Four Performances Only! Comedian JOEL KIM BOOSTER at The Den Theatre May 10 – 11, 2019 in The Janet Bookspan Theatre

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Four Performances Only!

The Den Theatre Presents Comedian

JOEL KIM BOOSTER

May 10 – 11, 2019 in The Janet Bookspan Theatre

 Joel Kim Booster. Photo courtesy WME

Comedian Joel Kim Booster brings his stand-up tour to The Den Theatre for four performances only May 10 – 11, 2019 in The Janet Bookspan Theatre, 1331 N. Milwaukee Ave. in Chicago. Tickets ($25 general admission) are currently available at www.thedentheatre.com, in person at the The Den box office or by calling (773) 697-3830. Ages 18+.

Joel Kim Booster is a Chicago-bred, Los Angeles-based comedian and writer. As a comedian he has appeared on Conan, The Late Late Show with James Corden, Netflix’s The Fix, Comedy Central’s The Meltdown with Jonah and Kumail, This Is Not Happening and @midnight, Logo’s Comedy Cabaret and truTV’s Comedy Knockout. In 2017, Joel recorded a stand-up special for Comedy Central’s The Half-Hour, a full-length stand-up album called Model Minority and was listed as one of Esquire’s “10 Comedians to Watch.” Joel recently had the honor of making the Wall Street Journal’s “Young Hollywood Portfolio” highlighting rising stars in Hollywood, Forbes’ 2018 “30 Under 30” list in their Hollywood and Entertainment category spotlighting the next generation of talent, Variety’s 2018 “10 Comics to Watch,” Vulture’s “20 Comedians You Should and Will Know,” and Time Out’s “L.A. Comedians to Watch in 2018.” TV and film credits include Shrill (Hulu), Search Party (TBS), The Week Of (Netflix) and Viper Club (You Tube Premium). His writing credits include Billy on the Street (truTV), Big Mouth (Netflix), The Other Two (Comedy Central) and the pilot for Comedy Central’s Problematic with Moshe Kasher. Follow Joel on Twitter @ihatejoelkim.

Performance Schedule

Friday, May 10 at 7 pm & 9 pm
Saturday, May 11 at 7 pm & 9 pm



About The Den Theatre
Artistic Director Ryan Martin opened The Den in 2010 with a single theatre space. Seven years later, The Den boasts five intimate and unique theaters on two floors ranging from 50 – 200 seats, as well as two additional spaces primarily used for classes and rehearsals. The Den is also equipped with two bars enveloped by a never-ending field of lounge space for audiences and like-minded culture hounds to drink, talk, read, watch, think, listen and live. The Den is home to seven resident theatre companies including First Floor Theater, Haven Theatre Company, Griffin Theatre, The New Colony, Broken Nose Theatre, WildClaw Theatre and Firebrand Theatre. Hundreds of other companies from Chicago and beyond have also called The Den home, utilizing its theaters, studio space and easily convertible cabaret space to accommodate a stream of programming, including plays, musicals, film screenings, classical and jazz performances, dance, improv and stand-up, seminars and speaking engagements. For additional information, visit www.thedentheatre.com.

One Night Only! Vicki Barbolak’s Trailer Nasty Tour Sunday, April 7 on The Heath Main Stage at The Den Theatre

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 One Night Only!

The Den Theatre Presents

Vicki Barbolak’s Trailer Nasty Tour

Sunday, April 7 on The Heath Main Stage

Top 10 Finalist on 2018 “America's Got Talent”

PHOTO CREDIT: Vicki Barbolak by Deb Friedricks.

Comedian Vicki Barbolak, a fan favorite and Top 10 finalist on 2018’s America's Got Talent, brings her Trailer Nasty Tour to The Den Theatre for one night only, hosted by Mike Vinn and featuring Jesse Egan. Barbolak takes the stage Sunday, April 7, 2019 at 7 pm on The Heath Main Stage, 1331 N. Milwaukee Ave. in Chicago’s Wicker Park neighborhood. Tickets ($25 general admission) are currently available at www.thedentheatre.com, in person at the The Den box office or by calling (773) 697-3830. Ages 18+.

Vicki Barbolak was a fan favorite and Top 10 finalist on Season 13 of America's Got Talent on NBC. Howie Mandel told Vicki and America, “I think you just came up with your own sitcom, you’re wonderful I love you.” And Simon said, “I think you’re the best comedian we’ve had on this show.” Since being on AGT, Vicki has embarked on an international tour and launched her own podcast called “Trailer Nasty with Vicki Barbolak.”

When Vicki was 38 years young, she saw an ad for a stand-up comedy class. That class changed her life. Vicki quickly realized that making people laugh gave her more happiness than she ever dreamed possible. After a few years of open mic nights, Vicki was taken under the wing of Mitzi Shore, owner of The Comedy Store where Vicki developed as a Comedian.

In the 20 years since, Vicki 's been named a member of Jay Leno's NBC Laugh Squad, Won Funniest Mom In America on Nick @ Nite, and has been featured by E! Television as the Next Breakout Star to come from The Comedy Store. Vicki's comedy reflects life as Mom, her many marriages, and her love of the Southern California Trailer Park Lifestyle. www.vickibarbolakcomedy.com



About The Den Theatre

Artistic Director Ryan Martin opened The Den in 2010 with a single theatre space. Seven years later, The Den boasts five intimate and unique theaters on two floors ranging from 50 – 200 seats, as well as two additional spaces primarily used for classes and rehearsals. The Den is also equipped with two bars enveloped by a never-ending field of lounge space for audiences and like-minded culture hounds to drink, talk, read, watch, think, listen and live. The Den is home to seven resident theatre companies including First Floor Theater, Haven Theatre Company, Griffin Theatre, The New Colony, Broken Nose Theatre, WildClaw Theatre and Firebrand Theatre. Hundreds of other companies from Chicago and beyond have also called The Den home, utilizing its theaters, studio space and easily convertible cabaret space to accommodate a stream of programming, including plays, musicals, film screenings, classical and jazz performances, dance, improv and stand-up, seminars and speaking engagements. For additional information, visit www.thedentheatre.com.

OPENING: The Second City's Greatest Hits to Play UP Comedy Club Along With the Return of Improv Brunch and Salute to Pride

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The Second City announces a showcase of the Greatest Hits from previous decades with The Second City’s Greatest Hits: 90s Edition, The Second City’s Greatest Hits: 80s Edition, and The Second City’s Greatest Hits: 70s Edition. Each decade will play for a consecutive month on Tuesday and Wednesdays at 8pm, beginning in March 2019 at UP Comedy Club, 230 W. North Ave.

For nearly six decades, The Second City has been the unparalleled comedy launchpad for legions of comedy superstars. The iconic alumni have written and performed countless sketches on Second City’s stages throughout the years, and we are bringing them back to life in a showcase of the decades: The Second City’s Greatest Hits: 90s Edition, The Second City’s Greatest Hits: 80s Edition, and The Second City’s Greatest Hits: 70s Edition.



"The Second City has what is quite possibly the most jam-packed archive in the history of comedy, and, with our 60th anniversary quickly approaching, there is no better time to look back on the many incredible scenes that were created on our stages by some of the funniest people to ever walk this flat earth," said Jen Hoyt, Vice President of Production.

These three shows put a current spin on Second City classics. 90s Edition will feature sketches created by all-star alumni like Tina Fey, Steve Carell, Stephen Colbert, and Horatio Sanz. 80s Edition will bring the laughs with material originated by Chris Farley, Mike Myers, Bonnie Hunt, and Tim Meadows. 70s Edition will highlight the work by John Belushi, Gilda Radner, Martin Short, Catherine O’Hara, and John Candy, among many others.



