The Second City Training Center Fast Facts
- The Second City Training Center has facilities in Chicago, New York, and Toronto
- Total # of Enrollments in 2016: 30,000
- On average, about 3,200 students per week take classes in Chicago, with approximately 5,000 in total across New York, Chicago and Toronto
- Female/Male student ratio in Chicago: 47% / 43%
- 50% of our student base have taken 5 or more classes with The Second City
- Students range in age from 4 to 98
Launched in 2016, The Second City Film School is the world’s only film school dedicated to comedy. Throughout the one-year program, students are immersed in comedy training, film history, writing, and film production classes that uphold the collaborative style of comedic content development embraced by The Second City and alumnus Harold Ramis.
RewireU is a professional development program created to empower employees through techniques cultivated throughout The Second City’s 50+ years of entertaining a wide range of audiences.
Improv for Anxiety is an innovative 8-week program created in partnership with Chicago’s Panic / Anxiety Recovery Center (PARC). Designed for adults and teens with mild to moderate social or public speaking anxiety, the program combines improv classes with group therapy sessions. Over 350 students have taken part in Improv for Anxiety since the program’s inception in 2012.
Improv for Autism has been successfully running since 2014, with weekly classes and week-long summer camps serving teens and adults living with autism spectrum disorder. There have been over 900 enrollments and extensions of the program has also traveled to the New Jersey Center for Performing Arts and Giant Steps, a therapeutic day school in Lisle, IL.
The Second City and Columbia College Chicago launched Comedy Studies in 2007. The joint program allows students to to study full-time at The Second City while providing the opportunity to be immersed in the Chicago comedy scene for an entire semester and receive college credit. Graduates of the Comedy Studies program include “SNL” star Aidy Bryant.
The Second City Training Center’s Severn Darden Graduate Program is the premier showcase for carefully selected Conservatory graduates. House ensembles are cast 2-3 times a year and are mentored by Second City faculty and alumni. Over 60% of the program’s graduated have been hired to work professionally as performers for The Second City or Second City Theatricals.
Online classes and Immersion and Intensive programs have allowed students from countries all over the world to study with us, including Australia, Brazil, China, England, France, India, Israel, Italy, Nova Scotia, Russia, and Sweden. The Immersion program typically welcomes 1,000 students each summer to take week-long classes in improv, writing, and more.
Summer camps for Kids & Teens bring in over 700 students annually. The youth program awards over 75 scholarships each year, 90% of which go to minority students.
Humor Doesn’t Retire launched in 2014. Over 150 students aged 55 years and older have participated in the program to date.
