Key Takeaways
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Only the final week of September 2026 remains to see The Second City Chicago Mainstage revue Pandemonium, Please Hold.
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Every remaining Mainstage performance from tonight through Wednesday, September 30, 2026, has a direct Ticketmaster link.
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The e.t.c. Theater, UP Comedy Club, and Donny’s Skybox round out the month with different formats and price ranges.
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Weekend Mainstage shows sell out fastest. Weeknight performances offer a more intimate, experimental atmosphere with lower demand.
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OnesToWatch Live tracks live comedy schedules so readers can act on time-sensitive runs like this one.
Ticket Links For Remaining Mainstage Dates In September 2026
With only one week left in September, these are the final chances to catch the current Mainstage revue. Each date below links directly to its Ticketmaster event page.
Friday, September 25 (Early Show) — Second City-Chicago: Mainstage, Chicago, IL
Reserve Friday Early Show Seats
Friday, September 25 (Late Show) — Second City-Chicago: Mainstage, Chicago, IL
Reserve Friday Late Show Seats
Saturday, September 26 (Early Show) — Second City-Chicago: Mainstage, Chicago, IL
Saturday, September 26 (Late Show) — Second City-Chicago: Mainstage, Chicago, IL
Sunday, September 27 — Second City-Chicago: Mainstage, Chicago, IL
Tuesday, September 29 — Second City-Chicago: Mainstage, Chicago, IL
Wednesday, September 30 — Second City-Chicago: Mainstage, Chicago, IL
How The Rest Of September 2026 Looks Across All Second City Stages
The Mainstage anchors the schedule, and the Chicago complex runs several rooms in parallel. Below is a night-by-night look at what remains in September 2026 across all stages.
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Friday, September 25 — Mainstage: Pandemonium, Please Hold (Early Show, 6:30 PM)
The Friday early slot draws after-work locals and visitors starting their weekend in Old Town. Remaining Friday Mainstage dates carry the highest demand in this final stretch. -
Friday, September 25 — Mainstage: Pandemonium, Please Hold (Late Show)
The late show gives a second option the same night and often plays to a looser, more energized room. Second City’s Chicago Mainstage page lists tickets starting at $45 for this performance, with some third-party listings reaching $90 depending on tier and time. -
Saturday, September 26 — Mainstage: Pandemonium, Please Hold (Early Show, 6:30 PM)
The Saturday early show offers the most family-adjacent timing of the final week, while the material remains adult-focused. Beginning March 2026, Friday and Saturday Mainstage performances run at 6:30 PM and 9:30 PM, so arriving 30–40 minutes early helps with seating and drinks. -
Saturday, September 26 — Mainstage: Pandemonium, Please Hold (Late Show)
The Saturday late show is the peak-energy slot of the week. The room is typically full, and the cast plays to a charged crowd. When a post-show improv set occurs, it benefits from a warmed-up audience. -
Sunday, September 27 — Mainstage: Pandemonium, Please Hold (7:00 PM)
The Sunday, September 27, 2026 performance starts at 7:00 PM, which wraps slightly earlier than the 8:00 PM weeknight curtain. That timing suits anyone balancing work or travel the next morning. -
Tuesday, September 29 — Mainstage: Pandemonium, Please Hold (8:00 PM)
Tuesday weeknight shows usually draw smaller crowds, creating a more intimate room. Catch Movement lists this date starting from $159, reflecting secondary-market demand rather than official tier pricing. -
Wednesday, September 30 — Mainstage: Pandemonium, Please Hold (8:00 PM)
This performance closes out September 2026 on the Mainstage. Wednesday shares the intimate feel of Tuesday, with the added weight of being the month’s final show. Current pricing appears at secondcity.com. -
Tuesday, September 29 — e.t.c. Theater: Second City Presents – Thank You, Goodnight (7:30 PM)
This separate e.t.c. production runs alongside the Mainstage revue. The 196-seat e.t.c. stage, opened in 1982 as a developmental tier, often presents rawer, more experimental work at generally lower prices than the Mainstage. -
Saturday, September 26 — UP Comedy Club: Best Of The Second City (3:00 PM)
Best of The Second City at UP Comedy Club (230 W North Ave) blends classic scenes from the archives with new material. The 3:00 PM matinee pairs well with an evening Mainstage show. TicketSmarter lists an average price of $135.37, with seats from $110.75 to $183.20 depending on location. Vivid Seats lists the September 28, 2026 performance at higher resale prices. -
Sunday, September 28 — UP Comedy Club: Best Of The Second City (8:00 PM)
This second UP Comedy Club date offers a fast-paced revue that functions as a curated greatest-hits set. It suits first-time visitors who want a broad survey of the company’s material.
Beyond the Mainstage and e.t.c. lineups, a few other formats round out the schedule and point toward what comes next.
Additional Shows And Upcoming Highlights
Live Sketch Comedy (Mainstage, September 25 at 6:30 PM): Second City’s Live Sketch Comedy format combines updated archival scenes, songs, and improvisation. Ticket tiers range from Value Regular around $45 to Premium around $85, which places it among the more accessible Mainstage offerings in the final week.
No Grown-Ups Allowed: No Grown-Ups Allowed is scheduled for Saturday, October 3, 2026, at The Second City in Chicago, with tickets from $29. It falls just outside the September window and may appeal to readers planning early October visits.
Mainstage Revue Beyond September: Pandemonium, Please Hold continues into October 2026, with Catch Movement listing performances on October 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, and 7 at varied start times. Anyone who misses the September run has immediate options in the following month.