The Second City’s Greatest Hits will perform on Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 8pm with the following schedule:

90s Edition:  March 2019, July 2019, October 2019
80s Edition:  April 2019, August 2019, November 2019
70s Edition:  May 2019, September 2019



In addition to The Second City’s Greatest Hits, UP Comedy Club is excited to announce the return of The Second City’s Improv Brunch on Sundays at noon, with bottomless mimosas and bottomless laughs beginning on March 24, 2019. To continue the excitement, The Second City’s Salute to Pride show will plant its rainbow flag in UP Comedy Club on Tuesdays and Wednesdays in June at 8pm. 



For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit www.secondcity.com or call 312-337-3992



About The Second City
The Second City is the leading brand in improv-based sketch comedy. With theatres and training centers in Chicago, Toronto and Hollywood, 11 full time touring ensembles, thriving corporate communications and theatricals divisions as well as television and film operations, The Second City has been called "A Comedy Empire" by The New York Times. The Second City has a current student body of 3,500 per week and is the largest school of improvisation and sketch comedy in the world.

2019 Year of Chicago Theatre
The Second City is proud to be part of the 2019 Year of Chicago Theatre, presented by the City of Chicago and the League of Chicago Theatres. To truly fall in love with Chicago, you must go to our theatres. This is where the city bares its fearless soul. Home to a community of creators, risk-takers, and big hearts, Chicago theatre is a hotbed for exciting new work and hundreds of world premieres every year. From Broadway musicals to storefront plays and improv, there’s always a seat waiting for you at one of our 200+ theatres.

Casting Announced: The Second City e.t.c.’s 43rd Revue

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The Second City e.t.c.’s 43rd Revue

I'll be out for the press opening April 13th, so check back soon for my full review.

The Second City is thrilled to announce casting for The Second City e.t.c.’s 43rd Revue. Under the direction of Anneliese Toft with music direction by Jacob Shuda, The Second City e.t.c.’s 43rd Revue features returning cast member Andrew Knox along with first-time resident stage ensemble members Atra Asdou, E.J. Cameron, Mark Campbell, Laurel Krabacher, and Chuck Norment. The stage manager is Laura Hum. 

Since opening its first revue in 1983, Cows on Ice, The Second City e.t.c. has continued to produce edgy, thought-provoking, hilariously original shows. Notable alumni of The Second City e.t.c.’s resident productions include Aidy Bryant, Steve Carell, Stephen Colbert, Keegan-Michael Key, Jack McBrayer, Adam McKay, and Nia Vardalos.

The Second City e.t.c.’s 43rd Revue plays on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm, Fridays and Saturdays at 11pm, and Sundays at 7pm in the e.t.c. Theater, located at 230 W North Ave, 2nd Floor of Piper’s Alley, Chicago. Tickets, starting at $21, are available at The Second City Box Office (230 W. North Ave, 1st Floor, Piper's Alley), by phone at 312-337-3992 or online at www.secondcity.com. 

About the Artists
ATRA ASDOU (Ensemble; Pronouns: She/Her/Hers) is a home-grown Chicago performer. Some of her TV credits include South Side (Comedy Central) Chicago Med, and Chicago P.D. (NBC). She stars in the award-winning comedic web series Other People’s Children, is an artistic associate at Lookingglass Theatre, contributes weekly satire to The Paper Machete, wrote and performed her solo sketch show A Poodle in People Clothes and directed the critically acclaimed sketch show Teen Cudi Presents: Black Boy Joy. She improvises regularly at iO Chicago with Lil' Tooties and Whirled News Tonight. At The Second City, Atra has understudied for the e.t.c.’s 40th revue A Red Line Runs Through It, performed in Second City's She The People at Woolly Mammoth Theatre in D.C. and is a 2017 Bob Curry Fellowship recipient. Special thanks to Gary Pascal, Kela, and this outstanding cast and production team.

E.J. CAMERON (Ensemble; Pronouns: He/Him/His) is very excited to be a part of this show. He's lived in Chicago for six years, where he has graduated from and performed at The Second City, iO, Comedy Sportz. He was a recipient of The Second City Training Center’s Bob Curry Fellowship in 2016. Before moving to Chicago, E.J. received his BFA in Acting at Columbus State University (not Ohio!) and performed with multiple troupes. He is represented by Paonessa Talent and is an avid pro-wrestling fan who loves the color purple. Follow @Ej_Cam19.

MARK CAMPBELL (Ensemble; Pronouns: He/Him/His) is so grateful to be a part of The Second City! Originally from Glen Ellyn, he has performed all over the country with The Second City Touring Company and all over the ocean aboard the Norwegian Dawn and Gem. Mark is a member of The Improvised Shakespeare Company and is proudly represented by Paonessa Talent. Huge thank yous to his family, and he hopes Smitty is proud. Follow him on Twitter @themarkcampbell! 

ANDREW KNOX (Ensemble; Pronouns: He/Him/His) is originally from Shelburne, Vermont. An ensemble member in the e.t.c.’s 41st and 42nd revues, Fantastic Great Super Nation Numero Uno and Gaslight District, Andrew is also a Second City Touring Company alum and a member of the Improvised Shakespeare Company. He’d like to thank the many teachers, coaches, and directors he’s had over the years, as well as Mom, Dad, Amanda, Tyler, and his incredible wife Catherine for their unending love and support. And also his dog, Izzy, who is too young to see his shows. Follow him on Instagram and Twitter @softknox.

LAUREL KRABACHER (Ensemble; Pronouns: She/Her/Hers) is very happy to be a part of The Second City! A Second City Touring Company alum, she is a Colorado native and a theater graduate of the University of Northern Colorado. If you want more Laurel, you can see her at CIC with Little Gary and at iO with Tone and Revolver. She is represented by BMG Talent.

CHUCK NORMENT (Ensemble; Pronouns: They/Them/Theirs) hails from Newport News, Virginia. They can also be seen performing at iO with Virgin Daiquiris, Your Fucked Up Relationship and Meridian. Chuck was a featured performer in The Second City and NBCUniversal's Break Out Comedy Festival in 2016. They are a proud alumni of Second City’s National Touring Company (BlueCo will forever be the best co). They are single as hell, so slip into their DMs on Instagram @masculinehair.

ANNELIESE TOFT (Director; Pronouns: She/Her/Hers) returns to direct her second resident stage production for The Second City after regularly contributing as a director for Second City Theatricals. Her recent projects include The Second City e.t.c.’s 42 revue Gaslight District, Fast, Loud, & Funny at UP Comedy Club, The Second City’s collaboration with the Lyric Opera of Chicago, Longer! Louder! Wagner! and a four-year tenure with The Second City Touring Company. She also directs sketch comedy in venues all over Chicago, including the Annoyance, Theater Wit, Stage 773, The Public House Theatre, and iO.

JACOB SHUDA (Original Music, Sound Design, Musical Director; Pronouns: He/Him/His) is a moon worshiper from Wisconsin.  He started live-scoring improv when he was 16 years old, and since has traveled the world with The Second City Touring Company. This is his sixth resident stage revue. Outside of Second City, catch him leading the synth dance rock band Veil Surfer.

LAURA HUM (Stage Manager; Pronouns: She/Her/Hers) is thrilled to be a part of the e.t.c.’s 43nd revue, which is her fifth resident stage production with The Second City. Previous credits on this stage include Gaslight District, Fantastic Great Super Nation Numero Uno, A Red Line Runs Through It, and Soul Brother, Where Art Thou? She is an alumna of the Ohio State University and The Second City Touring Company.

