Amy Sedaris is a delightful comedian and crafter, who got her chops in Chicago at the Second City and the Annoyance Theater. She is 51 today. more ›

Mayor Rahm Emanuel displayed a bit of Second City-itis on Friday, as he pitted Chicago's charms against the city of New York. And the one thing he says bests NYC? You. more ›

Citing licensing issues, the folks at Second City are aiming for a mid-December soft opening and a grand opening early in 2012. more ›

The Rebecca Black "Friday" meme is well past its expiration date. But this Easter-themed parody of the song that just won't die, made by a group as an entry for Second City's Seven Day Shorts series, is pretty damn good. more ›

When Alan Arkin moved to Chicago in the late 50's it wasn't part of a quest to learn cutting-edge improvisational theater techniques. It was strictly a way to put food on the table. He recently released his memoir and we were lucky enough to field a few questions to Mr. Arkin about his time in Chicago, the nature of improv, and the difficulties of film-making. more ›

Strap yourself in, Chicago: Second City alum Beth Melewski is behind the wheel hosting the brand new Windy City edition of the game show-on-the-go, Cash Cab. A native of Milwaukee, Melewski is one half of the improv duo Dual Exhaust and performs with the musical improv group Baby Wants Candy. Melewski, a resident of Ravenswood, turned off the meter and let us question her about the Chicago edition of the popular game show. more ›

Chances are good that you don't remember who spoke at your college commencement. Most graduates sit through mind-numbing speeches as they patiently await their new degrees and boatloads of debt, save the few schools each year that manage to pull down a big name (like a past president, popular celebrity or Big Bird). more ›

We like to think of our fellow Chicagoans as big-hearted folks, and we fancy our comedians as some of the best in the business. For their 9th annual holiday benefit, "The Second City That Never Sleeps: Letters to Santa," Second City is corralling big-hearted comedians and other performers for a full 24 hours of music, improv and some sweet looking raffle prizes. more ›

Whenever Hollywood feels like phoning one in, retreading successful territory in the form of a sequel or a reboot are two of the safest routes. On the heels of the sacrilegious news that a Buffy the Vampire Slayer movie will happen without Buffy creator Joss Whedon, we caught wind of a sequel to "Mean Girls"--sans writer Tina Fey. more ›

As if there wasn't already enough reason to head to a show this weekend, more than 200 Chicago theaters will be collecting money for the Red Cross relief effort in Haiti. Although a list of participating companies isn't available, at least one is contributing in a major way - Second City owner Andrew Alexander will match all donations made by Second City audiences. Since SC is being so kind, we figure we might as well shill for them a bit. Click here for tickets to any of their three shows. For a list of everything else of a theatrical nature happening this weekend (or any day), head to the League of Chicago Theatres website. more ›

Special to Chicagoist from Neph Basedow more ›

For a show with “flu” in the title, Second City’s Taming of the Flu has relatively little to do with the current epidemic or the healthcare bill. There’s not even a mention of the H1N1 virus until the second act, and only one sketch unfolds in a disorganized hospital. Instead, the show’s strengths lie in the calculated balance of Chicago-centric and widespread appeal, something the Second City has perfected over its 50-year reign as Chicago’s comedy leader. more ›

Tickets for tonight’s SCTV Reunion might be sold out, but you can still catch some of Second City’s alumni next week in the company’s 8th annual event The Second City That Never Sleeps: Letters to Santa. more ›

Remember Molly Brennan? That girl who played Harpo Marx? Remember how we wrote about her not so long ago? Well, we’re not going to hide the fact that we’re fans, which is why we’re writing again to say you should really check out Madame Barker’s Holiday Variety Show at the Prop Theatre. more ›

Tickets might be going for $1800 on Craigslist for Second City, but you can still hear and see some funny (and cultural) things on the cheap at the Chicago Humanities Festival. From the dance lecture “Foot is a Funny Word” to the panel “Laughter and the First Amendment” and, a personal favorite, “Laughter Bollywood Style,” the final weekend seems to be full of reasons to chuckle. So what if Tony Kushner was a round last weekend and we missed it? more ›

