IL: Public transit can be many things — but is it funny?

Public transportation can be many things — convenient, frustrating, cost-effective and a guaranteed way to encounter a cross section of the city’s population — but is it funny?

The current budget woes and looming fiscal cliff are no laughing matter. But just as HBO’s “Last Week Tonight” tackles current events with a satirical edge, “Save Chicago Transit: The Comedy Show” aims to do the same for the CTA.

Created by performer Ellen Steinke, the one-hour show is a blend of sketch comedy, improv and on-stage interviews that offer “a funny but substantive conversation about keeping CTA and Metra running.”

Steinke also compares the show’s approach to that of “Drunk History” or “Schoolhouse Rock.”

“Satire isn’t necessarily going to change anything,” she says. “That’s not the point. It’s supposed to tickle your brain or make you think about something differently. And I was like, how can I make a show that informs but maybe has some impact? Who knows if this will make a difference, but it’s throwing some spaghetti at the wall and seeing what happens.”

As my colleague Talia Soglin reported earlier this year, “Illinois lawmakers ended their spring legislative session without finding a way to plug the gaping $771 million budget gap facing the region’s mass transit systems next year.” If that isn’t addressed, CTA, Metra and Pace are anticipating a 40% service cut and thousands of employees losing their jobs.

“I moved to Chicago three years ago from Los Angeles to study comedy at Second City,” Steinke says. “But another reason I picked Chicago is because, living in LA, I never wanted to leave my apartment, because getting anywhere was a drag because of traffic.” By comparison, it’s possible to live in Chicago without needing a car. At least, for now. Possible service cuts will hit riders hard.

So how does the dire possibility of a greatly reduced transit system become transformed into satire that also provides a deeper understanding of the issues?

“One of the sketches is a timeline of how we got here,” says Steinke. “When you look at the history, you see that cars were more or less chosen for us by corporations.” They were an important economic engine driving the post-war era, especially as suburban sprawl took hold. Locally, the building of the highways was integral to Richard J. Daley’s tenure as mayor. These are just some of the signposts along the timeline devised by Steinke, and each is played by a different performer. “I go down the line and talk with them and we go back and forth and riff, and they’ll say something funny as they describe who they are and what role they played.”

Another sketch is modeled on “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?” but is instead a version of “Who Wants to Fund Illinois’ Transit Budget?”

“In the legislative session, everybody just seemed to throw up their hands,” Steinke says. “So the state of Illinois is the contestant faced with all these funding options as multiple choice questions. One of the options is ‘Pick anything.’”

Guests include acting CTA president Nora Leerhsen and State Representative Mary Beth Canty this week, and State Representative Eva-Dina Delgado the following week. Canty and Delgado are “transitheads” in Steinke’s words. But I was surprised to see the CTA represented; Leerhsen may encounter questions that have nothing to do with the funding crisis, but pertain to other issues that have plagued the agency, from ghost buses to smoking on trains. Steinke isn’t worried about things getting contentious, and it’s not as if this will be the first time Leerhsen has interacted with members of the public, or heard these complaints.

The guests are there to provide a “plain-language recap of the 2025 legislative session and why a dedicated funding bill stalled,” Steinke says. Plus explain misconceptions that block progress (for example, “This is just a city issue” or “Drivers won’t be affected”) as well as talk about “concrete next steps such as what reforms or revenue sources could realistically pass next session and what advocacy or constituent pressure would help.” And finally, “A sense of optimism and urgency: Why maintaining and expanding transit is critical for Chicago’s economy, environment, and daily life.”

Last week’s guests included Better Streets Chicago executive director Kyle Lucas, who says he was asked “thoughtful questions about how we got here, ways people can get involved, what we may lose if legislators don’t get the job done — and perhaps most importantly, what we stand to gain if they do,” and that the show “manages to explore power dynamics while keeping you laughing and poking fun at transit experiences we all have.”

As for her own experiences riding public transportation, Steinke says she’s seen improvements in recent months. “I’ve noticed that stations are being swept and there’s not three inches of bird doo-doo on the steps anymore. Things feel cleaner. So I feel optimistic.”

From her lips to the legislature’s ears.

“Save Chicago Transit: The Comedy Show” runs through Sept. 30 at Second City’s Donny’s Skybox in Piper’s Alley, 1608 N Wells St.; tickets are $5-$15 at  funnyyoushouldcare.com

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