Origin

YippieFest was inspired by the Abbie Hoffman Died For Our Sins theater festival that ran for 28 years by Mary-Arrchie. AbbieFest regulars were sad to see it end and some of us got together and created a new festival. Many AbbieFest regulars joined as well as new groups. We hope to capture some of the magic of AbbieFest while creating our own magic with YippieFest.
Yippie!

2017 - YippieFest #1

We debuted YippieFest at The Prop THTR.

The performers were: AgitPop Theatre, Amy Leuenberger, Andrew Ruiz, Annabella Mindo, Apophenic Shorts, Ariel, Audiobon, Ben Marshall Band, Black Forest, Carly Ballerini, Carrie Campana, Charles Minard, Chicago Iowa Theatre Collective, Clark Street Media, Colby Carlson, College Productions, Crash of Rhinos, Dan and Kate's Book Club, Danger Circus, Dark Room Men, Dave & Lynn Gow, DB Comedy, Dramageddon, El Bear, Eliaz Rodriguez, Eric Peter Schwartz, Famous In The Future, Flapunco, Forever Summer Productions, Hippohorsey Donkeymonkey, Howie and Dina Goodsell, Huck Poe, James Gordon, Jim & Melissa, Jim Kennedy, Jonathan Euseppi, Julia Brownfield, katherine chronis, King Reza, KJ Whitehead, Kristin Lytie, Laugh You Bastards Vol. 4.5, Lea Ciastko, Leopard Lightning / Kevlar B Lightning, Lizzy & the Wizards, Marianne Abel, Masters Of Sketch, Matt Kneifel, Michael Bratta & Tina Teske, Mike Felten, Monsters Anonymous, Morning Pocket Forensics, Northside/Southside Players, Pigasus Players, Parallelicopter, Paul Barile, Raven Roulette, Ray Hui & Kannan Arumugam, Rebecca Duxler, Ron Ervin, Rush Pearson, S h l i p S h l o p s, Sandy Lee, Screamin' Cow Productions, Sean Corcoran, Shitty Bitches, Spencer Sileo, The Courtesan & The Cabin Boy, The Dark Hunger, The Myths of Suburbia, The Remember Knots, The Rut, The Telepaths, Tommy Karner, Trained Monkey Productions, Trevor Gertonson, Trouble Ahead, Tuyeni Akanke, voodoo asylum, White Belt Films, whitewolfsonicprincess, Widdershins, and Zay Swagg.

 

2018 - YippieFest #2

The Prop THTR welcomed us back for YippieFest #2

The performers were: addison lane, American Distopian Sketch Players, Arish Singh, ARTEMIS, Ben Gerber, Ben Marshall Band, big shane, Black Forest, Camilo Restrepo, Carly Kane, Carma Nibarger, Carter Deems, Charles Minard, Christina Lundin, Citizens' Relief, Claire Hawley, Clown House, Collage Productions, Cora Vasseur, Crash of Rhinos and Nelson Bridge, Dan and Kate's Book Club, Dark Room Men, DarrickJ, Dave & Lynn Gow, DB Comedy, Dramageddon, Drew Brown, Eileen Tull, El Bear, Eliezer Kaplan, Eric Webb Jr, Famous In The Future, Flabby Hoffman And The Citrus State Cheerios, FreakShow & Tell, Hippohorsey Donkeymonkey, Huck Poe, Jack Allen, Jamie Black, Jarrell Scott Barnes, Jess Martinez, Jim Kennedy, John Michael, Julia Brownfield, Keegan Damron, KJ Whitehead, Kyna Lenhof, Lauren Hooberman, LeeAnn Yops, Lele Mason, Luis Arevalo, M.C. Steffen, Malic White, Mark Cunningham, Mary Kelly, Mary Lorenz, Masters of Sketch, Matt MacLean, Max Shanker, Mercury Wave, Michael Bratta, Michael Steven Cohen, Mike Felten, Nate Gallaway, Nire Nah & Friends, NXT Level Productions, Off The Clock, Out On A Whim, Pigasus Players, Portmanteauzone, Prateek Srivastava, PS...Burlesque, Rebecca Duxler, Riddle Me That, Roberta Miles, Ron Ervin, Rush Pearson, Sam Rhodes, Sandy Lee, Sarah Manning, Sean Corcoran, Seth Davis Comedy, Shane Zimmer, Subhash Thakrar, Teddy Mykaels, The Agency Theater Collective, The And The And Thes, The Courtesan & The Cabin Boy, The Laser Comedy Show, The Rut, Top Banana Productions, Trained Monkey Productions, Trevor Gertonson, Tuyeni Akanke, Uncle Bobo, Very Good Theatre Theatre Co., Vikram Balaji, whitewolfsonicprincess, and Your Silent Partner.

