Friday, June 13, 2014
Kate Lambert Talks About Her Time at SC Training Center
Kate Lambert has performed with The Second City in many capacities and has also gone through a number of our training center programs. Click here for details.
SC Announces New e.t.c Show "Apes of Wrath"
The Second City e.t.c. is proud to announce the opening of The Second City e.t.c.’s 38th Revue, “Apes of Wrath.” In the world of high stakes, we become a more heightened version of ourselves, which can sometimes resemble more simian behavior than human. From unitard sporting performance artists, an intimate encounter with robot culture and the primal effects of downsizing, "Apes of Wrath" embraces the dark and light sides of our human devolution.
Veteran Chicago-based director Jen Ellison leads returning cast members Carisa Barreca, Brooke Breit and Punam Patel with new cast members Eddie Mujica, Asher Perlman and Tim Ryder. Alex Kliner is back at the piano as the Musical Director and Composer and Kyle Anderson returns as Stage Manager. The producing team for “Apes of Wrath” includes Andrew Alexander (CEO & Executive Producer), Kelly Leonard (Executive Vice President), Alison Riley (Producer) and Jeremy Smith (Associate Producer).
Tickets for “Apes of Wrath” start at $23.00 and are available by phone at 312-337-3992 or online. The show schedule is as follows:
Tuesday (Aug 6 - 13) 8:00 p.m.
Wednesday (July 9 - Aug 13) 8:00 p.m.
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
CARISA BARRECA (Ensemble) is overjoyed to be performing with her second revue on the e.t.c. Stage. Along with writing and performing in A Clown Car Named Desire, Carisa has worked with Second City aboard Norwegian Cruise Lines, UP Comedy Club, and at Lyric Opera with Patrick Stewart and Renee Flemingin on The Second City Guide to the Opera. She’s an artistic director of Matter Dance Company and was voted Best Choreographer by Chicago Reader. You can follow her infrequent and candy fueled tweets @cinderisa.
BROOKE BREIT (Ensemble) is super happy to return to e.t.c. with this amazing ensemble! Previous credits include writing and performing in A Clown Car Named Desire, The Second City Touring Company, One Nation Under 1%, The Second City Improv All-Stars, Whirled News Tonight (iO Chicago) and Love is Dead (The Annoyance), as well as solo character work. Brooke is a graduate of Washington University in St. Louis.
EDDIE MUJICA (Ensemble) is incredibly honored to be on the e.t.c. stage! He hails from Hialeah, FL and is a graduate of the University of Central Florida. He is an alum of The Second City Touring Company (RedCo), performs regularly at iO (Winter Formal), and shoots the 3-pointer at a high percentage. Follow along: @mooheekah.
PUNAM PATEL (Ensemble) is thrilled for her second revue with The Second City e.t.c. Previously, Punam was in the e.t.c.’s A Clown Car Named Desire and has also performed with Second City’s Touring Company, Upstairs Gallery, iO, The Playground Theater, Chicago Live!, and Improv All-Stars. A native Floridian, she enjoys sunning, eating, biking, and lounging with Droomie.
ASHER PERLMAN (Ensemble) is delighted to be a member The Second City e.t.c. stage alongside such wonderful people. A Wisconsin native, Asher has also performed with The Second City Touring Company, The Improvised Shakespeare Company, ComedySportz, iO, Comedy Partners, and the TBS Just For Laughs festival’s solo showcase. Follow along: @asherperlman.
TIM RYDER (Ensemble) is honored to appear in his first e.t.c. revue. A veteran of The Second City Touring Company, he has also performed in The Second City Guide to the Opera, The Second City Improv All-Stars, Baby Wants Candy, The Beatbox, and in shows at iO Chicago and ComedySportz. You might have seen him in videos for The Onion, in the webseries Game Bros (gamebroswebseries.com) or on those weird TVs in mall food courts. Find him online at thisistimryder.com and @timryder.
