The Second City Comedy Troupe: One Nation Under Blog

FOR MATURE AUDIENCES
The newest touring show from The Second City mines comedic gold from the day's headlines and the worlds of politics, entertainment and media.

Not only will an evening with The Second City provide audiences with the chance to see comedy superstars in the making, but they will also have the opportunity to see absolutely hilarious satire and cutting-edge improvisation. No topic or subject matter is off limits for The Second City. If your parents asked you not to speak about it at the dinner table, chances are it will be made fun of in an evening with The Second City.

Read an interview of Tim Baltz, Second City cast member, by Jon Busdeker of The Huntsville Times.

Kelly Leonard on One Nation Under Blog:

“We’re always trying to keep our material fresh and updated. And the universe of blogging has gotten completely out of control. To the point where Second City touring company members are doing it all the time! So that was a real good generic title that kind of spoke to the generation that’ll be performing for people. We’re a 50-year-old institution, the face of which is always a bunch of 20-somethings. We’re training these guys and giving them the breadth of our history. In many cases they’re doing material written by the masters, but a lot of times the stuff they’re doing is taken straight from the stage. And that blogging world is the one that’s highly contemporary right now. The title ‘One Nation Under Blog’ is just speaking to a generation that’s out there right now.”

This fully-scripted show will occasionally detour into improvisation — giving the audience a chance to see pointed-edge satirists in their element. And each show varies according to location. “We make very conscious decisions to look at what material we’re touring, and what can work in various locations,” he says. “Stuff that we do in Chicago is not always the same as what we’d do in, let’s say, Toronto. There’s stuff that you get away with in your own house that’s very different when you go to someone else’s.”

Kelly Leonard, Second City Vice President, Writer and Performer

See Second City legends on YouTube video!

Second City Background

Founded in Chicago in 1959, The Second City has become the premier training ground for the comedy world’s best and brightest. Their alumni list reads like a who’s who of American comedy, as it includes: Mike Nichols, Elaine May, Alan Arkin, Joan Rivers, Robert Klein, Peter Boyle, Harold Ramis, John Belushi, Dan Aykroyd, Bill Murray, Gilda Radner, George Wendt, Martin Short, John Candy, Bonnie Hunt, Tim Meadows, Chris Farley, Mike Myers, Tina Fey, Steve Carell, Stephen Colbert, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Horatio Sanz, Ryan Stiles and countless others.

More information about Second City.

Video clips of the Founding Fathers of Second City.

Click here to see a GO Blog video clip of The Huntsville Time's Jon Busdeker and Chris Welch with Debra Jenkins, Founder of Merrimack Hall.

Performances:

Thursday, March 6, 2008: 7:30pm
Friday, March 7, 2008: 7:30pm
Saturday, March 8, 2008: 7:30pm

Ticket Prices:

$25 Each

Processing Fees:

$1.50 ea. online
$2.50 ea. by phone/in person

There are no exchanges or refunds on ticket purchases. All seats are reserved.

Ticket Policies / Buy Tickets

Second City Workshops

Suitable for Middle/High School Students, and for Adults!

Explore the fundamentals of improvisation in this popular workshop for those with little or no improvisation experience. For over 47 years, The Second City has been providing audiences with laughter, insight, and entertainment and has been the training ground for many of this generation's finest comedic actors, writers, and directors. Invite your students, staff and/or audience members-at-large to join the comedic ranks by jumping into this two hour workshop focusing on the basic tools of improv (teamwork, focus, being in the moment, spontaneity, strong communication skills) in a fun, safe and supportive atmosphere. The workshop is taught by members of the Touring Company and focuses on fundamental improvisation techniques and improv games. It's a great way to explore your creativity, become more comfortable speaking in front of others and think on your feet quicker - all while having fun.

Read an interview with Stephen Colbert (The Colber Report), a Second City alumni.

Read a review written by a workshop alumni.

Second City Workshops:

Friday, March 7, 2008: 4 - 6pm
Middle & High School Students

Saturday, March 8, 2008: 10am - 12pm
High School Students & Adults

Saturday, March 8, 2008: 1 - 3pm
High School Students & Adults

Workshop Fee:

$50 Each

There are no exchanges or refunds on workshop fees.