 

2019 - YippieFest #3

The Prop THTR once again were our host for the 3rd fest.

The performers were: !Ex Maquina!, Avalon von Sturm, Baby No Name, Ben Marshall Band, Black Forest, Both, Christine Marie, Citizens' Relief, Clown House, Co-co-cola and the Fizzies, Collage Production, Crash of Rhinos, Crystal Rae, Dark Room Men, DarrickJ, David Drazin, DB Comedy, Dylan Burke, Eduardo Soto, Eileen Tull, El Bear, Emma Grace, Eric Peter Schwartz, Famous In The Future, Flapunco, Flower Shop Bangers, Hawkeye Plainview, Huck Poe, Jack Allen, James Gordon, Joe Chazaray, Killer Robots, M.C. Steffen, Masters of Sketch, Matt Griffo, Mayday Mayhaim & Seizure Chic, Michael Steven Cohen, Mike Begra, Mike Felten, Minimalist Productions, Multiple Hats Productions, Nitty Gritty, Ovadya, Paul Barile, PortmanteauZone, PS...Burlesque, Rob Steinberg, Ron Ervin, Ross Childs, Rush Pearson, Sandy Lee, Solo Crowd, The Act Pack Collective, The Courtesan & The Cabin Boy, The Laser Comedy Show, The Remember Knots, The Rut, The Telepaths, The Waiting Room Magazines, Trained Monkey Productions, Uncle bobo, Victoria Fombelle, whitewolfsonicprincess, and Your Silent Partner.

 

2020 - Move to virtual

Twitch - We enjoyed watching old and new shows taped especially for the virtual fest.

Performers were: Trained Monkey, The Myths of Suburbia, whitewolfsonicprincess, Dark Room Men, Mike Felten, Camilo Restrepo, Ovadya, The Rut, PortmanteauZone, Flower Shop Bangers, Collage Productions with Mobilewave Films, David Drazin, Citizens' Relief, Famous In The Future, Eileen Tull, Amy Crider, Shitter Critters, Michael Bratta, Ross Childs, Jason Midas, M.C. Steffen, and Sean Patrick Leonard.


2021 - Virtual again

Twitch - We enjoyed watching old and new shows taped especially for the virtual fest.

Performers were: Mike Felten, whitewolfsonicprincess, The Rut, Collage Productions and Mobil Wave Films, Crash of Rhinos, Famous in the future, Dark Room Men, whitewolfsonicprincess, Northside/Southside Players, Killer Robots, Rob Steinberg and Randall Parker, The Telepaths, Debbie Sue Goodman, and Amy Crider.

 

2022 - YippieFest is LIVE again

YippieFest returned to live and in-person theater with a rocking Friday night of bands and theater on Saturday and Sunday at The Den.

Performers were: Mike Felten Band, Chris Bock, Dark Room Men, Parallelicopter, Whitewolfsonicprincess, Chicks with picks and licks, The Rut, The Telepaths, Mary Doctor, David Loken, El Bear, Famous in the Future, Michael Bratta, M.C. Steffen, Your Silent Partner, Northside/Southside Radio Players, The Ludlow Charlington Players, Haunted: The Improvised Ghost Hunters, First Day of School Comedy, Perceptual Motion, Inc., Ross Childs, Seth Davis, Collage Productions, Carly Ballerini, Amy Crider, and Laura Ann Parry.

 

2023 - YippieFest at Pride Arts Center

YippieFest returned for three days of theatrical entertainment at Pride Arts Center.

Performers were: Rush Pearson, Mike Felten, Chicks with Licks and Picks, Amber Nettles, Dark Room Men, Dakota Pariset, Thee Courtesan Belle Weathers, Industry Darlings, Philip D. Clarke, Lisa Zane, Collage Productions, Shawn Wickens, David Drazin, Perceptual Motion, Inc., Black Forest, Famous In The Future, AP US History, Masters of Sketch, Angie McMahon, Noel and McD, Amber Nettles, Jack Allen, Our Lake is an Ocean, Top Banana Productions, Roberto Del Rio, Continuous Dream Theater, Hooked Up, John Lattuada / Proles the Clown, Noel & Mick D, Roberta Miles, John Francis Klingle, RPG-13, and El Bear.