Coming Soon to The Shrine

“At Fox Valley Mall, we’re on the ground floor of a significant transformation that will make this mall the center of community activities in the Aurora and Naperville areas and as much a focal point for entertainment as it is for shopping and dining,” says Scott Samson, Senior General Manager, Fox Valley Mall. “At Fox Valley, we’re drastically altering the way people interact with their neighborhood shopping center. We’re creating something so much more meaningful – a place where people spend time together, share memories and just enjoy hanging out. Adding an iconic entertainment venue like Comedy Shrine to the mall’s tenant mix is indicative of the kind of changes we have in store for Fox Valley 2.0. Something big is happening at Fox Valley Mall, and this is just the beginning.”

The NEW Comedy Shrine at Fox Valley Mall will have three theaters. The largest theater will be dedicated to stand-up acts and will seat as many as 400 people, a size that will allow Comedy Shrine to attract some of the biggest names in comedy. The second venue will be focused on improv events, and the third will be used for experimental theater offerings ranging from comedic sketch shows to both original and touring plays, variety shows, one-man comedy acts, and even murder mysteries.

While its traditional acts will continue to take place on Friday and Saturday evenings, after moving to Fox Valley Mall, Comedy Shrine will be open during all mall hours, offering a variety of family-friendly classes and activities throughout the day. There will be open-mic nights; classes in stand-up and improv comedy performances for children, teens, and adults; and comedy writing classes. The larger Comedy Shrine space will also allow the venue’s expansion into private events from birthday and bachelor/bachelorette parties to corporate events and fundraisers.

David Sinker opened Comedy Shrine in 2005. Before Comedy Shrine, Sinker was an actor and director at The Second City comedy club in Chicago; he has also performed improv and sketch comedy in 32 states with the Second City National Touring Company. A 1995 Emmy Award recipient at the Chicago/Midwest Emmy Awards, Sinker has also had three of his own plays produced in the Windy City, written for four national television shows and three children’s feature films, and written and directed both television and radio commercials in three states. Locals know Sinker best from his weekly newspaper column in the Naperville Sun titled “Until Somebody Loses an Eye.”

“Comedy Shrine has outgrown our current location. When we began looking for a new venue, the changes taking place at Fox Valley Mall really caught our eye,” says Sinker, Comedy Shrine owner. “There are big things happening at Fox Valley Mall, from thought-provoking original works of art to a completely re-imagined park-like Center Court, Fox Valley Mall is growing and changing; it’s becoming a very experiential and entertainment-focused community hub. The expanded space Comedy Shrine will have at the mall will give us the ability to attract the biggest names in the comedy business as well as allow us to offer a wider array of daytime programming that appeals to a multigenerational audience – the same kinds of people who already frequent Fox Valley Mall.”

True to its name, the NEW Comedy Shrine will also house an interactive comedy museum with audio and video exhibits showcasing a vast collection of memorabilia, a comfortable lounge area with a fully stocked bar, a retail store with logoed merchandise, and six-month and one-year membership options.

About Comedy Shrine
Since 2005, Comedy Shrine has been Chicagoland’s premier improv and stand-up comedy theater. Each Friday and Saturday evening, Comedy Shrine brings top comedians from around the country to the suburbs of Chicago. The Aurora/Naperville-area venue also offers a comedy museum showcasing a vast collection of memorabilia from the days of silent film to present day, giving visitors a true walk through comedic history. During the rest of the week, Comedy Shrine offers open-mic nights; classes in stand-up and improv comedy performances for children, teens and adults; and comedy writing classes. It also offers corporate team-building exercises, group workshops, and special events from birthday and Christmas parties to bachelor/bachelorette parties. The theater boasts a retail store with logoed merchandise, six-month and one-year memberships, and a lounge with a fully stocked bar offering a variety of alcoholic beverages, soft drinks and snacks. To learn more, visit the Comedy Shrine website at https://comedyshrine.com/ or follow Comedy Shrine on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

About Fox Valley Mall
Fox Valley Mall is part of the Centennial Collection, managed by Centennial Real Estate Management Company, LLC. Conveniently located off Route 59, the shopping center provides an unmatched experience for millions of Aurora/Naperville-area shoppers each year. Anchored by Macy’s and JCPenney with nearly 140 specialty retailers and eateries including H&M, Forever 21, Victoria’s Secret, and a 50,000-square-foot Round 1 Bowling & Amusement center, the three-story Fox Valley Mall offers a wide array of name-brand shopping, dining and entertainment options. For more information, visit the center’s website at www.shopfoxvalleymall.com and follow the center on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.