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Second City: first in comedy for 40 years |
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Written by BECKY PAXTON
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Tuesday, 15 March 2005 |
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If your ideal Saturday night includes a few drinks, lots of laughs and several soon-to-be-famous actors, The Second City comedy club in Chicago has your name on its guest list.
The Second City has been making people laugh since 1959, when
it was established by a group of young University of Chicago
students. Using improv as their ammunition for hilarity, these
actors single-handedly revolutionized the art of comedy, paving
the way for an impressive list of comic geniuses and acting
as a foundation for the television show Saturday Night Live.
HISTORY
The Second City was aptly named after The New Yorker’s
A.J. Liebling suggested Chicago was the #2 cultural entity in
the nation – second to the Big Apple. The founding actors
used the quip to establish their improvisationally based theatre
group. Despite the moniker, the comedy club proved to be second
to none with an unparalleled reputation and remarkable 40-year
history in sketch comedy and improvisation.
The theatre has fostered many actors who base the chuckles around
political and situational satire. The troupe’s signature
spoofs mixing life’s everyday occurrences and America’s
state of affairs to poke fun at the world launched the careers
of John Belushi, Mike Myers, Gilda Rander, Dan Aykroyd and Chris
Farley, to name a few.
This impressive list of Second City “graduates”
modernized comedy, erupting in clubs and theatres across the
nation as the troupe branched off worldwide. The 1960s saw The
Second City made appearances in London and Toronto as well as
opened on Broadway.
The Second City’s reputation rocketed into the 70s with
the debut of Saturday Night Live on NBC. Bill Murray, John Candy,
and John Belushi were seasoned veterans.
With the difficult transition to television under their belt,
The Second City opened the e.t.c. stage in the 80s, allowing
more actors to polish off their craft in a showcase of talent
and experimentation.
A 40th anniversary and partnership with Walt Disney Television
in the 90s was piled on the list of The Second City’s
list of accomplishments.
STILL GOING STRONG
Today the comedy theatre is still making waves. In October of
2004 Second City actors gave a comedy show for US troops in
the Persian Gulf, adding to their five previous USO/AFE tours.
Once a small cabaret theatre, The Second City is now a comedy
institution and springboard for desiring future comedians everywhere.
For a listing of show times at theatres located in Chicago,
Toronto, Las Vegas, Detroit and Los Angeles, visit www.secondcity.com. Powered by AkoComment 2.0! |
