15th Annual Chicago Sketch Comedy Festival Kicks Off This Week

Since its debut in 2002, The Chicago Sketch Comedy Festival has grown from 33 local Chicago Sketch Comedy groups gathering together to perform their craft to the largest festival of its kind in the world, attracting over 1,000 artists and 10,000 patrons annually. For their 15th anniversary year, Stage 773 Creative Director and Founder of the festival Brian Posen and the SketchFest Artistic Team have cultivated an exclusive line-up of headliners to represent Stage 773's history of excellence in festival programming. The event will run January 7 through 17th, 2016. The entire schedule for the 15th Annual Chicago Sketch Comedy Festival may be viewed at www.ChicagoSketchfest.com. Tickets go on sale December 1.

"I am stupid excited this year," says Posen, who offered personal invitations to groups from around the country. "In addition to hot new groups, we have old friends returning or reuniting just to celebrate our 15th year. There's not one weak link in this line up."

The 2016 event will also boast 165 groups performing 186 shows in 8 days. Highlights will include:

· Award-winning ensembles from National and International festivals or groups whose members have proven outstanding in their field. These headliners include Siblings of Doctors (LA) featuring Danny Pudi from NBC's "Community"; Heavy Weight (LA) featuring TJ Miller and Nick Vatterott; Pop Roulette (NY) featuring new SNL writer Sudi Green; Stupid Time Machine (Nola); Elephant Larry (NY), Last Call Cleveland (Ohio), and the comic-shock experts of FUCT (NY).

· Reunion performances by all-star groups from the festival's history including: Super Punk (LA), Backpack Picnic (TX), Uncalled For (Toronto), Team Submarine (NY), Troupe (LA), Party Central USA (LA), Weaseliscious (LA), and Dolphins of Damnation (LA and Chicago).

· Local favorites who embody the spirit and community of Chicago sketch comedy including: The Defiant Thomas Brothers, The Cupid Players of Stage 773, Rabbit Rabbit, The Tim&Micah Project, and Kerpatty.

· Groups who celebrate diverse voices through sketch comedy derived from their cultural or ethnic heritage, sexual orientation or identity, or uniquely abled members. Among this line up are Stir Friday Night, Spic and Tan, GayCo, Your Dark Embrace, Patti Vasquez and Sprit Animal.

All performances take place at Stage 773, Chicago's home for the most innovative, creative and passionate off-Loop performing artists. Over the course of the two weeks, Stage 773 transforms into a sketch comedy oasis, with the entire building featuring simultaneous performances in all four theater spaces. The Chicago Sketch Comedy Festival invites comedians from around the world to perform in an atmosphere of celebration, collaboration and community.

Tickets for the 15th Annual Chicago Sketch Festival will be $15 each and will go on sale December 1, 2015 at 12 p.m. All-festival passes, regularly priced at $165, will be available for only $115 if purchased before December 31. Thursday, Friday, and Sunday day passes are available for $37, $47, and $57 respectively. Tickets and information are available online at www.Stage773.com, by phone 773.327.5252, and in person at the Stage 773 box office, located at 1225 W Belmont.