Hal Sparks performs in Chicago

As a member of the famed Second City Troupe, his quick wit and affable personality quickly gained him recognition and acclaim. In 1987 he was named the "Funniest Teenager In Chicago" by the Chicago Sun Times. After a successful run with Second City, Sparks moved to Los Angeles and immediately began performing at numerous comedy clubs, including The Improv, The Comedy Store, The Laugh Factory and The Ice House, as well as at Comic Relief's American Comedy Festival. Hal voices the lead character of "Tak" in the new Nickelodeon animated series Tak and the Power of Juju which airs Saturdays at 10:30 a.m. Tak and the Power of Juju follows the teenage jungle-boy Tak, voiced by Hal, and his fellow Pupununu villagers as they deal with their fate as the unluckiest tribe in the world.

His television credits include guest-starring roles on "CSI," "Frasier," and "One on One." He also co-starred in the Showtime Original feature "Bleacher Bums," adapted from the critically acclaimed play of the same name. Hal starred opposite Peter Riegert, Wayne Knight and Brad Garrett in this classic baseball comedy. In 2004 Sparks appeared in the box office hit "Spiderman 2." He also co-starred in the 20th Century Fox comedy, "Dude, Where's My Car?," "Dickie Roberts, Former Child Star" and "Chopper Chicks in Zombie Town" with Billy Bob Thorton. Sparks also provided the voices for two animal characters, a bee and a fish, in the 20th Century Fox film "Dr. Dolittle 2." His numerous television appearances include "The Tonight Show," "Larry King Live," "Charlie Rose," "Good Morning America," "The View," "Politically Incorrect," MTV and "Jimmy Kimmel Live." He also starred in his own sketch comedy pilot entitled "Here Comes The Neighborhood" and produced comedy segments for Disney Channel. On the stage, Sparks has performed in such productions as "The Glass Menagerie" and "Brighton Beach Memoirs." In addition to a busy acting and stand-up career, Hal is an accomplished singer/songwriter/musician. He and his band, Zero 1, have just released their debut album and will soon be touring the country. A native of Peak's Mill, Kentucky, Sparks spent several years in Chicago before moving to Los Angeles.

For more information visit www.halsparks.com

Showtimes: Thurs: 7:30PM / Fri: 8:00PM & 10:15PM / Sat: 7:00PM & 9:15PM / Sun: 7:00PM. Tickets: $15.00 & $17.00.

Hal Sparks
The IMPROV
5 Woodfield Rd.
Schaumburg
(inside the Woodfield Mall)
Thursday - Sunday
847-240-2001
www.improv.com