You know him from “The Neighborhood,” “The Last O.G.,” “The Proud Family” and much more.
Don’t miss your chance to catch Cedric the Entertainer live on tour, one-night-only, in his only Chicago-area stop, Saturday, August 8 at 8 p.m. at Paramount Theatre, 23 E. Galena Blvd. in downtown Aurora. Tickets are $41-$161*.
For tickets, visit ParamountAurora.com, call (630) 896-6666, or stop by the Paramount box office Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., or until show time on show days. For group discounts, contact Melissa Striedl, melissas@paramountarts.com or (630) 723-2461. *Prices are for in-person purchases. Additional fees apply for phone and online orders.
Of course, Cedric is a veteran stand-up icon known for warm, story‑driven humor, sharp observations about family, work, and everyday life, and the playful crowd interaction that made him a household name. A star of The Neighborhood on CBS, the Barbershop films, and the Original Kings of Comedy, Cedric blends old‑school showmanship with modern timing, moving from quick one‑liners to vivid storytelling and characters.
Audiences can expect clean but grown‑folks language, improvisation with the crowd, topical bits and call‑backs that reward attention. This show includes some adult language and content. Recommended for 18+
Cedric the Entertainer. Credit: N Phocus Photography
More about Cedric the Entertainer
American actor, comedian, and game show host Cedric The Entertainer is one of the world’s premier performers on stage, film and television, with a career spanning 30 years.
Currently, Cedric is starring in and executive producing the CBS Television hit comedy The Neighborhood, hosting and executive producing The Greatest #AtHome Videos, executive producing the dramedy Johnson for Bounce TV, and recently executive produced and hosted the 73rd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards. He also appears co-starring in The Last O.G., opposite Tracy Morgan and Tiffany Haddish, and is reprising his role as Uncle Bobby in Disney+’s The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder – the long-anticipated revival of the groundbreaking animated series The Proud Family. Cedric also won a 2023 and 2026 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series for The Neighborhood.
He was recently seen in a dramatic role portraying legendary civil rights activist and leader, Ralph Abernathy, in the feature film, Son Of The South, executive produced by Spike Lee and directed by Lee’s long-time editor, Barry Alexander Brown; The Opening Act, about a group of comedians trying to breakthrough in the stand-up comedy world; and will soon begin production of the sequel to his hit Johnson Family Vacation, that he will again star in and produce.
Cedric’s other noteworthy television credits include the comedy series The Soul Man, which he co-created and executive produced through A Bird And A Bear Entertainment; The Steve Harvey Show, which he won four NAACP Image Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy; the sketch comedy series Cedric The Entertainer Presents, which he starred in and executive produced and was honored the AFTRA Award of Excellence for; served as host of season 12 of the hit game show Who Wants To Be A Millionaire; and was featured as the voice of Bobby Proud in the Disney animated series The Proud Family, that he also received an NAACP Image Award for.
His versatile film work spans genres from memorable performances in comedies such as the hit Barbershop franchise, Johnson Family Vacation, The Original Kings of Comedy concert film which chronicled his record breaking Kings of Comedy Tour with fellow comedians Steve Harvey, D.L Hughley and the late Bernie Mac; to dramas like Paul Schrader’s critically acclaimed Oscar nominated drama First Reformed, co-starring Ethan Hawke and Amanda Seyfried; and his signature baritone voice in animated hits such as Disney’s Madagascar and Planes franchises, Ice Age 2 and Dr. Dolittle 2, among many others.
In addition to his achievements in television and film, Cedric is also an accomplished author. His first book, “Flipping Boxcars,” was released in 2023. Cedric has also ventured into entrepreneurship, launching a wine brand named Setta in honor of his late mother, Rosetta B. Kyles. Furthermore, he introduced a premium barbecue brand called AC Barbeque in collaboration with his longtime friend, Anthony Anderson. For more, visit iamcedric.com.
Also coming to Aurora’s Paramount and Copley theaters this summer and fall are:
Copley Comedy Series
Headliner Calvin Evans, featuring Luca Ferro
Saturday, July 25, 7 p.m.
Tickets: $22
Ballet Folklorico Quetzalcoatl
Thursday, July 30, 7:30 p.m.
Tickets: $27-$32
Copley Comedy Series
Headliner Larry Reeb (“Uncle Lar”), featuring Laura Hugg
Saturday, August 22, 7 p.m.
Tickets: $22
Copley Comedy Series
Headliner Nick Gaza, featuring Vikram Balaji
Saturday, September 26, 7 p.m.
Tickets: $22
Happy Together Tour 2026
Sunday, August 9, 5:30 p.m.
Tickets: $60.50
Mean Girls
A Chicago-area premiere, part of Paramount’s 15th Broadway Series
Based on the Paramount Pictures film Mean Girls
August 26–October 11, 2026
Tickets: $35.50-$105.50
Or subscribe to four 2026-27 Broadway Series productions for as low as $73.
Menopause The Musical®
25th Anniversary Tour
Saturday, October 17, 3 p.m.
Tickets: $40-$70
Copley Comedy Series
Headliner Tim Cavanaugh, featuring Michelle Krajecki
Saturday, October 24, 7 p.m.
Tickets: $22
Behind The Scream
A Live Conversation with David Arquette following a 30th Anniversary Screening of Scream
Saturday, October 24, 8 p.m.
Tickets: $41-$71; VIP Package $171
Copley Comedy Series
Headliner Tim Benker, featuring Mike Preston, hosted by Steve Cochran
Saturday, November 7, 7 p.m.
Tickets: $22
A Christmas Carol
A World Premiere, part of Paramount’s 15th Broadway Series
November 11, 2026–January 3, 2027
Tickets: $35.50-$105.50
Or subscribe to four 2026-27 Broadway Series productions for as low as $73
About Paramount Theatre
Paramount Theatre, 23 E. Galena Blvd., is the center for performing arts in Aurora, the second largest city in Illinois. The beautiful, 1,843-seat theater, graced with a strong 1930s Art Deco influence and original Venetian décor, nationally known for its high-quality productions, superb acoustics and historic grandeur, has been downtown Aurora’s anchor attraction since 1931.
Since launching its own Broadway Series in 2011, Paramount has amassed more than 40,000 subscribers, making it the largest subscription house in the U.S.
Paramount Theatre is one of five live performance, event and education destinations overseen by the Aurora Civic Center Authority (ACCA) in downtown Aurora. ACCA also programs and manages the 165-seat Copley Theatre, at 8 E. Galena in the North Island Center; Stolp Island Theatre, 5 E. Downer Place, Suite G, where its wildly acclaimed immersive production of Million Dollar Quartet will return October 7, 2026-January 3, 2027; the Paramount School of the Arts; and RiverEdge Park, 360 N. Broadway, downtown Aurora’s outdoor summer concert venue and home to Christkindlmarket Aurora.
Paramount Theatre is overseen by Tim Rater, President and CEO, Aurora Civic Center Authority; Jim Corti, Artistic Director, Paramount Theatre; a dedicated Board of Trustees and a devoted staff of live theater and music professionals.
For the latest updates, visit ParamountAurora.com or follow @paramountaurora on Facebook and Instagram, and Paramount Theatre on LinkedIn.