Second City: A Comedy Launchpad - Notable Alumni and History

The Second City is more than just a comedy theater; it's an institution. Founded in Chicago in 1959, it has served as a launchpad for countless comedic icons, shaping the landscape of American comedy. From its humble beginnings as an improvisational troupe, it has grown into a comedy empire with training programs and live theaters in Chicago, Toronto, and New York. This article explores the history of Second City and highlights some of its most notable alumni.

Origins: From Compass to Second City

The roots of The Second City can be traced back to the Compass Players, a group formed in 1955 by University of Chicago students, including David Shepherd and Paul Sills. Drawing inspiration from Viola Spolin's improvisational theater games, the Compass Players began performing in Hyde Park before moving to the Near North Side.

In December 1959, Bernie Sahlins, Howard Alk, and Paul Sills officially launched The Second City at 1842 North Wells Street. Their first revue show premiered that night, with Barbara Harris singing "Everybody's in the Know." Admission was a modest $1.50, equivalent to $16 in 2024.

A Comedy Revolution

The Second City revolutionized comedy by developing a unique approach to creating art and nurturing generations of comedic talent. Rooted in the improvisational games of Viola Spolin, the theater fostered a collaborative environment where performers could hone their skills and develop original material.

The Second City's influence extends beyond the stage. It has produced television programs in both Canada and the United States, including SCTV, Second City Presents, and Next Comedy Legend.

Expansion and Evolution

In 1973, The Second City expanded beyond Chicago, opening its first location in Toronto. This expansion marked a significant step in the company's growth, further solidifying its position as a leading force in comedy. In 2022, The Second City announced its expansion to New York with its new location in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. The nearly 12,000-square-foot (1,100 m2) entertainment complex at 64 N. 9th Street comprises two cabaret-style live theaters, seven Training Center classrooms, and a full-service restaurant and bar.

Second City Television (SCTV)

Second City Television, or SCTV, was a Canadian television sketch comedy show offshoot from the Toronto troupe of the Second City and ran from 1976 to 1984. The basic premise of SCTV was based on a television station (later a network) in the fictional city of Melonville. Rather than broadcast the usual TV rerun fare, the business operates a bizarre and humorously incompetent range of cheap local programming. In-house media melodrama was frequently satirized, including by John Candy, as the vain, bloated variety star character, Johnny La Rue; Thomas's acerbic critic, Bill Needle; Andrea Martin's flamboyant, leopard-skin clad station manager, Mrs. Edith Prickley; Catherine O'Hara's alcoholic, narcissistic, former leading-lady, Lola Heatherton; and Flaherty's effusive talk show host, Sammy Maudlin.

Challenges and Changes

Like any long-standing institution, The Second City has faced its share of challenges. In 2020, during the protests following the murder of George Floyd, The Second City faced several criticisms regarding racism. The CEO, Andrew Alexander, resigned after accusations of institutional racism from former performers and an alumnus were made.

On June 6, 2020, various Second City comedians signed an open letter stating that "erasure, racial discrimination, manipulation, pay inequity, tokenism, monetization of Black culture, and trauma-inducing experiences of Black artists at The Second City will no longer be tolerated," prompting Alexander to apologize and resign, pledging that "The next person to fill the Executive Producer position will be a member of the BIPOC community."

Accolades

As of 2014, the Second City has been awarded thirty-seven Equity Joseph Jefferson Awards, which have recognized them for Best Revue five times, the first being Paradigm Lost (1997). The revue's director, Mick Napier, is one of several directors recognized by the Jeffs, a list that includes founder Bernard Sahlins (for 1983's Exit, Pursued by a Bear) and improv guru Del Close (1981's Miro, Miro on the Wall). In 2009, as the company was celebrating its 50th year, the Second City was awarded an honorary Jeff for the milestone, as well as three awards for the e.t.c.' s 33rd revue Studs Terkel's Not Working, recognizing director Matt Hovde and actress Amanda Blake Davis and naming it Best Revue. In 2011, the e.t.c.'s 35th revue Sky's the Limit (Weather Permitting) won the Jeff for Best New Work (Musical or Revue), as well Best Revue and Best Actor, for ensemble member Tim Baltz. The following year, the e.t.c.'s 36th revue We're All In This Room Together won for Best Revue and Best Director of a Revue - Ryan Bernier, while ensemble member Edgar Blackman took home the Jeff for Best Actor/Actress in a Revue for his work in Who Do We Think We Are?

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The Second City Training Center

The Second City Training Center was founded in the mid-1980s to facilitate the growing demand for workshops and instruction from the world-famous Second City theatre. Training Centers are located in Chicago, Toronto and Los Angeles. The Training Centers have grown substantially since the Second City Conservatory was established in the mid-1980s under the tutelage of longtime Chicago improv instructors and mentors Martin de Maat and Sheldon Patinkin. The Chicago Training Center has over 5,000 students in several disciplines, including improvisation and comedy writing. Classes are taught by working professionals, many of whom are existing or former Second City performers.

Notable Alumni

The Second City has been a training ground for some of the most successful and influential comedians in the world. Here are just a few of the notable alumni who have graced its stages:

Alan Arkin: A member of the Compass Players, which created Second City in 1959, Arkin has starred in films like "The In-Laws," "Little Miss Sunshine," and "Argo."
Dan Aykroyd: Aykroyd, known for his roles in "Ghostbusters," "The Blues Brothers," and "Saturday Night Live," joined Second City in Chicago in 1974.
John Belushi: Famous for his roles in "Animal House" and "The Blues Brothers," Belushi was a Second City alumnus in 1971.

