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!

Need a job? Come to our Job Fair Tuesday, October 18!

With the opening of our new venue, and lots of growing departments, Second City is holding a job fair for service positions, mainly on our bar and house staff.

There are both part and full time positions available. To see some of the positions we're hiring for, click here,

Second City Joins Sweep Dreams to Benefit Chicago House and Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS

The Second City will join the cast of Mary Poppins for a special performance to benefit Chicago House and Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS on Tuesday, October 25, at the Mercury Theater in Chicago. The doors will open at 6:30pm for general admission, silent auction, and raffles. Curtain time is scheduled for 7:30pm. Attendees will have the opportunity to bid on one of a kind memorabilia from the national tour of Mary Poppins, such as a custom framed autographed show poster and a backstage tour.

Tickets are $30 for general seating, and $50 for VIP. VIP guests will enjoy a special gift pack and post show reception with the cast. Cash Bar and Valet Parking are available. For tickets or information, visit the Mercury Theater website: www.mercurytheaterchicago.com. The Mercury Theater is located at 3745 N. Southport Avenue, Chicago, IL, 60613.

One More Weekend at The Arkansas Rep

The Second City Touring Company is at The Arkansas Rep for one more hilarious weekend. Read the rest of the glowing review in The Arkansas Times that says:

"...there's something sublime about material that is truly, honest-to-god funny."

Chicago Live! Returns – October 13

We're excited to partner with Chicago Live! for their new season. Chicago Live!, a weekly stage and radio show produced by the Chicago Tribune, returns to the Chicago Theatre's Downstairs Stage every Thursday at 6:30p from October 13 – November 17. Guests for this season include alt-country musician and artist Jon Langford, Illinois Senate President John Cullerton and world music ensemble, Las Guitarras de Espana. Click here for more information including a complete guest line-up.

Writer Salon with Dino Stamatopoulos

What: Writer Salon with Dino Stamatopoulos
When: October 21st – 5:30pm
Where: The Second City Training center (1608 N. Wells Ave – Chicago, IL 60614)

About the Writers Salon:
The Second City hosts a regular series of discussions with professional writers from the television, film and theater communities in a special series for Training Center students and their guests. Tickets can be reserved by students by calling 312.664.3959

About the Artist:
Dino Stamatopoulos is a television comedy writer, actor and producer. He has been a writer for a variety of shows including The Ben Stiller Show (for which he won an Emmy), Mr. Show, The Dana Carvey Show, Late Show with David Letterman, Late Night with Conan O'Brien and Mad TV. With Robert Smigel he pitched the series TV Funhouse, a spinoff of the popular SNL cartoons, to Comedy Central. He also worked on Tom Goes to the Mayor with Mr. Show alumnus Bob Odenkirk. He is the creator of the Adult Swim programs Moral Orel and Mary Shelley's Frankenhole. Dino has recently been appearing in the role of Star-Burns on the NBC comedy series Community. He co-wrote Community's Claymation-themed Christmas episode which aired in December 2010.

"That Is All:" An Evening with John Hodgman

John Hodgman returns to The Second City to complete his vision of Complete World Knowledge with his new book That Is All. The bestselling author, NPR contributor and "Resident Expert" for The Daily Show will bring his fake trivia, overlong lists and beguiling narratives to The Second City's etc Theatre on Wednesday, November 2 at 8pm. Join America's favorite "minor television celebrity and deranged millionaire" for an evening of completely made–up amazing true facts – and perhaps some Malort. Click here to reserve your tickets.

Final weekend – Love, Sex & The Second City @ Denver Center

Don't miss Love, Sex & The Second City @ Denver Center for the Performing Arts this weekend! There are only 4 performances left through October 9. Click here to book tickets.

Nick Vatterott joins the Teen Jam on Saturday, October 22 at 6:00pm in the DeMaat Theater.

Nick Vatterott will be the special guest to conduct a Q&A session with The Second City Training Center's teen improvisers and stand-up comedians.

Nick himself is a former youth program instructor was named "Funniest Man in Chicago" by Chicago Magazine and has recently appeared on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. Nick has performed with The Second City's National Touring Company as well as understudied for Mainstage. He has written for MTV's What was I thinking? and had his work published in Chicago Magazine, Dig This and Reader's Digest. Nick, will also be performing as a featured comic at Zanies Chicago October 19-23.