About The Second City
Since opening its doors 1959, The Second City has grown to become the world’s premier comedy club, theater and school of improvisation, entertaining 1 million theatergoers a year around the globe. Alumni of The Second City’s resident stages, touring companies, and theatrical divisions include some of the biggest names in entertainment, and in addition to the sold-out shows playing nightly on resident stages in Chicago and Toronto, the comedy empire has staged productions with a wide range of illustrious creative partners and theatre companies, including the Lyric Opera of Chicago, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Goodman Theatre, Center Theater Group Los Angeles, Portland Center Stage, Toronto Symphony Orchestra, La Jolla Playhouse, Woolly Mammoth Theatre, and even the Chicago Bulls.

OPENING: NEW She the People: The Resistance Continues at Second City

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Revamped She the People Re-Conquers UP Comedy Club at The Second City

I'll be ChiILin' with Chi, IL's infamous Second City for the relaunch of The Second City's She The People: The Resistance Continues on March 14th, so check back soon for my full review. She The People is one of my favorite Second City shows to date and I can't wait to see the new material they've added. The women of She the People are breaking ceilings and taking names. If you've heard the old cliche that feminists are humorless, you'll never believe it again. This show is fierce, funny and unapologetically feminist. You'll never look at advertising, pop culture, and dating quite the same way again. Don't miss this! 

Bonnie Kenaz-Mara (AKA: ChiIL Mama) and Chicago artist, Kathy Blankley Roman, ChiILin' at the press opening of Chi, IL's She The People, January 2018.

The Second City’s knockout show She the People: The Resistance Continues is electrifying UP Comedy Club with a refreshed name, updated material, new cast members, and all of its signature witty, empowering bite. The all-female, all-funny show directed by Carly Heffernan welcomes Mary Catherine Curran, Sayjal Joshi, and Kaye Winks who join original cast members Carisa Barreca, Alex Bellisle, and Katie Caussin.

“The Second City has never been lacking for new material, and just like entertainment juggernaut Blue Man Group or the most recent tour of Miss Saigon, art must evolve to stay true and relevant and inspiring to its audience,” said Second City CEO and Executive Producer Andrew Alexander. “People coming back to She the People for the second or third time will be delighted to see that about half of the show is brand new.”

"Our goal is, and always has been, to satirize the woes of being a woman in this wild world while also empowering the audience to take a stand and make real change. The show bounces around everything our writing team knows are hot button topics these days--dating, body positivity, motherhood, and what might prove to be the most important election of our lifetime. It's a call to action bundled up inside a party, and we're all proud to be part of it." says director and head writer Carly Heffernan.

She the People first hit The Second City in September 2017. After its smash run in UP Comedy Club, the show brought its tour-de-female-force to Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company in Washington, DC, where it earned a Helen Hayes award nomination and became the highest grossing show in the theatre’s history. “It’s a fast-paced, wild ride of a show that throws off sparks,” said MD Theatre Guide. DC Metro called the show “a dip into the often hilariously unbelievable or absurd situations that women– queer women, women of color, plus-sized women– find themselves in on a daily basis, and it does so not just playfully, but with a deep intelligence and purpose that never veers into the pedantic.”

She the People was originally written by Carisa Barreca, Alex Bellisle, Marla Caceres, Katie Caussin, Carly Heffernan, Maria Randazzo, Rashawn Nadine Scott, Tien Tran, Kimberly Michelle Vaughn, and Lauren Walker. Additional material for the re-launched production was written by Carisa Barreca, Alex Bellisle, Katie Caussin, Mary Catherine Curran, Carly Heffernan, Alexis J. Roston, and Kaye Winks.  Other team members include Mary Mahoney (Music Director/Original Music/Sound Designer), Abby Beggs (Lighting Designer), and Jaci Entwisle (Stage Manager).

She the People plays in The Second City’s UP Comedy Club (230 West North Avenue). Tickets start at $31.00 and are available by phone at 312-337-3992 or online at www.secondcity.com. 

The show schedule is as follows:

Thursdays @ 8:00pm
Fridays @ 8:00pm
Saturdays @ 8:00pm
Sundays @ 7:00pm

About the Artists
CARISA BARRECA (Ensemble/Assistant Director/Choreographer) is thrilled to be a part of She the People. She is an alumna of The Second City's e.t.c. stage, where she wrote and performed in three critically acclaimed revues. She has had the honor of performing at Lyric Opera of Chicago
with Sir Patrick Stewart and Renée Fleming in The Second City's Guide to the Opera, at Goodman Theatre and the Kennedy Center with Twist Your Dickens and wrote and performed in Hubbard Street Dance Chicago and The Second City's collaboration The Art of Falling. Follow her @Cinderisa.

ALEX BELLISLE (Ensemble) is thrilled to be working on She the People! A Chicago-based actress and comedian, Alex is one-half of the improv and sketch duo Girlish, which has performed its self-titled show around the country, including at the New York International Fringe Festival. Other credits include The Best of The Second City, Feminine Wilds, PANTS!, No Selfie Control and Just Being Honest. Alex can be seen performing with various improv groups around Chicago, including Gone Gone at The iO Theater.

KATIE CAUSSIN (Ensemble) is originally from Springfield, VA, and received her degree in Theater from Radford University. She has been an actor in Chicago for over 20 years, many of them with The Second City as part of their Touring Company and Theatricals shows. Most recently, she returned from a month-long run of She the People at the Woolly Mammoth Theater in Washington, D.C.  Previously, she appeared as Mrs. Cratchit in Twist Your Dickens at Goodman Theater and toured around the US in The Realish Housewives of (Your City Here). Katie has also performed with Second City for the USO in the Balkans and at both the iO and Annoyance theaters in Chicago. On camera, Katie has appeared in an episode of Chicago Justice on NBC and has been featured on the Onion Network’s Special Report webseries.

MARY CATHERINE CURRAN (Ensemble) is so excited to join this cast of badass women! MC studied Theatre Performance at the University of Maryland and trained at The Second City Conservatory and iO Theater in Chicago. She has improvised, written, performed, and directed shows all over Chicago, at the Annoyance (Steamworks, Bite Size Broadway, Burlesque is More) and iO (Virgin Daiquiri, Lil' Tooties, One Woman Space Jam). MC just finished the debut run of The Second City's Love Factually at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC. Follow @itismarycatherine on Insta and @yomarycatherine on Twitter for great content.

SAYJAL JOSHI (Ensemble) hails from North Carolina where she earned her BA in theater from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and co-founded Greensboro’s first improv comedy club, The Idiot Box. For sixteen years, she has been writing, performing, and teaching theater, sketch, improv, film, guitar comedy, and stand-up all over the universe. Credits include The Second City e.t.c., the Kennedy Center, Goodman Theatre, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Zanie’s Comedy Club, The Laugh Factory, The Second City Touring Company, The Annoyance Theater, iO (formally Improv Olympic), ComedySportz, Laugh Out Loud Theater, and the critically acclaimed Asian-American sketch ensemble Stir-Friday Night. Follow her @SayjalJoshi.

KAYE WINKS (Ensemble) is #blessed to be alongside the fabulous ladles of She the People! Kaye trained with the Moscow Art Theater. She recently performed her hit solo show TOKEN to sold-out audiences at The Second City Training Center and toured it to UCB LA, Out of Bounds Comedy Festival, and United Solo Theater Fest In NYC. She is proudly repped by Shirley Hamilton and NV Talent.

CARLY HEFFERNAN (Director/Head Writer) is an award-winning alumna of The Second City
Toronto, where she wrote and performed in four Mainstage revues. She recently co-wrote the hit show The Second City Guide to the Symphony and toured with it across Canada and the United States. She directed the critically acclaimed Second City Toronto Mainstage revue Come What Mayhem!, as well as for The Second City Touring Company and several Norwegian Cruise Line shows. Carly currently writes for Second Jen (City TV), The Irrelevant Show (CBC Radio) and Air Farce Canada 150 special (CBC).

