Congrats To Training Center Faculty Member John Hildreth On His 2012 Jeff Nomination!

The Jeff Committee, honoring excellence in Chicago theatres, selected John Hildreth as a nominee in the "Best New Adaptation" category for his work on "Watership Down" at Lifeline Theater. John teaches in the Improv, Writing, and Conservatory programs at The Second City Training Center and is running a specialty class called "Games! Games! Games" starting this Friday. For more information on classes, call 312.664.3959. To see the list of this years nominees, click here

About John Hildreth
John Hildreth is an alumnus of The Second City appearing in three revues at The Second City, Northwest including Casino Evil, three revues at The Second City, e.t.c. including White Water for Chocolate, and directing five consecutive revues for The Second City, Detroit including Generation X-Files. More recently he directed Second City...In Color at Theatre on the Lake and three revues with The Second City's Diversity and Outreach Program including Wii the People. John also recently appeared for The Second City as Roland Burris in Rod Blagojevich Superstar!, in Apparently Heaven Can't Wait: The Best of Jim Zulevic at The Second City, and in Disgruntled Employee Handbook: A Musical.

About The Second City Training Center
Chicago is the world capital of improvisation (improv) and sketch comedy, and The Second City is in the heart of it. For over fifty years The Second City has created a wealth of comedic material from a legendary group of performers. The Training Center follows the traditions developed by these groundbreaking and innovative men and women while encouraging the continued growth and development of the art forms of comedy and improvisation. Today, The Second City Training Center is the largest school of improvisation and sketch comedy in the world.

About the Jeff Awards
The Jeff Awards has been honoring outstanding theatre artists annually since it was established in 1968. With 50 members representing a wide variety of backgrounds in theatre, the Jeff Awards is committed to celebrating the vitality of Chicago area theatre by recognizing excellence through its recommendations, awards, and honors. The Jeff Awards fosters the artistic growth of area theatres and theatre artists and promotes educational opportunities, audience appreciation, and civic pride in the achievements of the theatre community. The Jeff Awards evaluates over 250 theatrical productions and holds two awards ceremonies annually. Originally chartered to recognize only Equity productions, the Jeff Awards established the Non-Equity Wing in 1973 to celebrate outstanding achievement in non-union theatre.

The Second City Training Center Faculty Member of the Week: Sean Cusick!

Congratulations to Sean Cusick, the Second City Training Center Faculty Member of the Week! Sean teaches improv and sketch with The Second City and has directed The Second City National Touring Company. He's created, performed and directed numerous sketch and improv shows in Chicago, including the critically acclaimed, "Best Church of God," and "Urlakis and Cusick." As a teacher, he has taught at The Second City, the Annoyance Theater, and at Chicago Public Schools as part of the After School Matters program. He's originally from Upstate NY, and graduated from Tufts University. Training Center staff member Andrew Thorp was able to ask Sean a few questions about his new and honorable status.

Congrats on being in the Teacher Spotlight! What do you plan on doing to celebrate this honor?

Thanks! I plan on refreshing my browser every 20 minutes until you post this, and then seeing where it shows up when I Google myself!

What programs do you teach in?

Improv, sketch writing, and occasionally in the Teen/Youth Program.

What's the coolest thing about teaching?

Getting paid to share a passion. I'm lucky enough to spend my work day laughing, and that's something pretty rare.

What's the hardest thing about teaching?

Balancing a class so that each student gets what he or she needs. Every class brings a range of experience, of enthusiasm and of motivation. The differences among the students, and the needs of the class as a whole, are always in the back of my mind.

What is the most important thing a student should know when preparing to take on a class or program?

You get out of it what you put in. If you're here to do something fun - Great! You'll have a lot of fun. If you're here to learn how to do comedy, be prepared to put in the effort.

How do I become famous?

A bolt of lightning. This is the arts - like music, writing, dance or whatever. That means that if you work hard, stay focused and have a flicker of talent, you can make a fine living doing what you love among fantastic people. But if you want to get rich or famous? The best you can do is be ready... Know how to do the work, so IF a bolt of lightning strikes, you can take your chance.

Training Center Spotlight - Judy Fabjance

February 10th, 2012 - Teacher - Judy Fabjance
Nancy Fast interviews Training Center faculty member Judy Fabjance! Listen in to learn about Judy's spirit animal, her experience taking classes in the TC and how she developed her currently running show "Are you there Judy? It's me, Cancer." Shows are Fridays in February at 9pm in Donny's Skybox. (Get tickets in advance. It sells out!)

About Judy: Judy Fabjance has been teaching improvisation for The Second City since 1999. She has taught dozens of improv workshops for Emerald City Theatre Company, Chicago Comedy Company, CIF, Camp Keshet, High Schools, Junior Highs, After School Programs, Day Camps, Family Nights and Corporate groups. She is a graduate of Second City's Training Center's Conservatory, Comedy Writing and Acting Programs and IO. She has studied at The Annoyance Theater and Columbia College. Some groups Judy has performed with include: GayCo Productions (founding member), Second City Theatricals (Weddings of Mass Destruction), ComedySportz Family Matinee Series (The Paper Spaceship), Single Box Turn Productions (Understudy Band Geeks and drummer in old time band for Little House on the Parody) and Sulacco Productions (Shadow of the Master; A Kung-Fu Musical). Judy has also done film work.