Andy Cobb and Second City Launch Political Video Network

Andy Cobb and The Second City are happy to present a new online home for original satirical video by The Partisans --just in time for the nascent nastiness of the 2012 election cycle. The Partisans can be found on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/thepartisanscomedy.

Andy Cobb's politically charged videos have received over 10 million views and been called "a blast of cathartic humor" by Huffington Post, "must-see TV for inside the beltway bloggers and journalists" by Politico, and "brilliant" by Andrew Sullivan, and seen on CNN, MSNBC, FOX, NPR, ABC, Current, and many more.

The new site will feature alumni of the legendary Second City in rapid reaction, topical comedy for the current campaign season, with the motto "harsh satire for dangerous times."

Yep, We’re One of the Best – Even in DC!

The Washington Post Going Out Guide has named our upcoming engagement with Woolly Mammoth as one of the best events for the rest of the year in DC! Spoiler Alert: Everybody Dies, directed by Billy Bungeroth and featuring James Alfred, Aaron Bliden, Scott Montgomery, Jessica Frances Dukes, Maribeth Monroe and Travis Turner, will be presented at Woolly Mammoth Theatre on December 6 – January 8. Click here to purchase tickets.

Josephine Forsberg – Memorial Update

A memorial service has been planned for Josephine Raciti Forsberg on Saturday, October 8th in The Second City e.t.c. Theatre (1608 N. Wells, 2nd Floor of Piper's Alley) from 2:00-5:00p. All are welcome to attend.

Sadly, Josephine Raciti Forsberg passed away on Monday, October 3rd. Jo studied at the hand of Viola Spolin and was instrumental in the teaching of thousands upon thousands of young actors and improvisers. She founded the Player's Workshop which became one of the first formal schools of improvisation in the world and also produced dozens of Children's Theatre shows at The Second City. We offer our condolences to her whole family – especially her son Eric and daughter Linnea.

Student Headshot Day - October 14th and 15th

The Second City Training Center will be offering a discounted Headshot Day for students on October 14th and October 15th (9am-5pm) with guest artist Sally Blood (www.sallybloodphoto.com). Sessions are 1 hour long and include a 15-minute corrective make-up session and 45-minute shoot. Each session is $200 ($75 deposit needed on day of reservation). Participants receive access to all unedited photos via a photo share gallery and can include touched-up, full-color proofs for an additional $25 each, to be arranged directly with the photographer. Reproductions are not included at this time, although there will be information on-hand for slightly discounted reproductions. Email Andrew Thorp at athorp@secondcity.com with any questions or time requests.

Second City Featured in American Way

If you're flying with American Airlines, check out our feature in this month's American Way Magazine! It's part of their humor issue which also features a cover story on Second City Touring Company alum, Jane Lynch. Even if you're not flying this month, you can still click here to check out the full story and photos.

Josephine Forsberg

The Second City was saddened to hear of the passing of Josephine Raciti Forsberg this morning. Jo studied at the hand of Viola Spolin and was instrumental in the teaching of thousands upon thousands of young actors and improvisers. She founded the Player's Workshop which became one of the first formal schools of improvisation in the world and also produced dozens of Children's Theatre shows at The Second City. We offer our condolences to her whole family – especially her son Eric and daughter Linnea.

Click here for more information.

New "TC SPOTLIGHT" Posted!

October 3rd, 2011 - Performance - Tiffani Swalley and Robert Jenkins - ensemble members of SongCo!

Tiffani Swalley and Robert Jenkins, members of The Second City Training Center’s 'SongCo' ensemble, join Nancy Fast for a podcast filled with music, laughs, and special guests! Listen in and find out how cast members of the current ensemble create material, deal with fame, choose show shoes and impress potential mates!

To listen to this podcast and all others, please visit our TC Spotlights page!

Student Spotlight - Tiffani Swalley and Robert Jenkins

October 3rd, 2011 - Performance - Tiffani Swalley and Robert Jenkins - ensemble members of SongCo!
Tiffani Swalley and Robert Jenkins, members of The Second City Training Centers SongCo ensemble, join Nancy Fast for a podcast filled with music, laughs, and special guests! Listen in and find out how cast members of the current ensemble create material, deal with fame, choose show shoes and impress potential mates!