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Jim Belushi: Star of the sitcom "According to Jim," Jim Belushi followed in his brother's footsteps, joining Second City in 1978.
Peter Boyle: Boyle, who played Frank Barone on "Everybody Loves Raymond," was a member of Second City in 1967.
John Candy: Candy, known for his roles in "Uncle Buck," "Stripes," "Summer Rental," and "Cool Runnings," was a Second City performer in 1973-74.
Steve Carell: Carell, the lovable boss Michael Scott on "The Office," honed his skills at Second City in 1989. He met his wife, actress Nancy Carell, when she was a student in an improv class he was teaching at The Second City comedy troupe in Chicago.
Stephen Colbert: Colbert, famous for hosting "The Colbert Report" and "The Late Show," was a Second City performer in 1991.
Chris Farley: Farley, known for his physical comedy on "Saturday Night Live" and in "Tommy Boy," was a Second City alumnus in 1989.
Tina Fey: Fey, known for her role as Liz Lemon in "30 Rock" and her work on "Saturday Night Live," was a Second City performer in 1996. Tina Fey started Second City's first set of courses. She auditioned for the Second City Training Center. Weeks later, she re-auditioned and got into the year-long program.
Eugene Levy: Levy, known for his role as the bumbling dad in the "American Pie" movies, was a Second City performer in 1976.
Tim Meadows: Meadows, a "Saturday Night Live" cast member for 10 seasons, was a Second City performer in 1989.
Bill Murray: Murray, known for his roles in "Caddyshack," "Ghostbusters," "Stripes," and "Groundhog Day," was a Second City performer in 1973.
Mike Myers: Myers, known for his roles in "Wayne's World" and the "Shrek" and "Austin Powers" series, was a Second City performer in 1986.
Amy Poehler: Poehler, known for her role as Leslie Knope in "Parks and Recreation," was a Second City performer in the '90s.
Harold Ramis: Ramis, known for his involvement in comedies like "Animal House" and "Groundhog Day," and for his role as Egon Spengler in "Ghostbusters," was a Second City performer in 1969.
Joan Rivers: Rivers, known for her biting, acidic comedy, joined the troupe and made her sole appearance in its seventh revue, "Alarums and Excursions."
Keegan-Michael Key: Prior to becoming a filmmaker, Peele was a celebrated comedian who was the co-star and co-creator of "Key & Peele" on Comedy Central.
Jane Marie Lynch: She is known for starring as Sue Sylvester in the musical comedy series Glee (2009-2015), which earned her a Primetime Emmy Award.

Additional Alumni

The following is a list of additional notable alumni who have contributed to the legacy of The Second City:

1967 â J.J.
1974 â Dan Aykroyd, Cassandra Danz, Don DePollo, Michael J.
1978 â James Belushi, Tim Kazurinsky, Audrie Neenan, Lawrence J.
1998 â Rachel Hamilton, T. J.
2009 â Andy St.
2022 â Andy Bolduc, E.J.
2025 â Leila Gorstein, Bill Letz, Devonte E.
1974 â John Candy, Suzette Couture, Todd Jeffrey-Ellis, Piers Gilson, Allan Guttman, Eugene Levy, Catherine O'Hara, Sheldon Patinkin, Jim Patry, Mitchell Gold, Rosemary Radcliffe, Whitney S.
1975 â Carol Cassis, Ben Gordon, Andrea Martin, John Monteith, Sharon H.
1982 â Michael J.
1997 â James Carroll, Marc Hickox, Melody Johnson, Arnold Pinnock, Angela V.
1999 â Paul Bates, Lisa Brooke, Kevin Dorff, K.
1996 â Neil Flynn, Laura Krafft, Jerry C.
1999 â Ali Farahnakian, Martin Garcia, Sue Gillan, Beth Kligerman, Jack McBrayer, David Pompeii, Lyn Pusztai, Klaus Peter Schuller, Angela V.
2001 â Sam Albert, Joshua Funk, T. J.
2006 â Amanda Blake Davis, Kirk Hanley, Andy St.
2007 â W.
2018 â E.R.
2019 â Atra Asdou, E.J.
Andrew Alexander, Bob Bainborough, Sandra Balcovske, Lorraine Behnan, Gabe Cohen, Bob Derkach, Ron Dickinson, Robin Duke, Michael J.
Donald Adams, Andrew Alexander, Dana Andersen, Elizabeth Baird, Sandra Balcovske, Jack Banks, John Bynum, Luc Casimiri, Alan Catlin, John Costello, Catherine Creary, Kimm Culkin, Martin de Maat, Patrick Dubois, Kevin Frank, Michael J.
1994 â Renee Albert, Pat Andrews, Bernadette Birkett, Martin Brady, Matt Dwyer, Jennifer Estlin, Pat Finn, Michael J.
1993 â Andrew Alexander, Robin Bucci, Colin Ferguson, John Holston, Mark Levenson, Jerry C.
1998 â Joshua Funk, Michael J.
2006 â Ryan Archibald, Jim Carlson, Shelly Gossman, Katie Neff, David Novich, Andy St.
2005 â Jordan Klepper, T.J.

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