
Follow The Training Center
Thank you for choosing to study with The Second City Training Center in Chicago. We hope your experience with us will be informative and fun. Here are a couple of options for registering for a class:
Register Online – You can see all scheduled class times and if space is available through our website. Check out our full variety of classes for Adults and Kids & Teens. Once enrolled you will receive confirmation via e-mail.
Our phone number is 312-664-3959.
Payment must be made at the time of enrollment in order to secure your spot in class. Payment plans are available. Scholarships, volunteer credits, internship, or workstudy credits cannot be used retroactively. If you have a balance on your account, please reach out to customerservice@secondcity.com for payment options.
Currently we're offering all of our classes online!
Training Center Programs
Additional Info
Bookmark this link to find out when we're holding them!
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Important Dates
Term Dates
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Term 1 2021
Jan 11
Mar 01
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Term 2 2021
Mar 08
Apr 30
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Term 3 2021
May 03
Jun 28
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Term 4 2021
Jul 05
Aug 23
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Term 5 2021
Aug 30
Oct 18
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Term 6 2021
Oct 25
Dec 12
Closed Dates
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New Year's Day
Jan 01
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Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Jan 18
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Independence Day
Jul 04
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Labor Day
Sep 06
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Thanksgiving
Nov 25
Nov 28
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Christmas Day
Dec 25
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New Year's Eve
Dec 31

Being a Student
All Training Center policies and procedures are available in our student handbook.
Second City Ticket Deals - Training Center students can get FREE tickets for Second City Mainstage or e.t.c. shows for Sunday-Thursday performances if the show is not sold out. Monday tickets can only be picked up 10 minutes before show time; all others can be reserved in person within one hour of show time.
Students can get FREE walk-up tickets for Severn Darden Graduate Program shows. Come see our talented grads every Saturday night at 7:30, 9:00, and 10:30 in the de Maat Studio Theatre.
Students also receive discounted admission to shows in Donny's Skybox, de Maat Studio Theater, Beat Lounge, and Blackout Cabaret. Free tickets are available for all class performances, including the Conservatory Level 6 shows on Mondays at 8pm in the e.t.c. Theater.
All shows subject to availability. Visit or call the Second City Box Office at 312-337-3992.
Local Business Discounts - Take advantage of these unique offerings available only to students of The Second City Training Center. All you need is your student card given to you on the first day of class! To receive a discount you must show your Training Center ID card.
If your business would like to engage with our students by providing discounts or special offers, contact Rosie Chevalier.
1959 Kitchen & Bar - 15% off food and drink.
The Book Cellar - 20% off any book purchase.
Delightful Pastries - Free coffee with pastry purchase.
Dinotto - 10% discount available at lunch or dinner with current student ID. Open until 11pm weekdays, midnight on Friday & Saturday. Not valid with any other discounts.
Direction Photoworks - Direction Photoworks is a full service print boutique for Talent Industry Professionals. Now offering digital headshot prints 25 for $25, www.directionphotoworks.com.
King Crab - 20% discount (1816 N Halsted). Take a look at their menu at kingcrabchicago.com.
Kingston Mines - Free admission Sunday through Thursday.
Nookies Restaurant - 10% off entire bill (Old Town location only, 1746 N Wells).
Old Town Pour House - 10% off your bill (1 table/1 visit).
XSPORT Fitness - $35/month + $35 maintenance fee
Zipcar - Students join for $25/year (over 50% off). Visit zipcar.com/sctc-students for more info.
FAQs
Let's channel our inner Maria Von Trapp and start at the very beginning. For improv training most of our students begin with the Improv Level A class. You do not need to have any previous acting or improv experience to begin the Improv program. If you have completed a degree program in Theatre, then you may enroll in our Improv for Actors program; you have to be approved to take the IFA program so you will need to submit your theatre resume for review. If you have completed a full, year-long improv training program (equivalent to our Improv program or from another like iO or Annoyance) and you have completed at least one acting course (post-high school), then you qualify to audition for our Conservatory program. You can also begin in the first level of our Comedy Writing or Acting programs, depending on your interests. If you need any help deciding which classes to take, just give us a call at (312) 664-3959. We will always be happy to chat with you about your interests and goals and figure out the best place for you to begin.