Interested in spending your summer with us? The Second City has Summer Camps for Kids and Adults! Check out secondcitysummers.com or call 312.664.3959 for more information.

Teacher of the Week: Kate Cohen!

The Second City Training Center is honored to announce Kate Cohen as the teacher of the week! Kate teaches in the Beginning Improv Program as well as in the Teen/Youth Program. She also teaches in The Second City's very popular Summer Camps and was once an Adult Program Coordinator with the Training Center. Kate has been improvising in Chicago since 2004 and performs regularly with ComedySportz Chicago, Laugh Out Loud Theater and as one-half of the musical improv duo Kate & Mike: The Musical.

Other credits include Chicago Sketchfest, Infinite Sundaes, and ImprovArcadia in Bar Harbor, Maine. Kate performed for The Second City at sea aboard the Norwegian Jewel and Gem and toured Chicago schools with SCTC's Educational Touring Company. Kate has taught improv workshops aboard NCL and for the Chicago Jewish Community Centers. Kate has a BA in Theatre Arts from the University of Arizona and is a graduate of The Second City Training Center's IFA, Conservatory and Musical Improv Conservatory programs.

For more information on Spring and Summer offerings, see our full course schedules here.

Teacher of the Week - Aaron Graham

The Second City is proud to spotlight Aaron Graham as the "Teacher of the Week"! Aaron has been teaching with The Second City since 2008 and has taught in the Music Program and more. In addition to teaching, Aaron is available to direct or coach teams or individuals in sketch, improv, or musicals. Aaron also recently directed The Fine Print Theatre Company's original holiday show "Christmas in Chicago" which ran for two weeks at Chicago Dramatists in December. For more info on classes, click here.

Aaron's Bio:
Aaron Graham is a Jeff Award-winning actor with over twelve years experience as an actor, singer, improvisor, teacher and director. He recently spent time working in Los Angeles where he performed at iO West, ComedySportz LA and The Second City Hollywood. His Second City credits include Jewsical! The Musical and Infinite Sundaes. He has worked with many Chicago theatres including Steppenwolf, Chicago Shakespeare, Porchlight Music Theatre, Northlight and TimeLine, and is a proud member of the Story Pirates, a nationally-recognized arts education and performance organization. Aaron's directing credits include professional and student productions such as Listen Kid..., States: The Musical!, The Timeless Tale of New Portsmouth and Hollow Hills High School. Aaron trained at The Second City Conservatory, iO Chicago, Annoyance, Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre LA and BADA. He earned his B.A. from Cornell University and is thrilled to be back in his hometown of Chicago.

The Second City Training Center Teacher of the Week: Alex Moffat!

Alex Moffat is excited to be teaching with The Second City Chicago's Teen and Youth Program. He directs the Teen Sketch Ensemble and teaches in the Stand-up, Improv, and Sketch Programs. A Chicago-area native, Alex recently closed a run of his solo show, Good Little Winnetka Boy, at The Annoyance Theater. He hosts El Show with Alex Moffat, improvises with Wonderbat, and is a founding member of the unstoppable improv group, "The Album". He also acro-dunks for The Chicago Bulls and loves his family. Come on up and say hello.

Classes begin this week! Check out our full Teen/Youth course guide here.

Student Spotlight - Delirious Confetti

December 2nd, 2011 - Performance - Delirious Confetti
Delirious Confetti is comprised of an ensemble that met at The Training Center. Join hosts Nancy Fast and Andrew Thorp as they find out what makes Delirious Confetti click, how they structure a rehearsal, who believes in ghosts and more! Check out their sketch show at The Gorilla Tango on Fridays at 8pm (December 6th ,9th ,16th). Find out more at deliriousconfetti.com

The cast: Natalie Burris, Sean Godsey, Eli Golden, Alex Hancock, Michael Lackos, William Meincke, Chris Siefer

Student Spotlight - Tiffani Swalley and Robert Jenkins

October 3rd, 2011 - Performance - Tiffani Swalley and Robert Jenkins - ensemble members of SongCo!
Tiffani Swalley and Robert Jenkins, members of The Second City Training Centers SongCo ensemble, join Nancy Fast for a podcast filled with music, laughs, and special guests! Listen in and find out how cast members of the current ensemble create material, deal with fame, choose show shoes and impress potential mates!

Student Spotlight - Lisa Burton

September 13th, 2011 - Performance - 'Infinite Sundaes' Cast Member Spotlight!
Join host Nancy Fast as she talks with Lisa Burton, cast member of the Training Center’s Musical House Ensemble “Infinite Sundaes”. Nancy and Lisa talk classes, shows, and power animals!

Student Spotlight - Jaclyn Sorci

August 16th, 2011 - Student - Jaclyn Sorci
Jaclyn is a current Level D student, a huge fan of Harry Potter and well-loved by her peers!