Improv Diversity Starts at The Roots

Chicago's Tribune published a great story on diversity in the Chicago comedy community and highlighted the role of Second City's Outreach & Diversity program has played on increasing opportunities for people of color in comedy.

SC Alum David Koechner To Create & Star in Sketch Comedy for NBC

SC Alum, David Koechner to is lined up to create and star in  a new one-hour variety sketch show with NBC. Read the full story here.

"SCTV" Stars Short, Levy and Martin to Reunite for NBC Series

Last month, NBC ordered 12 episodes of a new comedy starring Andrea Martin called Working the Engels for the 2014-15 TV season, and now, a couple of her SCTV costars will be turning up in guest spots. TV Line reports that Martin Short and Eugene Levy will both be guest starring on Andrea Martin's show during the first batch of 12 episodes.

The show stars Martin as Ceil Engel, a self-involved but loving mother who has to work with her kids to keep her recently-deceased husband's law firm afloat to keep the family out of debt. Short, who's set to star in the Fox sitcom Mulaney, will guest star as the head of a big pastry corporation who's involved in a lawsuit, and Levy will play the Engel family's neighbor who's in love with Ceil. The Kids in the Hall's Scott Thompson will be a regular cast member.

Alums Ron West and Craig Cackowski Featured in New York Times

The New York Times Theater section featured some notable Scrooges this season including Second City alums Craig Cackowski (#5), currently starring in Portland Center Stages' production of "The Second City Christmas Carol: Twist Your Dickens" and Ron West (#61), currently starring in the Center Theater Group's production of "The Second City Christmas Carol: Twist Your Dickens."

SC Alums Grosz, Lutz and O'Malley Join Seth Meyers' "Late Night" Writing Staff

Second City resident and touring company alums Peter Grosz and John Lutz have joined the writing team for "Late Night with Seth Meyers" along with Second City Theatricals alum (Norwegian Cruise Line) Conner O'Malley. Can't wait to see what this crew comes up with!

Student Veterans Public Sleep Out 12/16

To address the alarming rate of veterans facing homelessness, the Student Veteran Society of Columbia College Chicago will be hosting a public sleep-out. The sleep-out will take place from noon on Monday December 16 and will last for 24 hours. The vets will be camped out at the Sculpture Garden on the northeast corner of 11th Ave and Wabash St.

All proceeds raised will be donated to the Eddie Beard Homeless Veterans' Housing Program, which serves as the Vet House for Inner Voice Chicago. A local nonprofit that provides temporary and permanent housing to homeless and and at-risk Veterans, as well as job training and job placement programs.

Close to 30% of all homeless people have served in the U.S. Armed Forces at some point in their life. We asked them to sacrifice so much for us and when they return home our heroes are reduced to living on the streets. Veterans Day just passed by, but the issues the veteran community is facing cannot be addressed in one day.

The Eddie Beard Vet House currently has 15 Veteran residents enrolled in its program, which is the max capacity currently available. It costs between $900-$1000 per month to feed, clothe and house each Veteran. In addition to these standard costs of living, the Vet House is in need of a new freezer, pots/pans and other kitchen utensils, as well as personal electronics for the Veterans themselves, as many of them are currently receiving computer skills classes in order to help them with their job searches.

Any amount donated to this event will be given directly to the Veterans currently residing at the Eddie Beard Vet House and will help contribute to paying for their costs of living as well as helping them buy the necessary tools in order to successfully complete the program and find full-time work again.

More information on Inner Voice and their Veterans initiatives can be found here. You can also follow frequent updates on their Facebook Page.

Bring a Friend To Class: New Workshop 12/14 or 12/16

We’re changing our Bring a Friend to Class campaign. If you are in Level A, B or C and want to show your friend how much fun you are having, book a space for you and your friend to attend ONE of these two workshops!

Friday, December 13th 6-8:30pm OR Saturday, December 14th 12-2:30pm.
THIS IS FREE FOR ALL!

Your friend will receive a $10 off coupon for a new class registration and if your friend signs up for a course, then YOU receive our $25 "Refer A Friend" discount off your next registration.

Please book a space for you and your friend with Allana, areoch@secondcity.com.
Space is limited.

Holiday Intensives Added for Youth and Adult Students Staying in Chicago

If you are staying in Chicago for the Holidays, The Second City Training Center has you covered!

Intensives in Improv, Writing and more are open for all ages. Check out some of the classes below.

