The Second City facts for kids

For other uses, see The Second City (disambiguation).

Quick facts for kids The Second City

Genre	Sketch comedy Improvisation
Date of premiere	1959
Location	Chicago, Illinois, United States
Creative team
Cofounder	Paul Sills
Cofounder	Bernie Sahlins
Cofounder	Howard Alk
Executive producer	not designated
Official website: http://www.secondcity.com/

The Second City is a famous comedy group that specializes in improv comedy. It is the oldest improv theater group that has always been based in Chicago. They also have training programs and live theaters in Toronto and New York.

Since it started in 1959, The Second City has become one of the most important and well-known comedy groups in the English-speaking world. In 2021, a company called ZMC bought The Second City.

Many famous comedians, actors, and directors started their careers at The Second City. Some of these stars include Bill Murray, Tina Fey, Steve Carell, Stephen Colbert, Mike Myers, and Jordan Peele.

The Second City: A Comedy History
- Teachers and Union Efforts
SCTV: Comedy on TV
Leaders of The Second City
- Andrew Alexander
- Jon Carr
Awards and Recognition
The Second City on Film
Touring Company
Fiftieth Anniversary Celebration
Famous Alumni
Training Center and Film School
The Second City Detroit
The Parents School
Audio Recordings
Other Influences
See also

The Second City: A Comedy History

The Second City's main location in Chicago

The Second City got its name from a series of articles about Chicago. These articles, written by A. J. Liebling in 1952, jokingly called Chicago "The Second City."

In 1955, some students from the University of Chicago started performing comedy. They called themselves the Compass Players. Their shows were based on theater games taught by Viola Spolin.

On December 16, 1959, The Second City officially opened its doors. The first show was at 1842 North Wells Street in Chicago. Admission cost $1.50 back then.

The theater was founded by Bernie Sahlins, Paul Sills, and Howard Alk. They wanted a place where actors could create scenes and stories using improvisation. This style of comedy often made fun of social rules, politicians, and current events.

In 1961, a cast from The Second City went to Broadway. Their show, From the Second City, was a big success. The company moved to a new location in 1967. Over time, The Second City grew to include touring groups and other resident companies.

In 2020, the CEO, Andrew Alexander, stepped down. In 2021, ZMC, an investment firm, bought The Second City.

In 2022, The Second City announced it would open a new theater in New York City. This new location in Brooklyn opened in November 2023. It has two theaters, classrooms, and a restaurant.

Teachers and Union Efforts

Recently, teachers at The Second City wanted to form a union. A union is a group that helps workers have a stronger voice. They wanted to make their workplace more fair and equal.

The teachers voted, and most of them decided to form a union. This means that comedy teachers in both the U.S. and Canada now have unions. They joined groups like the Illinois Federation of Teachers and CWA Canada.

SCTV: Comedy on TV

Second City Television, or SCTV, was a popular Canadian TV sketch comedy show. It started in 1976 and ran until 1984. The show came from The Second City's Toronto group.

SCTV was set at a TV station in a made-up city called Melonville. The station was run by a funny, greedy character named Guy Caballero. Instead of regular shows, SCTV broadcast strange and silly local programs.

These shows included a soap opera called "The Days of the Week." There were also game shows like "Shoot at the Stars," where celebrities were literally shot at. The show also made fun of movies, like "Play it Again, Bob."

Many famous comedians were on SCTV. These included John Candy, Eugene Levy, Catherine O'Hara, Andrea Martin, and Martin Short. Martin Short even created his goofy character Ed Grimley on SCTV.

Leaders of The Second City

Andrew Alexander

Andrew Alexander and Len Stuart

In 1974, Andrew Alexander became the leader of The Second City Toronto. He later partnered with Len Stuart in 1976. Together, they started The Second City Entertainment Company.

Their first TV show was SCTV. Alexander helped create and produce many episodes of the series. In 1985, Alexander and Stuart also bought The Second City in Chicago.

Alexander produced many Second City shows in both Canada and the U.S. In 2020, he decided to resign. He said that the next leader would be someone from a diverse background.

