“Whose Live Anyway?” at the Genesee Theatre

Disclaimer:  I received two tickets to a performance in exchange for sharing my experience at the Genesee Theatre.

For years I have been receiving flyers in the mail for Genesee Theatre in Waukegan, IL.   Each time I look through one of these flyers, I think, “That would be good!”, “I would love to see him!”, “It would be so cool to see them live!”, or “I bet that that would be a great show!”  Nevertheless, interest never translated into action…until now! I decided that it was time to FINALLY check out the Genesee Theatre!

The Genesee Theatre originally opened on December 25, 1927.  It underwent renovations in 1952, but, due to the growth of major large movie theaters, the Genesee Theatre stopped showing movies in 1982 and then closed its doors in 1989.  Ten years later, in 1999, the City of Waukegan bought the building and began restoring the theater. It reopened on December 3, 2004. Much of the current appearance of the theater replicates it original appearance of the 1920’s.  Although it may look similar to how it did back then, it has still been updated for today’s audiences. You can learn more about the history of the theater on the theater’s website. It is very interesting!

The capacity of the theater is currently over 2400.   The theater presents a wide range of acts throughout the year ranging including music, comedy, dance, and more!  In addition to the main auditorium, there are seven lounges on various levels within the theater. The Genesee Theatre also hosts private events.   If you want to see what is coming up soon, check out https://www.geneseetheatre.com/events. To be notified about all new shows added to the Genesee calendar and for access to their pre-sales, you can sign up for their pre-sale list at www.GeneseeTheatre.com/signup.

My husband and I arrived at the theater early so that we could walk around and explore.  From the decor in the grand lobby to the multiple lounges to the memorabilia on the different levels, I enjoyed wandering around and checking out as much as I could before the show.  Not only is the theater beautiful, but you can also spend time learning about the history of both the theater itself as well as the time period during which the theater existed. A lot has happened since 1927!

The show we saw was ”Whose Live Anyway?”!  My husband and I were SO EXCITED to be able to be in the audience for this show!  For years we have been huge fans of the television show, both the British and American versions of “Whose Line Is It Anyway?”, and we are frequently watching reruns, laughing out loud with each episode.  When I saw “Whose Live Anyway?” on one of the aforementioned flyers, I knew that I had to act! This show was hilarious! Unfortunately, it was only at the Genesee Theatre for one night. (It is a tour, though, so you may still have another chance to see them!)  The cast which cracked us up that night included Ryan Stiles, Greg Proops, Jeff B. Davis, and Joel Murray. SO MUCH FUN! I must say that the cast lucked out in regards to one of their audience volunteers about whom they chose to sing a song–they could not have planned this if they tried.  They had a woman come up on stage who was at the show with her soon-to-be ex-husband. (They were going to court to finalize the divorce the next day.) That, plus additional information which came out, made for, let’s just say, some memorable moments.

I am including some photos of the theater as well as some of the memorabilia.  I highly recommend that you check it out yourself when you have the opportunity!  There is a lot to see beyond what is on the stage! Enjoy!

All in all, it was a great night! I look forward to returning!