The Revival Reveals September Lineup Featuring FAKING THE BAND, ADAM BURKE & FRIENDS, and IMPROV NEAR ME

Chicago’s cabaret-style comedy theater The Revival has announced its September programming, offering a high-energy mix of improvised music, razor-sharp stand-up, and immersive comedy experiences. The schedule includes the improvised rock musical Faking the Band, a one-night stand-up showcase Adam Burke & Friends on Thursday, September 18 at 7:00 p.m., and the in-the-round improv experience Improv Near Me.

“September at The Revival puts audiences shoulder-to-shoulder with the city's most inventive performers—from a fully improvised ‘rock musical’ to a razor-sharp stand-up showcase and a 360-degree improv experience that celebrates Chicago's comedic roots,” said John Stoops, founder of The Revival. “Different formats, same promise—everything is made in the moment and only happens once.”

Faking the Band will run on Fridays and Saturdays at 7:00 p.m., featuring Chicago’s best musical comedians and a live three-piece band. For one night only, a legendary band “reunites” on stage to perform a set chosen entirely by the audience—hits, obscure b-sides, and corporate sell-outs—while improvising the wild stories behind the music. The catch? The band doesn’t exist, and everything is made up on the spot.

On Thursday, September 18 at 7:00 p.m., Adam Burke & Friends will bring together a handpicked lineup of comics curated by Adam Burke, a Chicago-based stand-up born in Australia and raised in Northern Ireland. A regular on NPR’s Wait Wait… Don’t Tell Me!, Burke is celebrated for his quick turns of phrase and playful storytelling. Named Best Standup by the Chicago Reader, he has performed at festivals including Bridgetown, Just for Laughs, and Funny or Die’s Oddball Comedy Festival, and has shared the stage with Marc Maron, John Mulaney, Maria Bamford, John Oliver, Aziz Ansari, and Hannibal Buress. His debut album, Universal Squirrel Theory, was released on A Special Thing Records.

The month also features Improv Near Me, running Thursdays at 7:00 p.m. with select Saturday matinees. This unique in-the-round production surrounds the audience with fast-paced improv scenes, musical moments, and spontaneous storytelling that pay tribute to the Chicago neighborhoods and landmarks that shaped the art form. Designed as a high-energy celebration of Chicago’s comedic roots, the show puts audiences directly at the center of the action.