JEN ELLISON (Director) has worked all around Chicago as an actor, writer, and director for Trap Door Theatre, ComedySportz, Theatre Seven, Collaboraction, The Neo-Futurists, and The Second City. In addition to teaching ethics at DePaul University and Writing at The Second City Training Center, she is also a member of the Comedy Studies faculty at Columbia College Chicago.
ALEX KLINER (Musical Director) is super stoked to return to e.t.c. after music directing the previous revue, A Clown Car Named Desire. Prior to joining the e.t.c. family, Alex spent two years traveling the country with the Second City Touring Company. When not working with Second City, Alex designs sounds and composes music for a wide variety of video and theatre projects. Alex’s New Years resolution is to be better about updating his website, alexkliner.com. We’ll see.
KYLE ANDERSON (Stage Manager) This is Kyle’s third revue with The Second City e.t.c., where he is lucky to serve as both stage manager and lighting designer. He previously worked on A Clown Car Named Desire, Sky’s the Limit (Weather Permitting), and We’re All in This Room Together.
Veteran Chicago-based director Jen Ellison leads returning cast members Carisa Barreca, Brooke Breit and Punam Patel with new cast members Eddie Mujica, Asher Perlman and Tim Ryder. Alex Kliner is back at the piano as the Musical Director and Composer and Kyle Anderson returns as Stage Manager. The producing team for “Apes of Wrath” includes Andrew Alexander (CEO & Executive Producer), Kelly Leonard (Executive Vice President), Alison Riley (Producer) and Jeremy Smith (Associate Producer).
Tickets for “Apes of Wrath” start at $23.00 and are available by phone at 312-337-3992 or online. The show schedule is as follows:
Tuesday (Aug 6 - 13) 8:00 p.m.
Wednesday (July 9 - Aug 13) 8:00 p.m.
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
CARISA BARRECA (Ensemble) is overjoyed to be performing with her second revue on the e.t.c. Stage. Along with writing and performing in A Clown Car Named Desire, Carisa has worked with Second City aboard Norwegian Cruise Lines, UP Comedy Club, and at Lyric Opera with Patrick Stewart and Renee Flemingin on The Second City Guide to the Opera. She’s an artistic director of Matter Dance Company and was voted Best Choreographer by Chicago Reader. You can follow her infrequent and candy fueled tweets @cinderisa.
BROOKE BREIT (Ensemble) is super happy to return to e.t.c. with this amazing ensemble! Previous credits include writing and performing in A Clown Car Named Desire, The Second City Touring Company, One Nation Under 1%, The Second City Improv All-Stars, Whirled News Tonight (iO Chicago) and Love is Dead (The Annoyance), as well as solo character work. Brooke is a graduate of Washington University in St. Louis. 
EDDIE MUJICA (Ensemble) is incredibly honored to be on the e.t.c. stage! He hails from Hialeah, FL and is a graduate of the University of Central Florida. He is an alum of The Second City Touring Company (RedCo), performs regularly at iO (Winter Formal), and shoots the 3-pointer at a high percentage. Follow along: @mooheekah.
PUNAM PATEL (Ensemble) is thrilled for her second revue with The Second City e.t.c. Previously, Punam was in the e.t.c.’s A Clown Car Named Desire and has also performed with Second City’s Touring Company, Upstairs Gallery, iO, The Playground Theater, Chicago Live!, and Improv All-Stars. A native Floridian, she enjoys sunning, eating, biking, and lounging with Droomie.
ASHER PERLMAN (Ensemble) is delighted to be a member The Second City e.t.c. stage alongside such wonderful people. A Wisconsin native, Asher has also performed with The Second City Touring Company, The Improvised Shakespeare Company, ComedySportz, iO, Comedy Partners, and the TBS Just For Laughs festival’s solo showcase. Follow along: @asherperlman.
