The Second City Training Center Names New Artistic Director

The Second City Training Center, the training division of the world renowned improvisational theatre company, The Second City, has named award-winning director, Matt Hovde, to the position of Artistic Director. Hovde's appointment comes in a year of explosive growth for the Training Center, which now numbers more than 3000 students studying improvisation methods, acting, and writing in classes taught by working professionals in the field. The Training Center, with classroom facilities in Chicago, Toronto, and Los Angeles, is the world's largest improv-based school and is now considered Chicago's largest independent theater program.

"Matt Hovde is The Second City at its best — an award-winning director to further shape our training programs with practical experience from professional stages — the very combination that students flock to The Second City for," according to Andrew Alexander, Co-Chairman and CEO of The Second City. Hovde won a prestigious Jeff Award as director of The Second City's current hit show, Studs Terkel's Not Working. He has also directed several other productions, including America: All Better!; Campaign Supernova; Between Barack and a Hard Place; Rod Blagojevich Superstar!; How I Lost My Denverginity; In iPod We Trust; The Second City National Touring Company. Hovde did advanced training at The Second City and he is a 1998 graduate of the company's Conservatory Program. Additionally, he is a founding member of the Galileo Players, a sketch troupe inspired by science.

The Second City celebrates its 50th year in December 2009 and the Training Center facilities at the company's Chicago headquarters have undergone a massive expansion to meet a burgeoning demand for its innovative improv-based programs. The company just completed construction on a new facility featuring a suite of new classrooms, performance spaces, offices, and the new de Maat Studio Theater. The popularity of Training Center classes is best measured in the dramatic increase in students over last year. Each of the 8-week class terms for 2009 have seen an enrollment increase of 20% over 2008 levels.