Division Street Turns into a Comedic Bourbon Street with

“Comedy Gras” in Chicago

Open Mic – Stand Up – Sketch Comedy – Comedy Karaoke – After Party – Charitable, too!

(CHICAGO, IL) – Division Street in the Gold Coast is known for affable revelry the likes of Bourbon Street during Mardi Gras, and this  Fat Tuesday, February 21, Division Street will offer a cavalcade of comedy with “Comedy Gras”.  It is all for a good cause, too.  A portion of the night’s proceeds will go to the New Orleans Musicians Clinic [http://www.neworleansmusiciansclinic.org/], a cause devoted to preserving a national heritage of original music and helping musicians still in need in the New Orleans area.

At Bootleggers from 7pm to 8pm, there will be an Open Mic Comedy Challenge, hosted by She-nannigans last Comedy Challenge winner, Michael Larimer, featured here:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RqZNnnt72F4&feature=related .  This Open Mic is open to anyone interested in competing – just walk up and sign in.

Over at She-nannigans House of Beer from 8pm to 9pm, there will be an All Star Stand Up from past Comedy Challenge winners featuring Drew Michael and Joe Kilgallon from “Comedians You Should Know”.  These comedians, and others, will be competing for $500 cash, to be awarded at the end of the evening.

Then it’s time to step across the street to The Original Mother’s for some sketch comedy from The Pepper Grinders Comedy http://www.youtube.com/user/hlpalex?ob=0 and the Wood Sugars Comedy  http://www.youtube.com/user/WoodSugars?ob=0 sketch groups from 9pm to 10pm.

Mother’s Too will offer Comedy Karaoke all night long, while The Lodge Tavern will be the after-party for all the festivities until 4am.

$6 Don Q Hurricanes will be the featured cocktail of the evening at all venues, and Bootleggers will offer Pat O’Brien’s World Famous Hurricane mix, too.  Let the good times roll!

Along Division Street, street freaks and stilt walkers will spread the cheer and toss out beads until it’s time to repent!   There will be no cover charge at any venue, and all patrons must be 21 and over.

The Original Mother’s is located at 26 West Division Street in Chicago – 312-642-7251; Bootleggers is located at 13 West Division Street in Chicago – 312-266-0944; She-nannigans is located at 16 West Division – 312-642-2344; Mother’s Too is located at 14 West Division – 312-266-7444; and The Lodge Tavern is located at 21 West Division in Chicago – 312-642-4406. Please visit www.RushAndDivision.com for more details.

(CHICAGO, IL) – Elvis Presley would have turned 77 on Sunday, January 8, 2012, and while he has been gone for over 34 years, yet he is still referred to as “The King”. The Original Mother’s, located at 26 West Division Street in Chicago, is proud to provide a venue for his many rabid fans, and those who just like ‘a hunk, a hunk’ good time, at the Twelfth Annual “Elvis Fest”!

Sunday, January 8, 2012, fans can meet Radio Hall of Famer Dick Biondi from True Oldies 94.7 as he hosts and broadcasts live from 7pm – 11pm. A seemingly endless supply of super talented Elvis Tribute Artists will take the stage to rock the songs that made Elvis The King!

Attendees may participate in the Elvis-look-alike contest for a chance to win a trip for two to Vegas, baby! The festivities continue with more Elvis Tribute Artists performing as well as Elvis karaoke and a chance to win more prizes.

A free peanut butter and banana buffet is included, but not to be missed is the Happy Birthday to Elvis cake complete with Dick Biondi lighting the candles and leading everyone in the “Happy Birthday” song. $5 Absolut “All Shook Up” cocktails, $5 Malibu “Aloha from Hawaii” cocktails and $6 24 ounce cans and $3 12 ounce cans of PBR (Pabst Blue Ribbon) will be the featured drinks of the evening.

Doors open at 7pm. There is no entrance fee, however a $5 suggested donation will benefit the New Orleans Musicians Clinic http://www.neworleansmusiciansclinic.org/, the favored charity of The Original Mother’s.

The Original Mother’s is located at 26 West Division Street in Chicago. Go to www.OriginalMothers.com for more details or phone 312-642-7251.

Chicago, Illinois- December 28th , 2011- Local sketch comedy group, the Pepper Grinders Comedy Co. will debut their first live show at the Original Mother’s in Chicago on December 28th.

An eclectic mix of Chicago-land comedians will take the stage to perform their unique brand of comedy. The group offers a mix of live sketches and an array of short comedy films as a part of their show.

Utilizing talent from all parts of the metropolitan area, the Pepper Grinders is a mixed bag of over the top adult humor, slap stick, improv, and experimental thought provoking comedy.

The show is definitely an “experience”, proving once again that Chicago comedians are always on the cutting edge of ensemble based comedy. The Pepper Grinders Comedy Co. promises a night that the audience will not soon forget.

Doors open at 8:00pm at the Original Mother’s in Chicago on Rush and Division. There is a five dollar cover.

Stay Tuned Here for details on 2012′s Elvis Fest, celebrating the King’s birthday.

