Lincoln Park's iO is coming back

The local improv community finally got some good news this week after a tough couple years — iO Theater is back.

Why it matters: Thousands of performers have come through the theater to take classes, hone their skills and launch comedic careers.

• Mike Myers, Amy Poehler and Seth Meyers all performed at iO — formerly ImprovOlympic — in their early years.

Driving the news: A real estate firm bought the iO building in Lincoln Park last year.

• After recognizing its history, the firm committed to reopening the club under new management, which includes a mix of improv vets and newcomers.

What they're saying: "iO is a Chicago institution and a vital part of the improv community," co-artistic director Katie Caussin tells Axios.

Backstory: Former owner Charna Halpern shut down the theater in 2020 in the wake of COVID closures.

Yes, but: In 2020, both iO and The Second City faced a racial reckoning for alleged discriminatory practices in hiring and creating unsafe spaces for people of color.

• The organizations vowed to change, but ultimately both owners instead walked away.

The fix: "There is no one-and-done measure or policy that can be enacted to 'fix' issues of equity," iO's new co-artistic director Adonis Holmes tells Axios.

• "The diversity work at iO will require fluidity; an ever-changing, collaborative apparatus that acknowledges iO's problematic past to forge an immediate future where performers and audiences feel valued and seen."

What's next: iO is expected to reopen sometime this summer.

• "We will continue to honor the tradition of long-form improvisation that iO is known for, but we hope to develop and bring in new and exciting shows to fill our space," Caussin says.
• Holmes adds it's the "same place, just more gay."