MARY MAHONEY (Music Director/Original Music/Sound Design) is thrilled to be working with the talented women of She the People. Mary has worked as a Musical Director for sketch and improv comedy all over the continent while touring with Second City Theatricals aboard the Norwegian Dawn and with The Second City Touring Company. A former music faculty member of Western Washington University, she is now a proud faculty member at The Second City Training Center.

ABBY BEGGS (Lighting Design) is excited to be joining The Second City on this show. When she's not in the booth at The Second City, she can be found stage managing, directing, and composing music for theater around town. Stage management credits include: L’enfant et les Sortilèges, L’incoronazione di Poppea (Roosevelt University), The Out of Tooners (Off-Color Theatre Company}, Gallo (Guerilla Opera), Blue Window (Brown Box Theatre Project), The Scene, Good People, and Barefoot in the Park (Dorset Theatre Festival), among others.

JACI ENTWISLE (Stage Manager) is excited to return to Second City for She the People, having
previously worked on #DateMe in UP Comedy Club, as well as on stage management teams in
Sonoma (Transcendence Theatre Company), Philadelphia (Quintessence Theatre Group) and
Chicago (Goodman Theatre, Remy Bumppo Theatre Company, A Red Orchid Theatre, American Blues Theater).




About The Second City
The Second City is the leading brand in improv-based sketch comedy. With theatres and training centers in Chicago, Toronto and Hollywood, 11 full time touring ensembles, thriving corporate communications and theatricals divisions as well as television and film operations, The Second City has been called "A Comedy Empire" by The New York Times. The Second City has a current student body of 3,500 per week and is the largest school of improvisation and sketch comedy in the world.

OPENING: COMEDY HIT “NOISES OFF” AT WINDY CITY PLAYHOUSE'S IRVING PARK SPACE THROUGH MARCH 31, 2019

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WINDY CITY PLAYHOUSE BRINGS COMEDY HIT

“NOISES OFF” 

TO IRVING PARK VENUE JANUARY 2019

I'll be out for the press opening, January 16th, so check back soon for my full review. I thoroughly enjoyed the script, back in the day, when I read it for a college theater course, but I've never seen it performed. In Windy City Playhouse's capable creative hands, this is sure to be a delight.

Windy City Playhouse brings the premiere of Michael Frayn’s “Noises Off,” the side-splitting play-within-a-play set behind-the-scenes as a ragtag touring company rehearses and performs - or attempts to perform - a bawdy farce. Opening Wednesday, January 16, 2019, this comedic classic will be told through a unique multi-stage layout that puts audiences in the center of the action. The cast of “Noises Off” includes Erica Bitner as Poppy Norton-Taylor, Amy Carle as Dotty Otley, Will Casey as Selsdon Mowbray, Scott Duff as Frederick Fellowes, Ryan McBride as Garry Lejune, Amy Rubenstein as Belinda Blair, Mike Tepeli as Lloyd Dallas, Rochelle Thieren as Brooke Ashton. The creative team for “Noises Off” includes Scott Weinstein (Director) and Jeffrey D. Kmiec (Scenic Design), Jessica Keuhnua (Costume Design), Mike Durst (Lighting Design), Brandon Reed (Sound Design), Andrew Hatcher (Properties Design) and Helen Lattyak (Production Stage Manager).

“Presented in three acts, ‘Noises Off’ typically features a revolving stage that rotates to show audiences the front and back of a theater,” said Rubenstein. “For our production, to mix things up and get our guests closer to the humor onstage (and off), we’ll be asking the audience to move. For acts I and III they will be seated in assigned seats, but during act II, the audience will be brought backstage to observe all the antics and comedy that make this piece so special.”

The performance schedule for “Noises Off” is as follows: Wednesdays and Thursdays at 7:30 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m. Tickets ($45 - $85) are now on sale through March 31.

About the artists in “Noises Off:”

Scott Weinstein (Director) – Scott Weinstein is a Jeff Award winning Director currently based in Chicago. He returns to the Playhouse after his 2017 hit, the dark comedy “Becky Shaw.”  Favorite directing credits include “Rent” at Theo Ubique (Jeff Award - Best Director, Best Musical); “Bat Boy,” “Titanic” (Jeff Nominated - Best Director, Best Musical) and “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” (Griffin Theatre); “She Kills Monsters” (Steppenwolf Theatre); “Seussical” (Chicago Shakespeare Theater); “Princess & The Pea” (Marriott Lincolnshire Theatre); “The Little Mermaid” (Drury Lane Theatre) the world premieres of “Baristas” (New York International Fringe Festival) and “Ampersand” (Bloomington Playwrights Project); as well as the first full productions of “Murder For Two” (Adirondack Theatre Festival, Hangar Theatre, 42nd Street Moon). Weinstein is the recipient of a Berkshire Theatre Festival Directing Fellowship and a Stage Directors and Choreographers Observership. He is currently the Associate director for the National Tour, Las Vegas, Chicago and Norwegian Cruise Line productions of “Million Dollar Quartet” and directed the first regional production currently running at the Lawrence Welk Theatre. He has assistant or associate directed at The Goodman Theatre, Pasadena Playhouse, Cleveland Playhouse and many more.

Erica Bittner (POPPY NORTON-TAYLOR) - Erica Bittner is thrilled to make her Windy City Playhouse debut with “Noises Off.” Selected credits include: King Charles III (Cardinal Stage); Bad Jews (Theatre Wit/North Shore/Royal George); You Can’t Take It With You, A Dickens Carol, Pygmalion, and Love’s Labour's Lost (Oak Park Festival); The Madness Of Edgar Allen Poe (First Folio); A Christmas Carol (Drury Lane) and Richard III: No Beast So Fierce (Oracle Theatre). Bittner has worked with Piven Theatre, Music Theatre Works, The Music Theatre Company, Redmoon, One Year Chekhov, GreatWorks, Chicago Dramatists, Victory Gardens, and Chicago Shakespeare Theater.

Amy Carle (DOTTY OTLEY) Amy Carle previously worked with Windy City Playhouse in “Chapter Two.” Selected Chicago credits include “Hard Times,” “North China Lover,” “Bengal Tiger At The Baghdad Zoo,” “Peter Pan” and “Trust” (Lookingglass); “Harvey,” “Orlando” (Court Theatre); “The Book Of Joseph” (Chicago Shakespeare Theatre); “Wonderful Town,” “The Sins Of Sor Juana,” “Rock ‘N’ Roll,” “Desire Under The Elms” (Goodman Theatre); “The Book Thief,” “The Internationalist,” “Animals Out Of Paper,” “Sex With Strangers,” “Hedda Gabler” (Steppenwolf), and the Off-Broadway National Tour of “The Vagina Monologues.”

Will Casey (SELSDON MOWBRAY) - Will is delighted to be working at Windy City Playhouse for the second time, having understudied in “King Liz.” Will most recently appeared in “A Comedical Tragedy for Mr. Punch” (House Theatre Chicago). Other Chicago credits include: “Vieuz Carre” (Joseph Jefferson nominator - Support Actor), “The Old Friends,” “Boy Gets Girl” (Raven); “Macbeth” (Artistic Home); “Hospitality Suite” (Citadel); “The Rise and Fall of Little Voice” (No Stakes); and “The Father” (Rendition).

Scott Duff (FREDERICK FELLOWES) - Scott is an Artistic Associate of About Face Theatre, having appeared in over 15 productions at About Face Theater, and has performed in theaters across the city, including the Goodman, Steppenwolf, Theater Wit, Lookingglass, Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, iO and American Theatre Company. Duff is the host/producer of “Out Chicago,” a live weekly talk show for the LGBT community. He is a Chicago-based actor, comic, and radio host. He is a graduate of Northwestern University.

