Aaaand We’re Back – Join Us for Chicago Live! Tonight

Chicago Live! is back in the studio tonight with another fantastic line-up of guests including:

• U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (Rick Pearson interview)
• Former Chicago Bears safety Gary Fencik (David Haugh interview)
• World music ensemble Las Guitarras de España
• Singer and guitarist Nora O'Connor
• Museum of Contemporary Art Chief Curator Michael Darling (Lauren Viera interview)
• Smart Dating Academy founder Bela Gandhi (Jenniffer Weigel interview)
• Chicago Live! Almanac
• Comedy from The Second City

As always, stick around after the show for a cash bar cocktail reception with the guests. Tickets for the show are $20 and can be purchased at Ticketmaster.com.

Second City faculty members offer the AV Club some pointers on making it in Chicago’s world of comedy

Adult stand-up instructor, Bryan Bowden, talks with the AV club regarding Chicago's rich stand-up comedy scene while Writing Head, Andy Eninger, provides tips on being a comedic triple threat in Chicago. Check out the whole article here: Comedy 101:

How to make it in Chicago's sketch, improv, lit, and stand-up scenes.

ABC asks Sayjal Joshi, former student and touring company performer, and Jim Carlson, Head of the Advanced Improv Program at The Second City -Chicago,

Jim Carlson, Head of the Advanced Improv Program at The Second City Training Center – Chicago, tells ABC in a televised interview that women are just as funny as men. Former TC student and current touring company ensemble member, Sayjal Joshi, concurs. See Jim and Sayjal’s interview here.

Alums Nancy McCabe Kelly & Bruce Jarchow Open New Show

Second City alums Nancy McCabe-Kelly and Bruce Jarchow are set to present "Been There, Still There," their original one act theater piece at Donny's Skybox Theater in Pipers Alley (1608 N. Wells, 4th floor). "Been There, Still There" opens on Friday, Sept 30th at 9:00p and runs every Friday until Oct. 21st. Tickets are $13 ($10 for students) and can be purchased by calling 312-337-3992 or click here to purchase tickets online.

Join Us for Chicago Live! Tonight

Join us tonight at 6:30p for the next installment of Chicago Live! Guests on tonight's show include:

• Illinois Senate President John Cullerton (Rick Pearson interview)
• Folk musician Bonnie Koloc (Rick Kogan interview)
• Actor from the new Starz series "Boss" and Steppenwolf Ensemble Member Francis Guinan (Rick Kogan interview)
• "Fed Up With Lunch" CPS food blogger Sarah Wu (Monica Eng interview) | Read the story >>
• Stars of the Annoyance Theatre's "A Magic Evening" Jennifer Estlin and Mick Napier (Kevin Pang interview)
• Creators of the documentary series "Catholicism" Father Robert Barron and Mike Leonard (Manya Brachear interview) | Read the story > >
• Chicago Live! Almanac
• Comedy from The Second City

After the show, join us for a 30-minute reception with the cast, crew and guests.  Tickets are $20.00 and can be reserved by clicking here. (http://www.chicagotribune.com/about/chicagolive/tickets/chi-chicagolive-tickets,0,1403272.htmlstory)

UP Comedy Club Show Schedule Announced

UP Comedy Club, Chicago's premier Stand-Up and Comedy Cabaret Theater, is proud to announce its inaugural performance schedule. In addition to Up Comedy Club Presents... featuring the best in national and local Stand-Up talent, Second City Theatricals presents an eclectic line-up of shows for comedy connoisseurs of all ages. Preview performances are set to begin at UP Comedy Club (1608 N. Wells, 3^rd Floor of Piper's Alley) in December 2011. Tickets are now on sale at www.UPComedyClub.com.

Listed below is a complete schedule description of Second City Theatricals performances:

Up Comedy Club Presents
Up Comedy Club Presents... features the best Stand-Up talent in the country. Tickets are currently on sale for Orny Adams, Dov Davidoff and Gary Owen.