Jon Carr

In November 2020, The Second City announced that Jon Carr would be the new executive producer. He had previously led another theater company. Jon Carr stepped down in early 2022. A new leader has not yet been chosen.

Awards and Recognition

The Second City has won many awards for its amazing shows. As of 2014, they have won thirty-seven Equity Joseph Jefferson Awards. These awards celebrate excellence in Chicago theater.

They have won "Best Revue" five times for their comedy shows. Many directors and actors from The Second City have also won individual awards. Famous alumni like Nia Vardalos and Keegan-Michael Key have won these awards.

In 2009, The Second City celebrated its 50th birthday. They received an honorary award for this big milestone. Their shows continue to win awards for being the "Best Revue."

The Second City's Toronto group has also won ten Canadian Comedy Awards.

The Second City on Film

The Second City's influence goes beyond the stage and TV. Many films have featured its members or told stories about improv comedy.

Goldstein (1964) – This film featured early Second City members. It won an award at the Cannes Film Festival.
The Monitors (1969) – A funny movie about aliens, starring Second City actors.
Second to None (2001) – A documentary about how a Second City show is created.
The Second City: First Family of Comedy (2006) – This documentary explored the history of The Second City. It also showed the success of many famous alumni.
I Want Someone to Eat Cheese With (2006) – A film starring and directed by former Second City actor Jeff Garlin. It was filmed inside The Second City's Chicago theater.
Don't Think Twice (2016) – This movie is about an improv group. It features Second City alumni and shows old footage of the theater.
For Madmen Only: The Stories of Del Close (2020) – A documentary about Del Close, a Second City director. He taught many future stars like Bill Murray and Tina Fey.

Touring Company

In 1967, The Second City created a Touring Company. This group traveled around performing shows. It also helped find new talent.

The Touring Company performed "greatest hit" shows on the road. In 1982, they started performing original shows in a new theater. This theater became the Second City e.t.c. stage.

Fiftieth Anniversary Celebration

In December 2009, The Second City celebrated its 50th anniversary. Many famous alumni came back for a special weekend. There were panels and performances.

The event included an SCTV reunion show. Stars like Eugene Levy, Catherine O'Hara, and Martin Short were there. Other famous alumni like Steve Carell and Stephen Colbert also joined the celebration.

Famous Alumni

The Second City has been a starting point for many successful people in entertainment. Here are just a few of the famous alumni:

Training Center and Film School

The Second City Training Center started in the mid-1980s. It was created because many people wanted to learn improv and comedy writing. Training Centers are located in Chicago, Toronto, and Los Angeles.

The Chicago Training Center has over 5,000 students. They learn improvisation and comedy writing. Classes are taught by working professionals, often current or former Second City performers.

In 2007, they started the Comedy Studies program. This program works with Columbia College. It gives students a deep dive into comedy and improv. In 2016, the Training Center added The Second City Film School. This school focuses on comedy in filmmaking.

The Second City Detroit

The Second City Detroit was another comedy theater and training center. It was located in Novi, Michigan. It was the third main stage location for The Second City in North America.

It opened in 1993 in downtown Detroit. In 2005, it moved to Novi. The original Detroit theater is now called the City Theater. The Novi location is now the Andiamo Novi Theater.

The Parents School

In the early days of The Second City, some parents started a special school for their children. This school was based on Viola Spolin's Theater Games techniques. It was called "Playroom School."

The school's curriculum included daily theater games. Some students from this school later became involved in entertainment. The school moved to different locations before closing in the mid-1970s.

Audio Recordings

The Second City has released several audio recordings of their comedy shows. These recordings capture the humor and performances from different eras.

Comedy from The Second City (1961)
From The Second City (1962)
The Sound of My Own Voice and Other Noises: Severn Darden at The Second City (1961)
The Second City Writhes Again! (1969)
The Cosa Nostra Story
The Second City Survival Kit (1982)
Some older audio was included in Sheldon Patinkin's book, The Second City: Backstage at the World's Greatest Comedy Theater (2000).

Other Influences

In 1971, The Players Workshop became Chicago's main improv school. Even though it wasn't officially part of The Second City, it was often called "Players Workshop Of The Second City." This was because of its close connection to the famous comedy stage.