The Second City

January 17, 2009 (One Night Only!)

It all started in a converted Chinese laundry on Chicago’s north sidein 1959. No one could know that by the next century, The SecondCity would have established itself as the premier comedy institutionin the world. With theatres in Chicago, Toronto, Detroit, and Las Vegas;training centers in each of those cities as well as Los Angeles; acorporate division that offers creative services to the business world; aTV and film division; and touring troupes that bring its unique brandof improv-based sketch comedy all over the world, The Second Cityhas become, in the words of the New York Times, “A Comedy Empire.”

The touring troupes at The Second City have been the springboardfor generations of the comedy world’s best and brightest. Its alumnilist includes: Alan Arkin, Joan Rivers, Robert Klein, Peter Boyle,Harold Ramis, John Belushi, Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Gilda Radner,John Candy, Martin Short, George Wendt, Julia Louis Dreyfus, ChrisFarley, Ryan Stiles, Mike Myers, Rachel Dratch, Tina Fey, and more.In addition to stellar talent, Second City’s other chief export iscomedy that is both hilarious and thought provoking; smart andsilly; sophisticated and wild. The concept is simple: six actorsaugmented by a musical accompanist and a sound and lightingdirector perform a two-act revue featuring sketch comedy, songs,and improvisation. Drawing from the vast archives of material thatSecond City has created over 40 plus years, The Second City touringcompanies are also creating on-the-spot, topical comedy thatchanges with every performance.

The diversity of Second City performances are matched by thediversity of its venues, as the company has taken its act on theroad to theatres, festivals, colleges, and performing arts centersin every state of the union and to international audiences fromSingapore to Vienna.www.secondcity.com