Steve Cochran to perform final New Year’s Eve comedy show at Raue Center

Chicago radio personality Steve Cochran will perform his final New Year’s Eve afternoon comedy show at 2 p.m. Dec. 31 at the Raue Center for the Arts in downtown Crystal Lake.

Ring in 2025 as some of the best stand-up comedians take the stage at the Raue Center for a classic comedy show complete with music, games and the year in review. This hilarious New Year’s Eve comedy show features headliner Cochran and special guests John DaCosse, Jim Flannigan and Tim Benker.

According to a news release from the Raue Center, Cochran has hosted his radio show from Chicago since the late 1990s. Cochran also has worked as an actor, appearing in films such as “Grumpy Old Men” and as a writer for “Saturday Night Live.” Throughout the years, Cochran also has performed stand-up comedy with many of the greats in the business. He enjoys doing live performances about four times a year, including his annual New Year’s Eve show.

DaCosse is a radio personality and curator of the Raue Center’s Lucy’s Comedy series. During his 30-plus years in stand-up comedy, DaCosse has developed a solid reputation nationwide. He has opened for big names such Ellen DeGeneres, George Lopez, Craig Ferguson and Billy Gardell, and has appeared on NBC, Comedy Central and TBS. DaCosse also has served as an audience warmup for Rosie O’Donnell and “The Oprah Winfrey Show.” He and his well-known character voices can regularly be heard on the radio.

Flannigan is a nationally touring stand-up comedian from Chicago. Known for his fast-paced, clever punchlines, he is a regular headliner at top comedy clubs including Zanie’s and The Improv, as well as a regular performer at Chicago’s Laugh Factory and Brad Garrett’s Comedy Club in Las Vegas. He has opened for some of the biggest names in the world of comedy, including Sebastian Maniscalco, and has made TV appearances on ABC, WGN, NBC Sports and IFC Network.

Benker is a veteran of Chicago comedy and has opened for many well-known acts such as Jay Leno, O’Donnell, Steven Wright, Richard Lewis and Walt Willey. He hosted morning radio in Las Vegas and Houston and also produced a variety show around his alter ego, “The Very Famous Lance Vegas.”

Tickets start at $49 for the general public and $34.30 for RaueNOW members. They can be purchased online at rauecenter.org or via the box office at 815-356-9212 or 26 N. Williams St. in downtown Crystal Lake.