Chats with Snacks at the Understudy

What's Chat's with Snacks?

(It's similar to a Salon and an open mic, but more casual tbh.)

This event — originally developed by Kevin Aoussou and Joanna Bak, is the first event in Local Lab’s three-part collaboration process.

Chats with Snacks is for folx to come through, share art, eat and chat about the current events, social issues, and cultural trends that’s happening within the community. Kevin will facilitate the group discussion as well as host a small open mic afterwards.

So if you have any art that you’d love to share – whether it’s visual art, poetry, a short comedic set, a draft of a project that you’re itching to read out loud, we’d love to hear and see it!

The overall goal is to start creative conversation and collaboration together. So if you’re a creative that would like to meet other creatives, come through!

The price of admission is bringing a snack of your choice to share with the group.

Meet Your Host: Kevin Aoussou (He/Him/His)

I am a Chicago based-artist that focuses on community-based, collaborative experiences. In addition to being the founder of The Local Lab Collective, I am an Associate Director with Still Point Theatre Collective. I earned my Master's in Fine Arts in Acting from Northwestern University, and am a graduate of Winthrop University, where I majored in theater performance and mass communications with a focus in broadcast journalism.

A Note from Kevin:

“I used to do these events in my backyard and I would feed everyone. I can't feed all of y'all. The Understudy is going to keep drinks going — but will you help me out with the food? Too Good To Go is an app that lets you get food that is going to be thrown away, for cheap. That's your price of admission, feed your neighbor for me. Please. I need your help. Tee.Hee.Hee.he.he.”

All About The Local Lab Co.

The Local Lab Co. is a Chicago-based experimental theater collective that holds events for artists, people with a complicated relationship to collaboration, and people who want to be involved with a creative community in a low-commitment way. Begun in 2021 by actor and director Kevin Aoussou, The LLCo. brings together artists of all stages and backgrounds to produce works for the Chicago community. We value processes, relationship building, and connecting. We believe that collaboration, with our community, leads to our collective liberation.