The Second City
Despite what she remembers as a less-than-stellar audition, Jane landed a coveted spot in the The Second City comedy troupe early in her career and never looked back. “Once I started doing sketch, everything blew open. There’s no better training. Nothing throws you,” she said.
Today, The Second City is one of the most influential comedy theaters in the world, having helped launch the careers of stars like Mike Myers, Tina Fey, Bill Murray, Stephen Colbert, Steve Carell and many others.
Plan a visit to take in an improv show or join a class.
Steppenwolf Theatre
Jane always aspired to perform at Steppenwolf Theatre, and luckily for all of us, she accomplished her goal and then some. A long-time pillar of Chicago’s theater scene, Steppenwolf is widely considered one of the nation’s premier ensemble companies, producing up to 16 plays and nearly 700 performances each year.
Get tickets to an upcoming show, and see where the magic began.
Annoyance Theatre
Fun fact: in the early ’90s, Jane cut her comedic teeth with a starring role as Carol Brady in the hugely successful stage production “The Real Live Brady Bunch”—a hilarious reimagining of classic episodes from the ’70s TV show at Annoyance Theatre.
The storied institution continues to generate fine comedic performances, using creative improvisation to offer new and original plays, musicals and sketch comedy in a vibrant, uncensored atmosphere. Don’t take our word for it—experience it yourself.
Lyric Opera of Chicago
When she’s not taking the stage herself, Jane enjoys seeing others perform at the Lyric Opera of Chicago. Known internationally for its artistic excellence and unforgettable productions, this gorgeous theater seats 3,500, making it the second-largest opera auditorium in North America and the largest stage in downtown Chicago.
With two newly-commissioned world premieres, three premieres of works never before seen on Lyric’s stage and a host of classic favorites returning, Lyric’s 2022/23 season promises to impress. Book a ticket to an upcoming show.
Museum of Broadcast Communications
It should come as no surprise that an award-winning TV star with a resume full of iconic roles (think Sue Sylvester and Sophie Lennon just to name a couple) holds a certain fondness for a museum that showcases the best of broadcast. Exhibits, like the Chicago School of Television Gallery, offer a behind-the-scenes-look at the industry, with set pieces from Chicago television productions (such as The Oprah Winfrey Show) and artifacts from hit shows of the past.
Plan a visit to the Museum of Broadcast Communications for a unique experience as entertaining as it is informative.
Museum of Science & Industry
With a recurring role on “Space Force” and having lent her voice to animated films like “Rio,” “Space Chimps” and “Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs,” Jane’s characters have run the gamut from space explorers to cartoon animals and dinosaurs. Perhaps that’s part of the reason she has such an affinity for the Museum of Science and Industry, the largest science museum in the Western Hemisphere.
Here you can explore the wonders of the galaxies at the Henry Crown Space Center, see the world’s largest LEGO display, experience immersive film at the Giant Dome Theater and much more.
Wrigley Field
As a kid, Jane enjoyed playing baseball “from sunup to sundown,” leading to her eventually (and controversially) becoming a massive Chicago Cubs fan despite growing up in White Sox territory. In a curious twist of fate, she even narrowly missed out on a role in the baseball classic “A League of Their Own,” which instead went to Rosie O’Donnell.
“A League of Their Own” was filmed at Wrigley Field, the home of Jane’s beloved Cubbies. The ballpark and surrounding area have changed a bit since those days, but it remains one of the top ways to experience a quintessential summer day in Chicago.
