Interview: Think Tank

It's been just over a year since , a local independent sketch team, wrapped up their monthly sketch blowout, Pistol Party. The group has since worked on a pair of pilots and a well-received Sketchfest show, and is staging a four week run of their new show, Chasing the Hype, every Sunday in June at the Den Theatre in Wicker Park. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased here! 

I caught up with the four members of Think Tank to find out what they've been up to since Pistol Party wrapped, and what to expect from Chasing the Hype!​

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Think Tank presents Celebrity Intervention

The Chicago-based independent sketch collective recently released Celebrity Intervention, an absurd, moody short film that explores horrors of identity. It features several Think Tank members, as well as the delightfully silly Chad Briggs. Think Tank will be performing their new sketch show every Sunday in June at the Den Theatre in Wicker Park. Check their website for more information as the shows approach!

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Think Tank's Annual Christmas Benefit Show

Paul Robinson, of local sketch group checks in with a plug for their holiday fundraiser, which is tonight (December 13th) at Fizz Bar.

I know all you want to do this time of year is fatten up on figgy pudding and deck the halls with good King Wenceslas, but it's time to get serious for a moment. Put down the egg nog, turn off Rudy the Red-Nosed Notre Dame player, and do something good for society. You'll even get to drink and laugh!

For the fourth year in a row, Think Tank Comedy is throwing a holiday fundraiser show. All proceeds from the evening will go directly to the MaeBell Ward Foundation for Alzheimer’s research. The MaeBell Ward Foundation is a local charity founded by friend of the group, Terron Edmonds, after losing his grandmother to the disease. Three out of four members of Think Tank also lost grandparents to Alzheimer’s, making MaeBell Ward Foundation an especially meaningful selection for the guys. (As to not feel left out, Kevin, whose mom was adopted, assumes that at least one of his biological, maternal grandparents died of Alzheimer's too. At least one. So make that 4 out of 4, guys.)

Think Tank Comedy have been staying busy this year, recently completing their original sketch comedy pilot, , which premiered in September at the legendary Music Box Theater. The guys also just wrapped on another comedy pilot, , that was produced by local studio and featured fellow Chicago comics Mike Lebovitz, Megan Gailey, Sherman Edwards, Kenny DeForest, and Bill Arnett, among others. The studio hopes to shop the pilot around to networks, describing it as “What the Daily Show is to Nightly News, Sick Day is to Good Morning America”. The pilot episode is expected to be premier here in Chicago sometimes this winter.

For the holiday show, special guest The Puterbaugh Sisters, Kevin Pomeroy, and Drew Frees will be filling out the lineup. Frees and Think Tank ran the monthly show Pistol Party together for over three years before calling it quits earlier this year. Since ending Pistol Party, Think Tank has been focusing heavily on video production, but is excited to work out some brand new live scenes at the holiday show, in part as a warm-up for their upcoming Saturday night slot at the Chicago Sketchfest in January. Their new scenes feature everything from “hand jobs to torture” so it should promise to leave the audience feeling a warm fuzzy holiday cheer.

The show takes place Thursday, December 13th at 8:00 upstairs at Fizz Bar & Grill. Your $10.00 donation at the door will go directly to a great cause, and get you some great laughs. Think Tank boasts a hilarious new video will also be shown at the show, the result of a bizarre encounter with holiday shoppers on Michigan Ave. Let’s just say, they met a guy named Gator. He didn't suffer from Alzheimer’s, but nonetheless had a hard time remembering which way he was going

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Rollie Sandifer for Bathrobe Commisoner

and the folks from  bring you an important message this election season.

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Creative Control: October

I'm happy to play a small role in the production of , the monthly variety show Joe McAdam's been producing at saki (the record shop/distro in Logan Square that I call a workplace) since earlier this year. Joe has brought in of my favorite performers and does an incredible job setting the tone for a loose but engaging show each month. , and, in observance of the Halloween season, will be an all-character showcase, featuring performances from some of the biggest weirdos going.

The lineup is as follows:







Sketches from Think Tank
Musical guests Soft Candy

Paul Hornschemeier, an artist and graphic novel author whose work I've been a fan of for years, . You might recognize his work from  The fact that this dude works with us totally blows my mind, and if you're lucky you might be able to pick up a copy of the poster at the show. Paul also has shirts featuring the delightfully cryptic Creative Control logo for sale at his webstore. You should buy one and support this fantastically talented dude.

Below is a clip from an earlier Creative Control, featuring Joe squaring off against Dr. Nick Chicken, and is a pretty perfect example of why I love this show.

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