The Second City's History of Chicago
For over 50 years The Second City has been making fun of all things Chicago. From Ditka to Daley, Blago to the Bean - we have a civic history that is filled with characters and comedy. This show takes some of the absolute best material from the very first show in 1959 to the current revues on our stages right now to give audiences a hilarious history lesson of the Windy City.

Tickets $27.00; For ages 13 & up

Wednesday @ 7:30p
Thursday @ 1:30p
Saturday @ 2:30p
Sunday @ 1:00p

On Sundays, join us for a Chicago-style lunch featuring Lou Malnati's Pizza, Vienna Beef Hot Dogs and Eli's Cheesecake.

The Second City's Dysfunctional Holiday Show
Second City's Dysfunctional Holiday Revue features a seasonal blend of hilarious scenes, songs and our trademark improvisation with a sprig of holiday mischief for a night of spirited fun. Funny, bright and completely original, Second City's Dysfunctional Holiday Revue is the perfect alternative to the same old holiday shows. From uneven gift exchanges with your clueless boyfriend to couples therapy with Joseph and Mary, Second City has your ticket to all that's ridiculous about this magical season.

Tickets $22.00; For ages 16 & up

Tuesday @ 7:30p
Sunday @ 4:30p

The Second City's Improv All-Stars
See Chicago's finest improvisers under the direction of the legendary Mick Napier in an evening of unscripted and unequaled improvisational comedy. This show is highly interactive, hilarious and thoroughly original.

Tickets $16.00; for ages 18 & up

Monday @ 8:30p

Improv Extravaganza Explosion!
It's playtime! The Second City's performers lace up their sneakers and reach deep into their imaginations to present Improv Extravaganza Explosion! It's an hour of interactive, family-friendly improvisation and sketch comedy where we pull ideas straight from the audience, and make it all up on the spot. The best part is that you never know what might happen!

Tickets $11.00; for ages 8 & up

Wednesday @ 11:00p
Saturday @ 11:00p

UP Comedy Club is located in the former Tony & Tina's Wedding space in Piper's Alley which also houses The Second City e.t.c. Theatre and The Second City Training Center campus. Designed by Ryan Nestor of Barker & Nestor, the new space is a classic cabaret-style club featuring a bar and restaurant component. Programming for UP Comedy Club will include stand-up comedians, alternative comedy, performances of Second City Theatrical productions, alumni shows, and improv shows and will never charge a drink minimum.

This new club hopes to be an a fresh new addition to the Chicago comedy community and will compliment the experience with Windy City culinary favorites like Lou Malnati's Pizza, Vienna Beef, and Eli's Cheesecake.

Tickets are now on sale at UPComedyClub.com.

The Second City wins 2011 Canadian Comedy Award

(TORONTO, October 18, 2011) - The 2011 Canadian Comedy Awards were held last night at the Isabel Bader Theatre in Toronto. The Second City is honoured to have received the award for Best Comedic Play, Revue or Series for our recent mainstage revue Something Wicked Awesome This Way Comes..., which set new box office records when it appeared on our stage from August 2010 through February 2011.

The hit production was written and performed by Rob Baker, Dale Boyer, Adam Cawley, Inessa Frantowski, Caitlin Howden, & Kris Siddiqi. The show was directed by Chris Earle, with music by Matthew Reid, as well as Lighting & Sound by Stage Manager Steve Del Balso.

This is the fourth consecutive year that The Second City has won in this category, and tenth Canadian Comedy Award that The Second City has received overall since the annual comedy festival began in 2000.

Other winners included The National Theatre of The World (named 2011 Best Improv Troupe), which is composed of Second City alums Naomi Snieckus and Matt Baram, as well as 2011's Best Male Improviser, Rod Pederson.

The incomparable Jayne Eastwood, another Second City Toronto alumnus, was named this recipient of The Dave Broadfoot Award

We are also pleased that Picnicface, this year's winner of Best Sketch Troupe, will be performing on our Toronto stage on November 11 as part of the Toronto Sketch Comedy Festival.

Congratulations to all of this year's winners and nominees!