Ryan McBride (GARRY LEJUNE)
Ryan McBride is making his Windy City Playhouse debut with “Noises Off.” Selected Chicago credits include “Continuity (Goodman Theatre, New Stages); Shakespeare In Love and Julius Caesar (Chicago Shakespeare Theater); West Side Story and Mamma Mia! (Paramount Theatre); Romeo and Juliet and A Midsummer Night's Dream (Chicago Symphony Orchestra with Chicago Shakespeare Theater); Linda, Brilliant Adventures, and Fallow (Steep Theatre); Sita Ram (Lookingglass Theatre Company and Chicago Children’s Choir); Letter’s Home and Ghosts of War (Griffin Theatre Company), and the national tour of “Evil Dead: The Musical!”

Amy Rubenstein (BELINDA BLAIR) – Amy Rubenstein is the Artistic Director and co-founder of Windy City Playhouse. Since the theater's premiere in March 2015, she has overseen 11 mainstage productions, including the recent smash hit, world premiere SOUTHERN GOTHIC, of which she was also a co-creator. During her tenure, the Playhouse has been lauded for its uniquely contemporary approach that focuses on audience experience and has received numerous industry accolades, including 7 Joseph Jefferson Award nominations, 11 Chicago Theater Awards including the 2018 Trailblazer Award, and 3 International Centre for Women Playwrights' 50/50 Awards. Prior to her current role at the Playhouse, Ms. Rubenstein's credits include performing with Long Beach Playhouse, Human Race Theatre, and Center Stage Theater, among others. She is a proud graduate of Brandeis University.

Mike Tepeli (LLOYD DALLAS) – Mike Tepeli is excited to make his Windy City Playhouse Debut with “Noises Off.” Selected Chicago Credits include “Frost/Nixon” (RedTwist Theatre); “Naperville” (Theatre Wit); “Last Train to Nibroc” (Haven Theatre; 2016 Non-Equity Jeff Nomination Best Principal Actor-Play); “Cocked” (Victory Gardens); “Great Expectations” (Strawdog Theatre); “The Original Grease” (2011 Equity Jeff Award: Best Mid-Size Musical), “It’s A Wonderful Life: The Radio Play” (American Theatre Company) and “Burnt Part Boys” (Griffin Theatre).

Rochelle Therrien (BROOKE ASHTON) – Rochelle Therrien is thrilled to be making her Windy City Playhouse debut with “Noises Off.” Selected Chicago credits include: “Linda” (Steep Theatre Company); “In the Next Room (or The Vibrator Play)” and “The Last Wife” (TimeLine Theatre); “Ah, Wilderness!” (Goodman Theatre); “London Wall” and “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” (Griffin Theatre Company); “Heathers: The Musical” (Kokandy Productions); “Aspects of Love” (Joseph Jefferson nomination - Best Supporting Actress) (Theo Ubique Cabaret); and “Carrie” (Bailiwick Chicago).



About Windy City Playhouse
Windy City Playhouse is a professional theater and 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, located on Chicago's northwest side. Premiering in March of 2015 with a mission to present contemporary, relevant, and approach art, the Playhouse has quickly become a mainstay of the Chicago theater scene. In 2018, its runaway hit, the immersive SOUTHERN GOTHIC, solidified the Playhouse as the first choice in Chicago theater for one-of-a-kind audience experience. "Experience driven. Audience first."

For more information, visit WindyCityPlayhouse.com and follow on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.  



This program is partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council Agency.

OPENING: The Second City’s 107th Mainstage Revue

ChiIL Live Shows on our radar

The Second City’s 107th Mainstage Revue

Under the direction of ten-time resident stage director and Jeff Award winner Matt Hovde and with returning music direction by Vinnie Pillarella, The Second City’s 107th Mainstage Revue will feature current Mainstage ensemble members Ryan Asher, Tyler Davis, Jeffrey Murdoch, and Nate Varrone, who will be joined by Gaslight District cast member Emily Fightmaster and She the People cast member Kimberly Michelle Vaughn. The stage manager is Craig Taylor. 

The Second City’s 107th Mainstage Revue plays Tuesdays through Saturdays at 8pm, Fridays and Saturdays at 11pm, and Sundays at 7pm in the Mainstage Theater, located at 1616 N. Wells Street, Chicago. Tickets start at $31 and are available at the Second City Box Office (230 W. North Ave, First Floor, Piper's Alley), by phone at 312-337-3992, or online at www.secondcity.com.

About the Artists
RYAN ASHER (Ensemble) is from Charlottesville VA, and received her BFA in theater performance at Virginia Commonwealth University. Ryan is currently an ensemble member in The Second City’s 106th Mainstage revue, Dream Freaks Fall from Space, and was a member of The Second City Touring Company. She also appeared last summer in The Second City’s Almost Accurate Guide to America: Divided We Stand at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. She also performs with improv groups around Chicago, including Trigger Happy and SHEBEAST.

TYLER DAVIS (Ensemble) is a Columbus, Ohio, native and a current an ensemble member in The Second City’s 106th Mainstage revue, Dream Freaks Fall from Space. He has performed with The Second City Touring Company, as well as in The Second City’s Almost Accurate Guide to America: Divided We Stand at the Kennedy Center. He also performs with improv groups around Chicago, including Devil’s Daughter and Trigger Happy.

EMILY FIGHTMASTER (Ensemble) is from Cincinnati, Ohio, and a current ensemble member in The Second City e.t.c.’s 42nd revue, Gaslight District. She graduated from DePaul University with a Women and Gender Studies degree and has traveled coast to coast with The Second City Touring Company. Emily is a proud alum of Boom Chicago, the Amsterdam-based comedy theatre and is a member of Baby Wine at The Annoyance.

MATT HOVDE (Director) is a Second City Conservatory Program grad and began teaching at The Second City Training Center in 2003. Matt has directed several resident stage revues for the Mainstage and e.t.c. stages, including A Red Line Runs Through It, Let Them Eat Chaos, Sky’s The Limit (Weather Permitting), Studs Terkel’s Not Working, America: All Better! and Between Barack and a Hard Place. Additional directing credits include Twist Your Dickens, The Second City & Slate’s Unelectable You, Second City’s Game Night, and productions for The Second City in Detroit, Atlanta, Dallas, Denver, Baltimore, Vienna, Brussels, and on the high seas. He studied TV, Film, and Theater at TCU.

JEFFREY MURDOCH (Ensemble) was born and raised in the Metro Detroit area and attended the University of Michigan. In addition to performing in Dream Freaks Fall from Space, Jeff has performed with The Second City Touring Company and at the Upstairs Gallery, iO, and The Annoyance.

VINNIE PILLARELLA (Musical Direction, Original Music, Sound Design) is a Chicago native and has been the musical force behind The Second City’s 105th and 106th Mainstage revues. A veteran of The Second City Touring Company, Vinnie has also created music in theaters around the city, including The Annoyance, iO, Public House, and Silk Road Rising.

CRAIG TAYLOR (Stage Manager) has stage managed for The Second City for nearly 40 years and has been asked to provide the impossible for numerous Second City directors.

NATE VARRONE (Ensemble) is from Columbus, Ohio, and attended The Ohio State University.  Currently an ensemble member in The Second City’s 106th Mainstage revue, Dream Freaks Fall from Space, Nate has also performed with The Second City Touring Company, at iO, with Crab Atlanta, and is a cast member of Holy F*** Comedy Hour at The Annoyance.

KIMBERLY MICHELLE VAUGHN (Ensemble) graduated from Columbia College of Chicago with her BA in Theatre. A recent alum of The Second City Touring Company, she recently opened She the People: Girlfriends’ Guide to Sisters Doing It For Themselves, Second City’s first all-female created and performed show. 



