The Second City Training Center's Youth Program host an Open House on January 3rd from 9:30am-12:00pm. Free drop in workshops, an open Improv Jam and information on our classes and summer camps!
Friday, January 8th from 5-6pm
Saturday, January 9th from 4-6:30pm
The Music Improv House Ensemble performs every Sunday at 8pm in Donny's Skybox. With over 150 performances under its belt, MIHE is a showcase for some of the best singprov talent in the city and the only ensemble dedicated to shortform musical improvisation. Performances are paid (but don't quit your dayjob).
To audition, you must be currently enrolled in or an alumni of the Second City Music Program or Improv Conservatory. Those with significant improv training or professional experience may request permission from the Training Center Music Director to audition.
Call the Second City Training Center for an audition appointment. 312-664-3959
Brian Williams featured The Second City on tonight's news broadcast featuring interviews with alums Tina Fey, Bonnie Hunt and Martin Short as well as CEO/Executive Producer Andrew Alexander. To check out the segment, visit www.nbc.com.
For extended in-depth interviews with Tina Fey, Bonnie Hunt and Martin Short, visit www.msnbc.msn.com.
The Second City's CEO & Executive Producer, Andrew Alexander, was named Theater Chicagoan of the Year by the Chicago Tribune. For the full story, visit chicagotribune.com
Based on the success of Saturday Shorts, a weekly short film festival at The Second City Hollywood, a new class has been created - Video Lab. Each week, students get a suggestion from the Saturday night crowd and come to class with short film pitches. Class is part brainstorm, part video shoot. Videos will be screened at Saturday Shorts in front of a live audience. Joshua Funk's section has already filled, but a new section has opened with viral video sensation and Second City alumnus Andy Cobb. Sign up now before this one fills up!
2009 is so last year. Come toast to 2010 with your favorite funny people at The Second City!
No more crowded bars and expensive parties. Spend New Years with us for only $55…and you’ll even get your own seat. Talk about value!
Guests at the 10:00pm performance enjoy a champagne toast with the cast. Or check out the show at 7:00pm and get home in time to see the ball drop. It's a guaranteed good time as The Second City has been laughing for 50 years now!
Book your tickets by calling The Second City box office at 312-337-3992 or book online at https://chitickets.secondcity.com/Online/default.asp?calDaySearch=2009-12-31.
The Second City e.t.c.’s Jeff Award-winning show, “Studs Terkel’s Not Working” has been named one of the Top Ten Shows of 2009 by Chicago Tribune Theater Critic Chris Jones.
Additionally, Joey Bland’s portrayal of Rod Blagojevich in this year’s “Rod Blagoejevich Superstar!” was named one of the Top Ten Best Performances of 2009. Joey Bland can now be seen in “Studs Terkel’s Not Working.”
To purchase tickets for “Studs Terkel’s Not Working,” visit secondcity.com
Alum Nia Varadalos takes us backstage with her at The Second City’s 50th Anniversary celebration this past weekend.
Check out this gallery and many more at www.facebook.com/thesecondcity
To recognize our 50th Anniversary, Governor Patrick Quinn, Mayor Richard M. Daley, Senator John Cullerton and Alderman Vi Daley honored Second City with a variety of proclamations and plaques proclaiming today, the official anniversary of The Second City, as Second City Day. Happy Anniversary!
Joe Flaherty, Dave Thomas, Andrew Alexander, Richard Daley, Martin Short,
Eugene Levy, Cathrine O'Hara, Harold Ramis
Vi Daley, Andrew Alexander
SCTV Golden Classics, a new public television special featuring some of SCTV's most hilarious moments, premieres Thursday, December 17 at 9 p.m. on New York metro area public television station WLIW21. The special will premiere nationwide on other public television stations beginning March 2010 (check local listings). Visit wliw.org for a video preview and to support this broadcast. Contact your local station to request the show at pbs.org/stationfinder.
Check out people.com for a great video shot at our red carpet on Saturday night. People's intern asked various alums about their fondest and wildest on stage memories from The Second City.
During the 50th Anniversary Festival, as part of it's long-term commitment to emerging talent and the brand's partnership with The Second City, PUMA announced the PUMA & The Second City "LOL" Scholarship Program, offering ten scholarships to the organization's training center in Chicago and Los Angeles as part of The Second City Outreach & Diversity Program in an effort in increase diversity among the improv community. Check out this great video with clips from our 50th Anniversary and more information about the scholarships. Thanks to Puma for your help in this great cause!
Check out today's New York Times for an extensive feature on Second City along with a special video highlight from Saturday's anniversary show.
Jon Glaser of Adult Swim's Delocated put some photos and memories from his trip back to Chicago for the 50th Anniversary on his blog. Check it out at the Delocated Blog.
Tuesday, December 15 6:00pm to Wednesday, December 16 @ 6:00pm
The Second City e.t.c. 1608 N Wells Street
$15 cash per person – ticket price good for the entire event – as long as tickets are available
Tickets available at the door only
Improvisers including: Second City resident ensemble members, + TJ Jagodowski, Susan Messing, Horatio Sanz, Frank Caeti and many many more –
Special guests include:
Jeff Tweedy 7:00pm
Robbie Fulks 10:00pm
UCB’s Matt Walsh and Horatio Sanz midnight
Flashmob Marching Band – 3:00am
Bonnie Prince Billy – Wednesday, 6:00am and more!