Patterns In Schedule, Pricing, And Demand
Several clear patterns emerge from the September 2026 schedule. Friday and Saturday are the only nights with two Mainstage slots, and they carry the highest demand. Nomado Travel advises booking weekend Mainstage tickets at least a week ahead, noting frequent sellouts during peak seasons, so the remaining Friday and Saturday shows are the most time-sensitive. Tuesday through Thursday play to smaller rooms, which often encourages more experimental energy from the cast. Sunday sits between those extremes, with a single 7:00 PM show and a higher floor price than most weeknight dates.
The four-venue spread creates a wide range of experiences. The Mainstage typically lists tickets between roughly $45 and $159 depending on tier and date, while UP Comedy Club’s Best of The Second City averages $135.37 on the primary market, with a spread from $110.75 to $183.20 according to TicketSmarter. Donny’s Skybox Fellowship Thursdays at $1, or free with a promo code such as FELLOWSHIP, sits at the lowest end of the price spectrum. The revue’s identity, described by Second City as “loud, fast, and gloriously unhinged,” runs through every Mainstage slot regardless of night.
A holiday promotion also appears on the horizon. Second City’s official site lists 25% off tickets to “Not Today, Santa” and “Pandemonium, Please Hold” for all December shows when booking between September 14 and October 9, 2026, using the case-sensitive code HOLIDAY2026 at checkout. That offer matters for readers already planning winter visits.
Practical Guidance For Planning A Visit
How To Choose: First-time visitors often start with the Mainstage, where Pandemonium, Please Hold runs about 90 minutes and follows a tight arc. Budget-conscious attendees or those who prefer a looser structure can look to the e.t.c.’s Reality Detox. Groups of 16 or more can contact Second City’s events team at events@secondcity.com for group planning.
Timing And Arrival: Second City recommends arriving at least 20 minutes before showtime. Arriving 30–40 minutes early allows time for a drink and, occasionally, a glimpse of cast members in the lobby. Late arrivals may wait at the door until a natural break in the show.
Entrances: The Mainstage entrance sits at 1616 N Wells. The e.t.c., UP Comedy Club, and studio stages use the 230 W North entrance, which also serves as the accessible entrance for all stages. Checking the stage name on the ticket helps avoid confusion inside Piper’s Alley.
Parking And Transit: The CTA Brown Line and Purple Line Express stop at Sedgwick station, about a 10-minute walk from the theater. CTA bus route 72 (North) serves the North Avenue corridor. Parking is available at Piper’s Alley Self Park (230 W North Ave). Second City does not validate parking at its Chicago locations, and street parking is limited.
Food, Drink, And Policies: There is no required food or drink minimum, and table service is available. All tickets are General Admission, and the House Manager assigns seats based on arrival time and party size, at their discretion, so arriving together as a group is helpful. Photography is not permitted inside performance spaces during shows, though lobby and bar photos before curtain are allowed.
Accessibility: Second City’s Chicago resident theaters, UP Comedy Club, and studio spaces offer wheelchair accessible and companion seating, with advance notice requested. Assistive listening devices are available on request. Full details appear at secondcity.com/locations/chicago/accessibility-services.
FAQ
What Is The Current Mainstage Revue Called?
The current Second City Chicago Mainstage production is titled Pandemonium, Please Hold. It features a six-person cast performing scripted sketch comedy, improvisation, and live music. The show typically runs around 90 minutes and may be followed by a free post-show improv set, which varies by night and should be confirmed with the box office.
How Do The Mainstage And e.t.c. Theater Differ?
The Second City Mainstage Theater in Chicago seats up to 290 people, with a listed seated capacity of 292 and presents the company’s flagship revue, developed over months of improvisational workshop. The Second City opened the e.t.c. Theatre in September 1982, with its first revue, “Cows on Ice,” debuting in 1983. The e.t.c. seats up to 196 and programs its own parallel series, often with rawer, more experimental work and generally lower ticket prices.
Which Nights Feel Most Intimate?
Tuesday through Thursday weeknight shows consistently draw smaller crowds than Friday and Saturday. Second City’s own guidance notes that weeknight performances play to a more intimate room, and the cast often leans into a more experimental tone. Sunday at 7:00 PM offers a middle ground with a single show and an earlier curtain.
Are There Lower-Cost Options In September 2026?
Yes. Donny’s Skybox Fellowship Thursdays on September 24 starts at $1, with free admission available using the promo code FELLOWSHIP. The Second City’s “Best Of The Second City” at Chicago Mainstage lists tickets starting around $40, with upcoming showtimes priced from about $45. According to Vivid Seats, UP Comedy Club tickets average $237, while Startickets lists the Mainstage at Second City – Chicago at an average of $192.64 on the resale market.
Does The Mainstage Show Continue After September 2026?
Pandemonium, Please Hold continues into October 2026 with performances on October 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, and later dates. A holiday discount of 25% off December performances applies when using the code HOLIDAY2026 at checkout for bookings made between September 14 and October 9, 2026.
Conclusion
September 2026 ends on Wednesday, September 30, and the Mainstage window for this month closes with it. The dates above, from tonight’s Thursday performance through the final Wednesday show, cover every remaining chance to see Pandemonium, Please Hold in September with direct Ticketmaster access. The e.t.c., UP Comedy Club, and Donny’s Skybox add alternate formats and price points for the same stretch. The revue continues into October, but the September run now sits within a tight, one-week decision window.