About The Second City
Since opening its doors 1959, The Second City has grown to become the world’s premier comedy club, theater and school of improvisation, entertaining 1 million theatergoers a year around the globe. Alumni of The Second City’s resident stages, touring companies, and theatrical divisions include some of the biggest names in entertainment, and in addition to the sold-out shows playing nightly on resident stages in Chicago and Toronto, the comedy empire has staged productions with a wide range of illustrious creative partners and theatre companies, including the Lyric Opera of Chicago, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Goodman Theatre, Center Theater Group Los Angeles, Portland Center Stage, Toronto Symphony Orchestra, La Jolla Playhouse, Woolly Mammoth Theatre, and even the Chicago Bulls. 

FINAL LINEUP ANNOUNCED for the 4th Annual NBCUniversal Break Out Comedy Festival at The Second City's UP Comedy Club

Chi IL Live Shows On Our Radar:

The Second City announces lineup for the

4th Annual NBCUniversal Break Out Comedy Festival

Hosted by Godfrey, David Pompeii and Azhar Usman

June 7 - 9 at Second City’s UP Comedy Club

The Second City announces the lineup for the NBCUniversal Second City Break Out Comedy Festival, which spotlights rising talent from across the country. The festival will be hosted by incomparable comic Godfrey (Comedy Central, VH1, BET), Second City alumnus David Pompeii (Comedy Central, Key and Peele) and special guest Azhar Usman (Comedy Cellar of NY).

“The Second City Diversity and Inclusion program was formally introduced over 25 years ago as part of Second City’s ongoing mission. The Bob Curry and Break Out Festival events, which are the centerpieces of the initiative and a vital part of the overall programming at Second City, are not to be missed. The weekend is exploding with fresh, diverse voices,” said Dionna Griffin-Irons, Director of Diversity Talent and Development. “The stories and narratives that will be seen on stage June 6-9 at Second City are the perfect antidote to the political and social climate in America these days.”

4th Annual NBCUniversal Second City Break Out Comedy Festival
Second City’s UP Comedy Club (230 W North Ave, 3rd Floor of Piper’s Alley)
June 7 - 9, 2018
Tickets: $10-$25, 312-337-3992, www.secondcity.com

Thursday, June 7 at 7:30pm ($20-$25): Hosted by David Pompeii
with special guest Azhar Usman
Friday, June 8 and Saturday, June 9 at 7:30pm and 10pm ($20-$25): Hosted by Godfrey
Saturday, June 9 at midnight ($10): Hosted by Azhar Usman

Back for its fourth year, this dynamic partnership with NBCUniversal and Second City will again showcase some of the hottest emerging and seasoned diverse comedic acts in stand-up, sketch and improv from around the country. This year’s Break Out Comedy Festival features hosts Godfrey (Comedy Central, VH1, BET), David Pompeii (Comedy Central, Key and Peele), Azhar Usman (Comedy Cellar of NY).

On Thursday, June 7, 7:30pm, Second City alum, David Pompeii will host with special guest Azhar Usman. Veteran Chicago stand-up comics will perform, along with up-and-coming new talent. Performers include newcomer Vincent Bryant Second City trained comedians Anthony Bonanza, Joel Boyd, Amy Ramelli and Lauren Walker, award-winning journalist Mariam Sobh (WBBM radio), Marz Timms (founder of Pimprov), and Bob Curry Fellowship Toronto alum Carol Zoccoli.

Friday, June 8, 7:30pm and 10pm, will be hosted by Godfrey with introductory emcee Alex Kumin (Chicago Reader’s Stand Out Comics to Watch). The show will feature Second City alum Mona Aburmishan, Jayson Acevedo and Stephanie Branco (Second City’s Urban Twist), current Bob Curry fellow Aaron Branch, newcomer Max Desolhn, Adam Mamawala (Funny or Die’s Top 30 Under 30 Comedians to Watch), Naperville native Vik Pandya, Felonious Munk (Blipster Life, Comedy Central), and Wisconsin comic Esteban Touman,

The Saturday, June 9, 7:30pm and 10pm performance will be hosted by Godfrey and will include introduction emcee Alex Kumin, Kerry Codett (BET’s The Rundown with Robin Thede), New York-based comic Paul Elia (Conan), Houston comic Mickey Housley, Chicago comedians TMurph, Calvin Evans and Shannon Noll, Azhar Usman and Toronto-based comedian Carol Zoccoli.

On Saturday, June 9, midnight, the late night show will be hosted by Azhar Usman and will feature up to five performers who be selected from the Break Out Stand Up Social event earlier that day.

All shows will also feature select graduates of the Bob Curry Fellowship Program.

Break Out Stand Up Social Event
Second City’s UP Comedy Club (230 W North Ave, 3rd Floor of Piper’s Alley)
Saturday, June 9th
12pm - 2pm
FREE Event

Break Out Comedy Festival’s panel and social event for newcomers and emerging comics to network, connect with local and out of state comedians to compete for a chance to perform in Saturday’s Late Night (midnight) show, hosted by Azhar Usman. Up to five comics will be selected after the panel event to share their material and set for selection.

The Bob Curry Fellowship Showcase
Second City’s e.t.c. Theater (230 W North Ave, 2nd Floor of Piper’s Alley)
Wednesday, June 6 at 8pm
Tickets, $15, 312-337-3992, www.secondcity.com

The 5th annual cohort of the Bob Curry Fellowship program, comprised of 16 of the best and brightest new voices in comedy, will perform together in the Bob Curry Fellowship Showcase, directed by Second City Co-Artistic Director, Matt Hovde. The showcase will highlight ten weeks of master improv training, with original material and best of Second City archival scenes.

The 2018 Bob Curry Fellows are: Angela Alise, Trumane Alston, Damian Anaya, Aaron Branch, Menaka Delekar, Jillian Ebanks, George Elrod, Steve Han, Maya Haughton, Javid Iqbal, Asia Martin, Julia Morales, Yazmin Ramos, Ana Silva, Max Thomas and Shadee Vossonghi.

Building upon a unique partnership established with Universal Television, the Bob Curry Fellowship is a professional mentoring and development program focused on cultivating the best new voices in improv and sketch comedy. A highly competitive and rigorous process, applicants must audition to be considered for the program. In 2018, over 250 applicants submitted with sixteen diverse actors and improvisers from a diverse, array of multicultural, ethnic backgrounds being selected. The Bob Curry Fellowship is offered bi-annually at Second City Toronto, and an inaugural program launches at The Second City Hollywood this summer.

The success of The Bob Curry Fellowship program is felt on Second City’s stages, as several participants in the fellowship have been cast in The Second City’s professional companies. Tyler Davis and Tien Tran are graduates of the fellowship who now perform in the current Second City Chicago Mainstage production of Dream Freaks Fall from Space, with numerous other fellows touring with the Second City Touring Company and Second City Theatricals.

About Bob Curry
Bob Curry was Joseph Jefferson Award-winning actor and director. In 1966, Curry became the first African-American to join The Second City’s resident company before joining what evolved into the first-ever touring company. In 1986, he received a Jeff Award for the Northlight Theatre production of Boesman and Lenam, tying for Best Supporting Actor with Danny Glover. An inspired director, Curry coached many actors of color in the Chicago theatre community on several projects, and he directed Paul Robeson at Kennedy-King College shortly before his death in 1994.

About NBCUniversal Talent Development & Inclusion
NBCUniversal Talent Development & Inclusion hosts a variety of programs and events and partners with other entertainment entities to develop, nurture, showcase and provide networking opportunities for new and diverse actors, writers, directors and other talent.  The programs include Late Night Writers Workshop, NBCUniversal Short Film Festival, NBCU Emerging Directors Program, Writers on the Verge, StandUp NBC, Scene Showcase, the Casting Apprentice Program and the Diverse Staff Writer Initiative, among others.  For more information, please log onto www.nbcunitips.com.

