The Chicago Improv Festival is getting into high gear for a big launch on Monday, and boy oh boy, are they packing a lot of good stuff into a week full of funny.

Several actors from 30 Rock will be joining the fun, including Jack McBrayer, Scott Adsit, and John Lutz, not to mention 30 Rock/Human Giant's Paul Scheer.

A new move for 2008 puts the main stage events at the Lakeshore Theatre (3175 N. Broadway, with other shows happening at iO, ComedySportz, The Second City, and elsewhere.

45 acts and ensembles from 20 cities will be gracing the stages, with a big kickoff on Monday featuring Scheer and McBrayer (whose NBC page Kenneth is one of our personal favorite characters on tv these days). Opening for them will be 13 member, all-female comedy megagroup Virgin Daiquiri.

On Tuesday night, June 3 @ 8pm, as 30 Rock’s Scott Adsit (Pete Hornberger) will duet with Chicago improv goddess Susan Messing and Annoyance Theater’s Mick Napier in Chicago improv staple “Messing With a Friend.” Also on the bill are two other well-respected Chicago duos: Bassprov and the incomparable TJ and Dave.

Other more well-known talent slated to take the various stages include MADtv alums Ike Barinholtz, Keegan-Michael Key and Frank Caeti, The Colbert Report’s Peter Grosz, Second City's Maribeth Monroe, Brian Gallivan and Marc Warzecha.

The complete list of shows and performers can be found here, and you should find yourself at several of these events, if you have any nose for comedy whatsoever. And if you're in a party, elbow-rubbing mood, pop in to any of the many parties to be hosted throughout the city - Wednesday, June 4 at 10pm at ComedySportz Chicago, Thursday, June 5 at 10pm at Lincoln Taproom, Friday, June 6 at midnight at the Annoyance Theater, Saturday, June 7 at midnight at iO Comedy Theater, and Sunday, June 8 at 10 pm at Martyr's.