Next month, Second City alumni will converge on Chicago to help celebrate the comedy theater's 50th anniversary. more ›

Frankly, we’re sick of hearing about the economy. And when the new show at Second City e.t.c. opened singing, “The economy blows,” we settled in ready to tally the number of times the actors poked fun at the economic down turn. Thankfully, we didn’t get very far. more ›

Hey, remember Margaret Hicks, our once intrepid literature writer and reality-TV lover? There's an article on her in today's Chicago Tribune! They feature the tour she gives through Old Town that centers on the history of Second City and the surrounding area. Chicagoist ... we discover tomorrow's superstars! more ›

If you didn’t get tickets for the midnight showing of Harry Potter, there’s other ways to tickle your film fancy than seeing Daniel Radcliffe fight Voldemort for the sixth time. The Chicago Outdoor Film Festival opens tonight, and each following Tuesday, Grant Park will become Chicago’s very own drive-in, minus the cars and backseat make-out sessions. more ›

In all his free time between appearing on talk shows and sending his wife to Costa Rica, Blago has been brushing up on his Shakespeare. And he’ll show off his newest skill set at Navy Pier this Saturday in the Second City musical under his name. Although he will not star as himself in Rod Blagojevich Superstar, he will participate in an improv set fueled by audience suggestions for his wife’s escape from the jungle. (And you thought his appearance on Letterman was bad.) He’ll also announce the show’s extension at Chicago Shakes. more ›

Script is not the first word that comes to mind when you think about improv, but Second City’s training center likes to try new things. Hence the brand-new scripted musical, The Timeless Tale of New Portsmouth. Set in 1876, the show explores the life of New Englanders who are stuck in their ways and refuse to move into the future. (Maybe they should take up blogging…) While we don’t know much about the music other than there’s a sea shanty and an angry love song, we’re certain it won't be like Jersey Boys or Wicked, unless it's a parody. more ›

If you’ve never heard of the tim & micah project, you’re not alone. We’d never heard of them and neither have all these people. However, it’s the middle of the week and we’re looking for a laugh anywhere we can find one. And even though we missed the first installment, we're excited for sketch comedians Tim Soszko and Micah Philbrook's latest project: tim & micah project: SEQUEL.The show is presented in revue with The Second City Musical Improv House Ensemble, Infinite Sundaes, and if you can’t wait until Sunday to laugh, you can watch some of their hilarious sketches on YouTube. more ›

At least we don't have to worry about Chicago being under-represented at this year's Democratic National Convention. The convention, happening in Denver August 25 through 28, will apparently be quite a spectacle with some guy making a really big speech. But beneath all the hubbub, one of Chicago's finest (if not the finest) theatre troupes, Second City, will be performing at the convention. more ›

Our weekend comedy show round-up! more ›

On the heels of last week's passing of Harvey Korman comes even more bad news for Chicago entertainment legends. First, Paul Sills, Second City co-creator and director of other troupes such as Playwrights and Compass Players, passed away yesterday at the age of 80. As a student at the University of Chicago, Sills joined forces with Ed Asner, Elaine May, and Mike Nichols to found the school's first student-lead theater group, "Tonight at 8:30." Later, in 1959, he founded The Second City with partners Bernard Sahlins and Howard Alk. These were but a few of Sills many accomplishments; he's also considered a pioneer of the improv scene, directing for the aforementioned Compass Players troupe, the first improv theater in the United States and a forbearer of The Second City. more ›

As if you needed reminding, it's Tax Day, one of the more stressful times of the year, especially with the economy in the toilet. But maybe you're lucky enough to get a half-decent refund from the Federal Government this year and feel like treating yourself to something nice. more ›

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More fascinated by Kelis' milkshake than Daniel Plainview's? Is the only Oscar you'll watch living in a garbage can? Then this Sunday probably means nothing to you. You're burnt out on the "glitz" and "glamor" of the night, not to mention the drama surrounding that writers strike. more ›