About The Second City
Since opening its doors 1959, The Second City has grown to become the world’s premier comedy club, theater and school of improvisation, entertaining 1 million theatergoers a year around the globe. Alumni of The Second City’s resident stages, touring companies, and theatrical divisions include some of the biggest names in entertainment, and in addition to the sold-out shows playing nightly on resident stages in Chicago and Toronto, the comedy empire has staged productions with a wide range of illustrious creative partners and theatre companies, including the Lyric Opera of Chicago, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Goodman Theatre, Center Theater Group Los Angeles, Portland Center Stage, Toronto Symphony Orchestra, La Jolla Playhouse, Woolly Mammoth Theatre, and even the Chicago Bulls.

Second City’s UP Comedy Club To Host 5th Annual Bob Curry Fellowship Showcase and 4th Annual NBCUniversal Break Out Comedy Festival This June

Chi IL Live Shows On Our Radar:

The Second City presents

5th Annual Bob Curry Fellowship Showcase

Wednesday, June 6 at 8 pm in Second City’s e.t.c. Theater

4th Annual NBCUniversal Break Out Comedy Festival

Hosted by Godfrey, David Pompeii and Azhar Usman

June 7 - 9 at Second City’s UP Comedy Club

The Second City will bring diverse new voices to the forefront of the comedy world with a series of events June 6 - 9, 2018. The weekend kicks off with the 5th annual Bob Curry Fellowship Showcase, featuring 16 of the best and brightest new voices in comedy. The 4th annual NBCUniversal Second City Break Out Comedy Festival, which spotlights rising talent from across the country, will be hosted by incomparable comic Godfrey (Comedy Central, VH1, BET), Second City alumnus David Pompeii (Comedy Central, Key and Peele) and special guest Azhar Usman (Comedy Cellar of NY).

“The Diversity and Inclusion program was formally introduced over 25 years ago as part of Second City’s ongoing mission. We couldn’t be more thrilled with the Bob Curry and Break Out Festival events, which are the centerpieces of the initiative and a vital part of the overall programming at Second City,” said Dionna Griffin-Irons, Director of Diversity Talent and Development. “No fan of comedy should miss out on this weekend exploding with fresh, diverse voices.”

The Bob Curry Fellowship Showcase
Second City’s e.t.c. Theater (230 W North Ave, 2nd Floor of Piper’s Alley)
Wednesday, June 6 at 8pm
Tickets, $15, 312-337-3992, www.secondcity.com

The 5th annual cohort of the Bob Curry Fellowship program, comprised of 16 of the best and brightest new voices in comedy, will perform together in the Bob Curry Fellowship Showcase, directed by Second City Co-Artistic Director, Matt Hovde. The showcase will highlight ten weeks of master improv training, with original material and best of Second City archival scenes.

The 2018 Bob Curry Fellows are: Angela Alise, Trumane Alston, Damian Anaya, Aaron Branch, Menaka Delekar, Jillian Ebanks, George Elrod, Steve Han, Maya Haughton, Jarid Igbal, Asia Martin, Julia Morales, Yazmin Ramos, Ana Silva, Max Thomas and Shadee Vossonghi.

Building upon a unique partnership established with Universal Television, the Bob Curry Fellowship is a professional mentoring and development program focused on cultivating the best new voices in improv and sketch comedy. A highly competitive and rigorous process, applicants must audition to be considered for the program. In 2018, over 250 applicants submitted with sixteen diverse actors and improvisers from a diverse, array of multicultural, ethnic backgrounds being selected. The Bob Curry Fellowship is offered bi-annually at Second City Toronto, and an inaugural program launches at The Second City Hollywood this summer.

The success of The Bob Curry Fellowship program is felt on Second City’s stages, as several participants in the fellowship have been cast in The Second City’s professional companies. Tyler Davis and Tien Tran are graduates of the fellowship who now perform in the current Second City Chicago Mainstage production of Dream Freaks Fall from Space, with numerous other fellows touring with the Second City Touring Company and Second City Theatricals.

4th Annual NBCUniversal Second City Break Out Comedy Festival
Second City’s UP Comedy Club (230 W North Ave, 3rd Floor of Piper’s Alley)
June 7 - 9, 2018
Tickets: $10-$25, 312-337-3992, www.secondcity.com

Thursday, June 7 at 7:30pm ($20-$25): Hosted by David Pompeii
with special guest Azhar Usman
Friday, June 8 and Saturday, June 9 at 7:30pm and 10pm ($20-$25): Hosted by Godfrey
Saturday, June 9 at midnight ($10): Hosted by Azhar Usman

Back for its fourth year, this dynamic partnership with NBCUniversal and Second City will again showcase some of the hottest emerging and seasoned diverse comedic acts in stand-up, sketch and improv from around the country. This year’s Break Out Comedy Festival includes hosts Godfrey (Comedy Central, VH1, BET), David Pompeii (Comedy Central, Key and Peele), Azhar Usman (Comedy Cellar of NY) and a lineup of Chicago favorites and emerging comedic acts.

On Thursday, June 7, veteran Chicago stand-up comics Calvin Evans and Alex Kumin will perform, along with up-and-coming new talent. Friday, June 8 and Saturday, June 9 performances will include New York-based comics Paul Elia (Conan), Adam Mamawala (Funny or Die’s Top 30 Under 30 Comedians to Watch) and Kerry Codett (BET’s The Rundown with Robin Thede), Toronto-based comedian Carol Zoccoli and newcomer Max Desolhn from Seattle. All shows will also feature select graduates of the Bob Curry Fellowship Program.

About Bob Curry
Bob Curry was Joseph Jefferson Award-winning actor and director. In 1966, Curry became the first African-American to join The Second City’s resident company before joining what evolved into the first-ever touring company. In 1986, he received a Jeff Award for the Northlight Theatre production of Boesman and Lenam, tying for Best Supporting Actor with Danny Glover. An inspired director, Curry coached many actors of color in the Chicago theatre community on several projects, and he directed Paul Robeson at Kennedy-King College shortly before his death in 1994.

About NBCUniversal Talent Development & Inclusion
NBCUniversal Talent Development & Inclusion hosts a variety of programs and events and partners with other entertainment entities to develop, nurture, showcase and provide networking opportunities for new and diverse actors, writers, directors and other talent.  The programs include Late Night Writers Workshop, NBCUniversal Short Film Festival, NBCU Emerging Directors Program, Writers on the Verge, StandUp NBC, Scene Showcase, the Casting Apprentice Program and the Diverse Staff Writer Initiative, among others.  For more information, please log onto www.nbcunitips.com.

About The Second City
Since opening its doors 1959, The Second City has grown to become the world’s premier comedy club, theater and school of improvisation, entertaining 1 million theatergoers a year around the globe. Alumni of The Second City’s resident stages, touring companies, and theatrical divisions include some of the biggest names in entertainment, and in addition to the sold-out shows playing nightly on resident stages in Chicago and Toronto, the comedy empire has staged productions with a wide range of illustrious creative partners and theatre companies, including the Lyric Opera of Chicago, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Goodman Theatre, Center Theater Group Los Angeles, Portland Center Stage, Toronto Symphony Orchestra, La Jolla Playhouse, Woolly Mammoth Theatre, and even the Chicago Bulls.