TIM RYDER (Ensemble) is honored to appear in his first e.t.c. revue. A veteran of The Second City Touring Company, he has also performed in The Second City Guide to the Opera, The Second City Improv All-Stars, Baby Wants Candy, The Beatbox, and in shows at iO Chicago and ComedySportz. You might have seen him in videos for The Onion, in the webseries Game Bros (gamebroswebseries.com) or on those weird TVs in mall food courts. Find him online at thisistimryder.com and @timryder.JEN ELLISON (Director) has worked all around Chicago as an actor, writer, and director for Trap Door Theatre, ComedySportz, Theatre Seven, Collaboraction, The Neo-Futurists, and The Second City. In addition to teaching ethics at DePaul University and Writing at The Second City Training Center, she is also a member of the Comedy Studies faculty at Columbia College Chicago.
ALEX KLINER (Musical Director) is super stoked to return to e.t.c. after music directing the previous revue, A Clown Car Named Desire. Prior to joining the e.t.c. family, Alex spent two years traveling the country with the Second City Touring Company. When not working with Second City, Alex designs sounds and composes music for a wide variety of video and theatre projects. Alex’s New Years resolution is to be better about updating his website, alexkliner.com. We’ll see.
KYLE ANDERSON (Stage Manager) This is Kyle’s third revue with The Second City e.t.c., where he is lucky to serve as both stage manager and lighting designer. He previously worked on A Clown Car Named Desire, Sky’s the Limit (Weather Permitting), and We’re All in This Room Together.
Thursday, June 12, 2014
Old Town's Wells Street Art Festival: This Weekend
This weekend, join us in Old Town for the 40th Annual Wells Street Art Festival both June 14th & 15th. There will be over 225 artists, food, music and fun things for the kids.
FOOD: Among the fest's nearly 15 food vendors will be several lauded neighborhood mainstays including The Fireplace Inn, Bistrot Margot, Kamehachi, Dinotto Ristorante, Orso's, Adobo Grill, O'Briens and Woodie's Flat.
MUSIC: The music stage lineup includes acclaimed Chicago singer/songwriter Andrew Belle, Beatles tribute band American English, and the Windy City's own favorite Dave Matthews tribute act, the Trippin Billies.
KIDS: Chicago's acclaimed Emerald City Theatre will present the "Dr. Suess' Cat in the Hat" kids' area each day from 10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. at the intersection of Evergreen and Wells. Craft activities, hop scotch, a Suess photo booth, a 'Crazy' hat making station, and storytelling by the Cat And, on Sunday at Noon, families can enjoy the kids' musical revue that is The Happiness Club
Wells Street Art Festival hours are 10:00 a.m.-10:00 p.m.. Gate donation is $7. Festival proceeds benefiting the Old Town Merchants & Residents Association. For more information, call OTMRA between North Avenue and Division in Chicago's Old Town neighborhood.
The stage schedule is:
Saturday, June 14
12:30 p.m. Elenna Sindler (eclectic singer/songwriter)
2:00 p.m. Jesse White Tumblers
3:00 p.m. The Hat Guys (performing two pop/rock sets)
6:00 p.m. Andrew Belle (pop/rock singer/songwriter)
8:00 p.m Trippin Billies (Dave Matthews tribute band)
Sunday, June 15
12:00 p.m. The Happiness Club (kids' musical revue)
12:40 p.m The Flat Cats (swing jazz)
2:00 p.m. Jesse White Tumblers
3:30 p.m. Generation ('60s/'70s pop/rock)
5:00 p.m. Hot Rocks (Rolling Stones tribute band)
7:30 p.m. American English (Beatles tribute band)
FOOD: Among the fest's nearly 15 food vendors will be several lauded neighborhood mainstays including The Fireplace Inn, Bistrot Margot, Kamehachi, Dinotto Ristorante, Orso's, Adobo Grill, O'Briens and Woodie's Flat.
MUSIC: The music stage lineup includes acclaimed Chicago singer/songwriter Andrew Belle, Beatles tribute band American English, and the Windy City's own favorite Dave Matthews tribute act, the Trippin Billies.