Please stand on the mark in the middle of the stage and deliver the following monologue: “No, I do not have to audition to start taking classes at The Second City. Only some advanced programs like the Conservatory and the Music Improv program require auditions, though some specialized classes and workshops may have prerequisites.”
What is the difference between Acting and Improv classes?
Words on a page. In the Acting program you will work with scripted material such as monologues and scenes from plays. The Improv program focuses on unscripted games, exercises and scenes.
Why is there a color next to the class name?
We have lots of classes, and sometimes we have multiple sections of the same class running at the same time. In those cases we add colors to the class names so you know which class you belong to. If you are continuing to the next level of a program on the same day and time, please enroll in the same color group.
Can I receive college credit or get a degree for taking classes?
Because the Training Center itself is not an accredited institution of higher learning, just an awesome professional training center, students are generally ineligible for college credit. We also cannot file the paperwork for international students to obtain student visas. However, if you are currently enrolled in college, we have this amazing program called Comedy Studies which is an accredited college program that we run in Chicago in partnership with Columbia College. This is a semester-long study in comedy for which students do receive college credit.
Is there an age limit to attend classes?
We offer classes in our Kids and Teens Program for students ages 4-18. Students must be at least 19 to attend classes in our adult programs, but there is no upper age limit. Why, even Methuselah himself could come in and learn to improvise!
Tuition fees should be paid at the time of registration in order to hold your spot in the class. Tuition fees are non-refundable and non-transferrable. We accept Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover. If you pay in cash, please bring the exact amount as we may not have change. Payment plans are available at the time of registration, but surcharges will be applied.
Are there scholarships or work study positions?
The Training Center has a limited number of one-time scholarships for entry-level adult classes. Interested students should submit their applications before the deadline for each term. For students who are interested in Writing 1-6 classes, the family of Jim Larsen are honoring him by providing a scholarship to writing students; this scholarship is not administered by the Training Center, so no inquiries please.
Additionally a limited number of full and partial scholarships based on need or merit are available for Summer Adult 5-Day Intensives, Kids and Teen Summer Camps, and Kids and Teens year-round classes. Applications are available online on each program’s pages.
Volunteer positions come up very regularly and are the easiest way for adult students to receive discounted tuition. Volunteers are usually sought to assist with high volume events at the Training Center or to represent the Training Center at various events and locations around Chicago. People who volunteer regularly may be considered for regular work study positions. To apply to be a volunteer (also known as the Second City Dream Team), please fill out this form.
If I need to take off a term, can I return and continue where I was?
You mean you have something better to do? Well, okay. You have up to one year to return and continue with the next level in your program. If it has been longer than a year, you will need to repeat the last level you completed. Students returning from hiatus should call the office (312-664-3959) to be placed in a class or on a waiting list.
I want to work as a performer for Second City someday, so what classes should I take?
The most direct answer is the Conservatory, our cornerstone training program designed to give you first-hand experience in the Second City method. It caters to the aspiring professional, and it qualifies you to audition for our house teams and other advanced programs. Admission is by audition only and requires some previous experience, so you may need to start with training in our Improvisation program. However, great Second City actors also have to be able to perform scripted material and create believable characters on stage (try our Acting program), and on the resident stages they write their own material (try our Comedy Writing program). And they all have to be comfortable with music and singing (we have a variety of music classes!). These programs can be great preparation for the Conservatory, but students also frequently enroll in them after graduation from the Conservatory to round out their skills and deepen the understanding of their craft. The bottom line is all of the programs here will give you practical experience that will make you a creative powerhouse.
If I take classes will I get to be a Second City cast member?
Although many of the resident company actors are graduates of the Training Center, completion of any program does not guarantee employment with the company. It takes a great deal of training and experience to become a member of the Mainstage or e.t.c. cast. Most of the resident actors have trained and performed for a number of years before being hired by Second City. Graduates of the Conservatory and Music Improv programs are encouraged to audition for the Training Center house ensembles. Performing with the house ensembles are an individual's best chance of being hired by The Second City. Conservatory graduates are also eligible to audition for The Second City National Touring Company.