OPENING: The Second City's She the People Is Back at Up Comedy Club 1/11-4/1/18

The Second City presents the return of

The Second City’s She the People: 

Girlfriends’ Guide to Sisters 

Doing it for Themselves

The hit sketch show is back to take on women’s issues with wit and wisdom

January 11 – April 1, 2018

*Run Time: 100 minutes (2 Acts with a brief intermission)**

Here at ChiIL Live Shows, we love sketch comedy and funny women. Can't wait to catch this remount of The Second City’s hit, She The People.

Back by popular demand, The Second City’s She the People: Girlfriends’ Guide to Sisters Doing It for Themselves, a sketch show created, designed and performed entirely by the women of Second City, returns to the stage in 2018. Under the direction of Carly Heffernan with musical direction by Mary Mahoney, She the People runs January 11 – April 1, 2018, in The Second City’s UP Comedy Club. Tickets start at $26 and can be purchased at the box office, by phone at (312) 662-4562 or online at www.secondcity.com. UP Comedy Club is located on the 3rd Floor of Piper’s Alley at 230 W North Ave, Chicago.

We’ll bet you 72 cents on the dollar (or much, much less!) you’ll cheer for the women of The Second City as they roast the patriarchy! This mimosa-and-madness-fueled foray takes on everything from having it all to having that sick feeling your government is trying to send you back to the Middle Ages. It’s time for women everywhere to collectively reclaim comedy!

She the People is written by Carisa Barreca, Marla Caceres, Carly Heffernan, Tien Tran and Lauren Walker. Casting will be announced at a later date. 

She the People plays on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm and Sundays at 7pm at UP Comedy Club, located at 230 W North Ave, 3rd Floor of Piper’s Alley, Chicago. Tickets, starting at $26, are available at the Second City Box Office (230 W. North Ave, First Floor, Piper's Alley), by phone at 312-337-3992 or online at www.secondcity.com.

About the Artists
CARLY HEFFERNAN (Director) is an award-winning alumna of The Second City Toronto, where she wrote and performed in four Mainstage revues. She recently co-wrote the hit show The Second City Guide to the Symphony and toured with it across Canada and the United States. She directed the critically acclaimed Second City Toronto Mainstage revue Come What Mayhem!, as well as The Second City Touring Company and several Norwegian Cruise Line shows. Carly currently writes for Second Jen (CityTV), The Irrelevant Show (CBC Radio) and Air Farce Canada 150 special (CBC).

MARY MAHONEY (Music Direction/ Sound Design) has worked as a Musical Director for sketch and improv comedy all over the continent while touring with Second City Theatricals aboard the Norwegian Dawn and The Second City Touring Company. A former music faculty member of Western Washington University, she is now a faculty member at The Second City Training Center.

ABBY BEGGS (Lighting Design) When she’s not in the booth at The Second City, she can be found stage managing, directing and composing music for theatre around town. Stage management credits include: L'enfant et les Sortilèges, L'incoronazione di Poppea (Roosevelt University), The Out of Tooners (Off-Color Theatre Company), Gallo (Guerilla Opera), Blue Window (Brown Box Theatre Project), The Scene, Good People and Barefoot in the Park (Dorset Theatre Festival), among others.

Tickets: Starting at $26
Groups of 16 visit the Group Events page for party package options.

Box Office: 230 W. North Ave, First Floor, Piper's Alley
phone at 312-337-3992 or online at www.secondcity.com.

About The Second City
Since opening its doors 1959, The Second City has grown to become the world’s premier comedy club, theater and school of improvisation, entertaining 1 million theatergoers a year around the globe. Alumni of The Second City’s resident stages, touring companies, and theatrical divisions include some of the biggest names in entertainment, and in addition to the sold-out shows playing nightly on resident stages in Chicago and Toronto, the comedy empire has staged productions with a wide range of illustrious creative partners and theatre companies, including the Lyric Opera of Chicago, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Goodman Theatre, Center Theater Group Los Angeles, Portland Center Stage, Toronto Symphony Orchestra, La Jolla Playhouse, Woolly Mammoth Theatre, and even the Chicago Bulls.

OPENING: Ultra American: A Patriot Act Starring Azhar Usman

Chi, IL LIVE Shows On Our Radar:

Smart Comedy With a Razor Sharp Edge. Limited Three Week Run. Famed comedian and former lawyer Azhar Usman uses wit and knowledge to tackle some of America's most pressing issues. Race, identity, and national politics are all fair game in Azhar's comical commentary on what it means to be an Indian American Muslim in 2016. Ultra American: A Patriot Act runs September 5 - 26, Tuesdays thru Sundays. Tickets are $25 General Admission or $15 for Students. All performances held at Silk Road Rising (77 W. Washington St, Lower Level, Chicago, IL) Buy Tickets »

Ultra American Runs Tuesdays Thru Sundays for Only Three Weeks Ultra American: A Patriot Act  Written and Performed by Azhar Usman Directed by Aaron Todd Douglas $25 Adults / $15 Students Performances at Silk Road Rising 77 W. Washington St. | Chicago, IL September 6th - 25th Presidential Candidate Donald Trump has just proposed an ideological litmus test for Muslims and immigrants attempting to enter the United States. According to Trump, "those who support bigotry and hatred” and fail "to embrace a tolerant American society" should be denied visas. Famed comedian Azhar Usman skewers these ironies and more in his brutally honest, one-man show. Ultra American: A Patriot Act explores the tensions and paradoxes surrounding the double consciousness of American Muslims living in an ever-polarizing world. This three-week engagement will run Tuesdays thru Sundays.

Comedians Are Raving About Azhar Usman Azhar Usman has toured the world performing stand-up and opening for a variety of stand-up comics. See what other comedians think of the man CNN calls, "America's Funniest Muslim." "One of the most important, relevant, and hysterically funny guys out there!" -Margaret Cho "Azhar Usman is untouchable. He is like a comedian from the future." -Dave Chappelle "I think Azhar is hysterical." -John Oliver "Azhar Usman is funny. Also, he turned me on to halal bacon, and I thank him for that." -Jim Gaffigan "He's like Zach Galifianakis meets Deepak Chopra and funnier than you'd expect that combination to be." -Russell Peters

From Artistic Director Jamil Khoury:

Yes, there's the fact that Azhar Usman is a critically-acclaimed, nationally renowned stand-up comedian and soon-to-be household name (hint: it has something to do with a television show, that's all I'll say), and yes, there's the fact that he's been crowned "America's funniest Muslim" and that he is, indeed, America's funniest Muslim, and yes, there's the fact that this lawyer turned humorist provocateur is developing his first-ever play at Silk Road Rising (a testament to his impeccable judgement), but all of that notwithstanding, the real reason you need to see Ultra American: A Patriot Act is because you've been to a lot of plays in your day, but you've never seen anything quite like this. I'm telling you, this guy is truly unique and he's super talented. He's Dave Chappelle's opening act for God's sake! He can take W.E.B Du Bois' theory of double consciousness, in all its brilliance, and make it funny AND smart. And if you think Muslims are scary, well—okay, in Azhar's case you just may have yourself a point. But I'm talking edgy, no apologies, in-your-face, raise-the-roof scary. Hell, ISIS tried to recruit this guy. Fortunately, we got him instead.  

Look, it's not easy being Muslim in America. My husband's Muslim. I know the struggle well. And our pal Azhar manages to mine the complexity and irony and insanity from that rocky road he travels. He not only invites us into his journey, he makes us part of his journey, and in the end, well, maybe we should all walk a mile in another person's shoes.

In other words, you need to see Ultra American. Seriously. This guy looks like Taliban #3 straight out of central casting. By his own admission, he's the guy you don't want to board a plane with. I'd even argue that the future of Western Civilization depends on your seeing this show. So come on. You've got three weeks (September 6-25). We're performing Tuesdays thru Sundays. As busy as you may be, surely you have 90 minutes to spare for the United States of America, right?