Second City

Second City
Name	Second City
City	Chicago
Country	United States
Type	Comedy theatre
Opened	1959
Founder	Paul Sills, Bernard Sahlins, Howard Alk

Second City Second City is an improvisational comedy enterprise and theatrical institution founded in 1959 in Chicago. It is renowned for pioneering modern improv and sketch comedy, launching performers who later worked in film, television, and theatre across the United States, Canada, and internationally. The organization operates resident stages, touring companies, training conservatories, and television productions that have shaped contemporary comedy practice and popular culture.

History

Second City was founded in 1959 by Paul Sills, Bernard Sahlins, and Howard Alk from the remnants of the Compass Players and influenced by the Group Theatre (Chicago). Early ensembles included performers who later joined productions linked to The Second City Television and collaborated with institutions such as the Goodman Theatre and the Steppenwolf Theatre Company. In the 1960s and 1970s, the company intersected with the careers of artists moving into Saturday Night Live, The Ed Sullivan Show, and feature films distributed by studios like Paramount Pictures and Universal Pictures. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s Second City expanded from its Chicago home to satellite venues in Toronto, Las Vegas, and Los Angeles, while producing television specials with networks such as NBC and CBC Television. The 21st century saw partnerships with festivals including the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and institutions like the Kennedy Center and collaborations with entertainers who went on to work on The Tonight Show and streaming services such as Netflix.

Organizational Structure and Training

Second City operates as a network of resident theatre companies, touring troupes, conservatory programs, and corporate training divisions. Leadership has included artistic directors and managing directors with ties to companies like The Second City Toronto, the iO Chicago, and theatre education programs at DePaul University and Northwestern University. The training conservatory offers courses in improvisation, sketch writing, and musical improv influenced by methodologies associated with Viola Spolin, Del Close, and ensemble work practiced at the TAP Community Center. Alumni often move between resident casts and touring ensembles, and the organization maintains casting and development pipelines comparable to repertory models at the Royal Shakespeare Company and the Public Theater. Second City also runs corporate and leadership workshops that adapt exercises used by performers for clients such as Microsoft, Google, and McDonald's.

Notable Alumni and Influence

Second City alumni list reads like a who's who of late 20th- and early 21st-century comedy and film. Prominent graduates have included John Belushi, Dan Aykroyd, Gilda Radner, Bill Murray, Tina Fey, Stephen Colbert, Amy Poehler, Eugene Levy, Catherine O'Hara, Martin Short, Mike Myers, Keegan-Michael Key, Jordan Peele, Steve Carell, John Candy, Andrea Martin, Chris Farley, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Harold Ramis, Tim Meadows, Paul Shaffer, Horatio Sanz, Maya Rudolph, Adam McKay, Beth McCarthy-Miller, Kristen Wiig, Fred Willard, Aisha Tyler, Colin Hanks, Jason Sudeikis, Seth Meyers, Amy Sedaris, Andrea Savage, Mindy Kaling, Nick Offerman, Will Ferrell, Jason Bateman, Rhea Perlman, Allison Janney, Mark McKinney, Joe Flaherty, Dan Castellaneta, Laurie Metcalf, Elliott Gould, Garry Shandling — each later worked across television, film, awards circuits like the Primetime Emmy Awards, the Tony Awards, and festivals such as Sundance Film Festival. The training and ensemble model influenced other companies and institutions including Upright Citizens Brigade, The Groundlings, ComedySportz, and international improv schools active at venues like the Garrick Theatre and the Lyric Theatre.

Touring and National/International Theatres

Second City fields multiple touring companies that have performed at venues and festivals worldwide, including stops at the Royal Albert Hall, the Sydney Opera House, and civic stages in cities such as New York City, Los Angeles, Toronto, London, Paris, Edinburgh, Montreal, and Vancouver. Regional resident stages have operated in Toronto and Las Vegas, and the organization has partnered with producers and presenters like Nederlander Organization, SFX Entertainment, and cultural centers such as the Kennedy Center and The Public Theater. Touring shows have been mounted for corporate clients and cultural diplomacy initiatives working alongside embassies and arts councils like the Canada Council for the Arts and arts festivals including the Just For Laughs festival in Montreal.

Productions and Formats

Second City produces revue-style sketch shows, long-form improvisation, musical revues, and television specials. Signature formats include ensemble-devised revues built from audience suggestion, topical satire targeting political figures and institutions featured in media such as The New York Times and Variety, and developmental workshops leading to filmed projects aired on networks like NBC and CBC Television or streamed via Amazon Prime Video and Hulu. The company has produced shows with writers and directors who later worked on films for 20th Century Fox, Warner Bros., and independent releases showcased at Sundance Film Festival. Second City also experimented with multimedia formats integrating projection design from collaborators experienced at venues like the Guthrie Theater and scoring by composers with credits for Broadway productions.

Cultural Impact and Legacy

Second City's influence extends through television comedy, film, and live theatre, shaping narratives and performers who engaged with institutions such as Saturday Night Live, late-night talk shows like The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, and sketch-driven series on HBO and FX. The company catalyzed improvisational pedagogy adopted by university drama departments at Columbia University, Yale School of Drama, and conservatories in North America. Its alumni have affected political satire in programs referencing the Iraq War era and coverage across outlets including CNN, BBC, and The Washington Post. Second City's model inspired cultural entrepreneurship in comedy, spawning alternative houses, festivals, and media ventures that continue to influence contemporary performance, television writing rooms, and global comedy networks.

Category:Theatres in Chicago