The Den Theatre today announced upcoming April 2025 shows at the theatre’s Wicker Park stages at 1331 N. Milwaukee Ave., including Ashley Hesseltine’s “SEX BEFORE MARRIAGE” Tour on April 4 - 5; Caitlin Cook’s “THE WRITING ON THE WALL” Tour returning on April 10; Juston McKinney on April 17; Jordan Jensen on April 18 - 19; Vittorio Angelone on April 24; and, W. Kamau Bell’s “WHO’S WITH ME?” Tour on April 25 - 26. Tickets are now on sale at www.thedentheatre.com or by calling (773) 697-3830.
Top Row (L-R): Ashley Hesseltine, Caitlin Cook, Juston McKinney
Bottom Row (L-R): Jordan Jensen, Vittorio Angelone, W. Kamau Bell
Ashley Hesseltine: “Sex Before Marriage” Tour
Friday, April 4, 2025 at 7:15 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.
Saturday, April 5, 2025 at 7:15 p.m.
Tickets: $22 - $49
Ashley Hesseltine is an LA-based comic, originally from the exotic peninsula of Delaware, and a co-host of the top comedy podcast Girls Gotta Eat. You may have seen her on The Today Show, The View, Good Morning America, or Instagram. She is on her second solo startup tour, but this time is engaged (a woman’s greatest accomplishment!) and will be bringing you along her ~ journey ~ with laughs, honesty, hot takes, and wild stories.
Caitlin Cook: “The Writing on the Stall” Tour
Thursday, April 10, 2025 at 7:15 p.m.
Tickets: $22 - $40
"Legendary cock lobster." "My life is on fire, I think I'm in love." "Life ain't all burritos and strippers, my friend." These are just three examples of the bathroom stall graffiti that Caitlin Cook has been obsessing about and photographing for over a decade. Confessional, immersive, and uproariously funny, this one-of-a-kind show—literally set in a dive bar bathroom—transforms graffiti scrawled all over the stalls into the lyrics of her original songs and trail markers along the journey she takes us upon. Through these irreverent, poignant, and often obscene messages, Cook reckons with our shared humanity and what we owe each other. May include: slingshotted panties, milk pistols, and a cowboy dick (complete, with spurs!).
Enter the bathroom at your own risk: not all the graffiti in this bathroom is humorous or light-hearted. This show touches on such topics as death, suicidal thoughts, sex, disordered eating, and illustrated genitals (e.g. cowboy dicks and very fancy vaginas).
Juston McKinney
Thursday, April 17, 2025 at 7:15 p.m.
Tickets: $22 - $40
Juston McKinney has multiple appearances on The Tonight Show, and one-hour specials on Comedy Central and Amazon Prime, including Parentally Challenged and On Mid-Life Support. His 5th stand-up special, On the Bright Side, is currently streaming on his YouTube channel.
Juston was born in Portsmouth, NH, and grew up living on the border of New Hampshire and Maine. In the late 1990’s after spending seven years as a Deputy Sheriff in rural Maine he made the move to NYC to pursue a career in comedy. He quickly became a regular at nearly every comedy club in the city and The New York Times called him, “Destined for stardom.” Juston would go on to sign development deals with Warner Brothers, CBS, IFC, and Comedy Central.
He has appeared on numerous Comedy Central shows, including his half-hour Comedy Central Presents and his own one-hour special. He has appeared several times on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and Conan O’Brien and a Showtime Special with Rob Gronkowski. Twice, he has performed at the TD Garden with Denis Leary’s Comics Come Home. His TV and movie credits include The King of Queens, 100 Centre Street, The Zoo Keeper, and Here Comes the Boom.
He lives in New Hampshire with his wife and kids. When not dadding, he is touring theaters and clubs all over the country.
Jordan Jensen
Friday, April 18, 2025 at 7:15 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.
Saturday, April 19, 2025 at 7:15 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.
Tickets: $25 - $45
Jordan Jensen is a stand-up comedian who hosts the podcast RIP Jordan Jensen and co-hosts the Bein’ Ian with Jordan podcast. She can be seen on The Late Late Show with James Corden and at the world-famous Comedy Cellar.
