The Second City Announces Auditions for New Resident Teen Troupe

Teen publication, The Mash, invites teen readers to help name the youth company

The Second City is proud to announce auditions for its first resident teen company on June 1 and 2, 2012. Open to 13 to 17 year olds, this company will have a regular weekly performance spot at The Second City.  The new teen troupe will be sponsored in part by The Mash, Chicago Tribune's teenage media brand.

Teen Troupe Auditions will be held on Friday, June 1 (4:00 - 6:00pm) and Saturday, June 2, 2012 (10:00am - 5:00pm). Call backs to these auditions will be announced at a later date. Anyone in the age range of 13 - 17 may audition. The audition itself will primarily be made up of improvisation.

"In the past five years we've seen tremendous growth and incredible talent coming out of our youth classes and summer camps," says The Second City's CEO/Executive Producer Andrew Alexander. "It seemed only fitting that we provide more resources to these talented teens and a regular stage to share their unique voices."

Interested teens are invited to email a current picture (head shot if available) and your contact information (full name, age, email address and phone number - or a proper resume) ON THURSDAY, MAY 17 - 20 to: auditions@secondcity.com. Subject line: Teen Troupe. Please note space is limited so we may not be able to accommodate all applicants. A waiting list will be taken.

The Mash - Chicago Tribune's teenage newspaper and journalism program - will help Second City encourage Chicago youth to suggest creative names for the new company. The Chicago-wide contest to name the new company will launch in The Mash newspaper and on TheMash.com on May 17th. The contest is open to teens only, ending June 10th, and prizes include Second City comedy packages, tickets, cash and a congratulatory ad in the newspaper.

"The Mash is thrilled to partner with Second City to help rally Chicago teens around this launch," says Mash General Manager, Maggie Wartik. "There's no better way to empower kids through creative expression than by putting the name itself into their hands, allowing them to be part of the artistic process. Second City's newest venture is especially exciting for us."

The Second City Training Center offers classes, workshops and camps for students ages 4-18, in improv, comedy writing, acting, music improv, physical comedy and video. During the summer months, Second City hosts over 700 teens from all over the world for 2 week camps focusing on sketch and improv. Second City is currently registering for summer camps which will run from June 11-August 31. Call 312-664-3959 for information or online at www.secondcity.com/training/chicago.

RedEye Interviews Second City Alum, Maribeth Monroe, About Her Experience On "Workaholics"

If you haven't seen "Workaholics" yet, you are missing Maribeth Monroe playing the ice-cold boss of three friends who work together as telemarketers from 9 to 5 and live together from 5 to 9. In reality, the three friends are Anders Holm, Blake Anderson, and Adam Devine, alumni of The Second City Training Center. Maribeth talks with the RedEye about her part in "Workaholics" and how Anders saw her on The Second City's Mainstage when he was a student in Chicago's Conservatory. Read the whole interview.

For more information on classes and summer camps, see our class catalog.

Former Student, Rachel Bertsche, Recommends Second City Classes In Her New Book

In a recent interview regarding her quest to meet 52 potential friends in a year, Rachel Bertsche found that taking classes with The Second City was a great way to do so because, "[T]here is a consistency there." To read more about her recently published book, MWF Seeking BFF: My Yearlong Search For A New Best Friend and The Second City Training Center, see the full article here.

Second City Alum, Keegan-Michael Key, Stars with Jordan Peele in Comedy Central's "Key and Peele" Sketch Series

Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele make their debut on Tuesday, January 31 at 10:30 p.m. ET/PT. Key was a member of Second City Detroit's mainstage cast as well as the Second City Chicago's e.t.c. theatre, where he wrote and performed shows "Holy War, Batman!" and "Curious George Goes to War" for which he won several Joseph Jefferson Awards (which honor excellence in Chicago theater). Read the whole release here.

Check out Keegan-Michael Key's sketch informing potential students of how cool Second City Training Center classes are here (Not Safe for Work):

Q & A with Holland Taylor

This Friday at 3pm Donny's Skybox

Holland Virginia Taylor is an actress of film, stage and television. Her notable television roles include Ruth Dunbar in 'Bosom Buddies,' senator's wife Margaret Powers on Norman Lear's 'The Powers That Be,' Judge Roberta Kittles in 'The Practice' and Evelyn Harper in 'Two And A Half Men.'

Admission is free for current Training Center students who can also reserve a ticket for one guest. Anyone who is not a student can reserve tickets but will be required to pay the one-time $15 student membership. Space will be limited so reservations will be required.

Reservations will be available online only now through November 3rd, 2011, after which reservations can be obtained directly from the Training Center as well.

If event registration is full, some seats may be available on the day of the event on a first come first served basis only.

Visit the TC office or website or call 312.664.3959 for tickets!

Need a job? Come to our Job Fair Tuesday, October 18!

With the opening of our new venue, and lots of growing departments, Second City is holding a job fair for service positions, mainly on our bar and house staff.

There are both part and full time positions available. To see some of the positions we're hiring for, click here,

Writer Salon with Dino Stamatopoulos

What: Writer Salon with Dino Stamatopoulos
When: October 21st – 5:30pm
Where: The Second City Training center (1608 N. Wells Ave – Chicago, IL 60614)

About the Writers Salon:
The Second City hosts a regular series of discussions with professional writers from the television, film and theater communities in a special series for Training Center students and their guests. Tickets can be reserved by students by calling 312.664.3959

About the Artist:
Dino Stamatopoulos is a television comedy writer, actor and producer. He has been a writer for a variety of shows including The Ben Stiller Show (for which he won an Emmy), Mr. Show, The Dana Carvey Show, Late Show with David Letterman, Late Night with Conan O'Brien and Mad TV. With Robert Smigel he pitched the series TV Funhouse, a spinoff of the popular SNL cartoons, to Comedy Central. He also worked on Tom Goes to the Mayor with Mr. Show alumnus Bob Odenkirk. He is the creator of the Adult Swim programs Moral Orel and Mary Shelley's Frankenhole. Dino has recently been appearing in the role of Star-Burns on the NBC comedy series Community. He co-wrote Community's Claymation-themed Christmas episode which aired in December 2010.

Nick Vatterott joins the Teen Jam on Saturday, October 22 at 6:00pm in the DeMaat Theater.

Nick Vatterott will be the special guest to conduct a Q&A session with The Second City Training Center's teen improvisers and stand-up comedians.

Nick himself is a former youth program instructor was named "Funniest Man in Chicago" by Chicago Magazine and has recently appeared on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. Nick has performed with The Second City's National Touring Company as well as understudied for Mainstage. He has written for MTV's What was I thinking? and had his work published in Chicago Magazine, Dig This and Reader's Digest. Nick, will also be performing as a featured comic at Zanies Chicago October 19-23.

Nora Dunn Visits with Second City Students

Today, students of The Second City Training Center and Comedy Studies Program had the opportunity to attend and participate in an exclusive hour long Q&A session with Nora Dunn. An alum of Saturday Night Live, Nora Dunn is currently performing in Broadway in Chicago's Love, Loss & What I Wore through December 4th at the Broadway Playhouse. Click here for more information and ticket information.

Click here for more information about our Training Center.

"Love Lift Them Up Where They Belong" a Benefit for Judy Fabjance

On September 21, the Second City Training Center in Chicago will be holding a benefit for Judy Fabjance, one of our long time faculty members and an inspiration to all our employees, students, and friends.

"Love Lift Them Up Where They Belong" will include improv, sketch, music, and fun all around. There will also be a silent auction. All proceeds from the event will go to benefit Judy's medical costs. For more information, click here.