Over $1,750 in Cash and Prizes with $1000 Cash Prize for First Place on Monday, October 31st

(CHICAGO, IL) – On Saturday, October 29 and Monday, October 31, the annual revelry known as “Dead on Division” will take place at six Chicago institutions: The Original Mother’s, Mother’s Too, Bootleggers, The Lodge, She-nannigans and The Hangge-Uppe. Wandering freaks, zombies and psychics and jugglers will roam Division Street and these locations on All Hallows Eve weekend to instill the fear of the dead, undead and unknown to all!

On Saturday, October 29, partygoers at The Original Mother’s will enjoy a haunted house theme, and at Mother’s Too, patrons will celebrate iconic TV shows and movies such as Gilligan’s Island, Happy Days, Grease, The Breakfast Club and more. Bootleggers will be the scene of a 1920’s era speakeasy, while She-nannigans will offer a PopStar-themed night. The Lodge Tavern will be home to another haunted house, and The Hangge-Uppe will provide Heaven and Hell: Dead Celebrity Edition themed bars upstairs and downstairs. Each location will hold their own costume contest for hundreds of dollars in cash and prizes.

The Halloween party continues on Monday, October 31 with B96’s [WBBM-FM] Jason Cage at The Original Mother’s from 7pm to 12am as he hosts THE BIG PRIZE Costume contest: $1000 cash for first palce, $500 for second and $250 for third place with lots more in prizes throughout the night, too. There will also be live music from Green Thirteen [http://www.greenthirteenmusic.com], party-rocking it out into the witching hour, with no cover charge.

Both nights, most locations will feature a costume contest around the stroke of midnight, with the top cash prizes awards at Mother’s costume contest on Monday. Liquid libations will flow as $3.50 Bud Light pints and $5 Yes Vodka cocktails will liven up the evening. For a hauntingly good time on Halloween weekend, it’s “Dead on Division”!

The Original Mother’s is located at 26 West Division Street in Chicago; Mother’s Too is located at 14 West Division Street in Chicago; Bootleggers is located at 13 West Division Street in Chicago; The Lodge is located at 21 West Division Street in Chicago; She-nannigans is located at 16 West Division Street in Chicago; and The Hangge-Uppe is located at 14 W Elm Street in Chicago. Please visit www.RushAndDivision.com for more details.

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When: September 8th
7pm door, 8pm Screening

Where: The Original Mother’s
26 W Division Street

What: NO COVER! It’s FREE MOVIE TIME!

“RIFFRAFF” is a coming-of-age comedy about lifeguards on Chicago’s North Avenue Beach over the course of a summer. The film stars Robert Belushi and Ben Wells, and is the debut feature of writer/director Justen Naughton. Chryssie Whitehead and Katie O’Hagan co-star, and the film was produced by John Otterbacher and David J. Miller.

“RIFFRAFF” is being release on DVD on September 8th, with a release party at Mother’s to commemorate the event. There will be a free screening of the film at the bar and there will be DVDs and posters for sale. Many former Chicago lifeguards and cast and crew members from the film are scheduled to attend.

“RIFFRAFF” centers around college kids Hughie (Wells) and Otis (Belushi), who work as lifeguards while home in Chicago on summer break. Veteran guard Otis takes Hughie the rookie under his wing and shows him the ropes, both with lifeguarding and how to pick up girls at the beach. Things become sticky when Hughie hooks up with tough girl May (Whitehead), Otis’ ex, and Otis develops a crush on Hughie’s childhood sweetheart, the girl-next-door Maggie (O’Hagan). At work, Hughie is pushed to the limits by his militant superiors, and tensions escalate when tragedy hits the beach and he’s to blame.

Working as a lifeguard at North Avenue Beach during his college summers, Naughton forged the script as his senior thesis in the Film & Video program at Grand Valley State University in Michigan. He was inspired by stories he’d heard from lifeguards past and his own experiences to create a humid Chicago summer tale of mischief and misguided love triangles. At Grand Valley, Naughton first met “RIFFRAFF” producer John Otterbacher, a partnership which eventually became Naughty Otter Productions, the production company that made “RIFFRAFF” possible.

“RIFFRAFF” features the acting talents of Robert Belushi, the son and nephew of legendary Chicago actors James and John Belushi. Robert has already been recognized for his “RIFFRAFF” performance, as he was awarded the Best Supporting Actor trophy at the Tenerife International Film Festival.

For more information, including the trailer and reviews, go to www.riffraffthemovie.com. “RIFFRAFF” was produced by Naughty Otter Productions and Mindlight Films.

M.I.L.F. is perfect for both tourists as well as locals looking for professional comedic entertainment at an affordable price. Stay after the show and mingle with the comedians, who will continue to crack wise while cracking open beverages in our inviting environment.

Wood Sugars have been featured in Time Out Chicago’s Print Edition, and finished in the top three in Second City and Chicago Metromix’s “So You Think You Can Funny” video-sketch-comedy competition. They enjoy a large Internet following thanks to their regularly updated website, their Podcasts on iTunes, and their short films. Members of Wood Sugars have performed at Second City, The Cornservatory, and iO. Jamie Campbell is a member of ComedySportz, whose resume reads like a directory of where to find Chicago’s top comedians. As a graduate of Second City’s Conservatory program, Jamie has hosted and headlined shows at The Playground Theater, iO, Red Bar Comedy Club, TBS Just For Laughs Festival, and at clubs across the US.

Just Check out the video!

MILF – Mother’s Incredible Local Funnies from Wood Sugars on Vimeo.