KIDS: Chicago's acclaimed Emerald City Theatre will present the "Dr. Suess' Cat in the Hat" kids' area each day from 10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. at the intersection of Evergreen and Wells. Craft activities, hop scotch, a Suess photo booth, a 'Crazy' hat making station, and storytelling by the Cat And, on Sunday at Noon, families can enjoy the kids' musical revue that is The Happiness Club
Wells Street Art Festival hours are 10:00 a.m.-10:00 p.m.. Gate donation is $7. Festival proceeds benefiting the Old Town Merchants & Residents Association. For more information, call OTMRA between North Avenue and Division in Chicago's Old Town neighborhood.
The stage schedule is:
Saturday, June 14
12:30 p.m. Elenna Sindler (eclectic singer/songwriter)
2:00 p.m. Jesse White Tumblers
3:00 p.m. The Hat Guys (performing two pop/rock sets)
6:00 p.m. Andrew Belle (pop/rock singer/songwriter)
8:00 p.m Trippin Billies (Dave Matthews tribute band)
Sunday, June 15
12:00 p.m. The Happiness Club (kids' musical revue)
12:40 p.m The Flat Cats (swing jazz)
2:00 p.m. Jesse White Tumblers
3:30 p.m. Generation ('60s/'70s pop/rock)
5:00 p.m. Hot Rocks (Rolling Stones tribute band)
7:30 p.m. American English (Beatles tribute band)
Wednesday, June 11, 2014
Variety Names Brian Gallivan a Top TV Writer to Watch
SC alum, Brian Gallivan, was named one of Variety's 10 TV Writers to Watch. You may know him from Sassy Gay Friend, but that's just the beginning...
Tuesday, June 10, 2014
Shaw Media Partners with Second City Toronto
On the heels of its impressive Upfront presentation last week, Shaw Media announced today a series of original digital initiatives that have integrated cross-platform opportunities from their inception. Building on brands Canada knows and loves – Global, HISTORY® Canada, Food Network Canada, and HGTV Canada – Shaw Media is extending its strength in television content into the digital space.
“Shaw Media excels at original content and with these four cross-platform experiences we are building on our already strong efforts in the digital world to bring our viewers and advertisers the quality, creativity, and diversity that they have come to expect from our linear brands,” said Barbara Williams, Senior Vice President of Content, Shaw Media.
These exciting new digital initiatives include:
The Second City Project
FALL 2014
Global TV is bringing the next generation of legendary Second City comedy talent to Shaw Media screens in The Second City Project, led by Bob Martin (Slings and Arrows). Designed to bring premium sketch comedy to Canadian television as well as meet the insatiable appetite for short-form comedy on digital platforms, this series of vignettes will weave together the evolution of a comedy sketch from its inception in the writers’ room to the final produced piece. The sketches will premiere in short form on GlobalTV.com and Global Go, and will be packaged as a series of on-air specials for Global.
Dino Hunt Canada
FALL 2014
The original cross-platform series Dino Hunt Canada on HISTORY and History.ca will showcase Canada as one of the best places in the world to discover dinosaurs. In a four-part television event, Canadian paleontologists unravel prehistoric mysteries and make history through incredible new dinosaur discoveries, from the Alberta badlands to the Bay of Fundy. The series will be accompanied by rich, interactive digital content in partnership with the Royal Ontario Museum. The starting point of the definitive guide to dinosaurs in Canada, History.ca will include live streaming from the action of the museum’s paleontology lab to the ultimate ‘Ask the Expert’ section with key personalities from the series.
The Great Canadian Cookbook
WINTER 2015
Food Network Canada is embarking upon a digital, community-based initiative to start a coast-to-coast conversation celebrating food. The brand is launching a ground-breaking, multi-screen project encouraging all Canadians to contribute recipes, ingredients, and conversation to The Great Canadian Cookbook. The digital content features an ever-evolving food almanac, contributions by favourite Food Network celebrities, instructional videos, exclusive recipes, and user-generated content. A one-hour special television presentation will follow on Food Network in Winter 2015. The Great Canadian Cookbook provides all Canadians with the opportunity to craft the country’s ultimate food identity.
