Boom Chicago

Boom Chicago is a creative group, based in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, that writes and performs sketch and improvisational comedy at the Rozentheater. They were the creative forces behind Comedy Central News (CCN), a news show on the Dutch Comedy Central for two seasons.

The group was founded in 1993 by Andrew Moskos, Pep Rosenfeld and Ken Schaefle, who named it after their hometown. They moved to the Lijnbaansgracht in what is now the Sugar Factory a year later. In 1998, they took over and restored the Leidseplein Theater. In 2012, the comedy show moved to their more spacious home on the Rozengracht, while the Chicago Social Club remains at the Leidseplein.

Boom Chicago addresses Dutch, American and world social and political issues like privacy, the role of technology, Europe, the extreme right, Pim Fortuyn, 9/11 and, recently, hairy beards. Their unique mixing of comedy styles combined with technology has been popular with audiences and critics alike. After twenty years, the show has become a part of Amsterdam's cultural scene.

The group is currently owned by Moskos, Rosenfeld and Saskia Maas.

1993: Andrew Moskos, Pep Rosenfeld and Ken Schaefle open Boom Chicago at the Iboya, Korte Leidsedwarsstraat 41, 85 seats.

1994: Moves to Studio 100 (now Sugar Factory) on Lijnbaansgracht 238, 180 seats.

1997: Moves into the 270 seat Leidseplein Theater, the theater where Dutch legends Wim Kan, Wim Sonneveld and Toon Hermans began in the 1930s. Boom Chicago renovates the theater, adds a kitchen, bar, and rock show sound and lighting.

2000: Hires first video director, Jamie Wright, and introduces multimedia to the shows. Cameras are fitted in the theater (and the Leidseplein outside). Soon green screen studios and live internet, make Boom Chicago an early pioneer with technology in a comedy show.

2002: Comedy Swap with The Second City in Chicago. The mainstage casts of The Second City and Boom Chicago perform on each other's stages in each other's cities. This was the first (and only) time a visiting comedy group plays on Second City's mainstage. All shows sell out.

2004: Boom Chicago Video Productions launches after the worldwide success of the Florida Voting Machine Video, where an American citizen tries to vote for Kerry, but the rigged machine only allows him to vote for George Bush.

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