Kevin Frank, Joins TSYO as Narrator/Host of "The Composer is DEAD!"

The Training Centre's Artistic Director, Kevin Frank, will be the Host/Narrator for the Lemony Snicket Mystery story "The Composer is DEAD!" A series of youth performances with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra at Roy Thompson Hall running March 29th through to April 3rd.

For more information or to purchase tickets please visit the website. Click here to read more about Kevin Frank.

Depraved New World" Opens with Jeff Award Recommendation & Rave Reviews

Congratulations to the cast and crew of The Second City Mainstage on the opening of "Depraved New World!" "Depraved New World has received a Jeff Recommendation. A production that has been Jeff Recommended indicates that at least one element was deemed excellent by opening night judges. The entire production is then eligible for nomination for awards at the end of the season. Additionally, Tom Williams with Chicago Critic has Highly Recommended describing it as "a fast-paced, laugh-a-minute comedy revue that easily grabs us from the start and keeps us belly laughing through." Click here to read the full review.

SC Alum, Cindy Caponera, Releases New Book

Second City Chicago Mainstage alum, Cindy Caponera, just released a new book called, "I Triggered Her Bully." Take a look as Cindy explores the world of insecurity and injustice in hilarious and poignant essays that travel all the way from the South Side of Chicago, where bar fights are sport and families large, to New York and Hollywood where you might run into Joni Mitchell at your local deli. Cindy looks both outward and inward with fearless honesty and wicked wit. Whether describing her family’s dysfunction or the perils of dating, her stories will stick with you, like those pop songs from the ‘70s she loves so much.

SC Alum Adam McKay Takes On "The Big Short"

SC alum, Adam McKay, will be adapting and directing Michael Lewis' best-selling book "The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine." Read the full article here.

Fred Kaz - LA Memorial Information

A memorial has been scheduled to celebrate the life of Fred Kaz at The El Portal Theater (5269 Lankershim Blvd, North Hollywood, CA 91601) on Monday, March 31st at 6:30p (doors will open at 6:00p). Parking is available across the street from the theater at the structure belonging to the Art Institute of California. A reception will follow the memorial with light appetizers and beverages.

To attend, please RSVP by March 28. You may either click here to RSVP.

Location:
The El Portal Theater
5269 Lankershim Blvd
North Hollywood, CA 91601

For directions or additional location information: www.elportaltheatre.com

A Chicago memorial is being planned. We'll post information once details have been confirmed.

The Second City Presents "Depraved New World" A Mainstage Revue

Chicago, IL -- The Second City is proud to announce the opening of The Second City’s 102nd Revue, “Depraved New World.” Reviewing press are invited to attend on Thursday, March 27, 2014 at 8:00 p.m. at The Second City Mainstage Theatre (1616 N. Wells St). A Grand Opening is scheduled for Tuesday, April 1, 2014 at 8:00 p.m.

Ever wonder what people are really thinking? Maybe its positive and sweet. Maybe its weird and dirty. From musical orgies, blind dates and the innocent beginning of an international email scam, “Depraved New World” takes you on a wild ride to see what’s happening behind the eyes of the beholder.

Returning to The Second City Mainstage, prolific Jeff Award-winning director Mick Napier leads returning cast members Steve Waltien and Tawny Newsome with new cast members Chelsea Devantez, John Hartman, Mike Kosinski and Emily Walker. Jesse Case takes his place behind the piano as the new Musical Director and Composer and Craig Taylor returns to the booth as Stage Manager.  The producing team for “Depraved New World” includes Andrew Alexander (CEO & Executive Producer), Kelly Leonard (Executive Vice President), Alison Riley (Producer) and Jeremy Smith (Associate Producer).

Tickets for “Depraved New World” start at $23.00 and are available by phone at 312-337-3992 or online at www.SecondCity.com. The show schedule is as follows:

Tuesday - Thursday     8:00 p.m.

Friday - Saturday        8:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m.

Sunday                        7:00 p.m.

