Comedy Program organized with HACC
A comedy section organized in partnership with HACC — Healthcare Alliance for Chicago Comedians.
Standup comics:
Jacob Crow is a stand up comedian based in Chicago. His stand-up is about family values issues that actually matter: Ariana Grande and why he is somehow still single. He trained at Second City and Upright Citizens Brigade. He has performed on Don't Tell Comedy and at venues including the Lyric Hyperion in Los Angeles, Color Club, iO and Lincoln Lodge in Chicago. His special GAY SON THOT DAUGHTER POWER BOTTOM HOUR debuted at The Den Theatre in Chicago in March 2026. You can find him opening for comics like John Hill, Dylan Adler, and Joe Dombrowski.
Elizabeth Grossman is a lawyer, democracy advocate, and newly hatched stand-up comedian based in Chicago, Illinois. She has opened for Sam Tallent at the Lincoln Lodge and Steve Hofstetter at the Den Theatre in Chicago. She co-founded the Health Alliance for Chicago Comedians, a nonprofit bringing healthcare services to Chicago's longstanding comedy community.
Improv: Stir Friday Night!
Jonathan Lee-Rey (he/him) is an actor, writer, and filmmaker from Yonkers, NY, with a splash of the Bronx. Currently, he is based in Chicago, where he is the Executive Artistic Director of Stir Friday Night, a teacher at iO Theater, and a cast member of Escándalo. Formerly, he was on the iO Harold team Velvet and made shorts with the iO Network team Free Trial Run. He has trained at UCB, iO, Second City, The Magnet, and is a graduate of The Harold Ramis Film School and Skidmore College.
Nick Joe: (he/him) is a comedian and actor from Chicago and is so excited to be part of the legendary Stir Friday Night cast! He has performed at Second City (Oh, The Places You’ll Glow u/s; It's A Bao Dam Time & Unmuted), Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre (Baked! The Musical), and The Annoyance Theater (Your Lil Friend & Yippee Ki-Yay Merry Christmas: A Die Hard Parody). He is also the producer of Grown Man Baby. Nick is a graduate of Second City’s Conservatory and recipient of the inaugural Victor Wong Fellowship. Nick wants to thank his family and friends, especially Sarah, Madison, and Noelle. You can follow him on Instagram @nickjoecomedy.
Heather Mari: (she/her) is an actor, improviser, writer, content creator & dancer from Rockville, MD. Recent credits include: Big Deborah (iO Theater), Fire & Beer (The Annoyance), Clued-In (High Stakes Productions), Hitchcocktails (High Stakes Productions), Stir Friday Night (Asian American Theater Co.), IT’S A BAO DAMN TIME! (The Second City Victor Wong Fellowship), Fright: An Improvised Horror Movie (High Stakes Productions), Improvised DCOM (Malarkey Comedy), BIG Time (BIG Improv), The Greatest Sketch Show in America (BIG Improv), Wet Pizza (comedy troupe), A++ (comedy troupe), and Melk (comedy troupe).
Heather has been featured on Funny or Die, The Second City Network, and Broadway World. She is a co-creator of the comedic TV pilot, Grinding, and has created comedic content for brands such as Dunkin Donuts, Pepsi, and Snapchat. Previously, Heather was a Saul Zaentz Film Fellow at Johns Hopkins University and trained in comedy at the iO Theater, The Annoyance, The Second City, The Groundlings, CIC Improv, and the Baltimore Improv Group. You can find her on IG and TikTok @theheathermari
Joyce Mojica: (she/her) has been involved with comedy since 2021, when she took an improv class to help with her personal and professional growth. She fell in love with improv and has never looked back. Joyce is trained in improvisation, Theater of the Oppressed and Playback Theater. She steadfastly believes in the healing power of play and teaches improvisation for anxiety at Second City.
Her comedy training includes improv, stand up and sketch comedy. She has studied at Second City, CiC theatre, Comedy Clubhouse, Annoyance Theater, Malarkey Comedy, Bilingual Improv School and Home Comedy Theatre. Her favorite style of improv is 2Prov where she is 1/2 of Bok Joy. Currently, you can find her performing at BABS Comedy in Forest Park, Comedy Clubhouse, Home Comedy Theater and at Bughouse Theater where she produces a monthly show with her indie team Slugs. She believes that play and community are healing and looks forward to working with others to find joy and laughter.
Esther Oh: (she/her) is an improviser, actor, and writer. She was a 2024 Victor Wong fellow at Second City. She has performed (and in some cases still performs) with groups such as Jackie Bass (iO), Wet Thud, Too Hot To Hoot (Malarkey Comedy), the Dinner Detective (Clearly Confused Entertainment Inc.), Hot Soup (Annoyance Theatre), Scary Motherfuckers, Whiplash (PHIT), Bambi's Revenge, and Baby Science (PHIT). She also sometimes is a blurry background actor for Chicago Med, Chicago PD, and Chicago Fire. In her free time she enjoys climbing, strolling around, and hanging out with friends. If you feel so inclined, you can follow her on instagram @whoever.u.r for infrequent updates.