Fox Valley Rep Blog

In late February of 1994, a group of actors, improvisers, and musicians thought to incorporate their talents at Irish brogues, improvisation, audience interaction and music to put together a show for the upcoming St. Patrick???s Day. Thinking the show would last as long as the general public???s taste for green beer, they put together an outline and started performing completely improvised wakes for dear departed Flanagan. The Wake continued to draw mourners long past that St. Patrick???s Day, and has been going strong ever since, and is now in its 13th year.

Creators of Flanagan???s Wake (a.k.a. Seat of Our Pants) include Jimmy Binns, Amy Binns-Calvey (director of the Noble Fool???s critically acclaimed Mikado: Version 2005), Geoff Binns-Calvey, Jack Bronis (writer of Noble Fool???s Vikings!), Mark Czoske, Phil Lusardi, Patricia Musker (star in Noble Fool???s Roasting Chestnuts and Vikings!), Bonnie Shadrake (music creator of Flanagan???s Wake, co-creator of Roasting Chestnuts, and musical director of Noble Fool???s Ruthless!).

Flanagan???s Wake is the hilarious interactive Irish wake that has been running in Chicago for 11 smash years! Flanagan???s Wake is one of the longest-running shows in Chicago theater history. When will it end? According to Brian Ballybunion, Flanagan???s best friend and drinkin??? mate, ???We???ll keep waking him until we get it right.???
Join the villagers of the beautiful fictional village of Grapplin, County Sligo, Ireland, as they tell tales, sing songs and mourn the passing of one of their own, Flanagan. You???ll be transported to the Emerald Isle to grieve as only the Irish can. You can share tales of your own experiences and misadventures with dear old Flanagan, or simply enjoy the stories and songs of the locals as they recall life with ???Himself.??????A Great Party!??? ??? Chicago Tribune
???Roisterous & Boisterous!??? ??? L.A. Times
???A Hoot!??? ??? The Boston Globe.
???A great time…??? -The Chicago Sun Times
???One of the funniest shows you???ll ever see???- NBC
???Crisp comic timing!??? ??? Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Flanagan???s Wake opened at the Improv Institute in Chicago March 1994.

Created by: Amy Binns-Calvey, Geoff Binns-Calvey, Jimmy Binns, Jack Bronis, Mark Czoske, Phil Lusardi, Pat Musker and Bonnie Shadrake

Conceived by Jack Bronis
Inspired by Joe Liss

The show is for all ages. Ages 8-100 love it!

Flanagan’s Wake has appeared in:
Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Cleveland, Buffalo, Rochester, Milwaukee, Green Bay, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Minneapolis and Detroit.