Chicagoland comedian Des Mulrooney will perform at the Lincoln Arts Center in Rochelle on Friday, Jan. 16.

The show begins at 7 p.m. Tickets are available online at vcctrochelle.org or at the door. The Lincoln Arts Center is the renovated former Lincoln Elementary School and now home to the Vince Carney Community Theater and an event space.

Tickets cost $25. There will be a cash bar, fresh-popped popcorn and snacks available in the lobby. Mulrooney is a stand-up comedian and actor based in Chicago and has performed twice at the Lincoln Arts Center in the past, previously as the opening act for comedian Andy Beningo. Mulrooney will headline this time around, and comedian Mike Maxwell will be opening for him.

“My show is clean comedy,” Mulrooney said. “I try to stand out from a lot of other comics. Comedians today normally talk about the same three things: Race, politics and sex. I think a lot of comedians try to fit into those boxes. I don’t. I talk about my personal life, I make fun of my parents, my friends and myself, and some observational humor. I talk about things that are personal to me and I don’t try to fit in with what’s going on in comedy right now. It’s a clean show about my own life.”

Mulrooney, 25, has performed at theaters and clubs all over America, including being a regular at Zanies Comedy Club in Chicago. He recently starred in a new movie alongside Doug Stanhope called, “The Road Dog”, which was directed by Greg Gliena (“Meet The Parents”). The Road Dog was featured on the Joe Rogan Experience and is now streaming on Amazon Prime, Apple TV, and on demand.

A Lot More Fun Comedy Club in Michigan called Mulrooney, “One of the top young comedians in the country” and he was also recently voted “Best Comedian” by the Chicago Suburbs Comedy Scene. Mulrooney is a regular feature for Andy Beningo (Dry Bar Comedy) and has also opened for Chad Daniels, Nick Griffin, Kevin Farley (“Tommy Boy”), Dustin Nickerson (Netflix), Marsha Warfield (“Night Court”), Jamie Lissow (Fox), Derrick Stroup, Kellen Erskine and more.

He’s performed at the 312 Chicago Comedy Festival, headlined the Chicago-area Comedy Shrine at age 19, and has headlined and been featured at clubs like Comedy Vault, Comedy Cabin, Kenosha Comedy Club, Laugh Factory and more.

“I got my start working the local club scene,” Mulrooney said. “From there I started moving into theaters and churches and larger venues. My dad, TP Mulrooney, is also a standup comedian. He’s been doing comedy professionally for over 40 years. He was a Comedy Store regular and had his name on the wall. As I started to get a little better, he started taking me on the road and we’ve been doing a father-son show together.”

Mulrooney estimates that he’s performed at every type of venue possible, ranging from biker bars to high school theaters to retirement homes to golf courses. He enjoyed the crowds and Lincoln Arts Center venue at his previous two appearances in Rochelle.

Mulrooney’s clean and story-driven comedy comes from his lifetime of experience consuming the craft, and his desire to stand out from other comics. While his style is unique, he believes it’s material everyone can enjoy.

“The material I do feels true to who I am,” Mulrooney said. “It’s what I feel passionate about telling people. I didn’t want to fit in the same box as a lot of others. I care more about expressing what I have to express as a comic than trying to fit in. A lot of comedians try to fit in. I just do what I think is funny.”

Mulrooney said he enjoys incorporating parts of his life and days into his routine, even the bad or unenjoyable parts. Bringing his life experiences to the stage allows him an outlet to vent. He, and audiences at his shows, can find a cathartic experience during them.

“People can walk into a room and laugh and think of the world in a new way that is enjoyable,” Mulrooney said. “They can be in a bad mood, but see the light in humor and joy in life. I love doing a show where it goes great and people say, ‘I really needed a laugh tonight.’ That’s probably the most rewarding thing a comedian can hear after a show.”