The HGTV Home Giveaway
SPRING 2015
Every HGTV Canada viewer has one thing in common – the dream of owning their perfect home. The HGTV Home Giveaway is making that dream come true by giving away a fully-furnished, custom-built home plus cash and prizes. This innovative project will originate online as viewers enter to win the home, and they will stay engaged along the way by helping to design the house, from the way it’s built to the finishing touches of décor. All of this will culminate in a television special on HGTV Canada in which the lucky winner will be revealed.
About Shaw Communications Inc.
Shaw is a diversified communications and media company, providing consumers with broadband cable television, High-Speed Internet, Home Phone, telecommunications services (through Shaw Business), satellite direct-to-home services (through Shaw Direct) and engaging programming content (through Shaw Media). Shaw serves 3.2 million customers, through a reliable and extensive fibre network. Shaw Media operates one of the largest conventional television networks in Canada, Global Television, and 19 specialty networks including HGTV Canada, Food Network Canada, HISTORY® and Showcase. Shaw is traded on the Toronto and New York stock exchanges and is included in the S&P/TSX 60 Index (Symbol: TSX – SJR.B, NYSE – SJR). For more information about Shaw, please visit www.shaw.ca.
For media inquiries, please contact:
Jessica Gold
Publicity Manager, Global Television and Dramatic Channels
Shaw Media
416.966.7543
jessica.gold@shawmedia.ca
Laura Hughes
Publicity Manager, Lifestyle and Factual Channels
Shaw Media
416-967-8169
laura.hughes@shawmedia.ca
“Shaw Media excels at original content and with these four cross-platform experiences we are building on our already strong efforts in the digital world to bring our viewers and advertisers the quality, creativity, and diversity that they have come to expect from our linear brands,” said Barbara Williams, Senior Vice President of Content, Shaw Media.
These exciting new digital initiatives include:
The Second City Project
FALL 2014
Global TV is bringing the next generation of legendary Second City comedy talent to Shaw Media screens in The Second City Project, led by Bob Martin (Slings and Arrows). Designed to bring premium sketch comedy to Canadian television as well as meet the insatiable appetite for short-form comedy on digital platforms, this series of vignettes will weave together the evolution of a comedy sketch from its inception in the writers’ room to the final produced piece. The sketches will premiere in short form on GlobalTV.com and Global Go, and will be packaged as a series of on-air specials for Global.
Dino Hunt Canada
FALL 2014
The original cross-platform series Dino Hunt Canada on HISTORY and History.ca will showcase Canada as one of the best places in the world to discover dinosaurs. In a four-part television event, Canadian paleontologists unravel prehistoric mysteries and make history through incredible new dinosaur discoveries, from the Alberta badlands to the Bay of Fundy. The series will be accompanied by rich, interactive digital content in partnership with the Royal Ontario Museum. The starting point of the definitive guide to dinosaurs in Canada, History.ca will include live streaming from the action of the museum’s paleontology lab to the ultimate ‘Ask the Expert’ section with key personalities from the series.
The Great Canadian Cookbook
WINTER 2015
Food Network Canada is embarking upon a digital, community-based initiative to start a coast-to-coast conversation celebrating food. The brand is launching a ground-breaking, multi-screen project encouraging all Canadians to contribute recipes, ingredients, and conversation to The Great Canadian Cookbook. The digital content features an ever-evolving food almanac, contributions by favourite Food Network celebrities, instructional videos, exclusive recipes, and user-generated content. A one-hour special television presentation will follow on Food Network in Winter 2015. The Great Canadian Cookbook provides all Canadians with the opportunity to craft the country’s ultimate food identity.
