A funny return

The Lakeshore Theater's artistic director Chris Ritter, together with The Upright Citizens Brigade, have managed to book "Saturday Night Live" alum and Second City member Horatio Sanz & the Kings of Improv for one exclusive show at 8 p.m. Nov. 20.

Tickets are $15 and are available by calling (773) 472-3492 or by visiting www.lakeshoretheater.com.

The Upright Citizens Brigade has had an ongoing residency at the Lakeshore Theater via UCB-founder Sanz, 38, but this is the first time he has headlined a show at this new venue.

He has promised to also bring a yet-to-be-determined crew of his "high-profile" UCB friends to share the stage with for his performance.

Born in Santiago, Chile, and raised in Chicago, he was a cast member on "SNL" from 1998 until 2006.

It was on Sept. 20 one year ago when "SNL" producer Lorne Michaels and NBC announced cutbacks that would force Sanz, along with comedy colleagues Finesse Mitchell and Chris Parnell, be dropped from the show.

During his "SNL" run, Sanz, the first Latin American comic to ever be a regular member of the cast, was known for his funny celeb impersonations of notables like Elton John, movie critic Gene Shalit, Rosie O'Donnell, Aaron Neville and Ozzy Osbourne.

Sanz was also popular with viewers for a reoccurring character named "Carol," a loud and bubbly, hefty blonde single gal, with coupled friends eager to set her up on blind dates. In every skit, Carol's friends always seemed oblivious to her brassy and crass behavior, as well as her odd food and drink fixations.

A playful return

It's been five years since the famed FAO Schwarz toy store closed its North Michigan Chicago location.

Of course, FAO Schwarz has a fabled history that dates back to its founding in New York City in 1870 by German immigrant Frederick August Otto Schwarz.

FAO Schwarz received it's household name status with Tom Hanks back in the 1988 with the movie"Big" when Hanks and Robert Loggia played "Heart & Soul" and "Chopsticks" on the New York flagship store's signature 22-foot piano.

FAO Schwarz celebrates its return to the Windy City, now as a part of the Macy's flagship store on State Street in Chicago, with a two-day grand opening celebration starting on Thursday with the unveiling of the FAO Schwarz holiday windows, heralded with a red-carpet event featuring the company's signature Toy Soldiers and Trumpeter and welcoming remarks from both companies' principals, Ed Schmults, CEO for FAO Schwarz and Frank Guzzetta, chairman and CEO of Macy's North. Then on Friday, it's the ribbon-cutting ceremony to officially open FAO Schwarz's "store within a store" at Macy's, also hosted by the Toy Soldiers and the Trumpeter.

The Chicago Children's Choir will perform and other VIP guests still to be announced will attend.

The Chicago store, located in the Children's Department on Macy's fifth floor, will capture the same wondrous atmosphere that has enthralled generations of children and their parents.

The 5,200-square-foot shop will offer a taste of the FAO Schwarz tradition. The shop will be filled with specialty toys, stuffed animals and other high-quality products.

The opinions expressed are solely those of the writer. He can be reached at ppotempa@nwitimes.com or 219.852.4327.

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