ADULT CLASSES
Basic Writing with The Onion 3-day Intensive • DEC. 16 – 18
Improv 1 Week-long Immersion • DEC. 16 – 20
Writing 1 Week-long Immersion • DEC 16 – 20
Voiceover Intensive • DEC 16
Voiceover Intensive • DEC 20
Improv & Writing 3-day Intensive • DEC. 20 – 22
All Improv 3-day Intensive • DEC. 26 – 28

OTHER WORKSHOPS:
Fun Fuuuuuun Find the F-ing Fun with Andel Sudik • DEC 12
Writers' Room: Breaking the Story with Caitlin Kunkel • DEC 15

REGISTER ONLINE AT WWW.SECONDCITY.COM OR CALL 312-664-3959

TEEN/YOUTH CLASSES

Tuition & 2013/14 Dates
Improvisation & Clowning (3 days) - $200, December 26-28, 2013
Improvisation & Standup (3 days) - $200, December 26-28, 2013
Improvisation & Clowning (5 days) - $350 $280*, December 30, 2013-January 3, 2014
Improvisation & Standup (5 days) - $350 $280*, December 30, 2013-January 3, 2014
*Winter Break Camps will not meet on New Year's Day, January 1. Tuition has been prorated accordingly

REGISTER ONLINE AT WWW.SECONDCITY.COM OR CALL 312-664-3959

Andrew Thorp
The Second City Training Center
Marketing and Promotions Manager
312.664.3959

Check out our FAQ page with info on directions, parking, moving to Chicago and more: http://www.secondcity.com/training/chicago/generalinfo/faq/

Second City Nominated for Three BroadwayWorld Chicago Awards

Second City has been nominated for three BroadwayWorld Chicago Awards.

• Edgar Blackmon for Best Actor in a Musical or Revue (Resident or Equity) for "Let Them Eat Chaos" 
• "Let Them Eat Chaos" for Best Revue (Resident) 
• "The Second City Guide to The Opera" with the Lyric Opera of Chicago for Best Revue (Resident)

 For more information about the nominees and the voting process, please visit BroadwayWorldChicago.com.

Toronto Impulse Festival to Include Many SC Alums

From December 12-15th in Toronto will be hosting the first annual IMPULSE Festival at The Young Centre For The Performing Arts in the Distillery presented by The National Theatre of The World in association with Soulpepper Theatre. They are bringing in improv artists from eight different countries (India, France, U.K., U.S.A., Australia, and Austria) and they will be performing showcases and Mashups with each other throughout.

A huge part of the event is a 55 hour long improvised soap opera marathon that will take place from Friday, December 13th at 3:00pm and end at 10:00pm on Sunday, December 15th. All proceeds of the "Soap-a-thon" will go directly to Gilda's Club Greater Toronto. The line-up will include a number of Second City alums, including Colin Mochrie.

For more information go to:
www.TheNationalTheatreoftheWorld.com

@the_NTOW
@ImpulseFest

SC Alum Maribeth Monroe Cast in HBO Pilot "The Brink"

SC Alum, Maribeth Monroe, has been cast in the new HBO pilot "The Brink." Directed by Jay Roach, executive producer is Jerry Weintraub and lead actors include Jack Black, Tim Robbins and Pablo Schrieber. Read more details here.

Living Room Show Benefit Featuring SC Alums & SNL Cast Members

For the past decade, Jeff Tweedy has been auctioning off private "Living Room" concerts during The Second City's 24-hour improv/music marathon, raising more than a half million dollars for disadvantaged Chicago families. This year, we are selling tickets to Our Living Room Show, an intimate benefit with comedy from Second City alumni, Saturday Night Live cast members and a 90-minute set from Jeff Tweedy. The show will be featuring Jeff Tweedy & Second City Alumni Aidy Bryant, Kevin Dorff, TJ Jagodowski, Beth Melewski, Mike O'Brien, Tim Robinson, Tami Sagher, Horatio Sanz and Cecily Strong.

200 standard seating tickets for Our Living Room Show are $300 each and go on sale Monday, Dec. 2nd at 10 a.m. here.

35 front row tickets ($500) and 23 premium rail seats $1000)  will be available on December 17 IN PERSON ONLY at "The Second City That Never Sleeps: 24 Hour."

Monday, January 6th, 2014
7:00 P.M. / Doors Open 6:00 P.M.
Up Comedy Club
For tickets: Visit UPComedyClub.com or call (312) 662-4562*

Click for more information: http://www.letterstosantachicago.com/