A Chicago Success Story
 
 

 
 

The Comedy Option

 
“The Comedy Option” played an integral part of The Illegitimate Players growth. Mainly, cold hard cash. For it was the corporate branch of Chicago's most resilient improv troupe. Through video and live performances, The Comedy Option entertained the heart of Chicago's corporate world. But soon spread out across the US as word of mouth convened.

These shows were the closest thing to vacations their busy schedule would allow. From the beaches of Hilton Head to a week in The Grand Ole Opry hotel to the nightlife of Dallas, Texas.

The Comedy Option's appeal to meeting planners was the fact that they had everything needed built-in. A complete cast who wrote and showed up rehearsed. We were responsible with meeting the client and working out the details of the show or video. All that was left for the meeting planners was to write that big check.

We developed close relationships with many of the Fortune 500 companies that employed us. This led to several repeat appearances as other departments who witnessed a show would seek out our information when it was their turn to put on a special meeting or rollout. Thusly we worked again and again for such clients as Abbott Labs, Ameritech, Boston Mass Mutual, First Chicago and The Chicago Bar Assoc.

Fellow Illegitimate Player, Doug Armstrong, would design innovative press materials for their bidding and the Players would take turns producing these shows. The Comedy Option were indeed in direct competition with The Second City's corporate branch and they fared quite well. Due largely to crafting each show with completely original material hand-crafted for the client's business rather than massaging set scenes generic in compass with only the clients name filled in.

We enjoyed these shows nearly as much as our theatrical endeavors as it allowed us to peek in on a vast array of corporate cultures to discover that they all operate about the same. When a new book of management style hit the best seller list and new buzz words were created, it reached every diverse branch of corporate sensibilities and was touted likewise through them all.

This section will be filled out soon with photos of our off-stage time and brilliant advertisement material.

It was The Comedy Option's presence and abilities that allowed us to thrive in Chicago's theatrical world.

 
Copyright 2009 - Keith Cooper / Cooperweb