Laughs from Yashere to Minhaj to Esposito
Russell Peters: This Canadian comic has been working for decades and has a book (“Call Me Russell”), a TV show (“The Indian Detective”) and several specials under his belt, including “Notorious,” the very first original stand-up special produced by Netflix (they’ve made a few more since). As part of the American leg of his “Deported World Tour,” the internationally successful Peters promises all new material. 8 p.m. Sept. 14 at the Chicago Theatre, 175 N. State St.; thechicagotheatre.com
Gina Yashere: The first British comedian to appear on Def Comedy Jam, Yashere is perhaps best known as the British correspondent on “The Daily Show with Trevor Noah” and her half hour on Netflix’s second season of “The Standups,” which was released in March. Her in-your-face style is a perfect fit for the intimacy of Lincoln Hall. As an added bonus, Chicagoan Correy Bell is opening. 9 p.m. Sept. 15 at Lincoln Hall, 2424 N. Lincoln Ave.; lh-st.com
Cameron Esposito: Esposito — a talented multihyphenate who cut her comedy teeth in Chicago — made headlines in June when she released her latest special, “Rape Jokes,” in which she uses stand-up comedy as a vehicle for talking about sexual assault from a survivor’s perspective. Esposito is a very open storyteller, and her fall tour — “Person of Consequence” — promises to be especially interesting as she and her spouse Rhea Butcher recently announced they were separating. 8 p.m. Sept. 28 at The Vic, 3145 N. Sheffield Ave.; victheatre.com
Hasan Minhaj: Catch this “Daily Show with Trevor Noah” correspondent on his aptly titled “Before the Storm” tour this fall before his weekly Netflix show “Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj” debuts in October and his ticket prices go even higher. He hosted last year’s White House Correspondents’ Dinner, won a Peabody for his Netflix comedy special “Hasan Minhaj: Homecoming King” and, most important, is just plain funny. 7 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. Sept. 29 at the Chicago Theatre, 175 N. State St.; thechicagotheatre.com
George Lopez: A comedian so successful he’s starred in two sitcoms that bore his name — “George Lopez,” which ran for six seasons, and the more recent “Lopez,” which ran for two — Lopez has remained a consummate stand-up comic, touring constantly. This fall he’s on two tours simultaneously: “The Comedy Get Down,” a group tour that came to the United Center last year, and “The Wall World Tour” a solo act you can catch in Rosemont. 8 p.m. Sept. 29 at the Rosemont Theatre, 5400 N. River Road, Rosemont; rosemont.com/theatre/
Chi City Comedy Jam: This two-night comedy party at Arie Crown promises a notably lengthy lineup of top-notch comics, from Sheryl Underwood (co-host of CBS’ “The Talk”) to Earthquake (current host of SiriusXM’s “Quake House”) to Chicago’s own constantly rising star Just Nesh (HBO’s “All Def Comedy”). This show promises both quality and quantity. 8 p.m. Oct. 5-6 at the Arie Crown Theater, 2301 S. Lake Shore Drive; ariecrown.com Mary Lynn Rajskub: Rajskub may be best known for her television roles — from “24” to “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” to “Veronica’s Closet” — but to comedy fans she’s probably more remembered as an original cast member of the iconic “Mr. Show with Bob and David” and her sets on late-night talk shows. The intimate North Bar is fast becoming a destination for surprisingly big names, and Rajskub is the one to catch this fall. 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Oct. 13 at North Bar, 1637 W. North Ave.; liveatnorthbar.com
Gad Elmaleh: Known as “the Jerry Seinfeld of France,” Moroccan-born Gad Elmaleh released his first English-speaking special on Netflix earlier this year. Titled “Gad Elmaleh: American Dream,” it covers his quest to cross over to stardom in the United States. This fall’s “The Dream Tour” likely delves into his successes — and struggles — with that ongoing goal. 7:30 p.m. Oct. 19 at The Vic, 3145 N. Sheffield Ave.; victheatre.com
Emo Philips: Fresh off opening for “Weird Al” Yankovic on his 77-stop “Ridiculously Self-Indulgent, Ill-Advised Vanity Tour,” legendary comedian and Downers Grove native Emo Philips returns to Zanies (Chicago and Rosemont locations) where his darkly comedic one-liners and impeccable sense of comic timing absolutely crushed last year. Nov. 8-9 at Zanies Chicago, 1548 N. Wells St.; then Nov. 10 at Zanies Rosemont, 5437 Park Place, Rosemont; www.zanies.com
Nikki Glaser: From her Comedy Central series “Not Safe with Nikki Glaser” to her full-length special “Perfect” and her 30-minute Netflix set in Season One of “The Standups,” Glaser has made two things clear: She’s a master of the surprisingly biting one-liner, and she’s got a propensity for delving into her own sexual psyche. When the two come together, she’s absolute comedic dynamite. Five shows Nov. 8-10 at Chicago Improv, 5 Woodfield Road, Woodfield Mall, Schaumburg; chicago.improv.com