3 Questions for...Prescott Tolk

Most comics in the Chicago scene regard Your Sunday Best, the Sunday night open mic at Schubas, as the cream of the crop.  And most comics show up to do a set there week in and week out.  For this reason the rock venue's upstairs space takes on a sort of clubhouse vibe from around 8 pm until around 1 am each Sunday.  Yet, while most folks know one another, the room also has one of the friendliest feels of any open mic in the city and often draws a crowd of audience members as well (that is not standard to all open mics).

I asked Prescott Tolk, one of the mic's producers and hosts, a few questions about what makes his room so rad.

1. How many folks do you put up on average per week?
-We average 45 comics each week.

2. Why do you think Schubas consistently draws such big crowds?
-Schubas draws a good crowd because it is an established performance venue centrally located in the city. Often times people hanging out downstairs will wander upstairs to the comedy show out of curiosity and then regularly come back to check it out.

3. Why is it important to hit open mics?
-Open mics are where jokes, attitude, and style get polished. They also create a sense of community in art form that often breeds solitude.

Solid answers, right?

Your Sunday Best runs every Sunday at Schubas Tavern, sign-up at 8:30 PM, show at 9

Prescott Tolk doesn't believe you. Photo by Elizabeth McQuern