Nancy snagged Miguel from his post on his last day of interning to talk about what’s next in his life! Find out all about Miguel’s Production Company Digital Cake, his upcoming one-man show, his wonderful fiancé Ruby Vega and more!
Listen to the Podcast!
Talk show host and author, Shannon Skinner, shares her experience and four life lessons she learned taking a class at the Second City Training Center. Read it on The Huffington Post.
5/14/2013 Comments (0)Second City Toronto's Education Company has been bringing the power of improv and comedy to students everywhere. Check out this article in Intelligencer on a recent visit to Bayside Secondary Schoold.
4/30/2013 Comments (0)Andrew Thorp interviews Meg on her last day of a 2+ year internship before she goes off to get her Masters. Listen in for some of Meg's weirdest and most fun moments while interning and taking classes at The Second City Training Center. Stay tuned to see her 2-person show with fellow intern Katie Hughes!
Listen to the Podcast!
Scholarship forms are now available for all courses at the Second City Training Centre.
4/18/2013 Comments (0)The Second City Training Center will offer three levels of Viewpoints during upcoming Summer Immersion sessions. Used in rehearsal processes at Steppenwolf and The Gift Theatre, The Viewpoints are a physical approach towards listening and responsiveness in the moment and a method for creating original works of theatre. Each session is taught by Michael Patrick Thornton (TV's Private Practice) and Norm Holly (Conservatory Program Head), available from 10am-5pm; $550 each session.
• Viewpoints 1--This class is an introduction to the Viewpoints, a physical approach to performance/theatre-creation which fosters high responsiveness in the moment. Students will discover and utilize these alternative approaches to performance in order to become more active, listening, and contributory scene partners and artists.Available in Session 1. Prerequisite: Previous acting or improvisation experience is highly recommended.
REGISTER
• Viewpoints 2--"Compositional work": Using The Viewpoints to create both individual and group works of original theatre. Compositions will be created both in and outside the classroom with a focus on intentionality with regard to the use of space, time, and source material. Available in Session 2. Prerequisite: Viewpoints 1 or instructor approval.
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• Viewpoints 3--Viewpoints in performance: The ensemble will create a group composition in class and then perform it in front of an audience. Act One of the performance consists of that group composition. Before intermission, the ensemble will conduct a Second City-style “pad set” with the audience in order to generate an ingredients list for a new composition. Intermission will be spent devising that composition based on the audience’s suggestions and then performing it for Act Two. Act Two’s composition will be discussed at the next class, re-performed, mashed-up with Act One, and re-performed as the new Act One in front of an audience, etc., etc., in order to create an ever-evolving work of art. Available in Session 3. Prerequisite: Viewpoints 2 or instructor approval.
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Specialty Immersions are courses in a particular topic often with special guest instructors. The Specialty Immersions run concurrently with our regular Improv and Writing Immersions. These are available as half-day or full-day sessions depending on the course.
Specialty Immersions Tuition: Each course is priced individually. Check the course details for pricing.
Prerequisites: Each Specialty Immersion will have its own prerequisites or acceptance can be given by permission of the program head. Previous training will be considered toward the prerequisites. Contact Adult Program Coordinator Stephanie Gruender at sgruender@secondcity.com or call the Training Center at 312-664-3959 to obtain permission.
4/9/2013 Comments (0)"Why is this study so important?" this is a question we are asked often at the Training Centre. Whether or not you come to us because you want to be an actor or because you just want to improve your social skills, the importance of improv comes from the philosophy of "Yes and". Everyone fits in here and offers of all kinds are meant to be accepted. It is a happy place where everyone can agree and learn to accept each others offers. As former Second City Chicago Artistic Director Martin De Maat says "Greet everything with 'yes,and...'" "Make statements instead of putting the burden on others with questions." "Stay in the present, as opposed to focusing on the past or future." and "The fun is always on the other side of a yes." People come to The Second City Training Centre to live a more positive lifestyle and we are happy to be a part of it.
4/1/2013 Comments (0)Attention all stand-up comics who have ever taken a class (ANY class in ANY program) at The Second City Training Center:
The Second City Training Center is accepting applications to perform at The SCTC Rapid-Fire Stand-Up Showcase.
This one-time event will take place on Friday, April 19th, 2013, at 11pm in the Skybox Theatre. It'll be a short show -- no more than 50 minutes. Tickets will be free.
We are seeking applicants who would like to perform a short set at the show. Set length will likely be 2.5 minutes. (We will also have two headliners -- also SCTC alumni -- who will do 7-minute sets, but they are already booked. You can only apply to do a short set.)
You can apply here. FYI, here's the info that the application form will ask you for:
• Your first and last name
• Your stage name if it is different
• One-paragraph performer's bio and/or one-paragraph description of what you've done stand-up wise
• One-paragraph description of classes/programs you've taken at the SCTC
• (Optional) Link to a video of you doing stand-up. Even if the production quality is not high, if you've got decent video, send it so we can see you doing stand-up.
We are accepting applications now, and will stop accepting applications at 12 noon on Wednesday, April 10th. Note that we only have a small number of slots available. We will e-mail ALL applicants with our decisions, by 12 noon on Friday, April 12th. If you have questions, please email openmic@secondity.com. Please use subject line "Rapid-Fire Showcase" in your email.
4/1/2013 Comments (2)Join us in the John Candy Box Theatre on Wednesday April 3rd at 9pm for a FREE Q&A session with JENNIFER WHALEN and get a preview of what Bruce Pirrie's WRITING IV class is working on!
To reserve your spot email: areoch@secondcity.com
Spaces are limited, so it's first come first served!!!
Jennifer Whalen is a Toronto based writer and Second City Alumni.
She wrote for five seasons on “This Hour Has 22 Minutes,” two of them as Head Writer. In addition she's worked on “The Ron James Show,” ”The Jon Dore Show” and the critically acclaimed “Gavin Crawford Show.” Jennifer co-created, wrote and produced “The Bronte's” an animated children’s show for Disney as well as developing “Little Mosque On The Prairie” and “Instant Star.” Most recently, she returned to her comfort zone: shows with some guy’s name in the title and wrote on “Gavin Crawford’s Wild West”.
She has been nominated for three Geminis, four Canadian Comedy Awards and won both a WGC Award and a Canadian Comedy Award for her work on “This Hour Has 22 Minutes.”
According to IMDB she danced the lead in Swan Lake in 2005. She wishes this were true. AND FYI... The answer to your question is YES. YES SHE IS KEVIN WHALEN'S SISTER.
3/25/2013 Comments (0)Anne Libera, The Director of Comedy Studies at Columbia College and Author of The Second City Almanac of Improvisation, talks with WGN's Brian Noonan about Columbia College and The Second City's latest collaboration: a Bachelor's Degree in Comedy Studies.
Listen to the WGN Interview
Read CJ Toledano's personal Comedy Studies experience.
Click here for more information on Comedy Studies.
Click here for information on Spring and Summer Camps and Classes.
3/18/2013 Comments (0)
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