Comedian From Mokena Takes Show On The Road

MOKENA, IL — A born-and-raised Mokena comedian is taking his show on the road. Kyle Parks, a 2006 Lincoln-Way East graduate who is living back in Mokena now, has already performed at venues in big cities like Chicago, New York and Los Angeles. And now, he will see how his act fares in America's heartland.

Starting next Tuesday, Parks has a string of shows set in St. Louis, Lawrence, Kansas, Kansas City, Wichita, Kansas, Columbia, Missouri, Omaha, Nebraska and Minneapolis. He will then headline a festival in Sellersville, Indiana - which is some 10 miles from Louisville.

"It's like Porky's, but if everyone was in grad school," Parks said of his comedy, which he added is "raunchy, self-expressive and self-deprecating."

The upcoming tour will include sets that are shorter than his usual time on stage, appearing in 10-15 minute sets at each stop.

"That gives me an opportunity to make sure all the punch lines are clearly stated," he said. "There won't be any time to screw around."

Parks began comedy five years ago and after leaving a job in the non-profit sector to do comedy full-time released his first album, "Hopefully All Good Things," which he says touches on "dating in your '20s, mental health struggles, becoming an adult and body positivity."

"We rented out a theater in Chicago and made a full comedy album like they would do in the '80s and '90s," Parks said.

For every album sale, he will donate $1 to a mental health organization based in Chicago. The album is available on Spotify here and Bandcamp here.

Anyone in the Lincoln-Way area looking to see him perform in person can catch him at The Native neighborhood bar in Chicago on Oct. 30. That's his next planned stop in the area.

He would love to one day begin a regular open mic night in Mokena.

"It's pretty dry for comedy right now in Mokena. I'd love to do something like that if I set up roots here," Parks said. "And don't second guess people from small towns like Mokena. Great people who do great things often come from them."

Watch a clip of Parks' comedy performed at the Laugh Factory in Chicago below. For mature audiences only.

Photo provided by Kyle Parks