Stephanie Walsh

Lead Events Reporter

Sketch comedy? Minimal music? Are we sure this is a Starkid show? The answer is yes! Team Starkid’s latest effort, Airport For Birds (and Other Great Ideas) is currently at Second City’s UP Comedy Club in Chicago through March 3rd.  Most fans discussing the show online seem to be confused. What is it? It’s not a musical? No. It’s a series of short comedic sketches. The show runs about 90 minutes. There are some songs, but mostly it’s Starkid showing us a side we haven’t quite seen before. It’s an edgier show. It is more adult themed than the majority of their musicals. If you’ve seen any of their previous shows live, you know that they do censor them before they are posted on YouTube.

The best thing about Airport for Birds is that you don’t have to be a Harry Potter or superhero fan, or even a Starkid fan to appreciate the show. Parents dragged there by their children had just as much of a reason to laugh as those who proclaim to be the biggest Starkid fans. It showcases some actors that we haven’t really gotten a chance to see shine yet, like Denise Donovan who stole several scenes. Newcomers Pat Rourke and Daniel Strauss (no relation to Nick Strauss) fit in to the cast we love effortlessly.

Sketches ranged in topic from video games to fangirls, political jokes, and yoga. The show has something everyone can relate to. They range in length, some are as short as minute, but those often had the biggest reaction from the crowd.

Another Starkid first is that the Lang brothers are not involved, the actors in the show also wrote the sketches, again showcasing some of the members of Team Starkid that haven’t had their moment to shine in the other projects.