Colin Mochrie Releases New Book "Not Quite the Classics"

Second City Toronto alum, Colin Mochrie, just released a new book titled, "Not Quite the Classics." Colin Mochrie, a man known worldwide for working without a script, has penned a collection of stories destined to make its own mark in the literary community. Borrowing from a well-known improv game, Mochrie takes the first and last lines from familiar classics and reimagines everything in between. With the same engaging humour he exhibits on stage, television, and film, he takes the reader in bizarre and hilarious new directions, using the original writer's words as a launch and landing point. Imagine A Tale of Two Cities in which Wile E. Coyote gets his revenge on the Road Runner, Dr. Seuss's The Cat in the Hat with zombies, or The Night Before Christmas with a time travelling twist. Imagine Sherlock Holmes devising a foolproof method for eliciting laughter and then taking the stage at a Victorian comedy club in Old London...

You can buy the e-book on Amazon now and the print edition will be available this Fall.

Congratulations to This Year’s Emmy Nominees

Congratulations to this year’s Emmy Award Nominees including a host of Second City resident and touring company alumni including Stephen Colbert, Paul Dinello, Tina Fey, Joe Kelly, Julia Louis-Dreyfuss, Jane Lynch, Mike O’Brien, Amy Poehler, Tom Purcell, and Jeff Richmond. 

The 65^th Annual Emmy’s will be broadcast live on Sunday, Sept. 22 on CBS. Click here for a complete list of nominees.

"America All Better" at Woolly Mammoth Theatre Extended

Woolly Mammoth announced that its fifth collaboration with Chicago’s Second City, America All Better!, is a box office hit, earning it a two week extension.

The all new revue now runs through August 18, 2013. Tickets start at $45 and can be purchased online by phone – 202-393-3939 – via email at tickets@woollymammoth.net, and in person at the Box Office, located at Woolly Mammoth Theatre, 641 D Street NW, Washington, DC.

The Second City Training Center Volunteer Team Celebrates Its 200th Event

In just 16 months, over 100 Second City students have participated in more than 200 events to help Chicago non-profit organizations and partners. Quick Stats

• Over 45 dogs walked and socialized with Safe Humane Chicago.
• Over 100 4-12 year-olds taught improv games at Chicago Cares, House of Good Shepherd, Lurie’s Childrens’ Hospital and more.
• Over 200 pounds of organic vegetables harvested with Ginkgo Gardens.
• Over 10 cat costume appearances at Treehouse Humane Society Events.
• Over $10,000 in volunteer credits redeemed for TC classes.

In late 2011, The Second City Training Center created ‘The Second City Dream Team,’ an organization that offers current students the opportunity to volunteer with The Second City and local non-profit partners and receive class discounts for each event worked. The Dream Team has become a huge hit and now participates in over 20 events a month all over the city. Non-profit organizations have found that asking students of comedy to lend a hand has provided great results. As skilled improvisers, Dream Team members think quick on their feet, are ready for any challenge, and always bring a positive attitude. And with their vast volunteer ensemble the Dream Team is always looking for new partners!
Safe Humane Chicago’s Executive Director, Cynthia Bathhurst, says, "Safe Humane Chicago has the privilege of having the continued and dedicated support from the amazing (and fun!) volunteers from the Second City Training Center. They play a crucial role in our Court Case Dog Program with Chicago Animal Care and Control (CACC). They dedicate their time, kindness, compassion and attention to dogs who arrive at CACC as “evidence” in criminal court cases or investigations and become part of our program to socialize, train and improve the quality of their lives until we help transfer them to partner rescues and ensure their success in loving homes.

Every Saturday, you can see SC students pulling weeds and planting organic crops at Ginkgo Gardens, an organization that gives its organic harvest to low-income residents carrying HIV. If you see a human-sized cat waving to you at a Treehouse Humane Society event, chances are it’s a Dream Team volunteer helping kitties find homes. Stop by for a Second City Training Center student show and odds are a Second City Dream Team member is helping you get tickets.

About The Second City Training Center: For over fifty years The Second City has created a wealth of comedic material from a legendary group of performers. The Training Center follows the traditions developed by these groundbreaking and innovative men and women while encouraging the continued growth and development of the art forms of comedy and improvisation. Today, The Second City Training Center is the largest school of improvisation and sketch comedy in the world, offerings courses for all ages and experience levels.

Jeff Garlin to Debut New Film "Dealin' With Idiots" in Chicago

Curb Your Enthusisam's Jeff Garlin will be in Chicago this weekend for the opening of his new film "Dealin' With Idiots" at The Music Box Theatre. Showings will be at 7:20pm both Friday and Saturday evenings. Garlin directed, co-wrote, and stars in the film along with Gina Gershon, Jami Gertz, Christopher Guest, Bob Odenkirk, Nia Vardalos and Fred Willard. Watch the film trailer here. 

Second City Returns to Woolly Mammoth Theater - Jul 9 - Aug 4

Following sell-out runs of "Barack Stars: The Wrath of Rahm," "A Girl's Guide to Washington Politics" and "Spoiler Alert: Everybody Dies," we're thrilled to return to Woolly Mammoth Theatre in Washington, DC, with "America All Better!" Performances begin this week on and continue through. Click here for more information.

PJ Torokvei

It's with great sadness that we heard today of the passing of Second City alum PJ Torokvei. In addition to being an incredibly talented screenwriter, actor and producer, she was a dear friend and a wonderful part of The Second City community and family. Our thoughts are with her family.

Click here for more information about PJ Torokvei's career and here for the Hollywood Reporter's article about this loss.

Jon Langford Joins Mainstage Cast on July 4th

This Thursday, acclaimed musician, Jon Langford, is joining the Mainstage cast during their improv set at the end of the show. With Jon's musical prowess and the array of talent the Mainstage cast has to offer, this is guaranteed to be an incredible performance. "Jon Langford has grit in his voice and melody in his soul. A punk-rock pioneer, a leading light of alt-country, a troubadour for our times, a musicians' mentor, a visual artist of uncommon skill, a singer-songwriter who writes with the authority of having lived a life rather just having imagined it..." (Chicago New City). Get your tickets today for this one night only event.