nearly 40 years the iO Theater has been the premier venue and training center for long form improvisation. Boasting a long list of notable alumni, including Mike Meyers, Tina Fey, Chris Farley, Adam McKay, Jordan Peele, Seth Meyers, Tim Meadows, Amy Poehler, Rachel Dratch, and many more, the iO Theater continues to be the training center for the country’s top comedic talent.