Vittorio Angelone
Thursday, April 24, 2025 at 7:15 p.m.
Tickets: $22 - $40
Vittorio Angelone is an Italian-Irish comedian who grew up in Belfast. After moving to London to train as a classical musician he eventually made the predictable switch to stand-up comedy. He has risen through the ranks of the comedy world at an incredible speed, building an army of over half a million followers across all platforms with stand-up clips, podcasts and sketches amassing millions of views online.
He has supported huge names on tour including Michael Che, Sam Morril, Russell Howard, Jason Manford, and Adam Rowe.
In 2022, he sold out his debut run at the Edinburgh Fringe with his show Translations and was nominated for Best Newcomer at the prestigious Dave Comedy Awards.
Vittorio is the co-host of the hit podcast Mike & Vittorio’s Guide to Parenting, co-creator of the viral YouTube show Fin vs. The Internet, and has been seen on BBC One, Channel 4, and as a regular guest and guest co-host of the Have A Word Podcast.
W. Kamau Bell: “Who’s With Me?” Tour
Friday, April 25, 2025 at 7:15 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.
Saturday, April 26, 2025 at 7:15 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.
Tickets: $28 - $60
Kamau returns to the stand-up stage, full of questions, thoughts, and a heavy dollop of silliness in these hectic times. He’s pretty sure the only way we make it through all of this is if we face it together. So, Kamau wants to know: Who’s With Me?
W. Kamau Bell is a stand-up comedian, filmmaker, husband, and dad. For seven seasons, he was the host and executive producer of the five-time Emmy Award-winning CNN Original Series United Shades of America. In 2023 Kamau won an Emmy for his HBO documentary 1000% Me: Growing Up Mixed. He also won a Peabody Award for his 2022 Showtime docu-series We Need to Talk About Cosby. He is the co-author of the New York Times bestselling book Do the Work: An Antiracist Activity Book and the author of The Awkward Thoughts of W. Kamau Bell: Tales of a 6' 4", African American, Heterosexual, Cisgender, Left-Leaning, Asthmatic, Black and Proud Blerd, Mama’s Boy, Dad, and Stand-Up Comedian. In March of 2025, Kamau will have a chapter in bestselling author Michael Lewis’ new book Who is Government? It is based on Kamau’s Washington Post article and short documentary, The Rookie. Kamau’s last comedy special, Private School Negro, is available on Netflix. Kamau is on the board of directors for DonorsChoose, a nonprofit that helps teachers raise money for class projects, and Live Free, a nonprofit dedicated to ending gun violence, mass incarceration, and mass criminalization. Kamau is also the ACLU’s Artist Ambassador for Racial Justice and hosts the ACLU podcast At Liberty. In 2023, Kamau and his wife Melissa Hudson Bell co-founded Who Knows Best Productions, a media production company based in Oakland, CA. He cares too much and sleeps too little.
About The Den Theatre
The Den Theatre opened in 2010 in the Wicker Park neighborhood with just a single theatre space. Now celebrating its thirteenth year, Co-owners Ryan Martin and Carol Cohen, along with their talented and dynamic staff, have developed The Den into a multi-level, live entertainment venue that boasts five intimate and unique theaters ranging from 50 – 300 seats. In addition, the first floor houses The Den Bar & Lounge – a full-service bar where audiences gather before and after performances to share a drink and commune with like-minded culture-hounds. Today, The Den is focused on providing world-class stand-up comedy and cultivating its first love – the theatre. The Den is home to four resident theatre companies including About Face Theatre, The Artistic Home, First Floor Theater and Haven. Hundreds of other companies, artists and comedians from Chicago and beyond have called The Den home – from national names to local stars, and The Den consistently plays host to a lineup of exciting and diverse talent. As a building created for interdisciplinary arts, The Den has accommodated a wide variety of programming, including plays, musicals, stand-up comedy, improv, dance, film screenings, seminars and speaking engagements. For additional information, visit www.thedentheatre.com.
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