Great raffle prizes from local businesses
The Chicago Tribune and The Chicago Sun Times offer up a pair of terrific wrap up articles on The Second City’s 50th Anniversary weekend. It was an amazing and most memorable weekend, and both newspapers summarize Saturday’s Alumni Reunion Performance perfectly.
On a Saturday night, December 12th, Second City alumni from all generations returned home to perform classic scenes at our 50th Anniversary Festival. Their performances delighted audiences and helped raise money for The Second City Alumni Fund. Here is the list of scenes and alumni that performed in the 7pm shows at the Mainstage and e.t.c.
ACT ONE – 50th ANNIVERARY REVUE
ACT TWO – 50th ANNIVERSARY SHOW
Check out our Facebook Page for photos of the Anniversary, Backstage, the Red Carpet and more!
Special thanks to all the Alumni, Staff and sponsors who have made this possible!
Photo: John McCloskey
Listed below is a complete schedule of events for the weekend. Throughout the days ahead we will post updates regarding ticket availability.
Friday, December 11th, 2009
Saturday, December 12th, 2009
Sunday, December 13th, 2009
All events will be held at The Second City and Piper's Alley complex at North and Wells. Tickets range from $10.00-$750.00 and will be available for purchase at The Second City Theater Box Office in Chicago at 312-337-3992 beginning at 10:00amCT Thursday, November 5th, and online at http://www.secondcity.com/. Performers are subject to change.
Proceeds from the shows will go to The Second City Alumni Fund. The Alumni Fund of the Second City was established by Joe Flaherty, Eugene Levy, Andrea Martin, Catherine O'Hara, and Martin Short to assist and aid current, former or retired performers, technicians, support staff or other members of the creative and productions teams employed by The Second City theatres and in connection with the SCTV television series.
Sponsors for The Second City's 50th Anniversary Festival Weekend are Miller Lite, Southwest Airlines, PUMA, Hub 51, Cafe-Ba-Ba-Reeba, Joe's Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab, Food Life and Lou Malnati's.
Limited-run channel to celebrate the 50th anniversary of The Second City theatre’s opening
SIRIUS XM Radio announced today that it will launch Second City Comedy Radio, a two-day channel celebrating the 50th anniversary of the iconic improvisational comedy theatre.
The limited-run channel will premiere on Saturday, December 12 at 12:01 am ET, coinciding with the weekend-long celebration of the 50th anniversary of The Second City theatre’s founding in Chicago.
Second City Comedy Radio will be backstage all weekend with access to all of the reunion events held at The Second City theatre in Chicago, where alumni from every generation of Second City will reunite, including Stephen Colbert, Martin Short, Andrea Martin, Eugene Levy, Joe Flaherty, Dave Thomas, Jim Belushi, Steve Carell, Dan Castellaneta, Jeff Garlin, Isabella Hoffman, Richard Kind, Robert Klein, Jack McBrayer, Harold Ramis, Horatio Sanz, George Wendt and Fred Willard.
The channel will also feature various sketches from stage shows from the past fifty years, including “Picasso’s Moustache” from 1971, “Peace and Serenity” from 1969, “To the Water Tower” from 1963, “My Friend Art is Dead” from 1962 and “Survival Kit” from 1982. Listeners will also hear contemporary sketches, many of which originated from Second City, including Chris Farley’s “Van Down By the River” bit and Rachel Dratch’s “Wicked” sketch.
Second City Comedy Radio is also set to include performances, panel discussions and interviews from various Second City alumni in attendance at the weekend-long event held at the comedy theatre.
Second City Comedy Radio will air through Sunday, December 13 on SIRIUS channel 105 and XM channel 151.
For more information, please visit www.sirius.com or www.xmradio.com.
Justin Hayford reviews the new Mainstage show “Taming of the Flu” and give it high praise in the latest edition of the Chicago Reader.
Visit chicagoreader.com for the full review!
Second City alum Fred Willard sat down with The Onion’s A.V. Club to talk about his time at The Second City and coming back for the anniversary. Check out what he has to say about improv and his fellow alums at avclub.com.
Join us in Chicago from January 4th-8th for an intensive, week-long program in Improvisation and Comedic Writing. Students of all experience/skill levels are welcome! Learn the art of improv and sketch writing, take advantage of the city’s rich theatre scene, and brag to your friends about braving a Chicago winter! Visit the Immersion page for more details and registration information.
The press is rolling in on the eve of Second City’s 50th Anniversary Festival this weekend. Check out the following feature pieces from Associated Press, WLS TV, The Wall Street Journal and USA Today Weekend. Included in these articles are stories, pictures, videos, and interviews with Harold Ramis, Bonnie Hunt, George Wendt, and more.
The Onion's A.V. Club takes a second look at 7 great SCTV characters including Count Floyd, Bob & Doug Ricardo Montalban, and Lola Heatherton. For the complete list including video clips, visit The A.V. Club.
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