The HGTV Home Giveaway
SPRING 2015
Every HGTV Canada viewer has one thing in common – the dream of owning their perfect home. The HGTV Home Giveaway is making that dream come true by giving away a fully-furnished, custom-built home plus cash and prizes. This innovative project will originate online as viewers enter to win the home, and they will stay engaged along the way by helping to design the house, from the way it’s built to the finishing touches of décor. All of this will culminate in a television special on HGTV Canada in which the lucky winner will be revealed.
About Shaw Communications Inc.
Shaw is a diversified communications and media company, providing consumers with broadband cable television, High-Speed Internet, Home Phone, telecommunications services (through Shaw Business), satellite direct-to-home services (through Shaw Direct) and engaging programming content (through Shaw Media). Shaw serves 3.2 million customers, through a reliable and extensive fibre network. Shaw Media operates one of the largest conventional television networks in Canada, Global Television, and 19 specialty networks including HGTV Canada, Food Network Canada, HISTORY® and Showcase. Shaw is traded on the Toronto and New York stock exchanges and is included in the S&P/TSX 60 Index (Symbol: TSX – SJR.B, NYSE – SJR). For more information about Shaw, please visit www.shaw.ca.
For media inquiries, please contact:
Jessica Gold
Publicity Manager, Global Television and Dramatic Channels
Shaw Media
416.966.7543
jessica.gold@shawmedia.ca
Laura Hughes
Publicity Manager, Lifestyle and Factual Channels
Shaw Media
416-967-8169
laura.hughes@shawmedia.ca
Thursday, June 5, 2014
Bob Derkach Honored at Edmonton Blues Hall of Fame
Former Second City Toronto Musical Director, Bob Derkach, is being honored at Edmonton Blues Hall of Fame. For more details, click here.
Thursday, May 29, 2014
Student Spotlight with Mollie Rehner and Chicago Women's Funny Festival
The Chicago Women's Funny Festival - Chicago's THIRD annual festival celebrating women in comedy - has lots of Second City students and grads performing this year. One of our favorites is the wonderful Mollie Rehner, Conservatory student and Head Writer for the de Maat Theater's 'The Midnight Parade' Saturdays at Midnight. We were able to talk to Mollie about the festival and more.
What will you be performing at the Women's Funny Festival and when?
Sketch and musical comedy with my group Prostitute Tears on Thursday June 5 @9pm in The Pro Theatre, Stage 773.
Tell us about your group!
Prostitute Tears is very talented and every person in the group has a ton of creativity. With our shows you can expect music, dance numbers, and material that exposes the comedic seediness of every day life. We are so excited to be performing in this year's Chicago Women's Funny Festival and we are honored to have been selected!
What other shows are you excited to see at the festival?
The Cupid Players, The Fruit Flies, and Brouhaha: An Improvised Puppet Musical
What training have you went through to be where you are today?
I was a producer and writer of a sketch comedy show called Sideshow Comedy at Michigan State University, in which we won an Emmy award. I have also done entertainment reporting and hosting, and made some pretty sweet home movies when I was little. In Chicago, I have trained in The Second City's Conservatory program and at iO Theatre. I have also studied at the The Lincoln Lodge and perform regularly at Stage 773.
What's the coolest thing that has happened to you on stage as a performer in Chicago so far?
I tripped and fell during my very first stand up show. I guess that's what I get for making fun of people.
If you had to give a Chicago newbie comedian one piece of advice, what would it be?
Find a group of people that share your ambitions and passions. I believe if you put in the hard work and have a good attitude, opportunities will present themselves.
Where can we see you performing after the festival's run?
Stage 773! My group Prostitute Tears will be performing all summer!
Anyone you want to shout out to and make them feel special?
Brian Posen and the hard working staff at Stage 773, my Prostitutes, and of course all of the groups performing in this year's Chicago Women's Funny Festival!
For more festival info, click here: http://www.chicagowomensfunnyfestival.com/
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