Cast and Crew Information 

CHELSEA DEVANTEZ (Ensemble) grew up all over the Southwest, went to college at NYU’s Tisch School of The Arts and fell head over heels for Chicago. She and Emily Walker created the series Modern Women, which you can see on secondcitynetwork.com. She previously toured all across the country with RedCo and the help of Xanax. Learn more about Chelsea at devantez.tumblr.com

JOHN HARTMAN (Ensemble) is so happy to be a member of The Second City Mainstage. He is an alumnus of The Second City Touring Company, is a member of Baby Wants Candy and half of the sketch duo Witaske & Hartman. His solo work has appeared at: Annoyance Theatre, iO Theater, TBS Just for Laughs Festival, Comedy Central Stage, and UCB Theatre. Learn more about John Hartman at johnhartman.weebly.com

MIKE KOSINSKI (Ensemble) is so excited to perform on The Second City Mainstage with this incredible cast and crew. Previously, he co-wrote and performed in A Clown Car Named Desire and the Jeff Award–winning We’re all in This Room Together on the e.t.c. stage. Mike traveled the land and sea with The Second City Touring Company and was an ensemble member at ImprovAcadia in Bar Harbor, ME. In Chicago, he has performed at The Annoyance Theater, i.O, ComedySportz, and The Playground.

TAWNY NEWSOME (Ensemble) is very happy to be joining this lovely group of people. Prior to this, Tawny was in the 101st Mainstage Revue "Let Them Eat Chaos" and The Second City e.t.c.’s 36th Revue "We’re All in This Room Together." A DePaul Theatre School graduate, Tawny has performed with several Chicago theatre companies, including Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Writer’s Theatre, and Porchlight Music Theatre. Tawny can also be seen with her band Jon Langford and Skull Orchard, and she just finished her first solo album and would love to talk to you for way too long about it. Learn more about Tawny at tawnynewsome.com

EMILY WALKER (Ensemble) hails from the mountains of Eastern Kentucky. She has studied improv, sketch comedy and musical improv with The Second City. She has performed for The Second City at Sea on several NCL Cruise ships and traveled the country with The Second City Touring Company. She and her best friend created the pilot "SBS:Stupid Bitch Syndrome," which is a NYTVF finalist. She is also the co-creator of The Second City Network series "Modern Women."

STEVE WALTIEN (Ensemble) is thrilled to be part of his third revue on The Second City Mainstage with this wonderful cast and crew. Steve has performed regularly at the iO Theatre for years and toured the world with numerous improv shows including The Improvised Shakespeare Company and Whirled NewsTonight. Favorite scripted shows include "Jordan and Steve are Steve and Jordan, Respectively," "The Late Night Late Show," and his solo show, "Scenes With Ghosts."

MICK NAPIER (Director) is founder and artistic director of the acclaimed Annoyance Theatre and a director and artistic consultant for The Second City. His work has included the Jeff Award–winning "Paradigm Lost" and Obie Award–winning "One Woman Shoe." As an actor, Mick has appeared in "Ice Harvest," "Let’s Go to Prison," "Watch, Talent," and on the Canadian reality show "Next Comedy Legend." Mick’s book, "Improvise. Scene from the Inside Out" is widely regarded as a seminal work on the subject of improvisation.

JESSE CASE (Music Director) ecstatically joins the Mainstage ensemble after three revues as the resident musical director of the e.t.c. stage. More recently, he composed/co-wrote/ arranged "The Second City Guide to The Opera," which earned Lyric Opera of Chicago its first-ever Jeff Award. Other notable projects include "The Extended Play E.P., a 41-track hip h-opus" by Yogi Bear 3-D star T.J. Miller on Comedy Central Records. That and almost all of his other music is online at iamjessecase.com.






CRAIG TAYLOR (Stage Manager) has stage managed more than 35 revues for The Second City and has been asked to provide the impossible for numerous Second City directors.

Student Spotlight - Student Darren Harrison Co-produces a Documentary

Congrats to student Darren Harrison for co-producing the documentary After Prison, Responding with Faith, set to air on WTTW April 3rd at 9pm. Currently a student in our Improv for Actors program, Darren was one of 3 producers to create a 12-minute documentary in the hour-long piece. The doc focuses on St Leonard's Ministries and what their organization does to help break the cycle of incarceration. "Without intervention, 50% go back to jail within 3 years. Those who seek St. Leonard's upon release rarely go back," say Darren, President of Darren Harrison Films. Tune in to find out more!